Who Does Matthew 25:31-46 Apply To?

[newton3005]

To what extent does Matthew 25:31-46 apply to our daily lives? When it starts out by saying in Verse 31 that ‘When the son of man appears in his glory to judge all nations,’ it seems to suggest a time in the future. And it seems that at that point in time, God will separate those who helped the least of God’s people from those who didn’t help, and the former will enter the Kingdom of God and the latter will go to eternal fire. Does that mean that for the time being, many of us can eat, drink and be merry, perhaps in the context of Luke 12:19, in the sense that in pursuing our own gratitude we are oblivious to those who don’t have what we have.

But that passage, which in Jesus’ Parable of the Rich Fool, follows with God telling the “fool” that his soul is required now, not giving him a chance to divide up what he’s accumulated. That Parable confirms that we could be judged at any time, as God can call up our soul at any time. So would He not judge us then and there, inviting us into His Kingdom if we help the poor and needy, or throw us into the eternal fire if we don’t?

Jesus draws a lot of what he says from the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah 58:6-11 is notable in that essentially says that if we make some sacrifices for the poor and needy, God will reward us on earth. So if He rewards us on earth, it seems He would also reward us by bringing us into His Kingdom. Jesus may have been thinking of this passage when a rich young man comes up to him, asking in Matthew 19:16-22 what he can do to have eternal life. Jesus says to sell everything he has and give the proceeds to the poor, and his treasures will be in Heaven.

Individually, then, God expects us to make some sacrifice, giving up at least some of our gains, to help the poor and needy. Does that not also extend to the government? Romans 13:1 basically says that a government under God will rule with God speaking into its ear. In that respect, a government under God, doing God’s Will, is under the same moral obligation to help the poor and needy as individuals are who do God’s Will.

Going back to Matthew 25, Verse 22 says that God, through the Son of Man, will gather the nations, so, it isn’t a stretch to say that the governments of those nations are responsible for helping the least of God’s people as individuals are. And as with individuals, God’s Judgment can fall on nations at any time, not just when everyone is summoned together.

 

[pdudgeon]

Some things in your post above, you have right.

Other things you haven't yet learned about yet, and it shows.

In those things you are still using worldly wisdom, and not thinking of how God would order the world so as to bring about truth, and righteousness, and love.

 

[newton3005]

... you are still using worldly wisdom, and not thinking of how God would order the world so as to bring about truth, and righteousness, and love.

***Care to fill us in?

 

[bottoWordx]

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

You can help the poor and needy.
But that isn't entirely what faith is about. There is religion and there is faith.
What are you really looking for?

Overall, keep the true correct faith, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Of course you can sell everything and give away all your possessions, but that still means you have to follow God and know what that means.

 

[Kenny'sID]

On the parable of the sheep and goats in your first comment there, the judgment is in the future, but best not eat drink and be merry now because what we are being judged for covers what we do all our lives.

 

[GenemZ]

To what extent does Matthew 25:31-46 apply to our daily lives? When it starts out by saying in Verse 31 that ‘When the son of man appears in his glory to judge all nations,’ it seems to suggest a time in the future. And it seems that at that point in time, God will separate those who helped the least of God’s people from those who didn’t help, and the former will enter the Kingdom of God and the latter will go to eternal fire. Does that mean that for the time being, many of us can eat, drink and be merry, perhaps in the context of Luke 12:19, in the sense that in pursuing our own gratitude we are oblivious to those who don’t have what we have.

Matthew 25:31-46 refers to the very end of the Tribulation period.

The sheep and goats refers to those who helped God's Jewish evangelists (the 144,000) during those terrible days of persecution. Those who helped them are seen here.

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, 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.’​

That speaks of the time of the Tribulation. Keep in mind, Jesus was speaking to Jews according to what Jews could know at that time concerning their Bible prophesy. The Church age had not yet begun. Jesus was still teaching as a Rabbi to Jews. It was not a message to the Church who will not be present on earth during the Tribulation.

Of course, the same principles Jesus spoke of hold true for Christians seeing after the needs of the needy. But, Jesus was referring to the greatly persecuted 144,000 Jewish evangelists that will be preaching during the Tribulation. For that's when He is to return.

Those people during the Tribulation who have faith will be the sheep who shelter and look after the 144,000. Those who do not believe will be the goats...

grace and peace......

 

[Gregory Thompson]

To what extent does Matthew 25:31-46 apply to our daily lives? When it starts out by saying in Verse 31 that ‘When the son of man appears in his glory to judge all nations,’ it seems to suggest a time in the future. And it seems that at that point in time, God will separate those who helped the least of God’s people from those who didn’t help, and the former will enter the Kingdom of God and the latter will go to eternal fire. Does that mean that for the time being, many of us can eat, drink and be merry, perhaps in the context of Luke 12:19, in the sense that in pursuing our own gratitude we are oblivious to those who don’t have what we have.

