Living for Christ
Do you remember as a child doing something that you were not supposed to do? When your parents asked if you did this, how did you respond? What was it like knowing that you had disobeyed them and now they were very aware of what you did? Did you deny it? Were your eyes cast down and you couldn’t even look at them? You knew their judgment was going to come upon you, and you probably did not look forward to it.
We are blessed to be able to live our lives on this earth. We have a God who spoke all things into existence and even today continues to sustain our very needs. He has asked us to be obedient to Him. If we do as He says, we will receive a reward. If we do not obey, we will stand before Jesus and will be judged.
Listen to Paul as he speaks to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “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.” (NASB) In this passage there are several things that stand out to me. First, all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. How many does all represent? Exactly as it says, all, everyone.
Secondly, why are we standing there? The verse states so we can be recompensed for our deeds done while in the body—alive on this earth. What kind of things have you done? Have you followed good or evil? Have you helped others or hindered them? Is the life you are living a godly life or one that is committing evil? You will be judged by what you are doing.
Let’s think of something for the rest of the time we have. Can I expect Jesus to save me if my life is one where I am denying him, not doing what his word, the Bible, tells me to do? If I am taking God’s name in vain, stealing, committing all sorts of sinful acts, should I expect Jesus to admit me into heaven? If I am living more like the devil than I am for Christ, can I really expect to go be with God? If I have rebelled against what God wants me to do, is He going to say, “come on anyway!”? I don’t think so.
Paul told the Corinthians, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12) To the church in Galatia—Christians—he said, “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4)
If one truly repents of the sin in their lives and confesses it to the Lord, He will forgive. But we must not expect Jesus to save those who are consciously committing sin. Let’s renounce the sin and follow our Lord.