Study of the Word: Outer Darkness

The truth concerning outer darkness has been misunderstood by many Christians. Some bluntly refer to it as the lake of fire or the place of perdition. It does not refer to eternal perdition for false believers or unbelievers or heathen, but to punishment during the coming kingdom age for defeated, unfaithful believers. But, on a careful study of the Bible especially in the gospel of Matthew, the confusion surrounding this place, the outer darkness, has been cleared up. I was very much helped in understanding this truth from the pursuit of the Life-study of Matthew, message sixty-six. In the past, when I met with some seekers yet who did not fully agree with the ministry would question the teaching concerning the outer darkness.  They even dared to go to the extent of dubbing this teaching as extra-biblical. Or some even equate this teaching as equivalent to the heretic teaching of the concept of purgatory. Therefore, a clear-cut teaching with Bible verses is a great help to me in my understanding of the Bible. This also strengthened my faith in the Lord and His word, thereby, encouraging me further to pray and live a Christian life as to not end up in the outer darkness.

Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth

The phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is used six times in the Gospel of Matthew. It is used twice concerning the perdition of the false believers (13:42) and the evil heathen (13:50). Matthew 13:42 concerns the tares, the false believers who will be cast into the furnace of fire. The furnace of fire is not the outer darkness, but the lake of fire. Matthew 13:50 concerns the evil Gentiles, the corrupt fish that are equivalent to the goats in chapter twenty-five. They also will be cast into the furnace of fire. Thus, those who perish in eternal fire will weep and gnash their teeth.

#1 Concerning the False Believers

Mt 13:42And will cast them into the furnace of fire. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

#2 Concerning the Heathen

Mt 13:50And will cast them into the furnace of fire. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

In the above two cases, it refers to the place of perdition as the context made it clear that it is for false believers and heathens. 

However, in the following four cases, the place is for the unfaithful, useless, slothful, and defeated believers, a place of dispensation punishment during the millennium kingdom. The distinction made with the context with which these phrases were mentioned clarified the two different places though the same description was used. This requires a careful study of the word in relation to God's dispensation in different ages.

#3 Concerning the Sons of the Kingdom

Matthew 8:12 says, “But the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” Because the sons of the kingdom certainly are saved ones, they will not be cast into the furnace of fire. Rather, they will be put into outer darkness. Although there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth both for the ones who perish and for the defeated believers, the defeated believers will not be cast into the lake of fire, but into the outer darkness outside the glorious sphere of the Lord’s presence.

#4 Concerning the One Without Wedding Garment

Matthew 22:13 says, “Then the king said to the servants, Bind his feet and hands, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” This refers to the one who did not have a wedding garment. This, of course, does not refer to an unbeliever, but to a saved one. This saved one will not be cast into the lake of fire, but into outer darkness.

#5 Concerning the Evil Slave

Mt 24:51And will cut him asunder and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 

According to 24:51, the evil slave will be cut off from the Lord’s presence and have his portion with the hypocrites where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 24:45-51 has dealt with the slave’s unfaithfulness in fulfilling the Lord’s commission. 

#6 Concerning the Useless Slave

Mt 25:30And cast out the useless slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:14-30 is still needed to deal with the slave’s unfaithfulness in using the Lord’s talent.

By reading all these verses, we see that the false believers, the tares, and the evil Gentiles will be cast into the furnace of fire, the lake of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

However, the defeated believers, such as the sons of the kingdom in chapter eight, those without the wedding garment in chapter twenty-two, and the unfaithful slave in chapters twenty-four and twenty-five, will be cast out into the outer darkness. There, in the outer darkness, they will suffer weeping and gnashing of teeth. This does not refer to eternal perdition, but to dispensational punishment. 

In addition to salvation, there is still the matter of the reward and punishment that will be rendered during the coming kingdom age. If we are faithful to the Lord, we shall be rewarded during the next age. But if we are not faithful to Him, we shall receive punishment. This is very clear in God’s holy Word.

