Featured “ I was naked, and you gave me clothing . . . the least of these,” but half-ruined by hellfire talk.

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 25 - New Living Translation

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids - “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise...

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35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons [Greek - “his angels”]. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

— New Living Translation

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Perhaps the most beautiful part of the New Testament. These aspirational goals of doing these great deeds, when the need is endless! And of course you’re going to have to ration yourself and take care of yourself, too.

And then Jesus says, if you don’t do these good works, you’re going to hell.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: John 3 - New Living Translation

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth...

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16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

— NLT, or New Living Translation
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And it totally contradicts John 3:16 which is all about belief.

In addition, many Christians believe baptism is “an outward sign of an inward change.” This is perhaps the mainstream view, but it’s not believed by everyone.

I can see how new Christians can end up worrying about whether they’re really saved. And longer-term Christians, too!

 

[Scooter]

We are not saved by works. Salvation is by faith. However, James explains that faith is demonstrated by works:

Jam. 2:14-20 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

The people Jesus referred to, who refused to help those in need, were not believers. They had no works because they had no faith.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

We are not saved by works. Salvation is by faith. However, James explains that faith is demonstrated by works

But this is not what the Gospel according to Matthew says.

This passage of Matthew has Jesus saying that if you do the good works, you will go to heaven. And if you don’t do the good works, you will go to hell. Both paths are spelled out.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 25 - King James Version

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their...

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The lofty goal(s) —

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

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The beautiful part —

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

— King James

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And what’s with this “the King shall answer.” Who is the King? Is Jesus talking about himself in 3rd person?

Or more likely, this part has gone through a lot of tellings and retellings. This is especially likely to be the case with the teachings and sayings, which might be written down separately. And the writer of Matthew wants to do a good job, and would likely include this if he or she knows about it.

And might leave a minor mistake in.

But the way, it’s an anonymous and unknown author of Matthew. “Matthew” is merely the traditional name.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

We can’t help every homeless person we see.

 

[Scooter]

But this is not what the Gospel according to Matthew says.

The Bible has to be taken as a whole. Taking a single verse and creating a doctrine from it is both incorrect and dangerous. The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible. Jesus Himself said people were saved by faith (John 3:16). But as James expounded, faith without works is dead.

 

[Scooter]

And what’s with this “the King shall answer.” Who is the King? Is Jesus talking about himself in 3rd person?

Yes

 

[Scooter]

We can’t help every homeless person we see.

You are correct. Some people are homeless by choice. Many people are homeless because they made poor decisions. However, many are homeless due to unfortunate circumstances and do not want to be homeless. Those are the ones we need to help. The problem is distinguishing them from the others.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

The Bible has to be taken as a whole. Taking a single verse and creating a doctrine from it is both incorrect and dangerous.

I agree with this.

However, Jesus is shown being very emphatic that these good deeds must be done. In fact, the parable about money, with a “talent” being a unit of a money, comes immediately before this part. With pretty much the same conclusion.

The servant is “bad” because he buries the money in the ground instead of doubling it. And because of this, he’s sent to hell ! ? !

PS I agree that it sounds more logical to say belief first, action second. But I bet we can both think of circumstances and situations in which a person first does actions and later gains belief. Mainly, a situation in which a person “gets with the program” and later finds that the belief “takes.”