Bible Study Matthew 25:40....What does it really mean?

[Nathan]

hello Nathan, dirtfarmer here

Can you give examples of "true pile" and "false pile". While I will agree that there are falsehoods recorded in scripture, all scripture is true. Just as I have stated, there are some falsehoods recorded in scripture, but scripture is not making false statement, only recording what someone else has stated that is false.

I figured that might come across wrong.

What I meant is we take what someone says/teaches, hold it to the truth in Scriptire, then divide those sayings/teachings into true and false piles. Not the scripture, but someone one else's stuff.

 

[JLB]

And Jesus said he is not of this world.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. Genesis 17:1

...the Lord appeared to Abram.


Yes He is not of this world.




JLB

 

[joseph lentz]

I think there is a time to be inclusive and a time to be exclusive. Basic necessities of life - inclusive. Lords supper, baptism, discipleship - exclusive.

God Himself sends rain on the just and unjust, but only His Spirit on the just.

The Spirit does convict the unjust.....although you are right in that He don't protect them

 

[Corn Pop]

The Spirit does convict the unjust.....although you are right in that He don't protect them

Why do Christians always feel convicted by the Spirit.

I think its because people rejected Christ and were baptized into his death, and in his death are convicted under the Law of Moses. Thats why many christians always feel convicted, because they are gentiles who got baptized into the Law of Moses. They are convicted under the Law of Moses in Jesus death, through baptism, waiting for there ressurection. In the belly of the whale right now waiting for ressurection. Why do you think Jesus left everyone and gave the councillor. Because the whole world rejected him.

The thief on the Cross just believed.

 

[joseph lentz]

Why do Christians always feel convicted by the Spirit.

I think its because people rejected Christ and were baptized into his death, and in his death are convicted under the Law of Moses. Thats why many christians always feel convicted, because they are gentiles who got baptized into the Law of Moses. They are convicted under the Law of Moses in Jesus death, through baptism, waiting for there ressurection. In the belly of the whale right now waiting for ressurection. Why do you think Jesus left everyone and gave the councillor.

The thief on the Cross just believed.

Well,I was speaking of when they are first convicted and converted.That's why the Holy Spirit had a bow and went to conquer.The arrows from that bow represents the sting of conviction.Even the Thief was convicted or he would not have been compelled to believe.

 

[Corn Pop]

Well,I was speaking of when they are first convicted and converted.That's why the Holy Spirit had a bow and went to conquer.The arrows from that bow represents the sting of conviction.Even the Thief was convicted or he would not have been compelled to believe.

He didn't need to be convicted, he just believed. You don't have to be convicted of something to believe it.

Many Christians still live under the Law. Thats what convicts them. They think they have to be some perfect saint to enter Christs pearly gates because they don't believe in Christ and the power of God's Grace they follow the Law and think he failed.

But Christ is guiding people. He will guide people through the storm.

 

[joseph lentz]

He didn't need to be convicted, he just believed. You don't have to be convicted of something to believe it.

Many Christians still live under the Law. Thats what convicts them. They think they have to be some perfect saint to enter Christs pearly gates because they don't believe in Christ and the power of God's Grace they follow the Law and think he failed.

So then.......Where it says no one comes to Father unless he is drawn of him?
People DO have many convictions in everyday life. But as far as Christianity goes unless you are drawn by the Father you can't come. That's the job of the Spirit.

 

[Corn Pop]

So then.......Where it says no one comes to Father unless he is drawn of him?
People DO have many convictions in everyday life. But as far as Christianity goes unless you are drawn by the Father you can't come. That's the job of the Spirit.

The only accuser is the devil before God. If people are convicted they have no faith in Christ's work. They are standing before the great white throne.

 

[joseph lentz]

The only accuser is the devil. If people are convicted they have no faith in Christ's work.

All I can tell you is what the Bible says:
John 6:44

 

[Corn Pop]

All I can tell you is what the Bible says:
John 6:44

The only thing that convicts people before God is the Law. The world cannot sin before God. The Law stands but the sin is taken away. Gentiles were not even given the Law anyhow.


"Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died."


"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"

"because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression."

"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

"And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

 

[Edward]

The "Church" the "ecclesia", the "called out holy nation" began with Abraham.

We, Gentiles, who believe, are "grafted into" that Covenant between the [same] Lord Jesus and Abraham, that was "refreshed" and now called the New Covenant.



JLB

Agreed. I lean more towards the term "modified" regarding the New Covenant though. Seems to fit better for me.

 

[Nathan]

He didn't need to be convicted, he just believed. You don't have to be convicted of something to believe it.

Many Christians still live under the Law. Thats what convicts them. They think they have to be some perfect saint to enter Christs pearly gates because they don't believe in Christ and the power of God's Grace they follow the Law and think he failed.

