Do not sanitize Christianity.

[Derek1933]

Don't sanitize Christianity.

Gentle Jesus meek and mild? Gentle, yes but meek and mild? Forget it. He was a long way from meek and mild and as tough as they come when propagating the Gospel of His Father's Kingdom. Most folk will grant that he was a lovely chap who seemed to do a few good things with a bit of healing thrown in for good measure and then leave it there. However, when they read in the Gospels or are told about that which he really taught in clear, unyielding language, then come the difficulties. Here are just a few of the many uncompromising things He said and meant and there are many more..

Jesus told us that the world will always hate Christians. – John 15.18-20. If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

Look after the poor, or be damned to Hell. – Matthew 25.41-46 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Be aware, there is such a place. – Matthew 13-41-43 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

We have no choice but to turn the other cheek plus quite a bit more. Matthew 5.38-42 You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Our choice. God or money. – Matthew 6.24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Make your mind up time. Jesus is the ONLY way to God. John 14.6 I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We must forgive 70 x 7 for the same sin if necessary, otherwise we will not be forgiven.
Matthew 6.15 But if you refuse to forgive others their transgressions against you, your Father will not forgive your sins.

The alternatives are made abundantly clear to us and we either believe and accept what He says or turn away from Him. They are the only options He left open to us. He never intended otherwise.

 

[bcbsr]

Look after the poor, or be damned to Hell. – Matthew 25.41-46 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Actually Mt 25 is not talking about the poor in general. Rather it's referring to the least of His brethren. Not everyone is born of God. He's talking about how you treat those who are.

Secondly your interpretation is essentially salvation by works. The way I read the passage is that he separates sheep from goats - that is he separates them according to what they were. Those who are sheep are those born of God while goats are not. Each act according to their nature. The passage describes the difference in behavior of the two categories of people towards those born of God. It's right in line with 1John 3:10 "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." In fact the sheep basic say they were unaware of doing so, because it's their nature. This as opposed to your message of fabricating works in order to qualify to be saved. It's unnatural behavior.

 

[Halbhh]

Secondly your interpretation is essentially salvation by works.

Where though? It seems just a guess to say so on the basis of post #1.

Consider: we would not think verse 10 below sounds as if it's 'salvation by works' --

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2 NIV

Yet it plainly says says we are to do good works.

We are to do good works, and those do not save us.

They don't save us, yet we definitely are to do them.

There's a reason we are repeatedly told in the epistles and gospels to do certain good works (my auto correct first typed in " God works"). It's because we can avoid and refuse. We have daily choices.

We are being commanded to walk in the spirit, and do the works God prepared for us to do.

Because we can choose.

 

[Derek1933]

Actually Mt 25 is not talking about the poor in general. Rather it's referring to the least of His brethren. Not everyone is born of God. He's talking about how you treat those who are.

Secondly your interpretation is essentially salvation by works. The way I read the passage is that he separates sheep from goats - that is he separates them according to what they were. Those who are sheep are those born of God while goats are not. Each act according to their nature. The passage describes the difference in behavior of the two categories of people towards those born of God. It's right in line with 1John 3:10 "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." In fact the sheep basic say they were unaware of doing so, because it's their nature. This as opposed to your message of fabricating works in order to qualify to be saved. It's unnatural behavior.

John Chrysostom on the theology of giving.... "When you see on earth the man who has encountered the shipwreck of poverty, do not judge him, do not seek an account of his life, but free him from his misfortune. . . . The poor man has one plea, his want and his standing in need: . . . but even if he is the most wicked of all men, let us free him from hunger. We show mercy on him not because of his virtue but because of his misfortune, in order that we ourselves may receive from the Master, His great mercy. . . .Duties to an enemy means you give him his due whether or not he gives you yours. If you owe him a pound and he owes you a million you must pay him the pound whether he pays you the million or not for this is the behaviour in the Kingdom."
Christ told us to love our enemies regardless. I believe that C S Lewis explained quite well the need for both by asking which blade of a pair of scissors is the most important.

 

[bcbsr]

John Chrysostom on the theology of giving.... "When you see on earth the man who has encountered the shipwreck of poverty, do not judge him, do not seek an account of his life, but free him from his misfortune. . . . The poor man has one plea, his want and his standing in need: . . . but even if he is the most wicked of all men, let us free him from hunger. We show mercy on him not because of his virtue but because of his misfortune, in order that we ourselves may receive from the Master, His great mercy. . . .Duties to an enemy means you give him his due whether or not he gives you yours. If you owe him a pound and he owes you a million you must pay him the pound whether he pays you the million or not for this is the behaviour in the Kingdom."
Christ told us to love our enemies regardless. I believe that C S Lewis explained quite well the need for both by asking which blade of a pair of scissors is the most important.

But that's not what Mt 25 is about, which was the topic.

 

[Derek1933]

But that's not what Mt 25 is about, which was the topic.

The post site is titled Hamartiology which comes from the Greek word hamartos meaning sin. Hamartiology, therefore, is the study of sin and my original comment about not obeying the strictures of Christ who tells us to feed the hungry; visit those in prison etc must fall into the category of the post as they all the describe a falling short of the perfection that is God. If not then I apologise for my error and misunderstanding and withdraw my comments..

But that's not what Mt 25 is about, which was the topic.