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Re: matthew 18
 
loquat1 Views: 1,412
Published: 7 y
 
This is a reply to # 2,385,185

Re: matthew 18


Apologies for the delay Tansy, but there was no intention to ignore your question, which is actually very germane.

Granted that there may be minor differences among Christians regarding its commencement, historic Christianity as defined by its most widely regarded and accepted standards of faith (such as the so-called Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Augsburg and Westminster Confessions of faith, etc.) has always been clear about its 'terminus ad quem' - ie, the point at which the age of grace ends, notwithstanding the flexible interpretation adopted by refreshed.

But rather than tell you what this is, why not ponder the following passages for yourself, and draw your own conclusions? This is by no means an exhaustive list. I have kept it deliberately short - mainly because I wanted to focus on those passages that convey a sense of urgency. But they should still be more than sufficient to give you a good idea of what the expression means.

Some of these passages have already been quoted in vekky's post above, which will also repay careful study (btw, good find vekky). I have occasionally highlighted some of the more important phrases that are particularly relevant to our subject.

The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat

24 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundle to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Matthew 13 (NRSV)

Puzzled by what all this means? Have no fear. This is one of those rare occasions when Jesus Himself gives us the explanation:

Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

Matthew 13

Couldn’t be clearer, right? Except maybe for vekky, who has a thing about gnashing teeth! Oh yeah, refreshed too, who believes there’ll be other harvests after this one. Afraid not, refreshed.

The next two passages in particular are worthy of special attention, in view of the following crass and anti-Scriptural remark made by trapper above:

youre kidding. what kind of god would slam the door on people and say too late, times up?
christians are psychopaths.

Clearly, he also has some issues with God that he has yet to resolve, hopefully before he meets Him face to face. Maybe these passages will help him as well, but I somehow doubt it. I'm sure he'll find some way to avoid their obvious meaning.

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

Matthew 25

The Narrow Door

22 Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. 29 Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Luke 13

And the rest………

The Times of Ignorance and the Coming Judgment

30 While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Acts 17

When is the 'right' time for salvation?

2 For he says,
“At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 

2 Corinthians 6

The Day of the Lord

1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape

1 Thess. 5

Entering God's Rest

1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“As in my anger I swore,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”

though his works were finished at the foundation of the world. 4 For in one place it speaks about the seventh day as follows, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this place it says, “They shall not enter my rest.” 6 Since therefore it remains open for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he sets a certain day—“today”—saying through David much later, in the words already quoted,

Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts”

Hebrews 4

No Escape

25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven!

Hebrews 12

God’s Patience = Salvation

9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance……..14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

2 Peter 3

As I said, this is just a fraction of the Scriptural evidence regarding the subject, but I hope by now you have a good idea of what is meant by the term ‘age of grace’.

 

 
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