The Final Judgment

from Matthew 25:

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All 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. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Hum, nothing about gay or straight, conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat, believer or unbeliever

32All 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. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

I wonder how that sheep and goat thing is determined?

True. However, have you ever noted that the ones to be cast off refer to Jesus as "Lord" and claim to have done his bidding.

Why would a non-believer refer to Jesus as Lord and claim to have done his bidding?

They wouldn't.

So if this group of people does not represent those who did not believe or claim Jesus as their Lord .... who are they?

That passage always remings me of Reba McEntire's The Christmas Guest (or perhaps vice versa)

Nanotech:

I wonder how that sheep and goat thing is determined?

Seems like the passage quoted in Pumpkin Seed's top post covered that.

Why would a non-believer refer to Jesus as Lord...?

It must be the whole "sitting on his throne in heavenly glory" bit. I'll bet there's a nameplate on the thing.

I think it may have to do with the different factions that say the other factions aren't "True" Christians.

I suspect that while God is giving his angry soliloqy to the goats, the sheep will be sitting there with smug, I-told-you-so looks on their faces.

I am hoping that I will be considered a pig and left on earth to inherit all the goat and sheep stuff that got "Left Behind".

I think pigs are consigned to 25 years in Heck, under the watchful eye of Phil, but it depends on what you've done with the copier paper so that whole section was left out as it was deemed to lack sufficient awe and majesty ;)

"I am hoping that I will be considered a pig and left on earth to inherit all the goat and sheep stuff that got "Left Behind""

From what I can tell - a pig has a better chance than a goat [Acts 24:15 vesus Hebrews 10:26-31 and Mark 3:29]

Perhaps I'll end up in Hog Heaven ;]

Just like one calls the Judge "Your Honor" in court, even if you don't like the person.

Notice the completed nature [aktionsart] of actions mentioned in the koine Greek [e.g., in English you would call this past tense, though that is not quite comparable]. The deeds were performed, or claimed to have been performed, long before "the son of man arrives in his glory".

Why would a non-believer claim to have someone they did not believe in, as their proclaimed Lord, and why would a non-believer claim to have done the biddings of said Lord in the past when they did not even believe in said Lord?

So, if it is not the non-believer depicted here, who else could it be?

Does not the biblical text state in numerous places that the judgment will begin first in his own house, with his own people, in his own temple?

So who then, are the goats? Ever observe any today which might meet this description of complete hypocrisy? Just a thought. I am off now ... time to start the weekend! Have a great one yourself.

PumpkinSeed:

Just like one calls the Judge "Your Honor" in court, even if you don't like the person.

Ah, yes, sometimes that can be very difficult to do.

I like it, Thanks.

Now compare to Matthew 7:21-23 wherein the same group is identified - and in the same koine aktionsart - and ask, why would a non-believer claim to have prophesied in his name, or to have expelled demons in his name, or to have performed many powerful works in his name.

Got to run now Pumpkin, should turn out to be a great post on your part. Interesting irony in my opinion. Thanks.