We close out Matthew's version of Jesus' eternity comments with some of the most serious words Jesus ever said. Oh how He wants us to know these things!

Matthew 24:31. I am not what you would call a Calvinist. But believers all must deal with the term elect, as it is used so many times in God's Word. Elect. Chosen. Called out. Why, the very name church is simply the participle form of the Greek kaleo, to call. Hence, the "called". Put whatever spin you must on John Calvin, Augustine, and all the rest, but the fact still remains that there are some who will be caught up to Jesus when he comes, and some who will not.

The haves here are called "the elect." So be it.

Matthew 24:50-51. Another story of Jesus, the characters of which act in drastic ways. Jesus says that the master of a particular house [that would be God/Jesus] is going to come one day to unsuspecting, unfaithful, disobedient servants, cut them in two, and throw them into a place where the now-familiar weeping and gnashing of teeth will take place. Such graphic description of horror. Without apology. And without suggestion of reversal.

All saved, you say? All reconciled? Why, here are persons whose very bodies will need reconciliation!

Matthew 25:30. Are you still there? This is tedious work, is it not, trekking through all the words Jesus ever said about eternity? Yet there is no other way to arrive at and maintain the truth but this. All the other words on this subject are the words of men, and why should we ask men about God's purposes, when God Himself has told us what they are?

Here is yet another parable. You've no doubt heard of the "talents" story. Remember how it ends? The servant who hid the master's wealth, and gave him no chance of increase was cast into outer darkness. Yes, weeping. Yes, gnashing of teeth. How many times does Jesus have to say it? There are saved, and there are unsaved. The fate of the unsaved is certain and more terrible than words can tell.

Matthew 25:41-46. If possible, this final word from Matthew is worse than all the others. Some truly shocked individuals and/or nations stand before the Son of God, Judge of all the earth. This is no parable. Look for this to happen.

They are shocked because they did not understand that the evil deeds they had done were taken personally by Jesus Christ, who really did rise from the dead after all, and lived in His people. By hurting His people they had hurt Him.

The One Who in His mercy died for these very men and women, now has become their Judge. At any time in their life if they had called upon the name of the Lord, they would have been saved. But not now. Not ever.

Hear the words of Jesus, you lying spirits who see Him as a pushover, able to be insulted by humans forever. Listen to the very words of His mouth, you who minimize sin and underestimate the holiness of our God. Listen!

"Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Oh yes, originally the lake of fire was for the enemy. But there's plenty of room in there, folks. Plenty of room for all those who did despite to the Spirit of grace.

"And these will go away into everlasting punishment..."

Yes, I have heard that now the false prophets have latched on to the word "everlasting" and are trying to tell us that it does not mean "everlasting" really. What else can they do? This verse and others like it expose their doctrine as a sham. They must use the oldest trick in the book, "Eve, did God really say that?"