But Christ is guiding people. He will guide people through the storm.

What did the theif "just believe"?

 

[JLB]

Agreed. I lean more towards the term "modified" regarding the New Covenant though. Seems to fit better for me.

Yes modified.

I lean towards ratified, since He was to accomplish His part of the blood letting, in which He must become flesh.

Abraham's part in the blood covenant was circumcision.



JLB

 

[JLB]

Then the term 'rightly dividing " the Word comes up ... my answer to that is His Word tells us we are ONE .. how can it be 'rightly dividing' His people into them and us ?

The way for us all to be of one mind is to correctly understand the truth of His word, as taught by the anointing of His Spirit we all have.

Paul said it this way:

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16

• that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

Here is what dividing means:

Dividing - G 3719 - orthotomeō

1. to cut straight, to cut straight ways
   
   1. to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right
      
2. to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly
   

People who mishandle and redefine and twist God's word, are the ones bringing division and confusion to God's people through false doctrine.

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:15-19


JLB

 

[JLB]

What did the theif "just believe"?

That Jesus was Lord.

Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Luke 23:42


JLB

 

[Kidron]

-
The heart of love is charity, compassion, and sacrifice.
This verse in Matt. is speaking not only about discipleship, (doing) but it specifically puts a bullseye on your motive, as with God, everything He is concerned about regarding you, is your motive.
The verse,... more then telling you what to do,.... it is showing you the real reason you will, IF your heart is right.
See, if your heart is right, then the reason you will do good works,....is not to save yourself, or to keep yourself saved, (selfish motive) or for the benefit of being able to feel good about yourself for doing something, (selfish motive) nor for the purpose of letting everyone know what you did...(selfish motive).
But rather the secret motive of the heart of a true believer, is that they do what they do ONLY because they want to please their LORD and their Heavenly Father, and THAT is the perfect motive of the heart that God accepts, and no other.

 

[Corn Pop]

That Jesus was Lord.

Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Luke 23:42


JLB

The conscience does convict. Its like when Jesus said who is without wrong cast a stone, there conscience convicted them because the spiritual law is written on every single human beings very being, there spiritual being, yet they all looked to carnal law thinking the woman was worthy of being stoned.

And when Jesus said if someone takes your cloak give him your coat also, as in, there carnal thoughts would be to call that man a sinner and he must be convicted and pay twice back what he took because they look to the carnal law man is trapped in, where Jesus was more like have pity on the man, hes not inherently evil, he is crooked and done wicked, but it was done out of despiration.

Once people realise our spiritual being has power over our physical body thats where wisdom is and people can move mountains.

Jesus was trying to teach us the truth.

Its why the world has never found peace and its corrupted and only lives in a false reality through ever ending carnal laws, because man refuses to live by the highest authority within themselves thats the spiritual law thats harmony and peace where the spiritual law is written inside every single person.

 

[Jim Parker]

An interesting article.......

Matthew 25:40, it turns out, is a famously difficult and controversial passage, the subject of at least one book, numerous articles and contentious disagreements among biblical scholars. According to biblical scholar Diana Butler Bass, the “inclusivist” interpretation — that Jesus was referring to the poor and outcasts — was favored in the Eastern Catholic tradition and began gaining ground in the West with the ascendance of humanist beliefs and the rise of the Social Gospel in the 19th century.

But in an email exchange with me, Erickson referenced an older “exclusivist” tradition in Western Christianity:
“The prevailing wisdom in the early, renaissance, and reformation church era from Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant writers was that the ‘least of these’ refers to Christians, particularly ministers and those sharing the gospel.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/the-leas...the-struggle-over-matthew-2540-160022794.html

Christians are called to be like God.
God is merciful.
The Mat 25:21-46 passage informs Jesus' hearers that God will judge mankind (Mat 25:32 Before him will be gathered all the nations,...) and He will judge them according to whether they showed mercy or did not show mercy.
To those whose manner of life was merciful as a reflection of the character of God, He will say, "'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;" and to those who were not merciful He will say, "'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;..." (25:41)

Wondering whether "the least of these" are Christians or everyone, IMO, completely misses the point.

iakkov the fool

 

[Corn Pop]

Its a parable. Do people acturally think there is a literal eternal lake of fire.

 

[Jim Parker]

Its a parable. Do people acturally think there is a literal eternal lake of fire.

The passage itself is not a parable; it is an illustration of the basis on which God will judge all of mankind. Elsewhere, Jesus is less expansive in His comment.
John 5:28-29 (NKJV)
… the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth
—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

The reference to hell as fire is better classified as metaphor. (Hell is "like" fire.) Hell is also described as the "outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." These are not precise specifications and, IMO, we err to try to be too precise in our descriptions of hell.

But that's just me. 2

iakov the fool