Last Saturday night, I was helped to understand this matter clearly through the Life-study of Matthew message Sixty-Six by Witness Lee. I even shared joyfully with the saints after the study and also repeated the same last Lord's Day during the truth-pursuing session. I owe all thanks to Brother Witness Lee for the ministry of the word that opens up the Bible. Praise the Lord!

That said, understanding the truth is one thing. Based on this understanding, one must be led to live a life according to this understanding. In this regard, I must take grace from the Lord to be watchful in life and faithful in service to be an overcoming believer that I may not end up in the outer darkness.

Lord, grace me and save me day by day to be Your overcomer!

Turning Forty-Eight

Today, my wife turned forty-eight! The best thing I could wish for her is to pray and bless her with the word of God. A few days ago, the Lord gave me some Bible verses for her. I felt these verses perfectly fit the blessing God has bestowed upon our family. Therefore, I made a card using one of these verses for my wife.

For you are a holy people to Jehovah your God; it is you whom Jehovah your God has chosen from among all the peoples which are upon the face of the earth to be a people for His personal treasure. (Deuteronomy 7:6, RecVer)

And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your fresh oil, the offspring of your cattle and the young of your flock, on the land which He swore to your fathers to give you. You will be more blessed than all other peoples; there will not be any barren male or female among you or among your animals. (Deuteronomy 7:13-14, RecVer)

And it is Jehovah who has today declared you to be a people for His personal treasure, even as He promised you; and that you will keep all His commandments; And that He will set you high above all the nations which He has made, for praise and for a name and for honor; and that you will be a holy people to Jehovah your God, as He has spoken. (Deuteronomy 26:18-19, RecVer)

Coincidentally today too, we had two families visiting us from the South. So, instead of family time outside, we had a time of lovefest with two new families from the South along with some saints in the church in Gurugram. Meanwhile, we had a time of fellowship with the families. The two occasions of hosting guests and also thanking the Lord for another new year were enjoyed together at the same time. Now and then, we have been granted such occasions to enjoy the Lord together with the saints in the church life. Thank the Lord for the Christian life and the church life!

According to the Lord's promises, we have been the Lord's personal treasure, Who has chosen us to bless us. This specific blessing of the womb has been very gracious of the Lord in our marriage life. Before we got married, my wife-to-be then, openly fellowshipped about me not becoming a father if I married her. But my innate reply then was, if the Lord blessed us so, we would become parents, and our marriage life is in the Lord's hand. Nineteen years have elapsed and today the Lord has blessed us with three blessed children! Therefore, the Lord's promise, "He will also bless the fruit of your womb" has been truly fulfilled! And the other promises will also be fulfilled in time as it has already been fulfilled now one by one, "the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your fresh oil, the offspring of your cattle and the young of your flock, on the land which He swore to your fathers to give you. You will be more blessed than all other peoples."

Living a life in the Lord is a blessed life. Learning to trust the Lord for everything is a blessed life. What a loss could it have been if we had not trusted the Lord and had not followed the Lord denying our natural choices? The Lord has been showing mercy upon us, especially in our married life, and has blessed us richly with all the blessings that I can ever imagine. All the blessings both spiritual and physical we have been receiving these days have all been testimonies to the Lord's faithfulness in His word. Having been graced to learn to trust in Him, obey Him, and follow Him, we have been enjoying the Lord's blessing!

From the very beginning of our marriage life, we have been praying this prayer to the Lord that the Lord would preserve us and grace us to be one with Him and one with one another, and to love Him and love one another. The Lord has indeed answered this prayer.

Lord, continue to bless our marriage life and the family You blessed us with, Your personal treasure!

Brotherly Lovefeast

The Christian life is also a corportate church life. Individually, we are members one of another, but corporately we are the Body of Christ. The church as the Body of Christ is living as the believers that constitute the church are living. Since we are living, we meet, we fellowship, we blend and in this way the Body of Christ is build up. This is mysterious yet real. It sounds doctrinal but very practical. 

