The Outer Darkness

The Gospel of Matthew has a lot of judgment announced against those who are not part of the New Covenant with God through Jesus Christ. While my understanding of the context of the New Testament finds these passages as references to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, I don't imagine that the King has changed His attitude or judgment against the spiritual children of those who are now weeping and gnashing their teeth in the outer darkness.

"Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:10-12).

"The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:41,42).

"So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righeous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:49,50).

"...when the king came into look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:11-14).

"Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, 'My master is not coming for a long time,' and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 24:45-51).

"...to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:29,30).

So, be forewarned:
- It is a humbled ("Lord, I am not worthy," 8:8) faith in Jesus that will include you in the blessings and family of "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and nothing else.
- God takes "stumbling blocks" and "those who commit lawlessness" seriously. They will not be allowed to remain in "His kingdom" (13:41,42). And everywhere is under the authority of Christ's Kingdom: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (28:18).
- "The wicked" will be taken out "from among the righteous" (13:49). So much for that "carnal Christian" garbage. Fruitless professors of Christianity are false professors of Christianity.
- Those who show up at the "wedding hall" without "wedding clothes" will not be provided a complimentary necktie (22:11,12). John sheds some like on this parable later: "Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Revelation 19:7,8).
- Those who do not feed the saints (saints only have one food) and abuse them will be surprised (24:45,48,49).
- The slave who bears fruit is "good and faithful," and will be welcomed into the Master's joy (25:23). The fruitless slave will lose whatever he has.

The outer darkness. I'm reminded of two passages that express the same reality.

"...Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness" (Leviticus 16:21,22). Outside the camp of God's people is to be away from the Source and Creator of life.

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying" (Revelation 22:14,15).