Matt 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.
This is absolutely scary. This is actually going to happen. Jesus will come and all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another like separating the sheep from the goats.
Psalm 1: Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked 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.4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Psalm 1 talks about the wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away! (v4). The wicked shall not stand in the judgment and their way leads to destruction. But the righteous shall be like a tree planted by stream of water and yield its fruit in season, their leaf doesn’t wither, and whatever they do they prosper.
Scottish Psalter of 1595 says “Heavenly Father has given us his holy law, to be the only rule and measure (the Bible) whereby we shall live well and godly, make us by thy good grace to renounce our own carnal and fleshly desires, and all evil company, eschewing the way of sinners, that we may bring forth some fruits of the Spirit that, being always under thy holy protection, we may have perfect assurance and confidence; that when thy Son Jesus Christ, shall appeal to divide the goats fro the sheep, we may be accounted among the number of them that are redeemed by his blood. So be it.”[1]
First it’s a prayer for God to help us to live well and godly. To live a godly life in this world is challenging, but God has given us all provisions to enable us to do that. Remember, it’s not your trying to do it yourself, its more you crying out to God to enable you and help you. Then you can ask God for his grace to renounce our carnal and fleshly desires. That’s grace from the supernatural power of the sovereign God. Not by merit of ours, but totally a gift and endowment of God. That’s a clear nuance that we Christians must get hold of. Don’t push it by your won effort to be holy, because it will become man’s effort, not God’s grace.
Result: We may renounce carnal desires. Desires from the flesh, from the world, which is all around us from internet, media etc. But there is a bigger thing in life!!
So that we have this perfect assurance and confidence when the Son of God Jesus Christ shall appear in the end time to divide the goats from the sheep, we will be among the sheep. That’s so serious! Did you know that in the church today, its what reformed theology calls as the “Visible church”. The visible church is what you see now, and the invisible church s the real born again elect of God. Because not every one in the visible church is a born again elect of God. Some are just not born again, though they may feel guilty when doing wrong, though they may even go to church and pray etc, but Jesus clearly warned of the apostasy coming.
Matt 7 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
You see there is this divide. The goats from the sheep. There will be a separation. It will happen. Make sure, you reach out to God and walk by his power and grace.
[1] David Calhoun Prayer on the Psalms-Scottish Psalter of 1595, The Banner of truth
Al Ngu sermons & devotion 