The Endtime and Eternity: What Matters Most
By John, Mideast
The Second Coming of Jesus will no doubt be the most exciting and glorious day in all history. Yet, in Matthew 24, Jesus warns us three times to not be deceived. He even questioned whether there would be faith upon earth when He returns: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Matthew 24, which is mostly comprised of Jesus’ endtime discourse, is a thrilling and fascinating chapter. Yet, it only covers a brief segment of history. The chapter that follows, Matthew 25, is far more important to our spiritual lives as it covers all of eternity and how we will live our lives there. Our present life is but a vapor compared to eternity (James 4:14).
Whether through death or Christ’s return, our current life is merely a transition to our eternal life. Any present worries are part of the journey and will fade when we enter God’s eternal kingdom.
The teachings about the end times are not the essence of Jesus’ message. Our main goal and His command to His followers is to love God and others with all our hearts (Matthew 22:37–40) and do the work of establishing His kingdom on earth (Luke 9:2). As Mother Teresa once said, “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness.”
While Matthew 24 focuses on the signs of Christ’s Second Coming, Matthew 25 begins with the parable of the ten virgins. All ten virgins had oil lamps. Some had sufficient oil in their lamps at the hour of Jesus’ coming, and others were unprepared and without oil in their lamps and missed the wedding of the Bridegroom.
And at midnight a cry was heard: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!” Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.”
But the wise answered, saying, “No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.” And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” But he answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.”Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming (Matthew 25:6–13).
This parable reminds us how we must be spiritually ready at all times, since we will meet Christ either when He returns to earth or when we die—and we don’t know when either will happen.
Jesus repeatedly told us to watch, not primarily for the signs of His coming, but to watch our own hearts and examine ourselves to ensure we remain faithful. As He warned:
But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:34–36).
Matthew chapter 25 concludes with the parable of the sheep and the goats, a story that moves beyond parable to the soul-searching questions we will face on judgment day. According to Matthew 25:31–46, the world, including the church, will be judged according to the charity which they exercise toward other people, manifested by both physically and spiritually caring for the poor, the sick, the refugee, the destitute, the widow and the orphan.
The righteous ask on the judgment day: “When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” (Matthew 25:39). Jesus answers: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). How we live our lives during our time on earth is what ultimately counts, not whether or not we fully understand endtime prophecy and can put a label on every horn and beast mentioned in the books of Revelation and Daniel.
As believers we are called to
- Love God and love others
- Share the gospel (Mark 16:15)
- Live and teach Jesus’ teachings (John 14:15)
- Walk humbly before God and people (Micah 6:8)
If we are faithful in these things, we can trust that we will be prepared for whatever comes.
The call to selfless, other-centered love
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me (Matthew 25:35–36).
Loving others is of utmost importance and is our liturgy and our spirituality. Loving and caring for others can be the cure for many of our own problems. If you are feeling sad, unloved, lonely, or empty, reach out to give to someone else who is in even greater need, and you will sense the life of God within you start to grow stronger.
Matthew 25 emphasizes acts of charity, which are important. We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus told us to let our lights so shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). St. Augustine of Hippo wrote, “Whoever thinks that he understands the Scriptures, or any part of them, but puts such an interpretation upon them as does not tend to build up the twofold love of God and our neighbor, does not yet understand them as he ought.”
The parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) was an important teaching in the early church. Church fathers often used it in their teachings. The early church understood this parable as a literal moral lesson about helping others regardless of their background, ethnicity, religion, or social status. Some saw the good Samaritan as representing Christ helping wounded humanity.
The parable was particularly relevant to early Christians because they were often caring for sick people during plagues and helping travelers and strangers—practical applications of the parable’s message. They saw this kind of sacrificial care for others as a defining feature of Christian life.
In our earnest desire to please God and serve others, we must remember that we are saved solely by His grace, not by our good works, as Ephesians 2:8–9 and Titus 3:5 make clear. Eternal life is God’s pure gift to us (John 3:16), and our service to Him should naturally flow from gratitude for His boundless mercy.
Through His death on the cross, Jesus ushered in a new covenant, a new agreement between God and man, a new era of amazing grace. It cost us nothing, but it cost the giver everything. God does not love us because of the works we do for Him. While He may appreciate our good works, He values most of all our love for Him—and our good works should flow from our love for Him!
C. S. Lewis wrote that “A man’s spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God.” Christian spirituality and the Christian ethic are summarized in a very simple premise, “Love God and love others as you love yourself.” The New Testament emphasis is to love others, love others, and love others. The early church caught on to a very important principle: Our religion, our faith, and our spirituality are worked out in the relationships we have with others, and in serving one another.
The late English professor, Thomas Howard, offers a definition for love in one phrase: “My life for yours,” echoing Jesus’ words: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).
Paul wrote about the primacy of other-centered love in his letter to the Corinthians:
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1–2).
The love that Jesus and Paul talk about goes so far beyond earthly love; it is a love that goes beyond human comprehension to love even our enemies, and is love for the misunderstood, the condemned, and even for the fallen. The secret to this love is our relationship with God. As Anne Graham Lotz wrote: “The first secret to loving others is to immerse yourself in a love relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—and abide there.”
May we continually seek the true riches found only in Jesus Christ, as we look forward to hearing those wonderful words: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:21).
“Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”—C. T. Studd
