The Sheep and the Goats – Politics of Religion

(Matthew 25:31-33) – “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 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.”

Many people remember these provocative words from Jesus. We find them in the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-46. A quick summary points to what is to come, a separation of people before the final Judgment. Most of us can relate to the sheep as those who will receive the eternal inheritance of God’s Kingdom. All the nations of earth are to be gathered before Christ, and He will separate people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. Those who are righteous are compared to sheep, and they are welcomed into the kingdom of heaven. The rationale is that they fed the hungry, gave drinks to the thirsty, welcomed strangers, clothed the naked, cared for the sick, and visited those in prison. The unrighteous, represented as goats, are condemned because they did not perform any of these acts of kindness.

The choice of sheep and goats is symbolic. They represent choices that were made by humanity. Sheep are often seen as gentle and obedient, symbolizing the righteous and faithful. In the context of this parable, they represent those who have shown compassion, love, and kindness to others. Their acceptance into the kingdom of heaven reflects the rewards for righteous behavior. Goats, on the other hand, can be more stubborn and unruly. In this parable, they represent those who have neglected or failed to show love and compassion to others, thereby facing condemnation. It’s not about the literal choice of animals but the symbolic representation of human behavior and values. This parable encourages believers to live out their faith by helping those in need and caring for the less fortunate as a demonstration of their love for God. We are discouraged from caring only about ourselves.

The parable is a moral and ethical teaching, highlighting the importance of good deeds and compassionate actions as part of one’s faith and relationship with God. It appears that the choice of whether you are a sheep or a goat is left up to you. There goes that “Free Will” thing again! It is also legitimate to ask if there is any way to tell what you have become in life. In other words, what would the key indicators be that you are a sheep or have become a goat? Let’s look at some of the characteristics that could come into play in such a separation:

Acts of Compassion and Mercy: The parable emphasizes the importance of showing compassion, kindness, and mercy to others, especially those in need. It suggests that one’s actions toward the less fortunate reflect their relationship with God. This is something that growing churches focus on today.
Responsibility for Others: The parable teaches that individuals are responsible for caring for the marginalized and vulnerable members of society. It emphasizes the idea that helping others is a way of serving and honoring God.
Judgment and Accountability: Jesus is conveying a concept of a final judgment where individuals will be held accountable for their actions, particularly in how they treat those in need.
Eternal Consequences: The parable also implies that one’s actions in this life have eternal consequences, leading either to the reward of eternal life or the punishment of eternal separation from God. Unfortunately, consequences are seldom addressed anymore. It has become all about social justice.
Identity with Christ: Jesus identifies Himself with the needy, suggesting that when we serve and care for others, we are also serving and honoring Christ. By associating Himself with the disadvantaged and vulnerable, Jesus teaches His followers the importance of compassion and empathy. He is showing that God cares deeply for the marginalized and expects His followers to do the same. This reinforces the idea that love and care for one’s neighbor are central to biblical teachings.
Challenging Hypocrisy: Jesus often criticized religious leaders of His time for their hypocrisy and outward displays of piety without genuine love for others. By identifying Himself with the needy, not the religious institutions, Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of those who may claim to be religious but neglect the practical needs of those who are less fortunate.
Revealing the Nature of God: Jesus’ identification with the needy also reflects a broader theological truth about God’s character. He is portraying God as a God of mercy, justice, and compassion, who identifies with the suffering and offers redemption to all, regardless of someone’s social status.
Inverting Social Hierarchies: In the society of Jesus’ time, the wealthy and powerful often held high status, while the poor and marginalized were often looked down upon. By identifying himself with the needy, Jesus challenges these social hierarchies and demonstrates that in the Kingdom of God, true greatness is measured by one’s willingness to serve and care for others. We have these same issues today in our world. God has been very clear about His opinion on leaders feeding themselves while God’s sheep go hungry!
Testing Hearts and Actions: Jesus’ identification with the needy also serves as a test of his followers’ hearts and actions. He challenges them to examine their deeds and whether they are living out their faith through acts of love and kindness, especially towards those who are less fortunate. The Christian Church today is struggling with these same issues. Does the Church stand for God’s Truth, or does it look to enrich itself? This identification reinforces the idea that salvation is not solely about faith or religious rituals but also about living out one’s faith in practical ways. It connects the concept of discipleship with actively caring for those in need as an integral part of the Christian journey.

