Restoration Road Ministry.org

There will be a separation of those who live by faith in their walk with Jesus Christ from those who remain complicit in their walk alone with sin.

“Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:32-34). “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). “And these will go into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46, ESV, 2001, Crossway).

Scripture provides us clear direction and warning with the following verses, to ensure that we recognize and distinguish the virtues of sheep from that of goats, and with that direction, the opportunity to walk in line with the one we wish to personify in the face of the Lord.

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away” (Matthew 13:24-25). “‘Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barns”‘” (Matthew 13:30).

“His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:17).

For every moment we choose to walk in our own strength, in our own understanding, in our own will, and in our own lack of repentance and unrelinquished sin, according to the path we have chosen for ourselves instead of his, we have agreed to be separated as goats from God’s love and his kingdom through our own willful defiance to his instruction.

We say this with both humility and encouragement, to examine ourselves thoroughly, through careful inspection, and to accept that most of the time our flesh keeps us satisfied with the status quo, in our sin, instead of maturing out from our former childish ways. And before long, years have gone by without any observable sign of growing deeper into the life we are to be living in Christ. The concern here is to avoid the unrecognized pattern of living as a goat through a sinful pattern we have been warned to avoid.

Scripture says, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience”(Ephesians 5:3-6).

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9).

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

In contrast to the behavior of goats, scripture tells us that his sheep know their Shepherd and follow him. Therefore, we also must bear his image and likeness through our attitudes, thoughts, behaviors, and actions, if we claim to follow Jesus Christ. There is no middle ground in which we can walk, as the paths that separate the sheep from the goats lead in opposite directions. So, when we choose Christ, we choose to walk in the way of Jesus Christ rather than in the way of Satan.

“Scripture says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:22-26).

And therefore we must recognize when we have been misled away from Christ through our wayward walk and return quickly, so that we remain in his will and under his protection.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8: 5-11).

We are thankful that God demonstrates his love for us by providing such clear instructions and examples for us to follow, so that there is no ambiguity in our understanding and ability to exercise our obedience as he requires. But this awareness and understanding cannot occur if we are not studying his word. The word of God is heard through the pages of scripture he has given to those who have chosen to follow him.

To ensure we remain in his flock requires us to walk in obedience as his sheep. And to ensure we are not consumed by eternal fire requires us to yield good fruit in the harvest of his wheat.

In Christ.