To me, there is no greater biblical challenge to Lutheran theology than Matthew 25 and Jesus talking about the sheep and the goats.
Jesus says that those who do good deeds will be saved... They will be saved because they fed the hungry, gave the thirsty something to eat and clothed the naked.
Where does justification by grace through faith enter into this chapter?
It doesn't, if we are reading it through the theological lenses that we have today... the lenses of privileged people that have cars to drive and food to eat.
In Jesus' time the disciples left everything behind to follow him, they left their jobs and their families. They had nothing. They were the poor, they were the least of these.
Jesus is saying that anyone who gives you (the disciples) food, or gives you something to drink will inherit the kingdom, because without even realizing it they will have worked on behalf of the kingdom.
My favorite part of the chapter is that they won't even realize they are doing it.
How many people are saved and don't realize it?
How many people are loved and don't realize it?
How much better would our world be if they knew they were saved and loved?
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