https://odb.org/2024/03/25/love-god-by-loving-others
Matthew 25:31-40 is in a way scary as there will come a time when our Lord Jesus Christ will separate us into sheep and goats. Below is a deeper analysis of this topic, which may be contentious to some.
I tend to agree that as Jesus spoke about having helped or being kind “to the least of my brethren”, this discourse on goats and sheep is about those in the church and not about those within versus those outside. The doctrine of salvation through justification by faith (as opposed to by works) may not be so clear in the Gospels as it was something better articulated by Paul in his letters. But Scripture does not contradict. Thus, even in the post Gospels books, we have the concept of “faith without works is dead” in James 2.
The point is that as much as salvation is a free gift to us by the grace of God in the sense that we can not work for it, there is much work to be done once we are inside. Jesus Christ opens the door for us to enter into the Kingdom of God, but when we are in, it is not for us to just cruise along until our last dying breadth. We have to pull our weight the same way we need to do so at work. We were bought with a high price. We are now servants serving the LORD our God most high, the Great I Am.
One of the things we must do is to love one another as in John 13:34. Jesus says this in another way in Matthew 25 – to be sheep like those who fed, gave drink, and clothe the least of the brethren. It is inconsistent and inconceivable if we know Jesus and yet do not treat our fellow believers kindly, with love and compassion, grace, and mercy.
As scary as Mathew 25 may seem, and as surprised as some being categorised as sheep or goat, we need not worry if we have always been close to Christ, walking in His ways and hearing His voice as prompted by the Holy Spirit. As Jesus has said before, His sheep hears His voice, and He knows them – John 10:27-28. If we have always been hearing His voice and following His ways all these many years, how can we then turn out to be goats? Being kind to others is now second nature to us anyway. Have a good week ahead, everyone!
Ronnie's Thoughts 