Third of Three Warnings
This is the last post of three on the warnings present in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25.14-30).
Warning 1: Your theology matters.
Warning 2: The truncated Christian life.
When the Master returned "after a long time" (Matthew 25.19), He found His servants to settle accounts. The first servant was generously given 5 talents (100 years wages), and he had made 5 more talents. What did his face look like when the Master returned? What was his tone of voice when he said, "Here I have made five talents more." How about the two-talent servant? Entrusted with 40 years wages, and doubling it, what did he look like when he said, "Here, I doubled it." Their elation must have been evident. The Master said to both, "Well done, good and faithful servant, you've been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25.21 & 23). "Faithful over a LITTLE?" who could, in their right mind, define 40 years wage or 100 years wage or 20 years wage as "a little"? Impossible unless the Master is the most generous being ever. When He said, "Enter into the joy of your master," I think the servants could have responded, "We already have. We have lived in your super-abundant generosity since the day to called us, entrusted us with your property, and gave generously to us." Their destiny began the day they were claimed, not the day they died.
Likewise, the truncated life, the servant with bad theology set out an a destiny road when he lived and believed a lie about the Master.
In the Great Divorce, CS Lewis pictures Napolean living out on the outskirts of greytown. When some identified him, here is how he was described,
"Walking up and down--up and down all the time--left-right, left-right--never stopping for a moment. The two chaps watched him for about a year and he never rested. And muttering to himself all the time. 'It was Soult's fault. It was Ney's fault. It was Josephine's fault. It was the fault of the Russians. It was the fault of the English.' Like that all the time. Never stopped for a moment. A little, fat man and he looked kind of tired. But he didn't seem able to stop it. (Lewis, 22)
Nopolean's blaming, resentful, judging, self-justifying, and radical self-preoccupation didn't start when he died. Hell began early for him, as it does for everyone who goes there.
Heaven begins early for everyone who goes there. "And this is (not that will be) eternal life, that they know the only true God, and Jesus Christ who you have sent" (John 17.3).
Again from Lewis, "I think earth, if chosen instead of Heaven, will turn out to have been, all along, only a region in Hell: and earth, if put second to Heaven, to have been from the beginning a part of Heaven itself" (Lewis, 11).
The Master is no tyrant, but if we are dead set on having a god who is against us, god on our own terms, one day we will hear, "Your will be done--you may take your exit." But if we have God on His terms--a joyful "FOR YOU" God, we will be glad at His coming (parousia) and His word will ring, "Enter into the joy of your Master."
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