Sheep and goats; benevolence and the kingdom - Sorting out Matthew 25:31-46
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Sheep and goats; benevolence and the kingdom - Sorting out Matthew 25:31-46
Very intriguing chapter/passage.
At the judgment Jesus puts the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. - vs 33
The sheep are invited to take their inheritance because of their benevolence to the Body of Christ.
The goats are condemned because they didn't. And it ends with this.
Matthew 25:46 NIV
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Discussion Questions:
- Was it the benevolence that determined whether one was a sheep or goat?
- Or was the benevolence an outflow of being a sheep?
- What becomes of an "unbeliever" who is benevolent toward the Body of Christ?
- Are they considered sheep on that basis?
- What about "believers" that are NOT benevolent toward the Body of Christ?
- Does verse 46 infer that eternal punishment (age long?) is the consequence of
a lack of benevolence toward the Body of Christ?
Matthew 25:31-46 NIV
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
hebrews 11:6 and John3:16.
There are simple answers to these questions.
Salvation is always based on ones faith in what Jesus has done, not on what we do.
We are told in various places that there are rewards for faithful service, so a Christian who does not do the good deeds God has prepared for them to do, while they will reach heaven, they will not get an additional reward that a more diligent believer gets.
Jesus said if you Love Me, you will obey my commands.
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