Verses 12 and 13 say, “Friend, how did you come in here not having a marriage garment? And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, Bind his feet and hands, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” The servants mentioned in verse 13 must be angels (13:41, 49). To be cast out into the outer darkness is not to perish; it is to be dealt with dispensationally for not having lived an overcoming life by Christ to qualify for participation in the enjoyment of the kingdom during the millennium. At that time, the overcoming believers will be with Christ in the bright glory of the kingdom (Col. 3:4), whereas the defeated ones will suffer discipline in outer darkness.
Because the man without a marriage garment is cast into outer darkness, many Christian teachers say that he is a false believer. But how could a false believer be admitted to the marriage feast of Christ in the air? The reason many Christian teachers say that this man is an unbeliever is that they do not believe that a saved one can be punished by being cast out into outer darkness. However, according to the Gospel of Matthew, believers may be subject to dispensational punishment, a subject covered more than once in this Gospel. Few Christians believe that there will be such a punishment for the saved ones. But for more than forty years we have been teaching that we need to be overcomers. Those who are not overcomers will be excluded from the enjoyment of the kingdom during the millennium and will probably be punished.
We have seen that the man without a marriage garment is cast out into outer darkness. Notice that the Lord Jesus did not just say darkness, but outer darkness. The Bible says clearly that when the Lord Jesus comes back, He will come in glory. Thus, there will be a sphere, a realm, of glory, and all the believers will be raptured to Him in His glory. In the air the Lord will set up the judgment seat. After the believers have been judged, the defeated ones will be put into outer darkness. This refers to the darkness outside the realm of the Lord’s glory. For this reason the Lord used the word “outer” to describe that darkness.
To be cast out into outer darkness is not to suffer eternal perdition. The New Testament reveals that once a person has been saved, he is saved for eternity and can never perish. However, the so-called Arminian theology teaches that a person can be saved and then lost again. This, however, is contrary to the Scriptures. Although we cannot be lost, God may deal with us dispensationally. In the past some have argued with me about this and said, “How can a blood-washed and redeemed person still be punished by God?” I replied, “After you were washed by the Lord’s blood and redeemed, did you not experience God’s chastening for your wrongdoings? Has not God punished you?” Knowing that God may chastise those who sin after they have been saved, they lost the case. Others have argued that God chastises us only in this age while we are in the flesh; after the Lord comes back and we are raptured, they think there will be no problem. To this I have said, “Please do not hold this concept. Do not think that there can be no problems after resurrection and rapture. After the sinners have died and are resurrected, they will be brought to the white throne for judgment. This proves that resurrection does not solve all problems. Do not think that death and resurrection will automatically rescue you from having problems in the future. God may still deal with you after your resurrection. Do not be deceived.” Most Christians today reject the teaching concerning the dispensational punishment of believers. This is why so many are loose and careless in their daily living. Instead of fearing God’s dispensational discipline, they say, “I am saved, and the blood has washed me. If I do something wrong, the Lord may correct me a little. But there will be no problems for me in the future.” How misleading it is to hold a concept so contrary to the pure word of God! When we come back to the pure Word, we see that it is a serious matter to come to the marriage feast without the marriage garment.
We need to read the book of Matthew with a sober mind and consider its teachings seriously. Although this book has been buried for centuries, the Lord has opened it to us. Some may argue that we do not adequately know the love of God and that we present God as One who is too hard and cruel. But if God were loving according to their concept, how could He send an army to destroy the city of Jerusalem? In Romans 11 Paul says that God is kind, but also that He is severe and that we need to be serious with Him. When God is kind, He is truly kind; and when He is severe, He is very severe. God has been severe with the Jews, and He will also be severe with us.
Today there are many sugar-coated teachings in Christianity. Some preachers dare not teach what they see in the Bible because they are concerned about losing their audience or offending others. Therefore, they sugar-coat many of their teachings. But we must strip away the sugar-coating, come back to the pure Word, and see what the Lord has to say. We need the sober word found in the Gospel of Matthew. Remember, one day you will be examined to see whether or not you have the second garment to qualify you for the marriage feast. Get ready for this by preparing the second garment, the white linen, the surpassing righteousness. May the Lord have mercy upon us for this!
My burden in this message is not to threaten you; it is to open the pure Word and give you a healthy dose that has no sugar-coating. We all are responsible to read the Lord’s word and to give it thoughtful consideration. The Lord’s parable in 22:1-14 is very significant. Anything given in a parable is important. The Lord would not have given this parable if what is conveyed in it were not significant.
In verse 14 the Lord concludes: “For many are called but few are chosen.” To be called is to receive salvation (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 4:1), whereas to be chosen is to receive a reward. All believers have been called, but few will be chosen as overcomers. The overcomers, the chosen ones, will be rewarded and qualified to participate in the marriage feast of the Lamb.