Why does Jesus' parable about the Last Judgment in Matt 25 talk only about works and not about faith?

Question

Isn't Jesus talking about Christians-on-the-cheap who have faith but no works? Doesn't he show us how faith ALONE cannot save us?

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

James 2:24: You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

Greenstateresearcher asked, "You see someone without clothes, as example, can you walk away with a clear conscience and not do something." Jesus seems to be saying yes; the "goats" seem quite surprised that faith alone was not sufficient. In a related passage, he says (Matt 7:13), "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."

Answer 1

You got it. We also need works to be saved.

Some people say that if at one point in their lives they "accept Christ as their personal Savior," then they will get to heaven. They may lead good lives after this acceptance, but they think that living a good life is not necessary. Their salvation is certain. It cannot be undone. They just "know" for sure that they have been saved.

What does the Bible say?

"Therefore my beloved, ... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12)

Paul was writing to people who were already "saved." They had accepted Jesus Christ, and yet Paul writes "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Paul himself was not certain about his own salvation. He said, "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:27)
Just before that he compares life to a race. He said to run in such a way that you obtain the prize. Thus the prize, salvation, is achieved, not by one decision, but by running the race, or keeping up the effort until the race is over. However, Paul was not certain about his own salvation. He hoped for it. "Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:2)
"For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?" (Romans 8:24) Paul warns against complacency. "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Peter writes to people who have accepted Jesus Christ, and this is what he says about those who came to know Jesus and then go back to worldly ways again: "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them." (2 Peter 2:20-21)

"Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but towards you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off." (Romans 11:22) If the people to whom they were writing were already saved, then Peter would not have written that it would have been better for some not to have known the way of righteousness than to have turned away from it. In other words, Peter did not accept the idea of being saved just by accepting Jesus as their personal Savior and that was all that was needed. Paul wrote the same idea to the Romans.

Paul tells the Corinthians that they should judge nothing before the time, but that the Lord will praise each one when He comes. "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God.(1 Corinthians 4:3-5)

So we cannot judge ourselves as saved - the Lord is the One who does that.

Who will be saved?

Jesus gives the answer, and so does Paul. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
"(God) who will render to each one according to his deeds." (Romans 2:6) "For we must appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)

How will one be saved?

"And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."(Matthew 10:22)
"And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved." (Mark 13:13)
"But he who endures to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13)
"But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God'." (Luke 9:62)

So, in order to be saved we must keep working at it. It is not a one-shot deal. In Matthew 25, we find that Jesus is advising us to be always ready for His coming. Some say that once they have accepted Christ as their personal Savior they can lead any kind of life they want - good or bad - and they are still saved. Here is what the Letter to the Hebrews says: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6)

What is involved in being saved?

1. According to the Word of God, to be saved does not involve just one element like "accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior." To be saved involves a process.
2. According to the Word of God, there are five elements involved in being saved:
a. Repent of one's sins.
b. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
c. Be baptized.
d. Receive the Holy Spirit.
e. Do the Will of the Father - a lifelong process. "... (they) said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 2:37-38)

Peter left out belief in Jesus Christ since he was talking to people who already believed in Jesus Christ. That day, the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and Mary, about 3000 were baptized. Jesus, in Matthew 7:21, says that he who does the Will of His Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.

The Catholic Church teaches that a person is saved if there is no mortal sin on their soul at the time of their death. The Church takes into account:
1. What the Word of God says, and
2. The fact that God has given us the gift of Free Will by which we can choose good or evil at any time during our life - we are free, we are never locked into being "saved" or "unsaved" - we work out our salvation with fear and trembling [Philippians 2:12], and hope we will endure to the end [Matthew 10:22].
So when we are asked "Have you been saved?", What do we say?
We can say...
"I have been saved,"
"I am being saved,"
"I hope to be saved."
To explain further:
1. "I have been saved." It is a fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead in order for us to get to heaven. Jesus Christ has redeemed the world and has done his part to save the world.
2. "I am being saved." We are still, like Paul [1 Corinthians 9:24-27] running the race to achieve our salvation. Jesus is working in our life.
3. "I hope to be saved." We must keep working at our faith in God, our love of God, and doing the Will of God until we die. We hope that God will give us the grace to choose whatever will help us on the road to heaven. In this way, "I hope to be saved." As Paul writes, "... I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; not one thing I do, forgetting those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:11-14)
For Paul, salvation is an ongoing process which we continually work on.

