PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 25:31-46
What do you sense Jesus saying to you in this passage?
“They will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
I read the bible through the lens of love.
How do we view the final judgment through the lens of love?
Jesus definitely affirms some kind of punishment here.
But notice, it is for those who refused to show love.
Love is both how God relates to us, and what God expects of us.
Our whole lifetime is immersed in God’s gracious love.
We are free to choose love (compassion, kindness) or not.
But if we refuse to be loving, we are rejecting God and life.
Eternal life will be eternal love, not ‘heaven’ to those who hate love.
In the end, the punishment will be getting what we want.
God is constantly appealing to us to live in and for love.
But if we refuse the life of love, God will honour that in the end.
The opposite of eternal life is eternal death; no life, no love.
Why would anyone want that?
Lord Jesus, love and life go hand in hand. Love leads to life, and lack of love to death. Help me to start living this heavenly life now!