Christ's Judgment, or Reflection on Judgment Sunday

As we move closer towards Holy and Great Lent, we read on Judgment Sunday the passage concerning the sheep and the goats (cf. Matthew 25:31ff), where Christ will judge all people not just according to their faith in Christ, but according to what they've done. Or more particularly, how they showed their faith by what they've done. This is important to note, since a number of non-Orthodox, and particularly Protestants, would contend that faith, or proclaiming one's belief in Christ alone, is enough. Of course we start off with our faith in Christ--in the Protestant context, that would mean believing in Him. Belief though should not be merely by knowing Jesus, but a real life in Him by obeying Him. In the Orthodox view, this is the more complete faith--knowing Christ and following Him by obeying Him. So we see this then in the passage in Matthew. Interestingly, St. Paul echoes the same in Romans 2:5-8, especially in verses 7-8: eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. He would repeat this in verses 9-10 to stress his point. In Revelation as well we find the same thing regarding Judgment: “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds." (Revelation 22:12). We must then live our lives following His will, doing it with love. And above all, indeed, it should be with love, as St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13. Indeed, he writes that the greatest virtue is love, and good works in another sense is love in action, or faith working with love in action. As we move towards Great Lent this should be in our hearts, that we must do things with love for God and for our neighbor. All that we do is geared towards love, for we are here because of His love for us, and we are reminded of this each Great Lent, and indeed each day we are with Him.