learning DAILY



Psalm 50:6, Let the heavens declare His righteousness.  For God Himself is Judge.

We know God is Love.  If you have been in church for any length of time, you have heard many sermons about God’s love.  Yes, God loves you more than you can understand, more than you can comprehend.  Few want to hear about the other side of God, that He judges.  The Psalmist did not state that God is a judge; be very careful to notice he said “God Himself is Judge”.  Dr. David Jeremiah in his Study Bible states: As Creator of the earth and its inhabitants, He alone has the prerogative to pass judgment on both.”   Because of His righteousness, His judgment is true and correct.  Hebrews 9:27-28 tells us that, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”  Each of us will stand before Him to be judged on whether we accepted or rejected His Son.

The New Testament describes three major judgments.  The first is found in 1 Corinthians 3: 11-15 and is called the judgment seat of Christ.  The verses describe Jesus Christ as the foundation for the lives of those who have accepted Him as their Savior.  By accepting or denying Jesus as Lord of your life you have really judged yourself.  This judgment is about the work you have done for Christ after accepting Him as your Savior.  Your works will be tested by fire.  Not everything we have done as a Christian is done to glorify the Lord.  The Bible calls this wood, hay and straw; these works will not endure the fire.  But those works that are done to bring honor and glory to God will remain and are called gold, silver, and precious stones.  This is what the Apostle James describes as works with faith, works that are based on doing what God wants done such as feeding the hungry, clothing those who need clothes, etc.  Good works will never earn one’s salvation!  Dr. Jeremiah states, “True faith will always produce good works because true faith motivates a person to please God.”  Charles Spurgeon has said, “The child of God works not for life; he does not work to be saved, he works because he is saved.”

This judgment is God seeing those who have believed in Him as they really are – their motivations, their dreams, and their reasons for serving Him.  It is important to read 1 Corinthians 3: 14-15.  Do you see that both the one who was rewarded and the one that suffered loss are saved!  This is not judgment based on one’s relationship to Christ.  This is judgment based on one’s faithfulness in service; silver, gold, or precious stones will receive a reward.  What that reward will be is only speculation.  I have always thought of it as the greater the reward the closer to the throne of God one is able to be in eternity.  Whatever the reward, one needs to be living a life pleasing to God, doing the work He desires each of us to do.

What will be left of the works you have done as a believer in Christ?

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