Zone1 What is the message of the parables in Matthew 25?

[ding]

Well try to bring this one back.

If we accept that Matthew 5:48 was a directive to us, then we are told to become perfect even as God is perfect. Some will insert other words for perfect and I am open to that. The more general point is that whatever it is....it is an attribute of Diety and we are directed to move in that direction.

Call it becoming better.

The term conversion or becoming converted is one I prefer.

So, while we do "move around", the over all goal is a direction towards whatever attribute the Savior is referencing.

Agreed. It's a journey, not a one time event.

 

[ding]

That is true.

However, the message of these three parables is that choices by the people in the parables influenced the outcomes.

There was no "accept and be done".

They made choices. And justice/mercy accorded them as much as they were able.

I have no clue as to how people can think that God can be arbitrary in his decisions. Those decisions are set within the strict guidelines of laws established long before the world was. And he can't alter them to suite his purposes.

Agreed. The easiest way through this all is to love God with all one's heart, mind, body and soul. If one's relationship with God is right, all other relationships will be right. That doesn't mean we won't make mistakes, but when we do, we do everything in our power to make it right. Thus laws or rules become unnecessary because we are doing everything in our power to do right. Following the letter of laws just leads to people looking for loopholes. Following the spirit of the law, doesn't.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Agreed. The easiest way through this all is to love God with all one's heart, mind, body and soul. If one's relationship with God is right, all other relationships will be right. That doesn't mean we won't make mistakes, but when we do, we do everything in our power to make it right. Thus laws or rules become unnecessary because we are doing everything in our power to do right. Following the letter of laws just leads to people looking for loopholes. Following the spirit of the law, doesn't.

Sounds good, but IME, misses some key points.

1. Being a disciple isn't "easy". In my world we have a scripture that states:

18 For behold he judgeth, and his judgment is just; and the infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy; but men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

That process of putting off the natural man is day-to-day slog that goes on for all of mortality and will continue into he next life. Our goal is to aquire the "stature of Christ" (as per Ephesians).

Laws are necessary and the universe is governed by them. Christ taught this in the sermon on the mount and he fullfilled the old law (the law of Moses) and instituted a higher one (not only don't committ adultery.....don't even look at a woman to lust after her.....because you already have committed it).

The letter of the law is, as you say, a legalistic approach.

But following the Spirit of the Law is still following the Law.

He is eternal and he is God because of those laws. And he is bound by them. He would love to save the goats in the parable in Matthew, but eternal justice demands that not happen.

 

[ding]

Sounds good, but IME, misses some key points.

1. Being a disciple isn't "easy". In my world we have a scripture that states:

18 For behold he judgeth, and his judgment is just; and the infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy; but men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

That process of putting off the natural man is day-to-day slog that goes on for all of mortality and will continue into he next life. Our goal is to aquire the "stature of Christ" (as per Ephesians).

Laws are necessary and the universe is governed by them. Christ taught this in the sermon on the mount and he fullfilled the old law (the law of Moses) and instituted a higher one (not only don't committ adultery.....don't even look at a woman to lust after her.....because you already have committed it).

The letter of the law is, as you say, a legalistic approach.

But following the Spirit of the Law is still following the Law.

He is eternal and he is God because of those laws. And he is bound by them. He would love to save the goats in the parable in Matthew, but eternal justice demands that not happen.

The key difference is that people who don't love God will look for ways to get around the laws. People who do love God will go above and beyond the law to do the right thing.

Jesus taught that he came to fulfill the law rather than abolish it, shifting the focus from rigid external rule-following to heartfelt obedience, love, and righteousness. While he maintained the moral principles of the Law, he challenged the legalistic interpretation of the Pharisees, emphasizing that true obedience comes from internal transformation rather than merely avoiding negative actions.

 

[HikerGuy83]

The key difference is that people who don't love God will look for ways to get around the laws. People who do love God will go above and beyond the law to do the right thing.

Jesus taught that he came to fulfill the law rather than abolish it, shifting the focus from rigid external rule-following to heartfelt obedience, love, and righteousness. While he maintained the moral principles of the Law, he challenged the legalistic interpretation of the Pharisees, emphasizing that true obedience comes from internal transformation rather than merely avoiding negative actions.

We are 100% in agreement.

What I am dealing with is the accusations made in this thread.

Zone1 Post in thread 'Beauty Culture and Works-Based Religions: Mormons and Amish'

Apr 30, 2026

And where does Jesus Christ fit into a works based religion?

He doesn't. You have Joseph Smith instead. Ask any Christian

• SweetSue92

Jesus did say that:

15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Not in the same way he commanded the children of Isreal with the Law of Moses (a set of performance laws). This is the constant allusion to the "dead law". That Law of Moses kept them in line. But spiritual development comes through following the commands of things like the Sermon on the Mount.

But it's not a checkbox mentality. Keeping those commandments allows the Holy Spirit to further write those commandments into our hearts. We grow towards doing things not because we should, but because we desire to. Our of a deep respect for the Lord, but more importantly because we are learning to love as he has loved.

But if you don't move in that direction, suffering the bumps and bruises we all do, along the way, we won't even want to be in his presence. To be with him we must aquire attributes that make us consistent with him.