Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 2
August 31, 1950
NUMBER 17, PAGE 13b

Listed With The "Do Nothings"

Hoyt Bailey, Enid, Oklahoma

The man who was entrusted with the one talent was doubtless not guilty of murder, drunkenness, adultery, covetousness, nor of some of the other sins of transgression. He might have asked: "What have I done?" or "Who have I harmed?" It was not what he had done that caused him to be cast into outer darkness. The thing he had failed to do was the cause of his being lost. It is too bad that church members overlook the fact that a failure to do what they are taught to do is just as sure to condemn their souls as doing what they are forbidden to do.

Others Lost Because Of Doing Nothing

The picture Christ gave of the final judgment in the closing part of the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew shows that those who were active in the Lord's work were the ones who entered into eternal rest. It also shows that those who were cast into everlasting fire (Mt. 25:41) were the ones who were inactive in the work of the Lord.

The Wicked Are Lost

We think of the wicked being lost. In connection with the one talent man and the persons mentioned in the last part of Matthew 25, the ones who did nothing are called wicked persons. One may do things for his own benefit or pleasure, but at the same time not be doing such to please the Lord, receive no blessing from the Lord, and finally be cast into everlasting fire as a wicked person for doing nothing.

Lost Because Of Doing Too Little

The five foolish virgins did a few things. They did enough to be virgins. They started out to meet the bridegroom. They took their lamps. They heard the sound of the bridegroom. They arose to go forth and meet him, but their lamps were gone out. They went for more oil and returned, but they were shut out, they WERE LOST!