Jesus hates welfare?

So I generally try to avoid throwing Bible verses around to make a point, but when I got an e-mail entitled “Who Would Jesus Vote For?” that included the line, “Jesus hates welfare,” I felt I had to set the record straight with a quick reference to Matthew 25.

These are the words of Jesus himself, found in verses 31-40:

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.

All the NATIONS will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on the right, and the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on the right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you came to Me.

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?

The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extend that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”

[The emphasis on the word “nations” is mine.]

For more on how these theme is echoed throughout Scripture, check out these earlier posts:

Wealth, Part 1: How God Judges the Nations

“Socialist” Propaganda (with biblical support!)

There. I’ve said my peace!