Salvation and the Prophetic Parables of Matthew
By Pastor Kelly Sensenig
Do the prophetic parables, which Jesus taught in Matthew, imply that people living during the future Tribulation Period will be saved by their faithful service and good works? This question must be addressed and answered in light of the whole teaching of Scripture. This is because a text out of context is still a pretext.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:44-51:
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 25:10
“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”
Matthew 25:21-23
“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
Matthew 25:24-30
“Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Not long ago, I received a call on the telephone. On the other end of the line was a man who seemed to be deeply stressed about his soul. He wanted to know that he possessed eternal life. At least that is what he said. But it was only a matter of time until he went to the prophetic parables of Matthew and tried to convince me that Jesus will in the end only accept those people who try to do their best and live for him. He based his findings on these parables, which deal with the future tribulation period. I have many people argue their points of Arminian doctrine from these parables. They seem to use these texts to prove that salvation involves constant faithful service, living by good works, and holding out to the end. Their comments would lead to the conclusion that the way of salvation during the future tribulation period is a salvation based upon good works, righteous living and continual faithful service. But is this an accurate assessment of these important prophetic parables?
In the kingdom parables that Jesus gave, as elsewhere in Scripture, works are always an evidence of salvation, they are never the ground of salvation (Eph. 2:8-10; James 2:26; Titus 2:10-14). These kingdom parables do not talk about the ground of salvation but the genuine fruit that comes from salvation (Matt. 13:23). The way of salvation is not addressed in these parables but the evidence of salvation is alluded to by the manner in which righteous living, wise living, faithful service, and loving actions are commended by the King. The way of salvation in the tribulation is by grace through faith in the preaching of the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 24:14).
Salvation during the Tribulation Period comes through the washing of the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14). The parables never conflict with grace as the way of salvation. One must be careful not to base an entire theological position on the parables. The parables are designed to teach general truth but not specific theological details. In the prophetic parables about the Kingdom the wickedness and unprofitable nature of a servant depicts a person’s unregenerate heart and life before God. Likewise, the unprepared foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1-13), who failed to purchase oil for their lamps, depict their unregenerate state before God. The King will judge the unsaved (“foolish virgins”) within national Israel when He returns after the tribulation period.
Matthew 24:1-25:30 is a Jewish eschatological setting dealing with a Jewish remnant of people (Matt. 24:3; 15, 30, 34) and encompasses God’s prophetic dealings with national Israel when He returns to earth “after the tribulation of those days” (Matt. 24:29). These verses are contrasting believing and unbelieving Israel. Believing or saved Israel, who is compared to a wise virgin, will evidence her salvation by honorable service and will enter the kingdom (Matt. 25:21-23). However, unbelieving or unsaved Israel, who is compared to a foolish virgin, will evidence her wicked deeds and living and not enter the kingdom. Instead, unsaved Israel will experience judgment by the hand of the King (Matt. 24:51; 25:30). Only those who are regenerate will evidence a righteous life and enter the millennial kingdom (Matt. 13:43 – “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their “Father…”). The unsaved Jews “shall be taken” into judgment whereas the saved Jews will be “left” to enter the millennial kingdom (Matt. 24:41).
Matthew 25:31-46 shifts the scene to the Gentiles:
“Then shall he say also 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 hungred, 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 they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 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 to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
This prophetic parable is actually teaching that Gentiles (“nations” – ethnos – Matt. 25:32) or non-Jewish foreigners, who fail to assist God’s Jewish people and identify with them during the dark days of the tribulation period, will demonstrate by their continual failure to do God’s will and purpose, that they are not regenerate and true followers of the Lord. These “goats” are representative of the vast number of unsaved people within Gentile humanity that will not choose to identify with Christ and His saints in the coming world crises of the tribulation period. They will look the other way and perhaps even be part of those helping to persecute His covenant people. The “sheep” are representative of those saved Gentiles who will house and help God’s chosen people [“my brethren” (vs. 40) – the Jews] in the future tribulation period.
The kingdom parables mention about wise and unwise virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) and good and faithful servants in contrast to wicked, slothful and unprofitable servants (Matt. 25:21; 26; 30) and those that do iniquity in contrast to those who are righteous in their living (Matt. 13:41; 43). Only the wise, prepared, faithful servant and righteous servant will enter the kingdom according to what Jesus said. These portrayals of the lifestyles of people are not intended to teach salvation or loss of salvation by works. Rather, they are teaching that lost people will evidence their true unregenerate character before the King and not enter the kingdom because of their lost estate before God. Likewise, saved people, who are destined to become children of the kingdom (Matt. 13:38), will evidence their regenerate character before the King and enter the kingdom through the new birth (John 3:3) and receive reward because they have been faithful in serving the Lord in some degree and in some measure. The parables do not upset the clear revelation of Scripture that teaches salvation by grace through faith without any works (Romans 3:28; Gal. 2:16; Titus 3:5).
