The right hand of God vs the left!

Psalms 118:14-17 NKJV
[14] The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. [15] The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
[16] The right hand of the Lord is exalted; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. [17] I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord.

https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.118.14-17.NKJV

Exodus 15:6 NKJV
[6] “Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.

https://bible.com/bible/114/exo.15.6.NKJV


Psalms 17:7 NKJV
[7] Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You From those who rise up against them.

https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.17.7.NKJV

The phrase “right hand of God” symbolizes God’s power, authority, and proximity to Him, often referring to Jesus Christ after his ascension. It represents a position of supreme honor, reign, and the divine might that overcomes enemies. This concept appears in Christianity, where Jesus sits at God’s right hand, and has roots in Old Testament usage, where God’s right hand signifies his strength and action.

Acts 2:32-33 NKJV
[32] This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. [33] Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

https://bible.com/bible/114/act.2.32-33.NKJV

I Peter 3:21-22 NKJV
[21] There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [22] who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

https://bible.com/bible/114/1pe.3.21-22.NKJV

Matthew 25:31-46

Parable of His sheep the goats

The sheep are the righteous who live as He lived, by loving and serving others.  They are faithful and obedient to Him and His commandments to love God and love one another.

They are the ones who were so busy loving and serving others, that they weren’t able to look at what they were doing and pat themselves on the back or look for rewards like plaques, trophies, or even verbal acknowledgement or recognition. They simply have little or no interest in the praise and applause of men.

Those who belong to Christ, his sheep, know him, and he knows them by name, and they won’t follow the voice of another. 

His left is the place of judgement and separation from God and eternity. It’s a place of outer darkness, where there will be constant torment, with weeping and gnashing of teeth .

His sheep are the ones who will be at his right hand in eternity, where Jesus sits at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33; 1 Peter 3:22)

The goats are those who will be placed on His left, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. They will be cast into outer darkness. They will never see God in eternity. These are the ones who don’t know Jesus, and he doesn’t know them. They might be going to church, attending Bible study, praying and singing songs, etc. it’s very possible, even, that they are volunteering in their community to help the poor and needy.  But there may be (usually is)a self centered motive for doing so. There are the ones whom Jesus will say,

Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV
[21] “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. [22] Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ [23] And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.7.21-23.NKJV

The other side of the coin here, is that the goats are completely ignorant of the poor and needy and will defend themselves by saying, “we didn’t know” or “we didn’t see them. “

They’re so focused on serving themselves and their own needs (or greeds) that they have no concept of what it means to see the needs of others as more important than their own

The sheep on His right are characterized by seeking after righteousness, which bears the fruit of loving and serving others. 

The goats on the left are  self-serving and self-seeking. Loving and helping others may seem like a noble thing from time to time, but it’s rarely done out of true love for God and other people, nor faithful obedience to His will.

Will you be at God’s right hand, or on the left?

Matthew 25:33 NKJV
[33] And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.25.33.NKJV