In the early days, the saints met from house to house, day by day. That may not be very practical in this age. However, the principle of meeting and fellowshipping goes on as and when time allows. Though not frequently, at least, we meet occasionally. 

Today, and a few weeks ago, we invited some families and saints for a time of fellowship over lunch lovefeast. With the first family, it was more of an introduction and getting to know each other as the family had come on a family visit from Taiwan to New Delhi. We enjoyed a time of fellowship with the family. The children enjoyed the blending time so much so that they wanted to come again.

Today, we invited a brother's family for lovefeast who will be leaving for South India as his service will be more specifically there. He also is one of the brothers coordinating in the literature service. Besides, today happens to be one of our serving ones' last day in Gurugram office as he will be working from home from next week, following which will be his wedding and then marital leave followed by his shifting to the South. At the same time, two mothers who are serving in New Delhi also visited our family for a time of blending. Therefore, today we enjoyed a three in one blending fellowship over lunch lovefeast. 

The Lord has been planning and working out all things good for our own good. What a blessing to be blended together!

In such a time of blending, one thing I appreciate is the sisters' coordination and labor for all the planning and execution of the lovefeast. This virtue of the sisters is what is needed in the church life. The sisters' function is inevitable in the church life. The brothers take the lead and the sisters follow. In this way, the Christian life for the church life goes on; each functioning according to its portion.

In this blending time too, we also prayed for one another, especially for the families we have invited. 

May the Lord lead them, guide them, and bless them! O what a wonderful brotherly lovefeast we enjoyed together today!

Only If God Gives

And command the people, saying, You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Take careful heed to yourselves therefore; Do not engage them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even as much as a footstep; for I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. (Deuteronomy 2:4-5, RecVer)

Then Jehovah spoke to me, saying, You are to pass through the territory of Moab, through Ar, today. And when you come near to the children of Ammon, do not harass them, nor engage them, for I will not give any of the land of the children of Ammon to you as a possession; for I have given it to the children of Lot as a possession. (Deuteronomy 2:17-19, RecVer)

These days I have been going through an inward searching and careful consideration of seeking the Lord for everything especially in the matter of shepherding the new ones. Definitely, as a serving one, I do not serve aimlessly. I have a goal in my service. If I were to invest my time and energy on anyone, I definitely would desire to see them in the church life. I do believe, if the new ones were appointed by the Lord for the practical church life, the Lord will definitely bring them in, as we cooperate with Him in laboring on them in shepherding. However, not all that I wish to take this way of the church may not necessary be of the Lord. For those, I need a clear discernment from the Lord. That's why, these days I also put a break on my enthusiasm to call these ones regularly. Not that I gave them up, but that I wait for them to realise by themselves the way they need to take as Christians. I pray for them earnestly and wait for a sign of their willingness to take this way. I cease to take the way of coercing them through my shepherding. Yes, I will carry out my responsibility but I will not overstep my function in trying to bring people into the church life. I pray and am eagerly waiting for them to exercise their free will and pay the price to take the way of life, the way of the church. So, I temporary withhold all my weekly regular calls for prayer with the new ones. Yet I Intensify praying for them in the church prayer meeting weekly and in the family prayer meeting daily. May the Lord lead them to the church life,  if His will be so. I wait for them to take the final call. I feel, I have done all that I could do. 

Today, the Lord impressed me deeply about this burden going on within me from my reading of the Scriptures. 

God specifically told the children of Israel that He would not give the land alloted for Esau and Lot. And that they should not fight with them like they did with the other heathen tribes. Certain portions were already allotted for certain people. It would be disobedience and rebellion to try to conquer these lands which the Lord alloted for others. 

