Into Eternal Life or Punishment

Jesus ends His Olivet Discourse as He does all of His discourses in Matthew: with the distinction of those whose faith is evidenced as genuine through their obedience from those who do not obey the gospel. This separation is the final judgment pronounced when the Son of Man comes in His glory and sits upon His throne, when the nations are gathered before Him.

The imagery Jesus uses is of sheep who are put at the right hand of the king, the place of blessing, honor, and salvation; and the goats, who are put on His left. The sheep were the ones who fed, clothed, invited, and visited Christ's "brothers," His disciples. This is the activity of the church, and the love for one another by which Jesus said the world will know us. It will be the evidence of the genuineness of our faith on the day of judgment, when the sheep are welcomed into eternal life and the goats go away into eternal punishment.