R.A. Torrey delivers a powerful sermon on 'The Judgment of the Nations' from Matthew 25:31-46, emphasizing the final separation of the righteous and the wicked at Christ's return. He explains that the righteous, symbolized as sheep, will inherit the kingdom prepared for them, while the wicked, represented as goats, will face eternal punishment due to their neglect of Christ's brethren. Torrey highlights the importance of our actions towards others as a reflection of our faith in Christ, urging believers to serve those in need as a demonstration of their love for Him. The sermon serves as a sobering reminder of the eternal consequences of our choices and the necessity of living out our faith through acts of kindness. Ultimately, Torrey calls for self-examination regarding how we treat others, as it directly correlates to our standing before God.

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. The Great Gathering and the Final Separation, vv. 31–33 Where were these words spoken? When? What contrast is there between Christ as He speaks here and the Christ as He appears in the prophecy which He spoke? Of what have we a picture in this lesson? Is the judgment represented here of the nations living at Christ’s coming or of all men who had ever lived (vv. 35–40)? To whom do the principles of judgment here laid down apply? How many shall appear at some time before Christ’s judgment seat? (2 Cor. 5:10; Ro. 14:10.) When is the destiny of the believer decided? (John 5:24.) To whom first of all should we apply the principles of judgment given here? Is there to be another judgment beside that represented here? (Rev. 20:12, 13.) In what way is Christ represented as coming? Who are to come as His companions? Are there similar representations of Christ’s coming elsewhere where? (16:27; 19:28; 26:64; Zech. 14:3, 4; Mark 8:38; 1 Thess. 4:16; 2 Thess. 1:7, 10; Jude 14; Rev. 1:7.) Does Christ’s coming at death, at the destruction of Jerusalem, or at the descent of the Holy Spirit, fulfill the requirements of these passages? When is He so coming? (Matt. 24:42, 44.) What will He do when He so comes? (Rev. 3:21.) What will occur after He has thus taken His throne? How many nations and how many angels? What will He do with the nations? Into how many classes will He separate them? Is the scene here represented that of a trial or verdict? When does the trial take place? Into what two classes are men already divided? (John 3:18.) Under what figure is the separation represented? Do such separations actually occur in the East? Why is it necessary to separate sheep from goats? Why is it necessary to separate the wicked from the righteous? (Rev. 21:7.) Is the truth of final separation found elsewhere in the Bible? (c. 3:12; 13:42, 43–49; Mal. 3:18.) What does He do with sheep and goats respectively? Why sheep on right hand? (Gen. 48:13–17; Ps. 45:9; Heb. 1:3–13; Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:34–35.) 2. The Blessed of the Father; Their Deeds and Their Destiny, vv. 34–40 By what title is Christ spoken of in v. 34? Is He so spoken of elsewhere? Does He use this title of Himself elsewhere? To whom does the King first address Himself? How does He address them? What does “blessed” mean? Is it the same word as is used in the beatitudes? Does the Christian have to wait for the blessing of God? (Eph. 1:3.) What does He say to “the blessed”? Who do we learn from other passages of Scriptures shall not inherit this kingdom? (Gal. 5:19–21; Eph. 5:5; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10.) Who shall? (2 Tim. 2:12; 4:8; James 2:5; Rev. 21:7.) Is this inheritance something we earn or is it a gift? (Luke 12:32.) How long has this kingdom been prepared? For whom prepared? What other things are we told are “from the foundation of the world”? (Acts 15:18; Eph. 1:4; 1 Peter 1:19, 20; Rev. 18:8.) What other things are spoken of as prepared for God’s people? (Heb. 11:16; John 14:2, 3; c. 20:23; 1 Cor. 2:9.) What reason does Christ give for inviting them to an inheritance in this kingdom? How does this coincide with the common Bible doctrine that the whole destiny of man hangs on the point of faith? What does Paul tell us is the one thing that avails? (Gal. 5:6.) What is the nature of a faith that does not show itself in such acts? (Jas. 2:17.) What, then, is the proof of faith which God demands? (James 2:18.) Why ought we to give the thirsty Christ to drink? (John 4:14; 6:55.) The hungry Christ to eat? (John 6:32, 35.) Receive Him when a stranger? (Eph. 2:13, 18, 19.) Clothe Him when naked? (Is. 64:6; Ro. 13:14; Phil. 3:9.) Visit Him when sick? (Luke 1:68, 78.) When in prison? (Luke 4:18.) What do the righteous answer? What are we to infer from this answer? (c. 6:3; Prov. 15:33; 1 Peter 5:5, 6.) What is the King’s answer to them? Does He say that “inasmuch as ye did it unto” any man? Who are His “brethren”? (c. 12:49, 50; 28:10; Heb. 2:11.) If then we wish to feed Christ, what should we do? If we wish to visit Him? What is the real test whether or not we love Christ and God? (1 John 3:14; 4:20.) What is the real test whether we love our brethren? (1 John 3:17.) What shows whether or not we have received Christ? (c. 18:5; 10:40.) With which of His brethren does Christ identify Himself? For whose sake should these things be done to Christ’s brethren? (Mark 9:41.) Where is a kindred thought to that of this verse found in Proverbs? (Prov. 19:19; 14:31.) Does God much esteem almsgiving, etc.? (Acts 10:31; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 6:17–19; Heb. 13:16; 6:10.) Is it worth striving for to be called out before the assembled universe, “all nations” and “all angels” and thanked by Christ for services done Him? How can we gain that honor? 