KINGDOM INHERITANCE

One of the foundational texts for understanding and doing the gospel is the parable of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25. It says, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, he will assemble all nations before Him, and he will separate people from one another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. Then the king will say, Come, you whom My Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundational of the world” and this is after he places the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left.”

The ‘inheritance of the kingdom’ is predicated on the next statements of Jesus:
“I was hungry and you gave me food
I was thirsty and you gave me drink
I was a stranger and you made me welcome
I was lacking in clothes (naked) and you clothed me
I was sick and you visited me
I was in prison and you visited me.”

These are the foundational stones of kingdom action, and not necessarily the gospel of modern Christianity, but they are the gospel of Christ. It is more than social responsibility that is being discussed here; it is the heart of every individual being exposed. How do we respond to these things? The scene of ‘judgment’ deals with the question of our having cared for, or not having cared for these six groups of people.

“Then they also will answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you? Then he will answer them, saying, Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” Jesus