THE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES OF SIN-MATT. 25:41

Part of Satan's strategy in tempting Adam and Eve was to convince them that there  would be no evil consequences to their actions.' Ye shall not surely die'' has been his often repeated lie to sinners ever since. The subject of eternal punishment has virtually disappeared from theology. Liberals deny it completely. One of the most frequent arguments is ''A God of love would not send anyone to hell''. Such reasoning is faulty and unscriptural because it ignores God's holiness and justice. If He did not enforce His laws, anarchy would take over the universe. If everyone would sin with impunity, then, God's credibility would disappear. Love is the gospel's greatest theme but biblical teaching of God's wrath must not be ignored. Sinners would face that wrath if they do not repent.

Jesus uses a familiar pastoral scene to describe what is difficult for the human mind to comprehend. it is unusual for a shepherd to have both sheep and goats in his flock. Unless the grass was spares, they usually grazed together during the day. However, they are usually separated at night because the sheep tolerated the cool air better than the goats which have to b kept close together for warmth. The sheep are called to the king's right hand; the place of power, authority and favor. The goats occupy the place of ignominy and shame.

As painful as the separation of the wicked will be from the righteous, the real agony will come from the command- ''Depart from me''. They will be cut off from Him for eternity- separation from His love, mercy, grace and blessing. Even though they will address Him as Lord, it will be too late for such confession to bring salvation. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is a typical example of this separation.

If an individual is lost, it is because he rejected God's loving offer of salvation. The last thing God wants for anybody is His eternal destruction. God has made the greatest provision for the salvation of sinners- the sacrifice of His son. But each one still has the freedom of choice and can decide either to reject r accept Christ. God's love is not narrow, it encompasses the whole world. God is clear about the consequences of sin. Eternal life is life that cannot be exhausted by the passage of time as physical life is. It is both present and future. Eternal life begins from the moment one accepts Jesus as personal lord and savior and  continues throughout eternity.

Light is come into the world- nothing could better describe Christ's earthly ministry. Sin produces darkness- moral, spiritual and mental. It clouds one's understanding so he cannot comprehend spiritual truth.

One of the subtle ways that the devil blinds or darkens the understanding of unsaved people is to convince them that they are somehow unworthy or unable to come to Christ. Sadly, many people do not realize that God's love include anyone, anywhere, just the way they are.

It is worth remembering that all of us are just a heart-beat away from eternity. This is not just a cliché but a reality, we must live as though each moment of our days could be the last. But God has not left us reasons to despair for our sins. In Christ the judgment we would face for our sins has been taken care of. We are freed from sin and can look forward to His blessing and acceptance through faith in His death on the cross.