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Joshua Hancock
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
- Where in the Bible does it say on the last day the people
who didn't even know Christ will be let into the Kingdom
because they served Him in the hungry, the homeless,
the naked, the imprisoned, and the sick?
I have been searching the Scriptures and am having a hard
time finding it.
Joshua
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Where does it say on the Last Day those
who didn't know Christ will be let in due to their service? }
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Mary
Ann replied:
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Hi, Joshua —
See Matthew 25: 31-46
31 "When the Son of man comes
in his glory, and all the angels with him, then
he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before
him will be gathered all the nations, and he
will separate them one from another as a shepherd
separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but
the goats at the left. 34 Then the
King will say to those at his right hand, `Come,
O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world; 35 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, 36 I was naked and you
clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I
was in prison and you came to me.' 37 Then
the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did
we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty
and give thee drink? 38 And when did
we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked
and clothe thee? 39 And when did we
see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' 40 And
the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you,
as you did it to one of the least of these my
brethren, you did it to me.' 41 Then
he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart
from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared
for the devil and his angels; 42 for
I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty
and you gave me no drink, 43 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.' 44 Then
they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see
thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked
or sick or in prison, and did not minister to
thee?' 45 Then he will answer them,
`Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one
of the least of these, you did it not to me.' 46 And
they will go away into eternal punishment, but
the righteous into eternal life."
(Matthew (RSV) 25:31-46)
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Mary Ann
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John
replied:
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That is indeed the Scripture Joshua is looking for.
However, this text must be understood in the context
of Catholic Soteriology. That is to say, these people
are actually saved because they responded to grace with
acts of charity. No one, be they Christian or otherwise
are saved, on the basis of their own works. Rather,
all those who are saved, are saved by grace, through
faith, in order to do good works (See Ephesians
2:8-10).
The point being, that we should be careful not to apply
two standards. All who are saved, are saved in and
through Jesus Christ, regardless of whether they've
come to know Him in this life.
John
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Mary
Ann replied:
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Hi, John —
Perhaps, the first grace is that Christ has identified
Himself with the poor, the sick, the needy and imprisoned,
so those who serve them are serving Him, without
knowing Him.
Mary Ann
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