Who are the Least of These in Matthew 25?

When Christ returns in His glory He will gather all nations before Him and separate the sheep from the goats.

The sheep He will put on His right and the goats on His left. To those on His right He will say, Come and take your inheritance prepared for you from the creation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in.

I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you visited me.

The righteous will answer, Lord, when did we see you and do these things? And the king will say, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.

Often we think of the least of these as being the poor, right? Hungry, thirsty strangers without clothing who are sick or in prison.

But Jesus also describes them as His brothers. The least of these are specifically other

Christians. Jesus has such intimacy with His followers that whatever is done to them is the same as if it were done to Christ Himself.

Now, that's not to say we don't show charity to anyone else. There are plenty of verses that talk about that, but Matthew 25, 40 isn't one of them.

The apostle Paul wrote, As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially those of the household of faith.

One of the evidences of a child of God is that they care for other children of God, particularly those considered least and those on mission for the gospel.

What happens when a person doesn't care for the brothers of Christ? Will they turn out to be goats who will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life when we understand the text?