Kingdom Parables 5: Parable of the Sheep and Goats

I often ask people, “How can the people in your life tell that you’re a Christian?” I’ve received a wide range of answers—some incredibly profound, and others… not so much. What I’ve found most interesting is that many people will say others can tell they’re Christians by what they don’t do, rather than by what they actually do. For instance, some will say, “Others know I’m a Christian because I don’t use swear words,” or “I don’t tell dirty jokes,” or “I don’t get drunk,” or “I don’t go to parties,” and so on.

While abstaining from these things is often wise and certainly in line with Christian values, they all have one thing in common: they are actions people avoid. However, in the parable we’ll look at today, Jesus makes a distinction between those He calls the "sheep" (the righteous) and the "goats" (the unrighteous), not based on what they abstain from, but on what they actually do.

So, what are these actions that separate the two groups? And how can we make sure we are in the group we want to be in? Let’s take a closer look.