I am learning this lesson now. If certain new ones are not meant for the church life, I must not have any hope on them to be in the church life. I must discern who are ordained for the what purpose. Not every Christian will take the way of the church. I must respect and discern God’s ordination.  What a lesson! I must not unnecessarily put my hope on someone who may never take the way of the church. It is best to leave them where they are. What a release to learn lesson!

Grow in Grace and Advance

And the little child grew and became strong, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40

And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature and in the grace manifested in Him before God and men. Luke 2:52

Today, our son, Amana, turned fifteen. All these fourteen years the Lord has been gracing him to grow in life. It has been our prayer that all our children grow in grace, in the love of God, and in the reverential fear of God. That they be open vessels to the Lord to be filled and constituted with the word of God and the Spirit that they become useful vessels to the Master God. With this view, we have been doing our best to pray for them and nurture them with a family environment conducive to the growth of all our children. In the sphere of secular academics, in the truth constitution and experience of life, and even in a proper human character, we have been doing our best to provide them with the best we can. We trust the living God Who only can fulfill all that we pray and desire for our children. Having done our best, we commit them to God and for His divine purpose on the earth. 

This morning, my Bible reading portion was from Luke 2. It was just apt for me to wish what has been written of the Lord Jesus Christ as for my son. Therefore, I made a card with some select photos and these two Bible verses to remind him of our prayers and wishes for him to grow and advance as the Lord Jesus was. That, he be filled with wisdom and the grace of God, and advance in wisdom and stature, and in the grace manifested before God and men. This exactly summed up my prayer as his earthly father as God for His Son Jesus Christ.

As usual, as a family, we went to eat at the same favorite restaurant, cherishing and celebrating the occasion as the grace of God abounded with us. This was all that we could do, and the rest we leave it to God. May the perfect will of the Lord be done in his life.

As an earthly father and a guardian of the Lord's bestowed children, I have been doing my best to inculcate in all my children, the practice of Bible reading, prayer, trusting in the Lord for everything, and living by faith. I have been doing so not as a teaching but by way of setting up a pattern that they can see and follow. Since many months ago, we have been practicing as a family going out to spend time with the Lord in prayer at a nearby park. Oftentimes, I and my son, go together and pray personally and then corporately together walking hand in hand. That's how I felt the Lord led me to lead my son in prayer life.  There may yet be many other things that I need to lead him to, but what I felt best and can practically do now, I have been doing my best I also enjoyed spending time with my son in prayer. What a blessing to pray together with my son! Meanwhile, I could also fellowship with him on some practical matters related to his life and future plans. May the Lord's perfect will be done in his life.

Lord, by Your grace, may all my children grow and advance!

Trusting God in the Body

Trusting in God is a thrilling experience. In the age of the church, trusting in God is even more practical and detailed. It is one thing to individually trust God and yet another thing to trust in God through the fellowship in the Body. Without a proper vision of the Body of Christ, it is easy to simply trust in God just by oneself, but with the vision of the Body and living in the reality of the body, it is even more experiecnable and practical to trust in God and walk step by step in fellowship with the Body. Christ, the Head of the Body, is one with the Body. What the Head Christ feels and says is what the Body feels and says. This lesson is revealed in the epistle of Paul, especially from the time he was saved in Acts 9.

But rise up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do. Acts 9:6

The Lord has been gracing me to learn to trust in God through the fellowship in the Body these days in many practical matters that I have been involved in. Recently, we have been in fellowship with the brothers for the practical ways to take care of the building facility which was used for the training purposes. Due to the circumstances pertaining to North India, the building has been lying vacant for a couple of months, which even led to the luring of theives to steal whatever could be stolen to the extent that minor destruction of the property began to happen. Therefore, to take care of this facility, we have had a good number of fellowships over the past few weeks. We had considered together multiple options to take care of this matter. Even a couple of families have been considered to hire them as guardians of the facility. One after the other, the ones suggested haves opted out one by one due to reasons of their own. In fact, in all these experiences, we also prayed that the will of the Lord be done. Quite unexpectedly, a family expressed voluntarily their desire to be caretaker of the building. This was followed by a couple of fellowships, and finally, it was decided that this family would be the caretaker temporarily for at least half a year. 

