I read your article “How can I tell if an Old Testament verse is for me?” and you stated that you can tell if it applies to you by the context. I visit prisoners thru a church ministry. In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus says “Blessed are you for doing these things for me”. I think Matthew 24-25 is written to the Jews. So does that mean only Jews should be visiting prisoners, and doesn’t apply to me?
The Sheep and Goat judgment of Matt. 25:31-46, where the Lord mentioned prison visitations, is given in the context of the judgment of the nations (Gentiles) just after the 2nd Coming (Matt. 25:31-32). Therefore we can draw 2 conclusions. 1) this doesn’t apply to the Church Age at all, and 2) it was not meant for Jews alone. The Sheep in the passage represent Gentile Tribulation believers who minister to Jewish people (these brothers of mine) during the time of their greatest distress and will be blessed for doing so.
While Matt. 24-25 is focused primarily on Israel, these chapters also contain references to Gentle Tribulation believers. Instead of saying they were written to the Jews, it’s more accurate to say they were not written to the Church.