But that passage, which in Jesus’ Parable of the Rich Fool, follows with God telling the “fool” that his soul is required now, not giving him a chance to divide up what he’s accumulated. That Parable confirms that we could be judged at any time, as God can call up our soul at any time. So would He not judge us then and there, inviting us into His Kingdom if we help the poor and needy, or throw us into the eternal fire if we don’t?

Jesus draws a lot of what he says from the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah 58:6-11 is notable in that essentially says that if we make some sacrifices for the poor and needy, God will reward us on earth. So if He rewards us on earth, it seems He would also reward us by bringing us into His Kingdom. Jesus may have been thinking of this passage when a rich young man comes up to him, asking in Matthew 19:16-22 what he can do to have eternal life. Jesus says to sell everything he has and give the proceeds to the poor, and his treasures will be in Heaven.

Individually, then, God expects us to make some sacrifice, giving up at least some of our gains, to help the poor and needy. Does that not also extend to the government? Romans 13:1 basically says that a government under God will rule with God speaking into its ear. In that respect, a government under God, doing God’s Will, is under the same moral obligation to help the poor and needy as individuals are who do God’s Will.

Going back to Matthew 25, Verse 22 says that God, through the Son of Man, will gather the nations, so, it isn’t a stretch to say that the governments of those nations are responsible for helping the least of God’s people as individuals are. And as with individuals, God’s Judgment can fall on nations at any time, not just when everyone is summoned together.

I am reminded when James said faith without works is dead, he referred to helping the poor, and not showing favoritism.

 

[dqhall]

To what extent does Matthew 25:31-46 apply to our daily lives? When it starts out by saying in Verse 31 that ‘When the son of man appears in his glory to judge all nations,’ it seems to suggest a time in the future. And it seems that at that point in time, God will separate those who helped the least of God’s people from those who didn’t help, and the former will enter the Kingdom of God and the latter will go to eternal fire. Does that mean that for the time being, many of us can eat, drink and be merry, perhaps in the context of Luke 12:19, in the sense that in pursuing our own gratitude we are oblivious to those who don’t have what we have.

But that passage, which in Jesus’ Parable of the Rich Fool, follows with God telling the “fool” that his soul is required now, not giving him a chance to divide up what he’s accumulated. That Parable confirms that we could be judged at any time, as God can call up our soul at any time. So would He not judge us then and there, inviting us into His Kingdom if we help the poor and needy, or throw us into the eternal fire if we don’t?

Jesus draws a lot of what he says from the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah 58:6-11 is notable in that essentially says that if we make some sacrifices for the poor and needy, God will reward us on earth. So if He rewards us on earth, it seems He would also reward us by bringing us into His Kingdom. Jesus may have been thinking of this passage when a rich young man comes up to him, asking in Matthew 19:16-22 what he can do to have eternal life. Jesus says to sell everything he has and give the proceeds to the poor, and his treasures will be in Heaven.

Individually, then, God expects us to make some sacrifice, giving up at least some of our gains, to help the poor and needy. Does that not also extend to the government? Romans 13:1 basically says that a government under God will rule with God speaking into its ear. In that respect, a government under God, doing God’s Will, is under the same moral obligation to help the poor and needy as individuals are who do God’s Will.

Going back to Matthew 25, Verse 22 says that God, through the Son of Man, will gather the nations, so, it isn’t a stretch to say that the governments of those nations are responsible for helping the least of God’s people as individuals are. And as with individuals, God’s Judgment can fall on nations at any time, not just when everyone is summoned together.

It is difficult to help the poor. Give a man a fish, and he will be hungry again to-morrow; teach him to catch a fish, and he will be richer all his life. This saying was true until they fished certain species to near extinction and had to ban fishing them. Lust can not end poverty. They raised more children than could be properly raised. Smaller classroom size improved education.

The apostles had given up their jobs to follow Jesus. One day Peter was walking near an entrance to the temple. He saw a crippled man begging. Acts 3:6 (WEB) But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” The man was healed and began to walk and leap for joy.

Paul worked building tents to fund his ministry. Later he needed help from his congregations. It is a blessing to help a Gospel teacher. Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. They brought the sick to him, he laid hands on them and they were healed.

If I give to a charity am I helping the poor? Steve Bannon started a charity to fund a border wall. In August 2020 he was arrested on a yacht for money laundering and wire fraud. He was keeping donations for himself. Some charity workers are more into serving themselves than others.

 

[bottoWordx]

You can feed a man, teach a man, and he can still end up in hell alongside the one feeding/teaching him.

 

[GenemZ]

Faith without works is dead. Faith that stopped being alive.

