hmmm

Out of all of Jesus teaching, Matthew 25 contains the most descriptive explanation of what it looks like in the end when Jesus judges. 2 things jump out at me. 1) Everybody is surpised at the outcome. Those who Jesus says are righteous and those who Jesus said were wicked, both are a little confused and surpised at what is happening (both groups also call Him Lord). 2) The determining thing in the separation is how each group treated the least of these, because how you treat the least of these is how you treat Jesus, and demonstrates whether or not you really love Jesus.

It seems like this passage should have a little more emphasis than it currently does in our theology. I am certainly not pressing for works being what gets you into heaven . . . then why would Jesus have died for our sins? But I would like to see us deal with this a little more seriously.

It seems like any time we talk about good works -- we always feel compelled to follow it with the sentence, "they don't save." As if we don't value them, because you can't earn your salvation. Maybe it's time we talk about what good works does, instead of what it doesn't do. 1) Good works do save . . . the love we show brings other to Jesus, it saves others so to speak. 2) Good works actually demonstrates that we know and love Jesus, if we are not loving the least of these we don't know and love Jesus. 3) Without good works it is evedence that you are not allowing God to work in your life to make you more like Jesus.

Just a thought.