Uncensored2008
Libertarian Radical
It is an interesting metaphor full of nuance and symbolism. But as with all of the New Testament, it has to be seen as imagery to get the people's attention.
Hell is a theme throughout the Bible.
But when you take the gospel as a whole--and to have even a fighting chance to understand the message, it MUST be taken as a whole--you have other metaphors and other imagery explaining that all have sinned and NONE are worthy to be saved. And yet Jesus's message is that our sins will be washed away and will no longer exist in God's eyes.
But ONLY those who accept Jesus and have their name written in the "Lambs book of life." Others are to be cast in to the lake of fire. As you said, you must take it as a whole, or reject it as a whole.
So who do you think the righteous is in that passage? I interpret it as those Jesus came to show the way to eternal life. Who are the evil that are thrown away like bad fish? I dunno. Could be demons. Naughty angels. Anybody.
In context, it is very clear - those who reject Jesus.
{13:37 He answered, The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 13:38 The field is the world and the good seed are the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 13:39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 13:40 As the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 13:41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers. 13:42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen! }
Those who follow Jesus are the good seeds, those who don't are weeds.
This is the fundamental and foundational doctrine of Christ, without this doctrine, it is not Christianity as it rejects the message of Christ as savior.
But there is no indication that anybody will be able to EARN a place in Heaven but we will get there by the grace of God.
The only "earning" is in the acceptance. I in no way suggested that salvation was dependent on works.
Before we go further, I want to reiterate that I am agnostic. I was raised in a VERY religious home and have rejected, well - all religion. As pointed out, it's all or nothing. I cannot believe all, so I believe nothing of it.
However, it is a subject I am well versed in. One of my buddies in high school was TV Evangelist Jim Reeve.