Parable Number 5: Avoid Surprises
Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and You visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You...in prison, and come to You?" And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Matt. 25:34-40, NKJV.
Did you see the question marks? We find even more as the parable moves toward its conclusion. One of its basic teachings is that the judgment is full of surprises.
The reason for them stems from the false understanding of true religion held by most people. The average person sees the heart of religion as believing in right doctrines or in practicing certain ritual and/or lifestyle duties. But that is not God's position. In one of the great Old Testament texts on the topic, God says through Micah that what He requires of His children is not outward behavior or ritual obedience but "to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8, NIV). And in the first 24 chapters of Matthew Jesus has already quoted that verse dealing with a false understanding of genuine religion. The rest of the New Testament picks up on that same theme. Thus James can write: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27, NIV). And Paul can state that "he whoever loves others has fulfilled the law! (Rom. 13:8-10, NIV; see also Gal. 5:14).
Nor has the first Gospel been silent on the topic of true religion and its rewards. Jesus puts it most plainly when He claimed that "if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward" (Matt. 10:42, NIV). Again, Jesus noted that one can sum up the two great commandments as love to God and neighbor; He defines perfection in terms of being merciful to one's enemies (Matt. 5:43-48); Luke 6:36); and He specifically told the behaviorally oriented rich young ruler that if he would be perfect, he should sell his possession and give to the poor and then his reward would be treasure in heaven (Matt. 19:21).
It is time for those who see doctrine and lifestyle or even prayer and Bible reading to be the heart of true religion to listen up. Those things are important, but there is something even more vital.
Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and You visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You...in prison, and come to You?" And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Matt. 25:34-40, NKJV.
Did you see the question marks? We find even more as the parable moves toward its conclusion. One of its basic teachings is that the judgment is full of surprises.
The reason for them stems from the false understanding of true religion held by most people. The average person sees the heart of religion as believing in right doctrines or in practicing certain ritual and/or lifestyle duties. But that is not God's position. In one of the great Old Testament texts on the topic, God says through Micah that what He requires of His children is not outward behavior or ritual obedience but "to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8, NIV). And in the first 24 chapters of Matthew Jesus has already quoted that verse dealing with a false understanding of genuine religion. The rest of the New Testament picks up on that same theme. Thus James can write: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27, NIV). And Paul can state that "he whoever loves others has fulfilled the law! (Rom. 13:8-10, NIV; see also Gal. 5:14).
Nor has the first Gospel been silent on the topic of true religion and its rewards. Jesus puts it most plainly when He claimed that "if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward" (Matt. 10:42, NIV). Again, Jesus noted that one can sum up the two great commandments as love to God and neighbor; He defines perfection in terms of being merciful to one's enemies (Matt. 5:43-48); Luke 6:36); and He specifically told the behaviorally oriented rich young ruler that if he would be perfect, he should sell his possession and give to the poor and then his reward would be treasure in heaven (Matt. 19:21).
It is time for those who see doctrine and lifestyle or even prayer and Bible reading to be the heart of true religion to listen up. Those things are important, but there is something even more vital.
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