Note 26 at Mt 25:40: Although faith is never mentioned in the parables of Mt 25, we know that a living faith is involved because the only difference between the sheep and the goats was what they did and didn't do. The Scriptures are abundantly clear that what we believe is what we'll do (Tit 1:16; Heb 4:2, 6, 11, 11:7-8, 17, 28, 30; Jas 2:18, 20, 26; and 1Pe 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, "Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me" (this verse, Amplified Bible). Christ's principle is, "What you do to others, you do to Me. The way you treat others is the way you treat Me" (Pr 19:17; Mt 5:7, 6:14-15, 18:33-35; and Ac 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, The Living Bible).

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