ALL of us were born into a sin nature, ever since Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden *chose* to listen to satan's temptation to eat of the forbidden fruit. EVERY ONE OF US TODAY makes the same choice willfully, this is called the human/sin nature. Adam and Eve were given two choices, follow God and do His will (the tree of life) ... OR ... follow the fallen angel satan and rebel against God (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). The sin they did was to choose the tempter, a fellow creation, over the Creator. They chose to believe the liar, instead of God.
EVERY DAY, ALL DAY we have choices to make, the same two simple choices. All of us have chosen to disobey most of God's basic 10 Commandments that He gave us for our own good and benefit. He, being Holy, must judge sin. Sin cannot dwell where God is. God could EASILY WIPE US ALL OUT -but- for His compassion & love towards us He withholds ... until we leave Him no other option.
Because we are born with that sin nature we are all destined for hell because once we hit the age of accountability ... knowing good from evil ... we choose evil (transgressing God's laws). Think about your life, as good as you may *think* you are, you think so with the mind of a man/woman, a created being ... not from God's perspective, the Creator. It's like the clay pot telling the Master Sculptor how to fashion it - the clay being just a lump of dirt until the Sculptor makes something beautiful out of it. Over time, that clay disintegrates, even if it was fashioned ... it decays into nothingness ... unless the Sculptor preserves it.
So it is with you & I, we are NOTHING without God. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask if you have lied, cheated, stolen, hated anyone (Jesus likens hating to murder), committed fornication (sex outside of holy marriage) or adultery (sex with anyone not your spouse), etc. Even pornography viewing is a betrayal, against God or one's spouse. Addictions are gods of one's own imagination, idolatry, since people tend to lean on that for comfort instead of truly seeking God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and spirit. Go ahead, I challenge you to get off of your high horse and look at yourself from God's viewpoint!
OK, so, if you are actually going to read this post you should know these things anyway. That being said, to my fellow believers I say ...
What I've come to realize is that the *talents* of this parable ultimately represent the souls of mankind. God is not interested in *money*. He has made it all and He alone owns it all. He is interested in saving souls, those same souls that have shut Him out so they can continue on in their sins against Him. When you read this parable, think about the ones you love, or know: family, friends, acquaintances.
No, this is NOT a *pretty* message, but it's one that needs to be said. It's a parable, a mystery to those that don't know Him, but a CLEAR message to those that do know Him. You will be accountable to the Lord for every single *talent* (soul) that He has put in your life ... the day of reconning is coming soon, on "that day" when He returns.
Don't waste your time being the devil's advocate. The devil is a liar, a murderer, a thief ... he comes to kill, steal and destroy your life and that of those you know. YOU may be the LAST HOPE before a "talent" (a person that God has entrusted to you) dies. PLEASE, DO/SAY SOMETHING to snatch them from the fires of hell!
This is JESUS speaking ...
.:: MATTHEW 25:14-46 {KJV} ::.
For [the kingdom of heaven is] as a man travelling into a far country, [who] called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made [them] other five talents. And likewise he that [had received] two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, [thou] good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, [there] thou hast [that is] thine. His lord answered and said unto him, [Thou] wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and [then] at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give [it] unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
The saying that "it's better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all" should take on a new meaning when you realize that those you don't reach out to for Christ will perish forever in the flames of torment in hell. It is better to preach the truth to them now while they still live and have a chance to choose rightly, even though they may turn their back on you in this world. By planting the gospel seed of God's love ... > that being that He came into His creation as One of us, a Man we call Jesus {Yeshua in Hebrew}, and died in our place for our sins against Him < ... our family, friends & acquaintances may ultimately make the right choice before their last breath. If you don't plant that seed then YOU will be partially responsible for them being in hell since you knew the truth but didn't warn them. Their blood will be on your hands. EVERY believer in Jesus IS a watchman ... Eze 33 https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/eze/33/1/s_835001 ... each of us have been entrusted with *talents* (souls to win to the kingdom of God).
Some folks I know, including me, have (at times) failed in this most important task; and people we know have since died and gone to hell because they didn't accept Jesus' gift of life. This post is not one of condemnation for one's (including my own) past failures. If you are among those that have failed, don't let the devil beat you up and drag you down over it. And please, don't waste your time (or mine) being the devil's advocate. The devil is a liar, a murderer, a thief ... he comes to kill, steal and destroy {Jhn 10:10} your life and that of those you know.
REPENT {turn from this satanic world's ways to God's ways}. And from this day forward do the work of an evangelist as we are commanded to do in the "great commission". What IS the "great commission"? After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus tells us ...
And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen. {Mat 28:17-20}
This is for EVERY believer. This is why I so strongly "preach the word" now ... let there be no more lost souls on my account Lord. I pray the Lord helps me, and you, to preach the gospel, the good news of Jesus' saving grace and that He gives us the boldness of lions to do His work while there's still time. You & I will suffer persecution, trials, tribulation for His name's sake {Luk 6:22}, He predicted it {Jhn 16:33} ... as have all the apostles, disciples and prophets before us. Our reward is NOT here and now but is yet future when Jesus returns to rule & reign on this earth and forevermore. Work towards that eternal prize. I can think of no greater gift than eternal life with the One that created me ;o}
There comes a time in our Christian walk for the Lord that we must get off the milk and onto solid food, that food is found in God's word: the seed that is preserved for us as a written testimony, the bible {Luk 8}.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. {Heb 5:12-13}
When YOU came to salvation in the Lord it was because someone that He had sent to you actually spoke the gospel truth to you in boldness. Pass it on ... your rewards will be great in heaven; even though you will suffer here on earth, because the devil will not like you telling others there IS a way out of hell.
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. {2Ti 4:5}
God bless you all, thanks for reading ;o}
{ALL Scripture here is KJV. Red letter text is quoting Jesus.}
