This is a truly terrifying parable, at least to me. Jesus is dividing people into those bound for heaven or hell, and it all rests on one question: What did you do to these, the least of My brothers? In short, it rests on what they did.
So … are we Lutherans wrong? Is it works that matter, after all, and not faith in Jesus? Should we go back to the old idea of earning brownie points with God—so many points for feeding a hungry person, so many points for donating to a homeless shelter?
No.
Look again at the people answering Jesus. The damned are confused at what Jesus says, yes—but so are the saved. They honestly don’t remember doing these things. Why?
Probably because for them, these acts flowed naturally from their believing hearts. They saw a hungry person and fed him; they didn’t stop to ask, “What should I do now?” or fix it in their memories later, figuring up how much merit they had earned. They just did it. The Holy Spirit living in them did God’s works. And so these things happened as naturally and quietly as an apple tree produces apples.
In the same way, the refusal of the condemned comes from their unbelieving hearts. They saw a hungry person and ignored him. Why not? Without the Spirit living in them, they carried on doing what any ordinary self-centered human being does: nothing.
Jesus can judge the nations based on their actions with absolute accuracy, because faith always shows itself in actions. Consciously or not, those who trust in Jesus will grow to behave like Jesus, because His Spirit is living within them. It comes naturally.
WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, let Your Spirit produce good fruit in my life! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do fruit trees work hard to produce fruit? What does that tell you about your own Christian life?
2. When have you seen a Christian quietly do something good, without thinking much about it?
3. Why does it seem easier to remember our sins than our good actions?