Centre verse (Matthew 25:32)"And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another,as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the goat" TEXT: MATTHEW 25:31-34. Following literary view,our topic looks not simple antithetical but also oxymoronic. It is antithetical in the sense that it involves a combination of two opposing terms as gathering and separation: Oxymoronic because it appears impossible to have gathering and separation simultaneously. But it is the certainty from our reference of study; " when the son of man shall come in his glory... And before him shall he gathered all nations:... And he shall set the sheep on the right hand, but the goats on the left."(Matthew 25:31,32,33). People gather every single day for religious purposes all over the world. Especially in the Christian communities, churches and church goers can be identified almost on every street, inform of services, programmes and different activities are organised and participated everyday. The truth of the negative aspect however is that not all who gather together in the visible church on earth actually belong to the invisible church acknowledged by God in heaven. In every visible church that truely confesses the name of Christ today,there is a combination of ' sheep' and 'goats', saints and sinners, wheat and tares,sincere believers and hypocritical worshipers. It didn't start now,it has been like this even from the Bible days. For example, during the time the children of Israel came out of Egypt, many Egyptians who had been thunderstruck by the marvelous wonders of God among the Israelites, decided to join them too: from that single act,making them a mixed multitude. From that time until now,whenever the true worshipers of God gather together, there will be likely a mixed multitude among the people. When we cast our mind back at the time of Job,we have to realised that" there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them."(Job 1:6). Therefore it shouldn't be surprising that the congregations of Christians in the whole wide world today is a combination crowd of true and false believers. This kind of life will not continue forever. Having seen the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ in our text,there will soon be a last gathering, during which the real character of every professing believer of Christ Jesus will be revealed and the sincere ones will be separated from the counterfeit worshipers forever. The redeemed of the Lord will be soon gathered, never to be separated any longer. No evil doers like hypocrites, backsliders, careless believers Will be there. It will be an everlasting fellowship of all the saints of God who have faithfully fought the good fight of faith, finished the mandate of Christ on earth and kept the real Christian faith. What a glorious gathering this will be! Do you still possess the sinful behaviours of goat? The transforming power of Christ is still available to make you a new creature. Only accept His divine invitation into the sheepfold today by repenting of your sins and make Him the Shepherd of your soul. Are you already sheep? Abide in the fold. Don't be careless, so that the coming of the Lord will not take you unawares and unprepared! REMEMBER THIS: There will be great separation at Christ coming and gathering of saints eternally with Christ. Further Bible verses: Roman 14:10, Revelation 20:12.
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