Works And Judgement: Matthew 25:31-46 Explained
If you thought this teaching from Jesus was about your need to perform better, you’re about to discover something very different. You’re about to discovered that this discussion about outward works it’s not about quantity, but rather about quality. And the quality is not measured by the amount, but rather or not you are in Christ, and she perform its work.
In Matthews letter found in chapter 25 Jesus tells a story about sheep and goats. We see that there are two groups of people where Jesus begins listing a laundry list of outdoor performance.
The items we find in this list that Jesus is talking about, include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, inviting strangers in, clothing the naked, and visiting sick people in prison.
Now immediately, the legalist gets out their legal pad and starts building out a list of things they need to do to be right with Jesus. They want to make sure they do every single one of these things, so on judgment day, they won’t be told to depart from Jesus.
This beauty stems from a very distorted teaching from Matthew’s account. In this video, what we’re going to discover is that the context is not about how much we are doing for Jesus. The context is not about quantity, but rather quality.
We’re going to see a very interesting word that will require your attention in order to get the point. That word is “one”. So to learn more, play the video above to find out what was really going on in Matthew 25:31-46.
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