Another question that we should be asking ourselves is whether this separation by “choice” has already started. Are the politics of religion forcing people to pick whether they will exist as a sheep or a goat? Gallup, Inc., a well-known American analytics and advisory company based in Washington, D.C. is known for conducting worldwide public opinion polls. In a recent poll on religion and politics, they concluded that “Everything else being equal, the more religious the individual in the U.S. today, the higher the probability that the individual identifies with or leans toward the Republican party¹.” In an aggregate of five other Gallup surveys conducted from May 2021 through May 2023, they also confirmed the extent to which Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to have no religious affiliation. Twenty-six percent of those without any religion, identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, compared with just 11% of those without any religion who identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. The magnitude of this religion gap had increased over the years, with changes coming from the Democrats, not Republicans. Studies also confirmed that those without religion were more likely to support liberal policies such as abortion and transgenderism.

Evidence of this movement can be found in the increasing hostility against conservative-leaning politics. For example, the Federal Department of Justice (DOJ) along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has recently listed practicing Catholics as “potential terrorists.” Is it, then, legitimate to group the “Religious Right” and the “Republican Party” as one homogenous group? As Republicans increasingly dominate the group of those who remain religious (per Gallop’s Surveys), we are seeing a general pullback from religion in part because religion (like so much else in American life today) has become politicized. In another recent article², the author writes about the “De-churching of America.” He noted that about 3,000 new Protestant churches opened in the past several years while 4,500 closed. Whether we admit it or not, there is a lot of choosing going on in our nation today. These choices have eternal consequences.

(Romans 12:2) – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

It is easy to mistake the connection between religion and politics for the merits of a specific political party. Nothing could be farther from the Truth. The point lost in most surveys is that most religions, including Christianity, work toward social cohesion and love for one’s neighbor (Are these the sheep?). With politics comes disagreement, conflict, argument, and the destruction of one’s opponents (Are these the goats?). The point to take away from these studies is that religion can and should have a positive impact on our world. This includes its influence on morality and positive social behavior, its influence on charity and giving back to the community, and its contribution to social cohesion and solidarity (national pride). A continuing decrease in church attendance by society can have significant consequences for the health and viability of our country going forward. It is within the traditional churches that we find our youth programs, missions, and outreach, responding to Jesus’ calls in Matthew 25:31-46. It is within our churches that people learn how to become the future disciples of Christ!

Because we have been created in God’s image and redeemed by Christ’s work on the Cross, we belong to God. It is our obligation to fulfill His will as His workmanship, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10) and “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1). We not only have an obligation to God but also to ourselves to discern and fulfill His will for our lives. “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34). This is the only path to find a meaningful existence on this earth.

(Matthew 7:21) – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Contemplations

Do you find it possible to discuss politics with family and friends anymore?
- Ideas to Explore: Are we now silent to avoid conflict? Has respect left political discourse? Who is driving the hatred?
Have some of the churches left their members? (adoption of liberal policies)
- Ideas to Explore: Have churches, to accommodate the world, adopted policies that run counter to biblical values? Because a church says it is right (or wrong), what do you do to make sure it is “Right with God?”
Do you have family and friends that do not go to church?
- Ideas to Explore: Maybe you don’t go either? Do you know why you or your friends don’t go? Are the reasons sound enough to risk eternal separation from God? Is it just a matter of finding another church? Are there deeper issues?
Why do you think it is so hard to help the poor?
- Ideas to Explore: Do you know who the poor are that Jesus was talking about? Are there people who are just not willing to work for themselves? Should the “lazy” be included in the definition of “poor?” What about the great displacement of the population – Was Jesus talking about people illegally crossing borders to find opportunities?
Do you understand history well enough to know that the loss of religious freedom has preceded every dictatorship and major world conflict in the past?
- Ideas to Explore: When someone hates history or tries to rewrite it, do you know why? Are leaders, the wealthy, enriching themselves at the expense of conservative people? Is your freedom today at risk?
Do you think God cares if you are a Republican or a Democrat?
- Ideas to Explore: Does one side hate more than the other? Does one side respect God’s Truth more than the other? What group would you separate the political parties into (sheep or goats)?
There is no doubt that heaven will be filled with Republicans, Democrats, and many other religions. There is also a high probability that hell will be filled with some Republicans, Democrats, and many other religions. It is not our role to pick and choose who will be in either place. That is reserved for our Savior to sort out. The only question you need to be concerned about is whether you know where you will be.
- Ideas to Explore: You should know for sure!