Jesus talks of a day when the “good fish” will be separated from the “bad fish” or, the sheep from the goats. What are the characteristics of the righteous in God’s sight?
Who are the Righteous?
To be righteous, we must:
- Believe
- Be born again
- Bear fruit
Bible Passage
Mathew 13:47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The Sheep and the Goats
Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
The Sheep and the Goats
Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
The Sheep and the Goats
The King’s expectation
The King of Kings expects us to:
Win those who don’t know Him into the fold
Serve our brothers and sisters in the Kingdom in every way possible
Who are the righteous? – Those who believe
Romans 3:22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus
Those who believe
Believing in Christ is not merely a verbal profession.
It is a spiritual connection
Faith is a turning point which changes your life forever.
Have you experienced that turning point?
Those who are born again
John 3:3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Those who are born again
Jesus warned that many profess that they believe
Work as if they believe
But have no connection with Christ.
Faith is knowing Christ intimately and personally.
Trusting Him to take control of our lives
Who are the righteous?
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness Isaiah 61:10
Who are the righteous?
Only those who have awakened their dead spirit through faith in Christ have entered the kingdom of God virtually, while on earth.
Those who Bear Fruit
Psalm 1:2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Those who Bear Fruit
Results may be tangible or intangible
Visible or invisible
Measurable or immeasurable
But God sees that the righteous always prosper
Those who Bear Fruit
Galations 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Bad fish
Anyone who has not genuinely believed Christ as the only way, falls into this category.
They may be kind hearted, philanthropic, doing good all their life.
Without Christ, all fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23
Where do we stand?
Ask ourselves:
- Do we truly believe?
- Have we been born again?
- Are we bearing the right kind of fruit?
Justice will be served
Matthews 13:49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Discussion
Ask ourselves:
- Do we truly believe?
- Have we been born again?
- Are we bearing the right kind of fruit?