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Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 33 - Wedding Feast
Matt. 22:11-13
11 And [de] when [eiserchomai] the king [basileus] came in [eiserchomai] to see [theaomai] the guests [anakeimai] , he saw [eido] there [ekei] a man [anthropos] which had [enduo] not [ou] on [enduo] a wedding [gamos] garment [enduma] :
12 And [kai] he saith [lego] unto him [autos] , Friend [hetairos] , how [pos] camest thou [eiserchomai] in hither [hode] not [me] having [echo] a wedding [gamos] garment [enduma] ? And [de] he was speechless [phimoo] .
13 Then [tote] said [epo] the king [basileus] to the servants [diakonos] , Bind [deo] him [autos] hand [cheir] and [kai] foot [pous] , and take [airo] him [autos] away [airo] , and [kai] cast [ekballo] him into [eis] outer [exoteros] darkness [skotos] ; there [ekei] shall be [esomai] weeping [klauthmos] and [kai] gnashing [brugmos] of teeth [odous] . KJV-Interlinear
11 'But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes, 12 and he said to him,' Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And he was speechless. 13 'Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' NASB
The day of the feast has arrived, and all have gathered, both evil and good, for the celebration. But before the festivities begin, the King will browse through the guests and examine each and every one of them, much as a host will greet all the guests as they enter, or try to enter. Remember that invitations were sent out to everyone - both good and evil (believers and unbelievers).
The King has strict and specific standards for each guest. They must each have an invitation. They must be on the guest list, that is, those who responded to the invitation (RSVP - faith in Christ). They must be in the specific attire (clothes) which were provided and appropriate for the occasion (body, soul, and spirit). Unbelievers have body and soul, but they do not have a human spirit. The human spirit is received when the person believers in Christ. That is the regeneration of being born again concept as the human spirit is created in the believer and eternal life is imputed into that vessel. The third vessel of the individual.
Remember that each person has three potential vessels and lives imputed respectively into them. The first is the physical body with biological life imputed into it. The second vessel is the soul and human life imputed into it. And the third vessel is the human spirit and eternal life imputed into it.
Then, meeting each and everyone of these criteria, the guest is allowed entry into the feast. Remember that this feast is unlike no other. It will continue in royal fashion for a very, very long time.
The criteria for salvation and admission into the greatest feast ever?
First, receipt of the invitation, hearing the gospel, 'Hear O Israel.' There are literally hundreds of verses with this phrase. I couldn't possibly list them all. You have to hear (receive) the invitation before you can accept it.. It you ignore it or reject it, then your can't possibly accept something that you have thrown away.
Second, accepting the invitation, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,' Acts 16:31, and in many other passages. Acceptance requires a positive response to the invitation, and in accordance with the specifications laid out in the invitation. Any formal and extremely high profile event will carry with it a formal response requirement. No one, especially royalty, will allow just anyone to crash the party on their own terms - security risk ya know. The guards, the security personnel, will be checking everyone out and double checking to see that they are indeed on the guest list (Book of Life). You cannot get on the guest list unless you respond to the invitation. This invitation is specific - believe in Christ.
Third, wear the proper clothing (fellowship), 'be perfect,' Gen. 17:1, 'putting on the righteousness of God,' Eph. 4:24, 6:14. No one can come to the party without first taking a shower and cleaning up, and then wearing the proper clothing - black tie or evening gown which ever is appropriate. If you tried to enter the palace in your natural attire - human good, human righteousness, then the guards will smell your stench a mile away. Mans righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah). You won't get into the palace without the proper cleanliness and dress (fellowship).
That's it. God does all of the work. God provides all of the necessary equipment for you to be able to attend the greatest event in history, and all you have to do is respond positively - believe in Christ, and He then does all of the rest.
For those who reject Gods terms, then God rejects them. They are bound, and cast out, separated from God. But worse than that, separated from the Kingdom. There is only one source of light with which we might be able to see life, and that comes from God alone. Anywhere else there is total blackness. An absence of all light. The lake of fire is a chaotic place with extreme pain without the light of the flames, with the terror of indestructible maggots consuming you forever, and you are helpless to do anything about it. Alone, with the noise of your own screams and crying, forever, and ever and ever, with no one to help you. You have rejected the only one who can help, Jesus Christ.
Why would anyone reject such an invitation and risk being thrown into the outer darkness forever? How could anyone be so arrogantly stubborn to think that they can come up with something better on their own?
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