Many believers are being deceived by the teaching that no one will be left out of salvation in Christ, and the idea that there is no day of future judgment for those who do not obey the Gospel. Through careful research, Jon examines which words of Jesus and Paul in the New Testament are being ignored and denied, and explains how an unhealthy reliance on a 20th Century philosopher and sociologist—Rene Girard—has taken the place of the reliability of the Scriptures.
Read the PDF here: Don’t Forget the Part About the Sheep & the Goats!
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Author, speaker, editor of Searching Together, itinerant encourager of relational communities.
Thanks Jon for writing such an in depth and biblical response to this extremely deceptive and dangerous teaching. Great work! I recommend everyone read it.
I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. But I will check it out. Thanks for the recommendation:)
Not surprised that the church is dealing with this philosophy. When one takes Christ out of the scriptures all kinds of teaching rushes into the void to fill its place; and what is more appealing than a “love is all you need” gospel?
Marc, that is a clear misunderstanding of Ultimate Reconciliation/Christian Universalism.
Wait…there’s something you need other than love?
My friend Jon’s take represents but one take on the Biblical passages on judgment. I don’t think it is so easy to emphasize some passages, and sweep others under the rug: “Jesus Christ, the Savior of all men, but especially those who believe.” (1 Tim 4:10).
A healthy view of the body of Christ is one where we grant the Spirit permission (ha) to speak through all our brothers and sisters. Neither Jesus nor his immediate followers prophesied of a book that would govern all life and faith… but Jesus did speak of the Spirit leading us to all… All truth.
Thank you, Jim! I wrote this piece, in part, because certain people were emphasizing no passages, sweeping others under the rug, and in the process running roughshod over key words that our Lord has spoken. The truth will flow out of Jesus’ words. That which contradicts His words is false.
I find it ironic that you quote a blurb from the back of my book, which spends 3-4 pages exegeting the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, in an article where you ask to not “forget the Sheep and the Goats.” Quite misleading there sir! Perhaps if you actually read the book instead of simply tossing my name into the piece, you would know that. By the way, really poor critique of Girard. There are much better critiques of him, including the very person who edited my book, All Set Free.
Hi, Matthew! I had read most of your book, and certainly the section on the Sheep/Goats. I found your comments on Matt 25 to be unconvincing and weak. With the conclusion you bring to the passage, you have to come away with a certain answer. Your understanding of Matt 25 rests on the huge assumption that it is a parable. Once you assign it that genre, then, as you say, you don’t have to take it literally. The scene Jesus describes does not have the marks of a parable. The only figurative parts about it are the two animals representing two groups of people. The rest of the narrative is straightforward — at the end of history Jesus separates the world’s inhabitants into two groups, He reviews how they helped the needy, and then assigns each their destiny, the sheep into the inheritance prepared for them since the creation of the world, and the goats into the judgment prepared for the devil and his angels. All humanity is resurrected to be in front of Jesus — a resurrection of the just (sheep) and the unjust (goats). Whatever else the NT says, it cannot come to a different conclusion than what is revealed in the Lord’s words in Matt 25, and elsewhere.
‘I loved you at your darkest’ “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
Powerful truth, however, unfortunately traditional church doesn’t communicate it very well. Somehow we need to get beyond church.
This is rediculous, you’re spreading untruths about Renee Girard and people who come after them. The teachings are Christ centered. Don’t hate on things you don’t understand.
Imputing “hate” to me seems inappropriate. Thanks for your opinion!
The parable of the ‘Sheep and the Goats’ is one of several parables Jesus told in a single setting beginning in Matthew 24:1 and ending in Matthew 26:2. It is obvious that he was warning his immediate audience (which included religious leaders) of a soon-coming judgment that came to pass in A.D. 70 when the Roman Armies invaded the Holy Land and devastated 978 towns including Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, killed one-million Jews including the priesthood and carried captive fifty-thousand Jews as slaves into the provinces of the Roman Empire. These parables had absolutely NOTHING to do with a so-called ‘end times’ judgment. Jesus specifically set the time frame for this impending holocaust, saying, “I tell you the truth, THIS GENERATION will certainly not pass away until ALL these things have happened” (Mt 24:34 NIV). Finally, another thought for your consideration: Before the sacrifice of Christ “for the sin of the world,” the old covenant temple priests sacrificed BOTH sheep and goats to atone for the sins of the people.
Ivan, to limit what happens in Matt 25 to the events surrounding 70 AD seems strained. In this future scene, it is the “nations” that are gathered & the sheep and goats are separated by the Lord, not just 1st century Israel. The scope of what Jesus described goes far beyond a narrow focus on Jerusalem. The 70 AD judgment came about because Israel killed the prophets and apostles, and then the Son. There is no mention of these dimensions in Jesus’ words about the sheep & goats.
Perish in my mind means perish.
For someone to read the words consume, perish and destroy and come up with burning in a torture pit forever and ever…
The mind boggles.
Ahh, yes, Lazarus and the rich man. The parable! “It’s not a parable it’s true!!” Really? So we go to Abraham’s bosom when we die!?
We communicate to people in hell fire from heaven? We only need one drop of water to cool the torture from God’s eternal flames?
Ok. If your idea of heaven is Abe’s boob. Thumbs up.
Great website!
Hate filled people debating the fate of “sinners” what a waste of time. We willall know the answers when we get to our destination. Bit more focus on where you are destined less on where others are going.. God is not a busybody…but this gang is. …