Judged on Words or Actions?

This morning I am reflecting on a question that I came across a few days ago in my prayer time.  It is based on two scriptures from Mathew's Gospel, and in both cases Jesus is speaking.  Here are the verses -  Matthew 12:33-37 NIV:

[33] “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. [34] You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. [35] A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. [36] But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. [37] For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

- and - 

Matthew 25:31-46 NIV:

[31] “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. [32] 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. [33] He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 

[34] “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. [35] For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, [36] I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

[37] “Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? [38] When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? [39] When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

[40] “The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' 

[41] “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. [42] For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, [43] 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.'

[44] “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?' 

[45] “He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' [46] “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. ”

In both of these sets of verses, we find Jesus speaking in some form about the final judgment.  In the first set of verses He is focused on our speaking and in the second set of verses on our actions.  As I was reading the first set of verses, I was reminded of this second set, and the question popped into my mind, "On which will we be judged, our words or our actions?"

In situations like this, we should always look at context and part of context is the audience to whom Jesus is speaking.  In the first set of verses, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who had just accused Him of being in league with Satan, so while he said it in the presence of His apostles, it was directed to religious leaders who were refusing to recognize that He came from the Father.

The second set of verses are spoken to Jesus disciples, shortly before His persecution, trial and crucification. He started the discourse at the beginning of Chapter 24 in Matthew's Gospel, in response to the disciples question about end-times.  

So, at a quick glance we see the first discourse is directed to non-believers, the other towards believers.  Again, we must always review challenging verses like these in light of all of the revelation of Scripture, and specifically in the revelation of Jesus, who is the perfect representation of the Father (Heb 1:3).  As I reflect on these verses today, I am reminded of Jesus' only new Command, found in John 13:34-35 NIV: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”    In this great New Command we are told to love one another.  

John, in his later letter, spelled out what this love meant - 1 John 3:16-18 NIV: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? [18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."   In other words our love needs to be expressed in actions, not just words.  This leads us back to the verses of consideration this morning, while love r belief might begin with words, it must result in actions.  It is by our actions that we demonstrate our beliefs, our love and our faith.  

However, these actions are meant to be coupled to relationship with the Lord, as Jesus spoke in John 15:12-17 NIV:"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command. [15] I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit---fruit that will last---and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. [17] This is my command: Love each other."

Finally, some get so caught up in looking at the final judgment, preaching about judgment, judging others that they forget that our primary call is to love one another.  If we have relationship with Jesus and just love one another in word AND in deed, I believe we will experience God's blessing both in this life and after the final judgment, and lead many down the same path!

Let us worry less about judgment and more about love in action!

Amen and Amen!