I think that most protestants totally misinterpret Matthew 25...Most of the gospel is telling the sheep how their ACTIONS AND BEHAVIOR were major considerations as to which side they would be placed...The King would say to those on the right...come and be blessed by the Father...Inherit the kingdom BECAUSE.... when I was hungry, you fed me, when I was thirsty, you gave me to drink, you visited me in prison, you clothed me, you cared for me when I was ill,etc...and BECAUSE OF THESE ACTIONS TO THE LEAST BROTHERS OF MINE..you are saved...and the rest of you who didn't feed, clothe, visit, etc...you'll be considered goats and go wherever... The good sheep are the Christians who do the good things pointed out...The Christians, who tell a good story, claim a lot of credit for being "born again", but are all talk and no action are in a bit of trouble...
when did I not do good, visit, feed clothe, etc....when you didn't do it to the least of us, you didn't do it to me....seems clear to me that your behavior, your works of doing good, will be considered whether or not you are sincere in your devotion to Christ....Just saying "I am born again" probably won't cut it...
The problem with that is you are not working because of your love of God...you are working to earn your Salvation.
That's like the difference between doing something for your Mom and Dad so they might give you some dough versus doing a good deed for them just to say "I love you."
Your Salvation is a free gift...paid for on Calvary.
Do you do good works because you want something...or because of your profound love of God?
I know you TC...I think I know what you are saying.
I think you do good works because you are saying to God..."I love you."
Ok; I'll play along with a fella that BELIEVES that Mary hears and helps with his prayers...
31 And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty.
32 And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.
34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:
36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.
37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee?
39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee?
40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.
41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink.
43 I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.
44 Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee?
45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.
46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.