The Sheep And The Goats!

[tyndale1946]

I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior... I also believe that he alone purchased my Salvation for me and all those who are his children... Is was not by any work I did to get or by any merit or goodness in me that God saw to give it... I believe in the Sovereign Grace Of Almighty God and the work alone of his Son The Lord Jesus Christ... I have the evidence of being one of his sheep, but in all honesty sometimes I fall short and act like a goat... Then I come to these series of scripture, is this talking about Salvation or is this something else?... The sheep are preforming good works, the goats are not... Your thoughts... Brother Glen

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

 

[thatbrian]

First, read it again, but look out for where you might have held to a presupposition that isn't there in the text. See if Jesus isn't addressing groups of people "Nations", not individuals.

Second, back in Matthew 7, Jesus says, "I never knew you". He didn't say, I used to know you, but then you didn't do quite enough (fill in the blank).

See if those two things help, at least a little.

 

[Jerome]

For your edification:

Child of God....or Son of Chucky?

(thread in the Baptist section on this general topic)

 

[Wesley Briggman]

Goats and sheep are not distinguishable by human sight or by examining their works. While the intent of the goat might be for good, their works will not withstand the scrutiny of God. Is it God's will that His sheep engage with goats to accomplish a greater good? Some church leaders think so.

"There is resurgence in Hinduism, resurgence in Buddhism, resurgence in Islam. What I think we need to do is, rather than be afraid of these groups, we need to encourage those who care about the common good." Rick Warren
http://pewforum.org/Christian/Evangelical-Protestant-Churches/The-Future-of-Evangelicals-A-Conversation-with-Pastor-Rick-Warren.aspx