Matthew 7:21-23 and 24:15-28 (Sheep and goats)

Matthew 7:21-23 and Matthew 24:15-28

What is the difference between the goats of the world and the sheep of GOD’s Kingdom and what about those who think they are sheep but are not? These two passages deal with these issues and to me it seems clear but many Christians cannot tell the difference.

The sheep and goats of Matthew 24 is easier no matter what your perception the scriptures are clear. The sheep are those who believe that Jesus is the Son of GOD, that He was born of a virgin, that He lived a sinless life overcoming every temptation that came against Him, that He obediently and willingly went to the cross, healing us by the scourging of His back (by His stripes), washes us clean of our sins by the shedding of His blood, takes upon Himself our judgment as sinners so that we will not be judged by Almighty GOD, rose from the grave defeating death and hell and giving us resurrection and eternal life, sent His Spirit (Holy Spirit) to live in us to teach, council, and use us to complete the will of GOD in the earth, ascended to Heaven and seated us with Himself at the Father’s right hand giving us His authority over powers, principalities  and rulers of darkness; that is born again, Spirit filled friends of Jesus who do the will of God in the earth as it is in Heaven by keeping His commandments and doing the works of GOD; those who study and live the Bible as light and salt to do the will of GOD in the earth as it is in Heaven. The goats are those who do not believe all of that and do not live it.

Matthew 7 makes it clear that there are those who believe they are sheep but they are really goats. How can that be? It is easy to explain but may be hard to except. The gift and calling of GOD is without repentance or irrevocable. There are many who claim to be atheists but in life they found the gift and calling GOD formed in them in their mother’s womb have exercised it to their benefit and even the benefit of others, yet they still deny GOD. There are those who had some sort of religious experience and have joined a works orientated group that calls themselves Christian. There are those who had some kind of religious experience and have found the gift and call GOD placed in them in their mother’s womb but, they use it for their own glory and gain rather than as a sacrifice to Jesus; they might be called to be a missionary but soon develop a missionary training organization that sends our missionaries while they live the good life at home. I know, I  went from being s Spirit filled new believer (sheep) to being a goat, to seeing where I really was and repenting and returning to the sheep fold of Jesus. Only GOD knows the sheep from the goats, that is why He divides them and judges them as seen in both teachings (these are not parables, Jesus is teaching Kingdom truths).

We are not called to judge but only to discern the difference. We are called to love one another as Jesus loves us, to love our neighbor as we love ourself and to do the will of GOD in the earth as it is in Heaven or to seek first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness.