“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea.  It  collected every kind of fish, and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones.  So it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous, and throw them into the blazing furnace.  In that place their will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 13:47-50  HCSB

This parable really simplifies our coming judgement.  The Bible tells us we will be judged.  In Matthew 7:2, we are told that we will be judged in the same way that we judge others.  That’s really scary when you think about it.  Sometimes I can be a pretty harsh judge of others.  Romans 2:1 tells us that anyone of us who judges is without excuse.  For when we judge another, we condemn ourselves, since we do the same things.  How often have you judged someone for something only to realize later that you have done the exact same thing?  Romans 2:6-11 tells us that we will be judged by our deeds.  It promises affliction and distress for those who do evil and glory and honor for those who do what is good.  Matthew 12:36 tells us that we will be judged for every word that comes from our mouths.  We will have to give an account for everything we have said.  Matthew 5:28 tells us that the thoughts pondered in our heart can also make us guilty of sin.

So if you were a fish caught up in the net right now, would you be a good fish that was kept or would you be a worthless fish thrown away.  The reality is that none of us know when we may face judgement.  But one thing we do know is that none of us will escape it.  2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive with is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.  Hebrews 9:27 tells us that it is appointed for a man to die once, and after that comes judgment.  Matthew 16:27 tells us that the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done.

Now, I don’t know what your situation is like.  Perhaps you were raised in church and never strayed.  Perhaps you were and are a good person.  Maybe I am preaching to the choir, but I do know that Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  I also know that John 3:16 tells us that God sent His only begotten son so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

So whether you are a stinking rotten fish or a really good fish, you can still go into the container with the good fish.  Jesus came to make rotten stinking fish clean and healthy and whole.  No matter what you may have done in your past, you can confess your sins to Jesus, repent, and ask for Him to come into your heart and fill you with his Holy Spirit.  It may seem impossible to live up to the standards that Jesus set for us, but we must remember that he died a horrible, agonizing death in order for us to be able to live eternally.

We have a choice to make.  We can refuse to come to Jesus and be thrown into the fiery furnace to spend eternity or we can come to Jesus and spend eternity in glory with God the Father.  It sounds so simple doesn’t it.  Well, accepting Christ as our savior is simple.  Living the life that He has called us to live is not always simple or easy, but it is possible with His help.

We will all face judgment one day.  On that day, it will be too late to decide to follow Jesus.  The time to decide is now.  I hope for your sake that you have already made the decision. Because if you have, then you are already experiencing the peace, comfort, and joy that comes from a life with Christ.

Have a great day!