Explore the Bible: May 17

Active Faith • Matthew 25:31-46

By Joe McKeever

This is a favorite passage in Scripture. Previously, our Lord was giving parables to the disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven, but this is no parable. By opening the pages of history-in-advance, Jesus is preparing us for the coming judgment. We learn that He will be looking for evidence that our faith is  the real deal. And that means fruit.

John 15:8 says The Father is glorified when we bear much fruit. 

The title Active Faith reminds us of the line in James 1:27: Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world (NASB). A person with genuine faith in Jesus will make a difference in the lives of those in need.

When I was pastoring, one of the first changes we made on arriving at a new church was to set up a system to minister to those in need. One church had been giving groceries at Christmastime but at no other time. I found that strange. We led the churches to keep a food pantry and set up a system of keeping track of everyone we helped. And, yes, occasionally some members would complain, “Pastor, those people are just freeloaders. They could earn a living if they wanted to!” 

One day a deacon from a past church visited my home with his latest wife. I knew the man, so was not surprised by something he said. We were discussing the homeless on our city streets. “Joe,” he said, “you know those people are just bums. They could hold jobs if they weren’t so lazy.” 

I replied, “My brother, if you help the people you know to be in genuine need, then I know you are sincere. But if you are not even helping those you know to be needy, then I conclude you’re not interested in helping anybody at all.” (If that seems harsh, bear in mind that I knew him and had a history with him.)  

He never replied, and changed the subject.

Matthew 25:40 is pure gold. I’m tempted to say there is nothing else like it in Scripture. There’s not, although it has some close relatives (see the accompanying cartoon).  

Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me. (Matthew 25:40 NASB) Then, the Lord Jesus made the same point in another way: Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. (25:45 NASB) 

When you minister to them, it goes on the divine record as though you were doing it for the Lord Himself. What could be simpler? 

If the Lord Jesus were to show up in your church next Sunday, no doubt your people would fall all over themselves honoring Him. Have lunch at my house, stay in our guest cottage, let me buy you some new sandals. Anything at all, Lord! But since this is not going to happen, He instructs us to help His children among us who are in need. Feed the hungry. Help the poor. Extend hospitality. Do this, Jesus said, and you will be doing it for Me.  

Often, I will tell a faithful servant of the Lord, “Hebrews 6:10 has your name all over it.” It’s a one-of-a-kind text, repeated nowhere else in Scripture. God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have shown toward His name in having ministered to the saints and in still ministering. (NASB) 

I encourage you to make Hebrews 6:10 a major part of your belief system. It’s an incredible promise and makes a  similar point as Matthew 25:40.  

The Judgment.  

Our Lord sees a day coming when He sits on His glorious throne, surrounded by all the angels. The nations of the world will be gathered  before Him. First, He separates them: sheep on his right and goats on his left. Goats, we are told, are constant troublemakers, whereas sheep tend to be mild and obedient.  

Some have interpreted this passage as teaching salvation by works. But not so! A Christian’s works are not the means to salvation but evidence of our salvation. In Ephesians 2, after declaring that we are saved by faith and not of works, Scripture says that we were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (2:10 NASB).

This helps to explain another important text. Toward the end of Revelation, John says, The dead were judged from the things written in the books, according to their deeds (Revelation 20:12).

We are saved by grace through faith. But we are judged according to our works, our deeds. 

Notice how the King addresses the sheep, those on His right. Come you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (25:34). Don’t rush past this! In Heaven, we do not receive a room in a mansion, or as an old Gospel song put it, a cabin in the corner of glory land. We receive a kingdom prepared just for us from the beginning!  

It is the nature of believers to give food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, hospitality to the stranger, clothes to the naked, care to the sick, and visits to the prisoners. We do this for one huge reason: our Lord Jesus has made us caring, loving, generous people. He made us like Himself. 

You and I know the universe around us is vast beyond imagination. As large as The Milky Way is, we are told that the universe contains trillions of such galaxies. I find that incomprehensible, but it tells me one huge thing:  Jesus has plenty of room for the faithful. One of those kingdoms has my name on it. I can’t wait. 

McKeever is a member of First Baptist Church, Jackson.