Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-09-18
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 20
JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS.

uAllO me. MALI. E0.i5.
l.. Tic Congre cation, W.. 1888. This
is one of the difficult and much-con.
troverted passages of our Lords Oil.
vet prophecy. The title Son of Man"
is one which refers to our Lords
earthly relations and administration,
and is one not otherwise used in this
prophecy. Jesus is speaking to his
disciples. He looks beyond the dark
passion SO rapidly approaching to the
light of the ultimate fulfilling of his
purpose for this world. Our Lord here
makes no reference to the final judg-
ment mentioned in the Apocalypse. In
that hour earth and heaven will fee
away. Here there is no such passing
away nor do the dead appear. The
son is enthrcned. He administers
judgment. He is assisted by the ac-
complaining angels. The believer
must appear before the judgment (I
Cor. $40; Rom. 14:10), but his des-
tiny is decided the ent he be-
lieves, John SPA. Christ first came in
humiliation, when he comes this time
twill be in glory" ". 81. He may
come at any moment, Matt. 24:42-44.
This is more the description of
a judgment than of a trial. The test
ing is taking place today.
Separating Test.
II. Those Commended, Wv. 34-4o.
The separating test is the attitude
of the nations toward the brethren of
the Lord. Here Jesus emphatically
speaks of his kinGship, hence the hon.
ored position, ION his right hand"
In his teaching Jesus had empha-
sized the fact that those who do the
will of God are his next of kin. Here
they are, "Ye blessed of my father"
This word blessed, means. literally,
well spoken Of" We are blessed of
God in the heayenlies in Christ, Eph.
1:3, but we are also to be blessed
with an inheritance in the kingdom.
See Gal. 5:19, Il; Eph. 5.5; l Cor. SO,
10 contrasted with II Tim. 2:2: AS:
James 20; Rev. 21:7. This blessing is
a gift, Luke 1922, which has been
prepared from the foundation of the
world" .(v. 34). Mans destiny de-
ponds upon the object and act of his
faith, but the test, the proof, the evil
dence Of that faith is in his conduct
(GaI. 5:6; James 2:17, 1S). Altrussm
does not save the soul, but a truly
saved soul will be compassionately
s~erviceable. 1t is ours to assuage the
thirsty, John Ala, 6:55; ours to feed
the hungry, John 6;32, IS; ours to re.
ceiye the stranger. Eph. 2:13, Is, 10;
ours to clothe the naked, lisa. 64:6;
ours to visit the sick, Luke 1:6s, IS;
and ours to visit the prisoner, Luke
Alb. Note carefully the unconscious.
less of good deeds. The Christian is
SO identified with Jesus Christ as ia
regard these deeds as not his own,
but Christ within" The real test is
not so much love for God or Christ
whom We have not seen, but lore fol
the brethren whom we have seen q
John 3:17). Our attitude toward our
brethren is the evidence that we have
received Christ. Our life of service
though we may be 'the least will
be commended before the throne and
the assembled nations and angels. He
is identified with the least" This
sentence needs to be interpreted in
the light of the entire scene and Its
relationship. Those commended are
sent away into an age-abiding life
of felicity.
The Other Side.
III. Those Condemned, wv. 41-46
Turning nov to the other side, what q
change we behold! Come" is nov
depart" not to age-abiding joy, but tc
age-abiding fire, which is age-abidine
punishment. We do not infer tina,
this parable refers to the place Of
the departed dead, to the final judg
ment of sin but to the time of his
second advent and that the life that
Is blessed and the place of punish
ment are on this earth during the age
of his millennial reign. Such at least
is as far as we feel we have a righi
to go in the Interpretation of this par
able. Those who do not listen to the
come" Of Jesus now, will hear his
depart" hereafter. Notice there IL
no reference to the father followfns
the curse such as we find in connec
ton with the blessed" Men are
cursed by themselves, John $40
Those who seek to ave themselve.
are likewise cursed, Gal. $40. Tbs
kingdom is prepared for the righteou.
and punishment is not prepared fcl
man. 1t was prepared for the dew
(41) and his cohorts.
~. The Lesson content. Admit
ting the difficulty of Interpretation ler
US look at the picture. Jesus OF
Mount Olivet, sitting in the midst o
his disciples, knew full well what wa.
awaiting him on Calvary. Judged b,
human x~.andards he was defeated ant
his defeat was to be made irrevocablt
by that ignominous death. So hi.
ener,ies confidently believed. Yet ht
looks beyond tts circumstance to thu
coming centuries ard through them Il
the end of the age and claims thu
victory. He speaks without hesitation
of his hour of triumph and glory
tv. 81, of the time of absolute author
ity, Of almighty power, when h.
should administer affairs in the king
dom of God. prepared for you from
the foundation of the world" Eli.
viewpoint should be ours. We are il
the last stage of his prophecy. Ma
tons are no longer divided by divid
Ing lines of race, language and local
ity. All the world is laid upon oul
breakfast table along with our toas
and coffee. But spiritual lines O
mans relation to the son of man, a.
manifested by their relations to hi.
brethren who are his messengers, ar
beginning to make clear the lines O
that ultimate cleavage which shall b,
declared in Judgment when he comes
The good servants are to have a par
in his glory. The doomed depart no
for their evil deeds. but because O
the good they neglected to do. Ths
fxedness of this separation is indicat
ed in verse As by the fact that il
the original and in the revised version