Jesus sometimes likened people to certain animals, such as a fox (Lk. 13:32), sheep (John 10:27), pigs (Mt. 7:6) and goats. This is what he said about goats:
Separating The Sheep From The Goats
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Mat 25:32,33)
Spiritual goats are definitely different from the sheep. According to Jesus’ teaching, goats will hear these ominous words in Mt. 25:
Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. (Mat 25:41-46)
That passage is clear that all people will not be saved. Hence, there is no universal salvation, as people (like Gary Amirault) try to force out from the Bible. In the above passage from Matthew, Jesus pointed out their sins of omission (James 4:17) and condemned them to eternal punishment on that basis! For them, their condemning sins were all related to NOT helping poor, sick or imprisoned Christians! (That is NOT an exhaustive list of sins which damn. See also 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Eph. 5:5-7; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 21:8; John 15:1-6; etc.) James wrote of a dead faith (the faith of demons) which parallels what the goats mentioned in Matthew were guilty of:
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?
Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)
Jesus Will Condemn The Goats
While Jesus’ sheep follow him (Jn. 10:27), the goats Jesus condemns don’t. Spiritually speaking, one’s spiritual identity changes from goat to sheep or from sheep to goat again. This can and does occur based on submission to the Lord Jesus (as the sheep have), or a refusal to do God’s will (Lk. 8:21).
[credit woman picture = NY Daily News.]