3. The Cursed: The Cause and Character of Their Curse, vv. 41–46 What change now comes over the scene? What is it He says to those on the left? If we do not listen to the “Come” of Jesus now, what will we have to listen to hereafter? Where else do we find this word “Depart”? (7:22, 23; Luke 13:25, 27.) How does He address them? What words does He add to “ye blessed” that he does not add to “ye cursed”? By whom are the cursed cursed? (John 5:40.) How many are cursed? (Gal. 3:10.) Whither were they to depart? Is the punishment of the lost elsewhere represented as fire? (c. 13:40–42, 50; 7:19; Mark 9:44, 46, 48; Luke 16:24; John 15:6; Heb. 6:8; Rev. 20:15; 14:11; 21:8.) What does that representation mean? Was this fire prepared for them? Why do they go there then? What reason does the King give for this awful doom? Was it some evil they had done or some good they had neglected to do that brought this doom upon them? What shall we judge then to be the doom of those who have not only neglected but positively rejected Christ’s brethren? Were they aware that they had so neglected Christ? Are there any today who neglect Christ who are not aware of it? Are the wicked generally fully conscious of their wickedness? (1 Sam. 15:13–15, 20, 21; Jer. 2:23, 35; Mal. 1:6; 2:17; 3:13.) Why not? (Jer. 17:9.) What prayer should this fact lead us all to offer? (Ps. 139:23, 24; 19:12.) What was Christ’s answer? How, then, can we neglect Christ? How can we persecute Him? (Acts 9:4, 5.) What was the final decision? What is meant by “everlasting”? Which will endure the longer, the punishment or the life? What does the whole question of whether it is eternal punishment or eternal life turn upon according to this lesson? What is the condition of eternal life most commonly mentioned in the New Testament? (John 3:15, 16, 36; 1 John 5:11, 12.) Is there any contradiction? What is Paul’s definition of a true faith? (Gal. 5:6.) What words of Daniel are suggested by this verse? (Dan. 12:2.) What other words of Christ recorded in John? (John 5:29.) According to this lesson who is cursed? (Compare 1 Cor. 16:22.) What is the proof of our love or lack of love to Christ? What is the proof of our faith? Do we learn to love Christ first and afterwards to trust Him as a Saviour or vice versa? CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS 1. Jesus Christ (1). What He is: The Son of Man, 31; the King, 34; the judge of men, 31–46. (2). What He does: Regards either kindness or neglect shown to His brethren as shown to Himself, 40, 45; sets a higher estimate upon the service of the righteous than they themselves do, 37, 38; attaches a greater degree of guilt to the sins of the wicked than they themselves do, 44. (3). What He shall do: He shall come in His glory, 31; with all the angels, 31. He shall sit on the throne of His glory, 31; cause all the nations to be gathered before Him, 32; separate them into two classes, the sheep and the goats, 32; set the sheep on His right hand, 33; set the goats on His left hand, 33; say to those on His right hand, “Come”, 34; say to those on His left hand, “Depart”, 41. Man’s final destiny of eternal life or eternal punishment will be decided by the attitude he has taken toward Jesus Christ as revealed in his treatment of those who belong to Him, 34–46. 2. The Righteous By what they are symbolized: Sheep, 33. Because of what they are rewarded: Love to Christ revealed in kindly ministries to those who belong to Christ, 35–40. The character of their goodness: Unconscious, 37–39. The nature of their reward: Separated from the wicked, 32; set at Christ’s right hand at His coming, 33; blessed of the Father, 34; a kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, 34; they shall inherit the kingdom when Jesus comes, 34; they shall hear Jesus say, “Come,” 34; shall go away into eternal life, 46. 3. The Wicked By what they are symbolized: Goats, 33. Because of what they are cursed: Absence of love to Christ revealed in the neglect of those who belong to Christ, 42–45; compare 1 Cor. 16:22. The character of their wickedness: Unconscious, 44. The nature of their reward: Separated from the righteous, 32; set at Christ’s left hand at His coming, 33; “cursed,” 34; shall share the fiery torment prepared for the devil and his angels, 41; shall hear Jesus say, “Depart from Me,” 41; shall go away into eternal punishment, 46.