The Sheep and the Goats — Keith Green

Keith Green was one of my favorite Christian artists. I was a young Jesus People believer. He, Second Chapter of Acts, and other groups of that type formed my early Christianity, in worship and in outlook. I still remembered how crushed I felt when he died in a plane crash. I know that there were several of us in the fellowship to which I belonged who asked God why he would allow such a powerful singer/preacher to die. It was one of my first encounters with the difficult questions that arise in this fallen and damaged world.

Keith Green is known more for his worship songs, such as “Easter Song” which has become a cantata favorite or “Create In Me a Clean Heart” which is best sung with hands raised up and swaying mildly. Conveniently, we do not listen to the songs in which he preached like a prophet, when he called us to account, when he lashed us every bit as strongly as any of the Old Testament prophets. This is one of those songs. Listen to this song carefully. Listen to it all the way through, and most especially listen to the last sentence and the very last word.

You see, Keith Green spoke strongly against easy Christianity. Though he wrote worshipful songs, though he speaks in some of his songs warning new people that those around them are likely to be raising their arms and closing their eyes, yet he refused to let people stay there. Worship is important. But, so is living out the Christian life. In this song, he makes it clear that he agrees with Jesus. When the final judgment comes, there will be sheep and goats. Sadly, some of the goats will be church attenders. And, their judgment will not be simply on whether they believed correctly, but on whether they lived out the Christian life.