Michael,

Try to follow Christ’s example and not be so thin-skinned and easily offended. Right? The Bible says to expect troubles in life as a Believer and be prepared to answer detractors.

Your thin-skinned response is 100% why non-christians are sheepish about conversing with Christians, too many Christians being so easily offended. Easily offended IS NOT Christ’s example.

You don’t know where Kevin is coming from and yet you shut him out. Honestly, shame on you. Respect is earned not given. Grow up.

So true. Help your Brothers in Christ and who ever
The Holy Spirit put in your path… the Bible is clear and those who are not followers are going to hell. So how are we to help them.. all we can do
Is tell them the truth and the way…leave the rest to the Holy Spirit.. .. did God really tell us to go..
For me I will help those in my path remembering man does not live by bread alone but it a good strategy for serving our Father

I agree that a Christian should give help “In the Name of the Lord” to anyone who needs it – and especially to fellow believers in our tithes and in our freewill offerings.
I would include the Jewish people in that also, because they are God’s Chosen people. In fact the Jewish people are the very ones around whom so much prophecy revolves and it is to Jerusalem that our Lord will return. Imo Christians should be reaching out to Jews, getting to know them and what they believe; loving them because Jesus loves them.

1) Is it wrong for Christians/churches/Christian organizations to prioritize helping Christians/churches over other individuals/groups?

My opinion is that God calls different Christian individuals and groups to focus on different areas of ministry. So, to my mind, it would not be wrong for a given Christian or church to specialize on helping other Christians, while another Christian or other church is called to specialize on helping nonbelievers.

2) Are Jesus’ words in Matthew to be taken parabolically, prophetically (eschatologically) or instructively for believers today?

While I believe we do need to be careful with Jesus’ warnings about potential future events, I believe the Bible clearly teaches us to do good to others, regardless of who they are, and in general preferably regardless of what reward or consequence might ensue.

3) What does the Bible teach about the role of works in the theology of eternal salvation?

While today generally only conservative evangelicals hold to the teaching of sola gratia, sola fideus (i.e. the doctrine of eternal salvation being solely through the grace of God, thru our accepting the Gospel message in our hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit), I myself, being one of those, do believe that this is what the Bible teaches, and that our actions play no part in our eternal salvation, except to demonstrate to others that we are truly saved, and possibly as a basis for rewards in the life to come.

I agree with Eric, disagree with Mike

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.ne. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
I think the issue for today is that as the Body of Christ we in the West should especially remember those parts of the Body who are experiencing persecution, imprisonment, poverty and death. In my own country it is easy for the tender hearted to give money to humanitarian charities, whilst neglecting Christian brothers and sisters who are hungry and penniless.
James 2 says
“14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
So whilst I believe we should help anyone if it is in our power to do so, our priority should be the Body of Christ, wherever they live.

A family should protect and take care of its own precisely so that it can be of real assistance to others in need. Who wants to be part of a family that doesn’t protect, serve and prioritize the members of that family? The point is that Christians are family members and should be prioritized. It’s so plainly true that it takes a lot of effort to work around. Not prioritizing family members uncovers a deeper issue that probably needs to be dealt with prior to any outreach.
Having said all this , countries are not Christian communities. Heads of state determining to help those more aligned with their politics seems rational.

Kevin, I didn’t read your comment any further after the opening line about “a hodgepodge of cherry-picked statements and mental gymnastics to make the bible suit your views.” If you want me to do you the honor of taking your point of view seriously and with respect, you need to show that you can do the same for me. Maybe what you wrote here was insightful, but I didn’t read past the opening line.

There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing helping Christians first: as you mentioned, it’s in the Bible, like it or not. Scripture doesn’t change because of the current political climate or fashionable beliefs surrounding Islam or immigration.