Getting Ready for Eternal Judgment

There is coming a day soon when I will give an account of my life to Jesus Christ. This day is coming for you also. Paul, writing to believers in Rome, said,

"So then each of us shall give account of himself to God". (Romans 14:12)

Unbelievers, the fearful, liars, sexually immoral people and many others will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)

Perhaps all people, apart from small children, have been in one or more of these categories somewhere in their lifetime. The thing is for believers in Jesus Christ to repent of all these things, and be washed clean by God. God will wash us clean if we turn from it, and believe. He will wash us many times while we are learning to overcome sin. But if we basically want to keep the sin, and don't repent, there is every chance that we could come under this horrifying condemnation at the end of our mortal days. God is not mocked.

For believers who HAVE repented of these things, there is still an evaluation of our works and life. This will not result in our eternal destruction, but it WILL result in LOSS for many. All our life work not done in obedience to God will be burned up. We won't have a reward for the things done out of mere human initiative, independent of God. And we will have a terrible regret and shame for that waste.

"If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire". (1 Corinthians 3:15)

This is why it is important for us to value everything NOW according to the way it will look THEN, before the Lord Jesus Christ at the judgment. A wise person lives his or her life in the light of eternity, and especially of this Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ.

The difficulty here is that MANY are not evaluating their lives according to God's standards, but rather, according to what other Christians seem to be doing. Perhaps we think that there is safety in numbers. Many Christians are occupied with the standards of this world and neglect the things God says are important. For example, we do our best to dress sharply when coming to church, but we do not take time - through prayer and meditation - to clothe ourselves with the presence of God before entering the assembly of God's people. We try to conform to a standard of outward appearance, but tolerate the presence of all kinds of ugly attitudes, selfishness and prayerlessness on the inside where GOD is looking.

It is a fact that many will esteem and applaud you if you do well financially. Money is power in this world, and those who have it can buy influence and honor. Honor? Yes, you can buy honor in this world by making some philanthropic donations to your children's school, or maybe by setting up your own school for destitute children. You can buy a house in the best neighbourhood, and join clubs with the right kind of people. There are so many ways to gain the esteem of man if you have money. But Jesus said you cannot serve God and Money.

"Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God." (Luke 16:14,15)

Amongst the people of God also, money can definitely take you places. Amongst pastors, the greatest honor generally goes to the ones with the largest church buildings, which, as we know, cost money - and plenty of it. Large church buildings enable one man to speak to more people at once, and collect more offering money at once. They put YOU on the map. And many are happy to vicariously enjoy a sense of achievement through their "man of God". While MEN may regard you as successful and ESTEEM you if you have a lot of money or real estate, it DOES NOT imply that GOD regards you highly at all. And the danger in pursuing these things is that in doing so we may neglect things that God values much

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