The Least of These

You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.1

Oh how God understands the plight of the fatherless. When Jesus was telling his disciples that his time had come, he told them, I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.2 The principle of the least of these is that what you do unto these you do unto God. This is so important to understand. It not what I'm doing that makes me righteous it is what I am being, I am being conformed to the image of Christ. Jesus says there will be many who say to me Lord, Lord, have we not cast out demons, prophesied in your name? But he tells them I do not know you and you did not help the least of these. When Jesus comes in His glory he will separate the sheep, those like him, from the goat, those who claim to be like him. To conform is to know him, and to know him is to love him and the least of these. Jesus measures the ones who will be blessed and inherit his great kingdom, which he has been preparing for those who love him, with how they loved others... but when did we do this to you the righteous will say, in which He will respond when you did it to the least of these.

Why is understanding this so important? Oh we need to search our hearts deep; are we sheep or goats. Loving others is of his greatest principle, it sums up the law and prophets. We need to speak truth of such things in his church so that people are not deceived. It is a sad thought to think that many who call themselves Christian around us who might not go to heaven. There will be many good excuses for not loving the least of these; I am not called to such, I do other good things, or I tithe. But if I give to the church in tithing for ministries that help but then I despise such people on my way to work or church am I being a sheep or a goat? The story of the good Samaritan, tells of two church going folk who not only did not help but went to the other side of the road to avoid helping. They probably had many good excuses for not helping, and were on their way to the temple, but it seems they missed a higher principle of loving their neighbor as Jesus pointed out. 

Many find it hard to love adults with faults, we can not get past the external sin or addiction. But now take this same attitude and apply it to the least of these, you can not justify such as it is not their fault. If I find it hard to love them too, then I should question whether I know God. This is what James said about helping the fatherless, it being of pure religion, and it is what Jesus spoke of when he said what you do to the least of these, you do to me. Do we not see this? is it not part of our gospel. Jesus compares, he who hears and does his words to someone who builds his foundation on a rock, these are not those who practice inequity nor lawlessness. You will recognize his people by their fruits he says. Sadly many people have their identity in religion and in other things, not in Christ. The church encourages measurement by following the rules, being obedient, which is a good thing but following the rules is a side effect of truly knowing him and being perfected in his love.

To deny people this perfection in love and knowing him is to deny them the gospel. Many will not accept the truth and there will be many impostors but it is important to know what to measure, what the the fruit is, so the Church is of Him. The principle of the least of these is at core of our gospel. Jesus spoke of it in a way that it was unto him. When Paul was accepted as an apostle, he was told to only add one thing to his doctrine of grace, to help the poor and needy. It is God's heart and should be the heart of each Christian. Loving our neighbor is not just a foundation stone, Jesus compared it to doing unto him, so it is part of him, he being the cornerstone. If he is our cornerstone loving the least of these should be who we are. It is the nature of God and expresses his heart, so much so that knowing him and doing his will is compared to helping the least of these.4 Love perfects his laws in us, love sums up the law. It is a progression of love in him, abiding in him. Start with love and be perfected in him in love. 

John wrote of these things so that we could understand this progression of maturity. Following instructions is a perfection of His love in us.6 As John writes becoming a young man is understanding how to follow his instructions, that it is through this perfecting of God's love in us. But how can we say we keep from sin and do not understand why nor teach of such? How can we say we are perfect in Christ, yet we do not love? And if we do sin we have an advocate in Jesus, so how can we teach a doctrine that condemns sin but doesn't disciple, such skips maturing in him. Maybe there are many children in the church because there are not many mature. Part of being mature is being accountable, if we are mature in Christ then we have done all we can and Jesus will return. This progression of maturity begins with knowing God, of his love and goodness. It continues in love as love perfects our identity, conforming us to his image, so that we are not sinning and we are following his commandments, out of love. This is the principle of sanctification, I am required to be holy but I can not without His love perfecting it. For me to live is Christ, sanctification should be a high calling of his Church. 

Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.

Let It Be Jesus