Weekend, October 7, 2023
Judgment Day
For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT)
The Bible teaches that every person will stand before God on a day of judgment. Countless verses in Scripture address this topic.
Jesus said, “For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged,” and “I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak” (Matthew 7:2; 12:36 NLT).
Romans 14:10 says, “So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (NLT).
Judgment is coming. Not only is there a final judgment for non-Christians, but there is also a final judgment for Christians. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT).
However, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ have nothing to fear. Because Jesus has forgiven us and justified us, we can be certain that we won’t stand at the Great White Throne Judgment, the final judgment for nonbelievers.
Christians will face a different kind of judgment known as the judgment seat of Christ. This is a time when God will reward us. This judgment is not about our getting to Heaven, because the judgment seat of Christ takes place there. But God will evaluate our lives.
Scripture suggests the judgment seat of Christ will reveal our essential character or motives. The question will be about what we did with our lives. What did we do with the time God gave us? What did we do with the gifts and resources God entrusted to us?
Did we develop them, seek to multiply them, and use them for His glory? Or, was it all about us? Was life only about being happy and finding fulfillment? God will look at what motivated us and why we did what we did with what He gave us. And He will make an evaluation.
It calls to mind what Daniel said to the wicked King Belshazzar: “You have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up” (Daniel 5:27 NLT). Loosely paraphrased, he was saying, “Belshazzar, you are a lightweight.”
Most of us want to weigh less when we step onto a scale. But on God’s scales, we don’t want to be light. Rather, we want to be heavy. We want to have substance and meaning in our lives. And God’s scales are never off.
The Bible says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT). According to this and other passages, the promises of God guarantee our presence in the kingdom of God.
But we will earn or lose our position in the kingdom of God by the quality of service that we render here and now.
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