Matthew 25.31-46

Matthew 25.31-46

Matt. 25.31-46 can't refer to universal judgment or the church.

Why can't this parable refer to a universal judgment?
1) Judgment is dispensed severally to the church, to the Jews, and also here, to the nations. The Bible never teaches universal judgment. Neither do these verses mean it is a hope of salvation, nor are they to mean there can be a salvation after death.
2) These verses are referring to "all the nations" (v.32), the same word used as "gentiles" in Matthew.
3) This judgment will occur before the millennial kingdom (v.34). Rev. 20.11-15 occurs after the millennium.
4) The throne is the one here on earth (v.31), since nations can't be separated in the air and it would mean rapture; but, there is no rapture of the unsaved before the millennium. Presently Jesus is sitting on his Father's throne. We know there is two thrones according to Rev. 3.21.
5) Those in this parable are living. None of them are dead. The goats are condemned to eternal fire, and hence, this parable can not be speaking of the first resurrection, and therefore, has nothing to do with Christians.
6) Satan has not yet been cast into the pit for the 1000 years since the word "prepared" in verse 41 proves no action is taken yet. If it were the GWT, Satan would have been cast into the lake of fire.
7) "Son of man" is the appellation used for the name of Christ in connection wit the millennial kingdom. After the millennium, the Son "will deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father" (1 Cor. 15.24).
8) There are several judgments in the Bible; this is one is referring to that of the nations. There is also the judgment seat for believers and GWT for the unsaved.

Why can't these verses refer to the church judgment?
1) People think of the sheep as Christians which is true in John 10, but not here because as we have seen "nations" means the Gentiles.
2) Both these sheep and the goats have never known the Lord.
3) They are not judged according to Mosaic law, nor according to faith, but according to works alone-this distinguishes them from the Jews or the church.
4) The church is chosen BEFORE the foundation of the world (Eph. 1.4), while the sheep in the parable are chosen FROM the foundation of the world (Matt. 25.34).
5) The sheep didn't even realize they had showed kindness (v.40). If these were Christians how could they fail to know? The church, which includes the lazy servant as well as the wicked servant (25.24; 24.48; cf. 5 unwise virgins in 25.1-12), certainly knows the Lord.
6) Judgment of Christians is carried on in the air, not on earth.
7) Both the sheep and the goats are unsaved, so this parable is not related to the first resurrection.
8) Judgment here may result in eternal life or death, but believers already have this matter solved.
9) In God's sight the saved and the unsaved are never mixed together.
10) The least of the brethren (v.40) must be distinct from the goats and the sheep who have already passed through judgment. It cannot be the Jews because the Lord has cut asunder the relationship with them (12.46-50).
11) These people have no knowledge they must love Christians.
12) If these sheep are Christians then Christians are not saved by faith but by showing kindness to the least of the brethren.
13) If people are saved by distributing food, showing hospitality, sending clothes, and visiting the sick and imprisoned, then the least of the brethren would themselves have no chance to be saved: for how can the imprisoned perform such good deeds?