Well, what impressed me the most in all these fellowships was the way the Lord led us in considering this matter together. He led us to trust in Him by trusting in the fellowship of the Body. He spoke to us in the fellowship of the Body. And we had the confirmation of His speaking through the fellowship of the Body. If not for the Body, some personal decisions would have been taken and that may even be of the Lord's will. But the lesson of coordination in the fellowship of the Body would have been missed. Now that it has passed through so many rounds of fellowship, I have learned one important lesson. Trust in the Lord by the Body. What a lesson in the Body! Not simply to trust in the Lord by oneself and let the Body know about it, but together with the Body, we trust in the Lord. What a precious lesson!

In addition to this lesson of trusting in the Lord in and through the Body, I also learned the lesson of committing every matter to the Lord. Ultimately, what the Lord decides from the throne will be what we will decide on the earth. Anxiety and worry should have no place in the lives of Christians. Only what the Lord decides will come to pass. We simply need to learn the lesson of committing everything to the all-sovereign God. 

Now, I have learned to give up my opinion or feelings. Though the Lord may be the one who gave me such feelings and opinions, I should not trust that they are truly from the Lord. I am still a man in the flesh, and it is very possible that my feelings may still be natural. Therefore, though I may still have my own feelings and opinions, I must learn to commit everything to the Lord and let His perfect will be done. And once His will is clear, I must deny my feelings or opinions whatsoever; I must deny myself, drop everything, and amen the Lord's will revealed through the fellowship the Body of Christ.

Lord, preserve me in the fellowship of the Body for every matter in my life and in the church. Trusting in God by trusting in the Body is a mysterious yet wonderful lesson!

Silence Is Sometimes the Solution

But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to Him, I charge You to swear by the living God to tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God. (Matthew 26:63, RecVer)

And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, Do You not hear how many things they testify against You? And He did not answer him, not even to one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. (Matthew 27:12-14, RecVer)

Sometimes, silence is the solution to situations. These days I have been through certain situations not of my own nor my family nor my making, but in caring for the saints, the church, and the service I am involved in. In the midst of vagueness without and the absence of peace within, my only reaction has been just to remain silent. Silence is the solution.

While reading my Bible today too, I was impressed at the silence of the Lord Jesus Christ in facing serious allegations against Him. He just remained silent. When He was accused by the chief priests and elders, and even Pilate, He did not answer them, not even one word. In fact, He answered them by not answering at all. Silence was His answer.

Officially, I have also been dealing with some serving ones concerning their services. Though I could have exercised official authority to take action, I chose to pray and commit the matters to the Lord. Then, the Lord led me to say nothing and do nothing. So, I remain silent. Let the Holy Spirit work. And He did, as we pursue the truth portion, the message that I considered to speak, the Lord spoke through the ministry of the word. The Lord kept me in silent mode so that He could speak succinctly at the right time. With this, my job was done. Yes, just by remaining  silent. 

Certain other fellowships concerning marriage for a couple of saints also have been going on. Like it or not, I was involved as a brother and a serving one. Though I had my feeling and opinion, I was just led to swallow up my own feeling and thoughts and just be silent. The only unique answer to all the puzzling questions is silence. I just prayed for the Lord’s perfect will to be done in all the cases under consideration. What a release, what a rest, to commit all these complicated cases to the Commander-in-chief, Christ!

Even when the situation of the saints and the church are getting complicated, I and a brother would only bow our heads to the Lord and plead for the Lord’s mercy. We can do nothing. We may fellowship but only the Lord has to work in the lives of the saints. We can warn and fellowship, but it is the Lord’s who can change people's heart and save them from the tactic of the enemy. Therefore, we can only commit them to the Lord and just be silent. 

Silence, sometimes, is the solution. In just being silent, we give room to God to come and do His work.