Who Is Righteous?

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. Matthew 13:47–50 (RSV)

We forget that we are not the ones who will be deciding who will be among the righteous and who will not. A superficial reading of this parable would suggest a selfish heart will have some say in the matter. We do not, and we condemn our hearts if we think we do.

The Holy Angels will accomplish this. You and I have no say in the eternal destiny of anyone. We may look upon another person and see the most wretched, vile sinner ever to walk upon the earth. What Jesus sees is another matter. We would do well to remember that our hearts are never pure while we live in this present darkness.

It is by grace through faith in the mercy of God that any will come to the Kingdom. The Christian heart has no room for any pleasure in losing anyone whom the Father sent His Son to redeem. Yes, some will not enter the Kingdom. They will have chosen that judgment; thus, they will have what they think they want.

Let us take care that we daily seek after the Lord, pray for the Spirit to open our eyes to our sin, and discover anew that it is only by the grace of Christ do any of us enter the Kingdom.