Was Pondering on Matthew 25:31 to 46 today about the Sheeps and the Goats and was asking the Holy Spirit for revelation on it when it came suddenly, so clearly as he brought to my memory all the following verses that brought the understanding to clear the confusing question that many will have – am I a Sheep or a Goat? Am I saved? Do I know God?

If it is based on faith that I am saved, then why does it seem like Jesus was describing what people did to help the poor and feed the hungry and doing those things seem to make them sheep and save them, does that mean that you are saved by your works and what you do?

I’ve asked myself this question many times before when coming across this passage and left that question mark hanging to God till he gave me such a clear understanding of what Jesus was saying today.

As I was reflecting on my own life, I realised that I never cared or had a heart for anyone else but myself and those I thought “deserved” my love and affection. It was only when I was truly born again and the love of God entered my life and I was filled with the Holy Spirit that he gave me a near heart, HIS heart of compassion. It was not till I knew Him and knew His heart and what he says in His Word and what is important to him that it also became important to me. Jesus teaches us to love because God first loved us by sending Jesus to be a sacrifice for us. Love Gives… Love Sacrifices – And while I am not exactly like Jesus I pray that everyday that I know him more and more, I will become more and more LIKE HIM, for “‘The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. ‘ Luke 6:40 and daily, God is working all things to conform me to be more and more like His son Jesus.

“‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ‘ Romans 8:28-29

Praying the following brings you clarity and draws you into intimacy with Jesus with a hunger to KNOW HIM even as you are already known, and most of all, to enter the kingdom of heaven and to be born again, for Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. John 3:5 NIV https://my.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.3.5.NIV

IF you are not yet BORN AGAIN, Read my posts HERE.
Love you wherever you are, IN CHRIST JESUS, who first loved me.

******

Sheep know the voice of God and have a relationship with God and the goats are those who say they believe in God, say they are Christians but actually do not know the voice of God because “my sheep hear my voice and obey”.

Sheep know the voice of God and have a relationship with God and the goats are those who say they believe in God, say they are Christians but actually do not know the voice of God because “my sheep hear my voice and obey”.

It is impossible to have a relationship with God, grow in intimacy with him and be led by the Holy Spirit and not have a heart for the poor, and do all the things eventually that he says the Sheep did but the Goats did not.

By their FRUIT you shall know them and the Sheep are those that have the FRUITS of the HOLY SPIRIT. The SHEEP are those who are born again and are truly walking with God because if you are listening to the voice of God, you will be feeding the poor, etc etc.

It is not about whether you do those things that make you sheep. It is a matter of those are the signs of those that believe… those are the signs of the sheep. If you want to know if someone is a sheep or a goat, look at the fruit of the tree, by their works will show their faith.

It is not the works that saves but it is by the works that is the evidence of the faith. “Show me your faith and I will show you my works.” Don’t you know that faith without works is dead? – James 2:26

It is impossible to be in union and communion with God and not follow the works that he does, or obey him. Those that love God will obey him and the sheep are those that follow their shepherd.

“For Christ’s Love compels us” … whatever we do it is because we are compelled by the love of Christ for us and in us and through us.

Romans 5:8 (NIV)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 3:16 (NIV)
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Ephesians 5:2 (NIV)
and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

If we walk in the way of God , we walk in the way of love and if we walk in the way of love, we will do those things that we are compelled to do by the love of Christ INSIDE of us in Matthew 25.

‘ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ‘

Matthew 25:37
https://my.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.25.37

Notice that the Sheep are those who are Righteous –
And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Romans 6:18.

“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:10.

The goats are basically those who are not even born of God. cause those that are righteous are children of GOD… Those who are slaves of Righteousness.

“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” Romans 6:16.

The Righteous are also the children and those who are born again who actively daily choose to be obedient to the faith and who do not get swayed and believe and hold firmly to the word till the end, because “many will turn away from the faith” but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved”.

‘Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ‘

1 Corinthians 15:1-5
https://my.bible.com/bible/111/1CO.15.1-5

‘At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. ‘

Matthew 24:9-14
https://my.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.24.9-14

‘What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. ‘

James 2:14-24
https://my.bible.com/bible/111/JAS.2.14-24