THE INASMUCH COMMANDMENT: Are We All Guilty?
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
"Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee...in prison and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." (Matt. 25:37-40)
One of the least obeyed commands of our Lord is what we call the "Inasmuch Commandment"!
Although this scripture refers to the future "judging of the nations" by Jesus Christ Himself, it nevertheless reveals His heart of compassion! The "sheep nations" are those which have treated 'My brethren' (Israelis) with respect and kindness, and the "goat nations" are those which hate and abuse the Jewish people!
A POWERFUL LESSON FOR US ALL!
Jesus sends us a strong message, however, in how He identifies with the poor, needy, unloved, sick, and suffering of this world! God’s Word states: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds…
“The deceased have ye not Strengthened, neither have ye Healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with cruelty have ye ruled them.” (Is. 34:1-4)
There will be surprises when we all stand before the judgment bar of Christ; the ungodly at the 'great white throne judgment' and the righteous at the ' bhema seat'! The wicked shall be judged to eternal damnation, because of rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. And believers - who are saved by the merits of Christ's atoning work for them on Calvary's cross - will be judged by their works, for rewards!
The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
“For everyone that doeth evil hated light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:16-21)
Rejecting Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world is mankind’s greatest sin. God’s awesome gift of His own Son Jesus Christ to die for us on the Cross and rising from the dead, is the greatest Gift ever given! Rejecting Jesus Christ is a rejection of God the Creator!
HIS TESTIMONY THAT GOD IS TRUE
“He that cometh from Above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthy, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from Heaven is above all. And what He hath seen and earth, that He testifieth: and no man receiveth His testimony.
“He that hath received His testimony hath set to his SEAL that God is TRUE. For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3: 31-36)
St. Paul warns: "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (1 Cor. 3:13-15)
We are saved by the grace of God, but after conversion we must translate that experience into good works. The Bible says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance..." (Gal. 5:22-23)
I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME NO FOOD!
“When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, shall He sits upon the Throne of His Glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: And He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth His sheep from the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
“Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, COME, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: Naked and ye clothed Me: Iwas sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.
“Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? Or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in, or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee Sick or in Prison, and came unto Thee?
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. Then shall He say unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
"For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.
"Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto Me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." (Matt. 25:41-46)
St. James, the pastor of the world's first Pentecostal Church had some strong feelings on this subject also: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)
TWO THINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT!
According to St. James, the two most important aspects of the Christian life are: 1). Help the needy - orphans and widows - in their trouble. 2). To keep oneself separated from the world - to live a pure life!
For more than 30 years we fully supported the 'Solbrekken Children's Home' in Guntur, A.P., South India. We send them more than $600 every month and sometimes large sums of money during special crises.
That's a lot of money, for a lot of years...month after month, year after year.
I have always tried to gauge my conduct by the standard: "WHAT WOULD JESUS DO IN THIS SITUATION"? We founded orphanages in Haiti and the Philippines and supported them for about 20 years, until they became self-supporting.
We presently help fund some gospel work in other nations! Our main gift to the heathen for about fifty years was conducting large crusades in many nations of the world, where multitudes have received Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world and Great Physician!
May the Lord bless you as you do your very best to help us spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost of this world and help lift the heavy burden of poverty and misery from their lives! And remember, Donna and I are praying for you and your needs! Amen.
EDMONTON GOSPEL MEETING - JULY 14 FRIDAY 7:00 PM Abbottsfield Recreation Centre 3006 -119 Avenue
Special prayer for the sick & suffering in Jesus' Name! Host: Pastor Kelly LaPlante
Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 Garside Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6Email: [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca. Donations can be made by e-Transfer. Make donation to max @maxsolbrekken.com. May God bless you!