It does not say, faith without works was never alive. For, our initial faith was our belief in Christ. Then comes "growing in faith." The religious and superstitious bury those seeds and never water them by growing in grace and truth. They have only dead seeds.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10​

What would God justify in blessing you? You will be justified by your works.

Either the works are what He has planned for you (to be done in the Spirit and Truth).... Or? Dead. Dead works. Then you are not justified for God's blessings from dead works!

Your works will reveal your justification for God's blessings, or not. We will be justified by works in that sense!

grace and peace.........

 

[GenemZ]

You can feed a man, teach a man, and he can still end up in hell alongside the one feeding/teaching him.

Religious people trying to reach heaven based upon their merit, try to do many good works of their own making to get there.

Their works become like someone constantly stepping on a ladder pointing to heaven, with rungs moving downward like an escalator... Always working, and getting nowhere with God.

 

[pdudgeon]

***Care to fill us in?

gladly.
Agreed that Mt.25:31-46 does apply to the future. But the thing to remember here is that only we live in time. God (the creator of Time) lives above and beyond time.

But for man to understand how God works, it is necessary to remember that God is not confined to Time as we know it. But in His mercy He created Time for us, so that by doing so we would be able to handle Time and use it to our advantage, only living one day at a time to the best of our ability.

So that means that if we have the opportunity to do good, that every hour of "today" that God gives us, is a good day to begin doing that.
Likewise, planning for the future is not what God wants. If we take care of today, we can trust God to take care of tomorrow.
That doesn't mean that we ignore the responsibilities that God has given to us. What it does mean is that God, in His wisdom, has allotted enough time, enough supplies, and enough wisdom for us to do what He desires for us each day.

Jesus proved this when He did miracles. He only did what He saw His Father doing in Heaven.
So on the day that He healed a lame man, that was the day that God also healed that man.

If Jesus gathered people on a mountain and then asked His disciples to feed the crowd, Jesus knew that they were ready to learn about "supply and demand" the way that God sees it.

So it is enough for us to know two things in this life:
1. That we live from day to day. and
2. That God will supply our daily needs when today is today.

And when tomorrow becomes today, God will be here, right on schedule.
So yes, there will be times when we don't see how He will do that, any more than Peter didn't see how he could walk to Jesus on the water. But Jesus was there to pull Peter into the boat, and to nurture Peter's knowledge and faith until the time when Peter was truly ready to walk in faith.

So the best thanks that we can Give to God in return for all that He gives to us is to walk with Him daily in faith, knowing that when/if our faith fails, God will be there to see us through.

So now do you understand why the argument about when Jesus will come is irrelevant?

 

[GenemZ]

gladly.
Agreed that Mt.25:31-46 does apply to the future. But the thing to remember here is that only we live in time. God (the creator of Time) lives above and beyond time.

God created time. He wants us to function in time. Otherwise, he would have not created time. When we are in eternity, realities that now exist will become unknown to us. But, for now we are to think in terms of time. Otherwise?

You are trying to sell us a false teaching by using God's omniscience as the ploy

Here is how that passage to referred to, starts. Its how God wants us to see it. When you start experiencing outside of time and space in eternity? And all of us can do like wise? Then you can tell us its not about a future event.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
he will sit on his glorious throne. 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. He will put the sheep on his right
and the goats on his left.​

That has not taken place yet.

Many things Jesus said concerning taking place in time, need to be interpreted by those according to living in time. Otherwise, someone could come along and try to sell us ideas that are false.

Time will tell.

 

[garee]

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

You can help the poor and needy.
But that isn't entirely what faith is about. There is religion and there is faith.
What are you really looking for?

Overall, keep the true correct faith, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Of course you can sell everything and give away all your possessions, but that still means you have to follow God and know what that means.

I would offer like most parables they are used twofold . One, to reveal the hidden gospel message or understanding and two provide for the flesh .

Galatians 6:10English Standard Version So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

In that way all believers were fatherless as orphans redeemed by Christ. And in the same sense widows without Christ as our husband .(orphans as widows )

When a spouse dies it opens up the ministry to serve the earthly widows.

 

[bottoWordx]

I would offer like most parables they are used twofold . One, to reveal the hidden gospel message or understanding and two provide for the flesh .

Galatians 6:10English Standard Version So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

In that way all believers were fatherless as orphans redeemed by Christ. And in the same sense widows without Christ as our husband .(orphans as widows )

When a spouse dies it opens up the ministry to serve the earthly widows.

by serving the gospel truth
not just stopping at merely feeding or comforting them until they die, and apart from God
just saying we're not called to be free food and clothing service, free kind word service of worldly peace. you can have friends, but evangelize. you can make yourself useful, but for the right master. don't be subject to sinful men as their servant apart from God. they'll eat you and spit you out like swine.

needless to say? i'm not calling you wrong, but explaining some things in case it needs said. yes, the spiritual widows and orphans as we were especially.