Tough Questions for Christians March 18 Devotional
by David Joynt on March 18, 2023
Stress Test Devotional April 27
April 27, 2024
MATTHEW 25:31-34, 37-38, 41 | 31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing?’
41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
JOHN 5:24 | 24 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.
Our other key element to remember is that the questions of Christian truth vis-à-vis other religions is not the same as the question of who in the end will be saved. This latter issue is connected to the former one but also independent. We know that those who have faith in Christ will have life beyond life. We know that judgement at history’s conclusion will be a final reality. We also know that judgement at history’s conclusion will be a final reality. We know that God’s love is universal and trust in His judgement to be merciful. Jesus’ judgement parables, along with many other New Testament passages, teach a division among the saved and the lost. Given the different levels of exposure to the truth of the gospel, we must be careful about consigning anyone to the darkness. There is an urgency that comes from knowing that people of faith will know eternal community with God in a restored creation. This urgency is compatible with a qualified agnosticism about the destiny of those who do not come to the point of profession. Jesus seems to indicate judgement will involve surprises!
What kind of encounters have you had with people of other faiths?
Gracious God,
We pray that everyone will come to repentance and saving faith. We trust that You are the only One in a position to evaluate and judge human lives. May we share our hope at every opportunity.
Amen.
