Q: In Matthew 25:30, Jesus concludes a parable by picturing a master telling his servants to cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is cruel.
A: The scene in a courtroom, when a guilty murderer is sentenced to death or triple-life incarceration, may appear cruel if the murderer manipulates the emotions of visitors freshly introduced to the case. But the judge in such a case is not necessarily cruel. Similarly, the idea that the unprofitable servant will be cast into the outer darkness in the parable is not cruel. After death, each soul will eventually end up either in the New Jerusalem -- commonly known as heaven -- in the presence of God, or in the lake of fire -- commonly known as hell -- apart from the presence of God and the subsequent blessings of His presence.
In the case of people who fit the behavior-pattern of the unprofitable servant in the parable, they have no excuse for not putting their abilities and opportunities to use. The income, so to speak, of such investments is not a matter of money, but of spiritual development, and the deliverance of other souls, and faithfulness to Gods commission. And the loss attentive to the non-use of their abilities yields the opposite -- spiritual degression, the damnation of other souls, and betrayal.
The unprofitable servant deserves the banishment which he receives, and will be more at home in the country of self-reign than he ever would be in Gods kingdom.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: The scene in a courtroom, when a guilty murderer is sentenced to death or triple-life incarceration, may appear cruel if the murderer manipulates the emotions of visitors freshly introduced to the case. But the judge in such a case is not necessarily cruel. Similarly, the idea that the unprofitable servant will be cast into the outer darkness in the parable is not cruel. After death, each soul will eventually end up either in the New Jerusalem -- commonly known as heaven -- in the presence of God, or in the lake of fire -- commonly known as hell -- apart from the presence of God and the subsequent blessings of His presence.
In the case of people who fit the behavior-pattern of the unprofitable servant in the parable, they have no excuse for not putting their abilities and opportunities to use. The income, so to speak, of such investments is not a matter of money, but of spiritual development, and the deliverance of other souls, and faithfulness to Gods commission. And the loss attentive to the non-use of their abilities yields the opposite -- spiritual degression, the damnation of other souls, and betrayal.
The unprofitable servant deserves the banishment which he receives, and will be more at home in the country of self-reign than he ever would be in Gods kingdom.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
