Note 26 at Mt. 25:40: Although in the parables of Matthew 25, faith is never mentioned, we know that a living faith is involved because the only difference between the sheep and the goats is what they did and didn't do. The scriptures are abundantly clear that what we believe is what we'll do (Ti. 1:16; Heb. 4:2,6,11; 11:7-8,17,28,30; Jas. 2:18,20,26; 1 Pet. 2:7-8).

It is interesting to see that the unrighteous felt that the hungry, thirsty, stranger, prisoner, poor, and sick were the least and lowest of importance in the human race. To their surprise, the Lord answered, "I tell you, in as far as you did it to one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it to Me" (Mt. 25:40--Amplified N.T.). Christ's principle is "What you do to others, you do to Me. The way you treat others is the way you treat Me" (Prov. 19:17; Mt. 5:7; 6:14-15; 18:33-35; Acts 9:4). Therefore, in judgment, "there will be no mercy to those who have shown no mercy. But if you have been merciful, then God's mercy toward you will win out over His judgment against you" (Jas. 2:13--Living Bible).

As John Calvin said, "Faith alone saves but saving faith is never alone."