Eternal Life @ MindSay 
death
What follows below is another one of the troubling things Jesus said. It’s troubling because it seems to contradict the other clear teaching, not only by Himself, but by His followers, that the only way to know God the Father and eternal life is through Him, and that is by a believing on Jesus, giving one’s life to Him, by faith. This scripture seems to indicate that we can have eternal life by doing religious acts. If this were true, Christianity would be like all other religions, which attempt to reach or please God or get to heaven on the basis of acts that have been performed in this life on earth. Christianity is the only religion that throws that notion to the ground. There is nothing one can do to make one holy enough to know God and enter heaven. There is only One who was and is holy enough, and we receive Jesus’ righteousness when we receive Him. Our own righteousness is worthless.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 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.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Does Jesus mean that we can know God and go to heaven by doing these acts of kindness? That doesn’t make a lot of sense, again, in the light of His teaching and that of His followers. It also doesn’t make a lot of sense because one could be the worst kind of individual—a murderer, a rapist, a child molester—you name it—and still have helped those in need and thereby enter His kingdom.
No. These acts that Jesus lists are the objective evidences of individuals whose lives have been transformed by His Spirit and who love Him. Jesus always works from the inside out. We do the things we need to do because our lives have been transformed. We don’t do things so we can be “Christians.”
But this in no way diminishes how troubling this scripture is for Jesus’ followers. Because we must ask ourselves, “Are these evidences in my life? And, if they’re not, do I truly know Him?”
For many of us, the bar of a life of devotion with Jesus is much higher than we thought it was.
I did a funeral for an infant on Saturday morning. It’s strange. I don’t know the family, and knew nothing about the premature baby’s intestinal troubles or death when it happened. However, I found myself fighting back tears a couple of times. I think I’ve become an old softie.
I told the gathered crowd that there were no quaint, religious phrases that would explain what happened. We just don’t understand.
What we do know, however, is that there actually are what we have come to call guardian angels, because Jesus told us so—children have angels that behold the Father’s face in heaven. Somehow—and I admitted I didn't understand what it means or “looks like”—this little girl had and has an angel watching over her.
The other thing I told them is that we know, at least those who believe in Jesus and His resurrection, that we will see this child some day in heaven. Again, I told them that I was unsure in what manner we will see her—just that we will.
The third thing I know is that He will comfort us in our grief. He is the Comforter.
In spite of the fact that we earth dwellers think we’re amazingly intelligent, we know very little of this life. However, we know One who knows it all. And this One is good and is love, through and through. We can trust Him, even when we don’t understand.
Here’s my take on Christmas in the States:
The Creator of the universe has come to earth, to be among us, to bring us eternal life.
Let’s......go shopping!
Please pardon me while I try hard not to participate.
The baby was down for her afternoon nap. Her husband was away at school. She stepped outside on her little porch of the little trailer she called home. She looked up to the sky and saw the most amazing sight. The clouds in all their beautiful splendor looked as if they were the doorway to heaven. He’s going to die today, she thought. Chills ran down her spine as she recalled just days before that her grandmother, affectionately referred to as Nannie, claimed that she heard a knocking at the door. She said she went to see who it was, and yet when she looked out, no one was there. Her Nannie had told her she truly believed it was angels coming in to look after Papa, that the end was near.
As she recalled the words of her Nannie, her baby began to cry. Once again, she resumed her daily duties as mother and thought no more of the experience she just had. She let it go.
Later on that evening, her Aunt decided to stop by for a visit before going over to sit with Papa. The baby was content, playing on the floor as they chatted about this and that, just catching up. Suddenly, the front door flew open. Her cousin, in a calm and somewhat detached manner said, “He’s dead. He’s gone.” Time stood still. Her heart in her throat, she grabbed the baby and flew out the door. Running, lungs burning, across the way to her grandparents house.
Once inside, she saw her Nannie, doubled over with grief, screaming, “Oh God! Oh God! He’s dead! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me! Please God, don’t let him leave me!”.
She sat the baby down, walked over to her Nannie and held her in her arms as they both cried, both sobbing with grief and heartache. It seemed like an eternity before she was able to let her go.
She slowly walked into the bedroom, and there was her beloved Papa. Lifeless. Still. A calmness and sense of peace penetrated the room. As the tears slowly fell down her cheeks, she realized without a doubt that this was not the end. His body lay there, but he was gone. His spirit was elsewhere, moving on, moving forward to the Father he so faithfully worshipped.
The angels had indeed come to take him home. The sky had opened up in preparation for his homecoming. He was finally free. Free from the pain of his earthly body, and free to soar with the angels as he watches over his loved ones and family as he patiently awaits for them to come “home”.
This was the day, without a doubt, she began to believe in things unseen.
"Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priest to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."
ie: Anyone seeking God, regardless of what religion they follow to find him.
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