Who can be saved? A Christian perspective

I think the Goats will be almost all Christians, for why would someone who had never heard of Jesus or was not a follower of Jesus say "44Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?"Someone who was not a follower of Jesus would know that they never had done anything for Jesus.

And as in that fable, I believe heaven will be filled, if heaven exists, with far more Taoists, Satanist, Jews, Wicaans, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Atheist, Agnostics, Animists, Diest, Pagans, followers of the Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Germanic Gods and of Confucius, Mencius and even Coyote than there will be Christians there.But the Goats will still be almost totally made up of Christians.

Let's walk through it one small step at a time.Do you think there have been more Taoists, Satanist, Jews, Wicaans, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Atheist, Agnostics, Animists, Diest, Pagans, followers of the Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Germanic Gods and of Confucius, Mencius and even Coyote than there have been Christians

So you understand why the Sheep will be made up of far more Taoists, Satanist, Jews, Wicaans, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Atheist, Agnostics, Animists, Diest, Pagans, followers of the Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Germanic Gods and of Confucius, Mencius and even Coyote than Christians.Now let's look at the Goats.Look again at the Goats reply:

quote:

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44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

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Notice their reply. When did we see YOU in need and did not help YOU?No one but a close associate, a follower, would say such things.

Again, read closely. The Goats say, when have we NOT done for YOU?Would someone who was meeting someone for the first time say "When did we NOT do for you?"

You say that you see the difference, yet your post seems to miss the significance entirely.I said that the Goats will almost all Christians, followers of Jesus, and the text supports that position.The failure is that the followers didn't get the message.The point is that all mankind is charged to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the sorrowful, clothe the naked, teach the children, heal the sick, protect the helpless.There will be far more Satanists, Wicaans, Atheists, Agnostics, Taoists, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Animists, Diest, Pagans, followers of the Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Germanic Gods and of Confucius, Mencius and even Coyote that get it than Christians.

I don't see any other way to understand it. Yes, there could be followers of Jesus in with the Sheep as well, but they got it.None of the Goats got it, and what is written,

quote:

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44"Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'

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{see underlined section}appears to be something only a follower of Jesus would say.

Correct, for the Sheep.But the topic was the Goats.

See Message 375.

Not at all. The division is based on individual behavior.What I am saying is that IMHO most Christians simply don't get Jesus message at all. You even support that concept when you post "I suggest that for at least the majority of Christians they would be surprised to have Jesus tell them that when they helped the homeless that it was Him they were helping. A Christian might understand the concept but I don't think we think of it that directly."The Goats in the story are shocked. The people that heard the Good Samaritan story are shocked. The elders in the synagogue in Nazareth that heard Jesus preach are shocked.The point in all three stories is that no one has a clue who will be saved, and the judgement will be based on how you behaved, not what club you are a member of, not whether or not you are a follower of Jesus or even a follower of Yahweh.As my Mommy used to say, "It ain't what you say that counts, it's what you do."It really is that simple.

I imagine that almost all non-Christians will be Sheep, though I'm sure there will be a few that are also Goats.AbE:In the story though, all the Goats are followers of Jesus.Edited by jar, : see AbE:

It's easy to delegate your guilt to someone else, isn't it?

In reality that is likely, but not in the story.

I have provided them, sorry if you missed them.But it is a pretty basic Christian position, unfortunately one that seems to go unnoticed particularly by many that claim to be pastors.In fact YOU provided one in your quote from Thessalonians. We are commanded to work, to do works.But Jesus says it even better in Matt 25.

Only the GOATs make that assumption.What righteous means is really clearly stated in the passage, it is those that feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, comfort the sorrowful, shelter the homeless.Being Born Again is just a con job by those who want to market cheap worthless promises.