ayani
member
my point was just that Jesus has asked us to believe in Him, to put His words into practice, and to follow His commandments. those who associate themselves with Jesus but do not do those things (bear fruit) Jesus has said will be cast into the fire, a readily understood metaphore for hellfire and punishment in the life to come.
(many of Jesus' sayings are obviously not "this next segement of my sermon will focus on heaven and hell and reward and punishment, using the analogies of..." but rather He launches right into the metaphore or similie.)
the sheep and goats scenario is directly related to the judgement and the life to come, and this works in conjunction with other passages where Jesus talks about the afterlife, and what He expects from us as His disciples. nothing Jesus' says He says in a vacuum. serving the least of these is indeed important, and what Jesus wants us to do. but that is not all Jesus has asked us to do in His Name. this sheep and goats analogy illustrates several aspects of how we are judged as believers, but should not be taken by itself without the input of other verses about discipleship and what Jesus asks us to do.
the believing, doing, bearing fruits, nor bearing fruits, putting Jesus words into practicce and obey His commandments, and finally either being cast into the fire or not are all related, and these also relate to the sheep and goats scenario (where Jesus adressess believers and asks what they have done for Him) as these sheep and goats are the same people Jesus elsewhere refers to as trees and vines.
Jesus does not say here or elsewhere that believers will be judged only on the grounds of kindness to the needy in His Name, but rather highlights and names these criteria within that particular parable.
(many of Jesus' sayings are obviously not "this next segement of my sermon will focus on heaven and hell and reward and punishment, using the analogies of..." but rather He launches right into the metaphore or similie.)
the sheep and goats scenario is directly related to the judgement and the life to come, and this works in conjunction with other passages where Jesus talks about the afterlife, and what He expects from us as His disciples. nothing Jesus' says He says in a vacuum. serving the least of these is indeed important, and what Jesus wants us to do. but that is not all Jesus has asked us to do in His Name. this sheep and goats analogy illustrates several aspects of how we are judged as believers, but should not be taken by itself without the input of other verses about discipleship and what Jesus asks us to do.
the believing, doing, bearing fruits, nor bearing fruits, putting Jesus words into practicce and obey His commandments, and finally either being cast into the fire or not are all related, and these also relate to the sheep and goats scenario (where Jesus adressess believers and asks what they have done for Him) as these sheep and goats are the same people Jesus elsewhere refers to as trees and vines.
Jesus does not say here or elsewhere that believers will be judged only on the grounds of kindness to the needy in His Name, but rather highlights and names these criteria within that particular parable.