Matthew 25: “No Goat Left Behind!”…

…He says sheepishly!

In Matthew 25 there are a couple of parables (Ten Virgins & Parable of the Talents) – but following those two sections is a section that is taught often but not discussed beyond the surface implications of feeding the poor (of which I am a huge advocate). I want to ask – what does this tell us about the Final Judgment? (Matt. 25.31-46)

Evangelicals insist we are not saved by works – James says you can’t have faith without works (James 2.18) – we could argue those nuances…Abraham saved by faith – then entered covenant; Israel rescued (Saved) from Egypt – then entered covenant! Though the prevalent mindset throughout the church has often been an avoidance of good works in order to demonstrate in some twisted way that we are not saved by those works! BUT I digress…

I believe the Text proposes the concept that our interaction with others is based in whether or not we sin…consider; those who did not clothe the naked had sinned –> Why? What was their sin?

I want to assert that sin is the taking of the role of judge from the one True Judge – we, when we ate from the Tree of Knowledge, gained (maybe even stole) the role of Judge of Creation from G_d (Hence the Text declaring that we’d become more like Him)…He has spent the rest of history preparing to return as The Judge. We can see that return in this section of the Text.

The sin therefore in this section is that of poor judging – we didn’t perceive that we even needed to help – our judgment was off. It is the same as our ‘first’ sin – we judged that being naked was bad! We had always been naked – G_d even judged it to be very good.

Therefore – I would like to set before you the notion that the role of sin in humanity is that of an unjust judge (us) ruling over the creation of a Just Judge and G_d desperately wants us to return that role to Him!

Da’Bears…

err…The Bares!?!


We were created by G_d without the ability to discern between good and evil –> and G_d found this to be VERY good!

We can assume from this that both good and evil existed in the world – the serpent for one – Wrong doing existed in the world – the serpent deceived Adam and Eve.

So…we were created without the ability to discern between good and evil…G_d was okay with this – in fact He created it this way! So if good and evil existed – wrong-doing existed, if we weren’t created perfect…How did eating from the tree bring sin into the world? Wasn’t it already here- at least according to the way we typically define it???

After all Adam lied about what G_d told him (Genesis 2.15-16), apparently, when telling Eve the restrictions (Genesis 3.1-3). G_d said don’t eat the fruit…Adam must have told Eve that G_d said not to touch or eat the fruit!

What does this have to do with the realization of nakedness - and that it was wrong to be naked - when to G_d it must not have been wrong since that was how He created us and found it to be very good!

Beginning Thoughts: A Little Ditty…

… about Adam and Eve?

In the garden we were created – nowhere, by the way, does Scripture say or indicate that we were perfect…in fact Creation was declared to be “good” not even “great” – when G_d created man ~ He declared man to be “very good” but not perfect!

I am curious as to where we get the notion that we were perfect – flawless – now I do believe that we were indeed sinless but not flawless! How can that be? Well let us consider this…if we were perfect before the tree – how did us losing our “perfection” by eating the fruit make us more like G_d? (Genesis 3.5) Becoming more like G_d is indeed G_d’s concern – not that we are less like Him but more!

What is it that G_d is truly concerned about? Now that we’ve eaten from the tree –> His fear is that we may now turn and eat from the tree of life and live forever in that state we are in since eating the forbidden fruit. (Genesis 3.22)

I’d like to assert that our removal from the garden of the L_RD , therefore, is truly an act of mercy on His behalf.

My Question:

What is it that happened to us when we consumed the fruit? What changed in us? It has to be an attribute that we gained in order to make us more like G_d. Yet, I’ve only heard it taught as what we’ve lost – perfection or, occasionally, innocence.

What do you think about this perspective?