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I have been an Elder at the Community Bible Church in Minneapolis Kansas. For 35+ years.  During that time I have been writing these thought...

Monday, October 31, 2016

"Judgement"


Victory Can Be Yours!

Article #62 – “Judgement”

               It is so important for Christians, born again believers, to seek to work pleasing God.  Works, as in doing good, is key to everything in the eternal life to come.  If a person has denied Jesus Christ and failed to believe in Him, that person will be judged at the Great White Throne judgment.  His name not being found in the Book of Life, will receive eternal punishment.  The severity of the punishment will depend upon his works done in this life.  A greater punishment will be meted out to those who have performed the worst deeds.  We find in Revelations 20:11-15 what takes place at the final judgment, “and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.  This is the second death, the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:13b, 14)  The first death is the physical death and the second death is being cast into the lake of fire.  You probably have heard; if you are born once you will die twice, but, if you are born twice you only die once.   The second birth is a spiritual birth that takes place when you believe in Jesus Christ.

               You will notice that those thrown into the lake of fire are judged when their name is not found in the book of life, they are also judged according to their deeds.  The same is true with believers; “for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10)  Just as it is with the unbeliever’s judgment, the ones with the greatest good deeds receive the greatest rewards.  Those who have done nothing as a Christian will not lose their kinship with God but will lose their rewards.  Paul writes, “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.  If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.  If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Cor. 3:11-15)  Just as the poem states, “Only One Life, T’will Soon Be Past, Only What’s Done for Christ, Will Last.” 

               One other thing that is important to know about building our treasures, our rewards, in heaven is that while we must work to earn them, we must also work to keep them.  The Bible states over and over again that we must “stand firm”, “for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.” (1 Thess. 3:8) The same words are used in 1 Cor. 13; Eph. 6:11, 13, 14; Phil. 4:1; 2 Thess. 2:15; 1 Pet. 5:12.  To keep our rewards intact till we see Christ at the judgment seat of Christ, we must stand firm and endure, “It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” (2 Tim. 2:11, 12)  Where it says He will deny us means that He will deny our rewards if we stop serving Him which is the same as denying Him.  Until we die, we are to continue serving Him as we are preparing for eternity with Him

               You, too can have victory in Jesus!  More to follow.



Lowell Parrish

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