The Sheep and Goats Parable

[JM]

The Order of Events
This parable seems to put the separating of the righteous from the wicked AFTER Christ is seated on His Millennial throne. If the separation of the sheep from the goats is the separating of Christians from unbelievers, as a post-trib scenario would require, then why does this seem to occur after the second coming and not during the second coming?

The solution to this problem is found by comparing two other parables Jesus gave concerning the same event, the parable of the Wheat and Tares, and the parable of the Dragnet.

http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/repop.html

 

[Vic C.]

What can we conclude from our comparison of these parables? If we employ the pre-trib reasoning, our conclusion would be that these are all separate events, with three different groups of "righteous" and "wicked." But, that is unreasonable, because there is only one "end of the age." The answer then must be that Jesus did not intend to give an exact chronology, but merely to illustrate His main point, that the wicked and righteous would be separated at the end of the age, and the righteous would inherit the Kingdom, and the wicked would be cast into the fire.

Exactly. I agree with their conclusion. Thought righteous doesn't mean saved, sanctified or justified.

I'm confused, I thought your interest in this parable was to determine how evil gets into the Millennium. They go into some detail on that subject.

 

[Vic C.]

But, there is more to this than just a Jewish remnant. Several Old Testament passages indicate there will be Gentile survivors of the tribulation who will enter the Millennial Kingdom in natural bodies.

Yes, Van Kampen touched on this also.

 

[JM]

I just found it {I emailed Ed who wrote the critic on prewrath} and he sent me that article.

~JM~

 

[Vic C.]

I want to touch on this below. Someone may read this and conclude that because they are promised eternal like, there could be no sin entering into the Millennium. Lets remember, they still have imortal bodies and will most likely have offspring. So, we should consider the possibility that these offspring will still possess that "sin nature". They will probably have children of their own and will pass that sin nature on to future generations.

Just a thought.

The Basis for Judgment
One feature of the parable of the Sheep and Goats that puzzles folks is the apparent basis for separation. The Sheep are allowed entrance into the Kingdom prepared for them "from the foundation of the world" because of how they treated "my brethren." The Goats go into everlasting fire because of their apparent rejection of "these my brethren." Some might suppose that this passage teaches salvation by works. At any rate, the results are permanent. Verse 46 says, "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." "Eternal Life" and "eternal damnation" are assigned to the sheep and goats. Therefore, the basis of judgment and separation MUST be connected with salvation. The key to this apparent difficulty is the identity of the "brethren."

 

[JM]

1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

How does the flesh enter into the Kingdom if it doesn't make it thru the Day of the Lord?

 

[Vic C.]

Jason, what do you get from this if you read the entire chapter? (it's only 13 verses in length) I'm reading it and see Paul is speaking about a particular kind of persons' flesh (and it's not a righteous persons- ;-) ). He's not suggesting all flesh is destroyed. At least I don't believe so.

Above all, remember, he is addressing the people in Corinth; know for their immorality.

ugh, we need to consolidate threads. Go check out where Coop and myself were discussing "sin" in the Millennium.

 

[JM]

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying.

1Co 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

v. 4 when ye are gathered together
are the "ye" believers or all nations?

v.5 to deliever such an one unto Satan
is one sin bigger then another or does the Bible teach that all sin is sin in the eyes of God?

From the passage, it seems that sinners flesh will be burnt up. What happens to believers if they're not translated in a similar manner to that explained when the Rapture takes place?

Which thread should I be looking at to continue posting on sin in the mil?

~JM~

 

[Vic C.]

We can continue here. I just thought it would be good to read what we were saying. I will link to our conversation.

http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopi ... 029#314029

Sorry, if I didn't convey what I was thinking. It was 15 mins. 'til the time I was to leave work and I rushed the post. I had decided to read the NKJV and it became appearant (to me) what it was Paul was saying.

1 Corinthians 5
Immorality Defiles the Church

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentilesâ€â€that a man has his father’s wife!
2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Here is a clip from a commentary by Adam Clarke on thise verse. I only wish I could have put this in by own words, but I couldn't; I didn't know the historical context of the passage.

Verse 5. To deliver such a one unto Satan] There is no evidence that delivering to Satan was any form of excommunication known either among the Jews or the Christians. Lightfoot, Selden, and Schoettgen, who have searched all the Jewish records, have found nothing that answers to this: it was a species of punishment administered in extraordinary cases, in which the body and the mind of an incorrigible transgressor were delivered by the authority of God into the power of Satan, to be tortured with diseases and terrors as a warning to all; but while the body and mind were thus tormented, the immortal spirit was under the influence of the Divine mercy; and the affliction, in all probability, was in general only for a season; though sometimes it was evidently unto death, as the destruction of the flesh seems to imply.

But the soul found mercy at the hand of God; for such a most extraordinary interference of God's power and justice, and of Satan's influence, could not fail to bring the person to a state of the deepest humiliation and contrition; and thus, while the flesh was destroyed, the spirit was saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. No such power as this remains in the Church of God; none such should be assumed; the pretensions to it are as wicked as they are vain. It was the same power by which Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead, and Elymas the sorcerer struck blind. Apostles alone were intrusted with it.

http://www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarke1cor5.htm