Answer 2

It goes to show you that people pick and choose the texts that are important to them.
There are those who say "oh so you discard the rest of the Bible by using two texts that talk about works", without looking at the Bible as a whole as we are taught to do as Catholics, not to look at a single verse but its context within the whole of the Story.
Imagine that Jesus, who is the model of what it is to truly live the law: Now imagine a Bible in which Jesus sat around, did nothing because his faith was enough to save us.
Jesus is the model we are all called to follow and he certainly didn't sit around.
Imagine the Apostles, sitting in the upper room, commissioned to work in Jesus' name, but htye sat around because at least they believed, and that is enough. Thank God they weren't following the belief that by faith alone they would be saved, we would have never recieved the Word of God.
Imagine those before us, who read the Bible and then just sat around, never looking further into the meaning behind the text, never translating it, never doing anything with the Word presented to them, because at least they had faith, what good is working on getting the word out if works don't matter.
We are born with belief, faith it is what we do with this faith, how we practice our faith that shows to the world who we are and how we are truly Christians, followers of the Christ, worker, lover, and savior.
God bless and have a great day.

Answer 3

He's talking about a faith that works, not a faith in works. It's consistent with how faith is described throughout the Bible. If a person says they believe then one should see their faith by what they do. Doesn't that make sense.

For example Jesus said, "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" Lu 6:46

If a person calls Jesus "Lord", without intending to do what he says, that indicates the person doesn't actually believe Jesus to be Lord.

Lot's of examples throughout the Bible.

So the only faith that saves ("the faith alone") is an application-oriented faith.

But what doesn't save is faith in works. That's legalism.

Answer 4

Chris asked Bruce:
Now explain all the verses that say grace through faith without works is the only way to be saved.

You can't, but we already know that.


I reply:
You're absolutly right!! Bruce cannot explain them because there are NO TEXTS THAT SAY THAT WE ARE SAVED, OR JUSTIFIED BY FAITH ALONE !!!

God Bless
Robin

Answer 5

The Catholic Church has never taught that one is saved through works alone.

However, performing charitable works is a valid form of doing penance for one's sins.

Also, one can offer up charitable works to God as a form of prayer. One could simply say, "Lord, I do not know all of the answers, but I do these things in Jesus' name because I believe He commanded us to do them."

There can be no doubt that, even for one who is struggling with faith, Jesus Christ will reveal Himself through the poor, the hungry, homeless, and aged.

Give praise to God, for blessing us with the opportunity to know and serve Him in so many ways.

Answer 6

Faith is the process; works are the result.

Answer 7

How can you call your self saved if you don`t do these things?Once your saved you still live in this world and face many things.You see someone with out clothes ,as example,can you walk away with a clear conscience and not do something.A person who loves God loves humanity and has compassion.

Answer 8

Although one would think doing good deeds is much more proof of ones convictions, the Christian bible is FULL of contradictions saying the opposite.

The cult leaders want people to believe rather than do. There's much more advantage to someone that blindly listens to a Priest, Minister or Preacher.

You can be Spiritual and never go to a Church, give a red cent OR read the bible. However, you can still give to the poor directly, follow a decent life and not cheat on your spouse and not steal or covet someone else's stuff. When someone follows that path, the are no longer under the control of the Church.

I agree with you though, deeds far outweigh just believing.

Answer 9

The “sheep” (believers) enter into eternal life while the “goats” (unbelievers) are cast into “everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46).

James is refuting the belief that a person can have faith without producing any good works (James 2:17-18). James is emphasizing the point that genuine faith in Christ will produce a changed life and good works (James 2:20-26). James is not saying that justification is by faith plus works, but rather that a person who is truly justified by faith will have good works in his life. If a person claims to be a believer, but has no good works in his life – then he likely does not have genuine faith in Christ (James 2:14, 17, 20, 26).

Answer 10

I think he does far more than that - I think he shows us that our intellectual beliefs mean almost nothing at all on their own. Meaning whether people believe the correct factual assertions of religion, even about himself, is almost wholly irrelevant to how they act. The Good Samaritan in Luke 10 has the wrong beliefs, for example, and yet this is the person exemplifying loving God and neighbor. Because how do we love God according to Matthew 25? We love the least of these.

Therefore, believing in Christianity, in my opinion, has very little to do with the state of your soul now or after death.

Edit: Whew, 5 thumbs downs? More importantly, can we ignore Jesus' statements in favor of our own interpretations of Paul's?

Answer 11

St Boniface

Thanks for that! clears it up for me