Read and pray: "Blessed is that servant whom his master will find doing so when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions." (Lk 12:43,44)
We need to see some verses that speak of this future discipline. Luke 12:45-48 says: "But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master delays in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in two and assign him a place with the unbelievers. That servant who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him to whom much has been entrusted, much more will be asked."
In these verses the first thing we need to decide is whether the servant here belongs to the Lord or not. Is he a Christian? Is he saved? Without a doubt the servant here is saved. How can I say this? First, because in the New Testament God never considers as His servants those who do not belong to Him.
Moving from the Old Testament to the New Testament era, man is first a servant and then becomes a son. Thus, in the Old Testament there were many unsaved servants. But in the New Testament the order is reversed.
If a man is not a son of God, he is not qualified to be a servant of God. In the New Testament all the servants of God are sons. Therefore, the servant referred to here is certainly someone saved. There is a second proof that the servant in Luke 12:45-48 is saved. The proof is in the preceding verses.
Verses 42-44 say: "The Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions."
Is the servant in these verses the same as the servant in verses 45 and 46? Or are there two servants? There is only one servant here. The servant in verses 43 and 44 is the same servant as in verse 45. One and the same person can be a good servant as well as a bad servant. That servant can have two different thoughts. If he is faithful to the charge of the master of the house and gives the fellow servants their food at the proper time, the master will reward him well and entrust him with all his possessions. But if the servant says in his heart: "My master delays; I can act as I please," and begins to beat the male and female servants, the master will come and judge his sins. This proves that a saved person can be both a good servant and a bad servant.
If, unfortunately, a saved person becomes a bad servant, what will be his end? Verse 46 says: "The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in two and assign him a place with the unbelievers." Will this punishment take place in this age or in the age to come? Here, what is the day and the hour he does not know? The day and the hour he does not know must refer to the time of the Lord’s coming. That is something in the future. The Lord says that a servant can be faithful or unfaithful, and an unfaithful servant will not only lose the reward but will also be condemned and receive a definite punishment.
Verses 47 and 48 are based on the words of verse 46 and concern the future of those who belong to the Lord and work for Him. "That servant who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him to whom much has been entrusted, much more will be asked."
These verses do not say that the one who did not know will receive no beating; they only say he will receive a light beating. He will still receive a beating. God does not let those who do not know His will go unnoticed, because His Word is here. Those who know it must be responsible before Him; those who do not know it but have done things worthy of beatings will receive beatings, yet light ones. For everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, much more will be asked. This is the rule of God’s future punishment.
Luke 12:47-48 establishes for us the matter of the future punishment of Christians before God. My friends, I am here preaching the gospel of grace. When a man is saved, he is saved forever. This is an unchangeable fact. However, after being saved, if our conduct is improper for Christians, we will be punished in the future. I am only a preacher of the Word of God. I take responsibility only for saying what the Bible says. I do not take responsibility for what the Bible should say. Today, some may ask why Christians need to be punished in the future. I do not know. You must ask the Lord yourself. I am only saying what the Bible says. This is the word of the Lord.
Let us read Colossians 3:23-25: "Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving Christ the Lord. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality."
The context of this passage makes it clear that these verses refer to Christians, not unbelievers. The verses that come before this passage tell how a Christian should be a wife, a husband, a father or a mother, a son or a daughter, a master or a slave.
Then Paul says that if a Christian commits injustice, he will receive back what he has done unjustly, for there is no partiality. This shows us clearly that a Christian will receive the reward at the judgment seat of Christ. If he commits injustice today, he will receive a reward according to what he has done unjustly. If he acts righteously, he will receive a reward according to his righteousness. Therefore, we cannot say that Christians will not receive a certain measure of discipline and punishment.
Enjoy more:
Hymn - Encouragement -
"To Rest in the Lord"
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