Obedience unto righteousness (Rom 6:16)

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
(Mat 25:33)

Jesus ended the parables of the Kingdom of Heaven with this astounding closing statement. The question that I had in mind was what about John 3:16? What about 2 Cor 5:21 that says that ‘Jesus was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him’? How than can we become righteous in order to end up in the Kingdom of Heaven? Does this mean that the ‘sinner’s prayer’ that many of us so sincerely prayed and believing after that we will end up in Heaven?

What separates that sheep from the goats? After all both sheep and goats acknowledge Jesus as Lord. It would be rather hard to find a non believer acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord. This time Jesus returns in all Glory as Son of Man (because He can as one to save us and finally to judge mankind) and sits on the judgment throne to those who call Him Lord. When John had the revelation of Jesus Christ as recorded in the last book of the Bible, this man who used to lean on Jesus bosom fell down as through dead (rev 1:17). Against our human estimation of intimacy and friendship, we have to consider the Holiness of God. It appears that the Holiness of God in the New Testament and the Old Testament is consistent.

Before this joyful or dreadful time (depending which of His side we will stand on) nobody is to label anyone sheep or goat. It is Christ that will do the separation for He sees beyond the human eye and looks on the heart (1 Sam 16:7).

It appears that the criteria for the separation have to do with feeding, clothing and visitation of the destitute. Interesting isn’t it? We know that judgments have to be made on basis of law. If we committed a traffic offense, we will be judged according to the traffic law and punishment will be administered accordingly. So Jesus who came to fulfill the Law (Matt 5:17, He must be referring to the Law of Moses since the NT wasn’t written yet) and not to do away with it, must be judging the sheep and goats who used to feed on the same pasture called ‘church’ by it. So OT is still relevant today, not FYI only.

What is the Law of Moses got to do with feeding, clothing and visitation? We should not look at the letter of the Law but the spirit of it.

In Exo 20, there was the giving of the 10 Commandments or the moral laws. Which I believe is still valid today. In following 3 chapters God talks about how we should treat others kindly. Subsequently the laws written on sacrifice and priesthood were fulfilled by Jesus, which is why we no longer bring animal sacrifices to our worship. Therefore we can conclude that the Moral Laws and civil laws (how we treat others) are still valid today. So we have the vertical relationship to God and the horizontal relationship toward man. That is why Jesus said in Matt 22:37-40 that loving the Lord is the first and greatest commandment followed by loving others; there hang all the law (singular because it talks about the whole package deal) and the prophets (who declared the law).

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
(1Jn 4:20-21)

I believe that the criteria of feeding, clothing and visiting the destitute are a concern of the Lord. This is the horizontal relationship that is difficult to keep as what John wrote in the Epistle. In fact John states loving others as a commandment and hating our brother will make us liars if we dare say we love God. We all know who the father of lies is and that liars belong to that father. Now we have to consider seriously not falling into the goat category by looking at how we love and treat others by our words, actions and intent of our hearts. Those who harbor unforgiveness and anger towards others are in danger of hell fire (Matt 5:22).

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
(Mat 25:37)

The righteous sheep don’t even know what good they have done to the destitute for His commandments are a delight (Psa 119:47). Fulfilling the second great commandment is a normal Christian life.

Paul, the teacher of Grace teaches us in Rom 6:16 that obedience leads us to righteousness. And the fruit of holiness, everlasting life (Rom 6:22).