It is important to remember that these parables, which deal with the tribulation period, are not intended to classify those faithful believers who keep their salvation and unfaithful believers who lose their salvation. The parables are simply designed to demonstrate that certain people will evidence their lost condition before God by their overall lack of interest in God’s will and program on earth and others will evidence their saved position before God by their increased love and obedience to the Father’s will. Elsewhere and in the same prophetic setting Jesus said that the saved, who evidence their salvation by doing “the will of my Father which is in Heaven” (Matt. 7:21), would enter the kingdom, while the unsaved that Jesus “never knew” (Matt. 7:23) would not enter the kingdom. Their unsaved life is evidenced by their overall lack of interest in God’s will. They were only interested in the miraculous but not the Master (Matt. 7:22).
It must also be stressed that the loss of salvation in regards to a true disciple is not being discussed or conveyed by these parables as various writers suggest. This is the dream of the Arminian. It is also worthy to note that the actual way of salvation is not considered in these parables. Only the rewards connected with Christ’s kingdom blessing are considered. We know that there will be various amounts of rewards and rulership responsibilities handed out to God’s children in view of their degree of dedication and faithfulness to Him (see Matt. 25:21-23). But all God’s people will enter the earthly messianic kingdom that Jesus is planning to establish by new birth. Jesus made this very clear. No believer will be left out of the millennial kingdom when Jesus sets it up. All believers enter this earthly kingdom by new birth.
John 3:3-5
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Although some teach that Jesus was speaking about a spiritual kingdom in these verses I must beg to differ with them. What was Jesus presenting to the Jews while He was here on earth? It was the message about the earthly kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 5; 8:11; 10:6-7). What were the Jews looking forward to when Jesus came into this world? It was a King and earthly kingdom (Mark 11:9-10; Acts 1:6). To interpret this kingdom as some type of spiritual kingdom entered by new birth is a case of eisegesis. The Jews knew nothing of a spiritual kingdom. The truth of the matter is this. All of God’s people enter the earthly messianic kingdom by new birth. All of them!
The question of true believers losing their salvation and not entering the kingdom (Arminian teaching) or unfaithful believers not entering the kingdom (Govett’s teaching) is not in this prophetic picture. I must ask any honest exegete of the Scriptures a question. How can an unfaithful believer miss entrance into the kingdom if he is already born again and experience what the Bible calls “weeping and gnashing (gnawing) of teeth” in pain (Matt. 25:30) and go away into “everlasting fire” (Matt. 25:41) and “everlasting punishment” (Matt. 25:46)? How can a believer who is supposedly saved experience everlasting punishment as some present day followers of Govett are suggesting today? Jesus never taught in the prophetic parables that some believers would fail to enter the millennial kingdom or that other believers could lose their salvation and fail to enter the kingdom. These types of teachings run contrary to what Jesus teaches in John chapter three. All believers enter the kingdom by new birth. Those who express childlike faith in the Messiah and are converted will enter the kingdom (Matt. 18:2) and those who humble themselves in childlike service will be greatest in the kingdom (Matt. 18:3).
In conclusion, these parables are given to see the noticeable contrast between those who do the Father’s will (the saved) and those who completely fail to engage their life in doing God’s will (the unsaved) in view of His coming messianic kingdom program. The “unrighteous” who give evidence that they are not regenerate will not inherit (receive any portion) in the earthly kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9; Gal. 5:21) but those who are forgiven and cleansed of all their sins in God’s sight will enter the earthly kingdom on the basis of justification and God’s marvelous work of grace (1 Cor. 6:11 – “such were some of you”). These people are set in contrast to the unrighteous or unsaved that have no portion in the kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9-10). In other words, believers are no longer a sinner in God’s sight. They have been washed and cleansed of all their sins.
Dear friend, do not extrapolate more from these prophetic parables, which deal with the future tribulation period and the kingdom, than God intends to convey. Parables are designed to teach one primary truth. To formulate doctrine and intricate details around the parables will lead to endless confusion. The way of salvation is not addressed in these parables but the fruit of salvation is alluded to by the manner in which righteous living, wise living, faithful service, and loving actions are commended by the King.Thus, the salvation of the tribulation period will be by grace through faith. It will not be by works as so many erroneously insist by the kingdom parables. Endless confusion has arisen when people try to extrapolate salvational theology out of the parables. The parables were never intended to teach strict theology. Rather, they are intended to focus on one primary truth, which is entrance into the kingdom. Theological truths must be understood and confirmed by clear and confirming texts of Scripture, before we approach the parables, lest we make God’s Word contradict itself.
We have clear statements in regards to the way people will be saved during the coming tribulation period. And they are so clear that only those with an ax to grind can miss them.
Revelation 7:14
“And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Revelation 12:11
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
These tribulational saints were said to be washed clean of all their sins before God’s presence and had overcome the hurling accusations of Satan through the blood of the Lamb. It will be the blood of Jesus that cleanses these people from all their sins and saves them from eternal judgment. So the question of how people will be saved during the tribulation can be quickly answered: They will be saved by the blood of Christ!
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