WELCOME HOME! [MATTHEW 25:31-46]

JESUS STATES THAT A DAY WILL COME WHEN HE WILL COMMAND ALL GRAVES TO GIVE UP THEIR DEAD, JOHN [5:28,29]. WHAT KIND OF RECEPTION CAN CHRISTIANS EXPECT WHEN THIS TAKES PLACE?  THE " NATURE OF OUR EVENTUAL MEETING WITH THE LORD." MATTHEW 25: [31-46]. MATTHEW MAKES THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
WHEN THE LAST DAY COMES, OUR  LORD JESUS CHRIST WILL COME IN GLORY TO GATHER ALL NATIONS BEFORE HIM. HE WILL SEPARATE HUMANITY INTO TWO GROUPS, THE "SHEEP"  AND THE "GOATS." HE WILL PLACE THE SHEEP AT HIS RIGHT HAND, AND THE GOATS AT HIS LEFT. HE WILL SPEAK ONLY AFTER THIS SEPARATION HAS TAKEN PLACE. HE WILL EXTEND A GRAND "WELCOME HOME!" TO HIS OWN, AND COMMEND THEM FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IN SERVICE TO OTHERS- THOSE OTHERS, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, BEING JESUS HIMSELF.  THE  "WELCOME HOME!"  TAKES PLACE ENTIRELY DUE TO THE TO THE MERCY AND GOODNESS OF THE FATHER. JESUS WELCOMES HIS OWN WITH, "COME, O BLESSED OF MY FATHER." (THESE WORDS REFLECT THE PREAMBLE AND HISTORICAL PROLOGUE OF THE COVENANT OF HUMAN OBLIGATION; THE DEEDS OF SERVICE COMMENDED REFLECT  THE STIPULATIONS).  HE INVITES THEM TO INHERIT THE KINGDOM; "INHERIT" IMPLIES GIFT. THE KINGDOM WAS PREPARED FOR THEM (NOT BY THEM) BEFORE TIME BEGAN. ALL THOUGHT OF WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RULED OUT.
THOSE WHOM JESUS WELCOMES  AND COMMENDS EXPRESS SURPRISE AT BEING COMMENDED WHEN THEY SERVED AS THEY DID, THEY WERE DEVOID OF ANY THOUGHT OF DOING IT TO MERIT ANY ACCEPTANCE BY GOD. THOSE WHOM JESUS WELCOMES AND CONDEMNS TO ETERNAL SEPARATION AND CONDEMNATION ARE NOT REBURKED FOR ANY HARM THEY DID TO ANYONE. THEY SIMPLY FAILED TO DO GOOD TO ANYONE. THEY USED LIFE TO SERVE THEMSELVES. THEY ARE REJECTED FOR DOING NOTHING. WHAT MAKES THE "WELCOME HOME!" POSSIBLE?
 IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21, PAUL WRITES, "
"FOR OUR SAKE GOD MADE HIM SIN WHO KNEW NO SIN, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD." WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS, GOD WROUGHT " THE GREAT EXCHANGE. GOD TOOK ALL OF OUR SINS AND PUT IT ON HIS SON;  HE TOOK ALL CHRIST'S HOLINESS AND GAVE IT TO US. CHRIST DIED BECAUSE OF WHAT WE ARE; WE LIVE BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.  WELCOME HOME WORKS!  GOD ACCEPTS AND WELCOMES US SOLELY  ON THE BASIS OF HIS GRACE IN CHRIST. (THE BASIS OF ACCEPTANCE.) WE ARE NOT SAVED BY WORKS , BUT FOR WORKS.