The Judgment Seat of Christ
Transcript
Welcome back as we begin another week of our series on how better choices will help you have a better life, both now and for all eternity. Today, I want to call to your attention an important statement made by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians, the first chapter. He said, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Notice that Paul doesn’t say we’re going to be judged on the basis of our beliefs. When you invited Jesus Christ into your life, you made a choice; a choice that would determine where you would spend eternity. But Paul did say we’re going to be judged and tested on the basis of our works. Our works are what determine the level of living we’re going to experience in Heaven. Paul affirms this again in 1 Corinthians chapter three where he says that if your deeds and choices endure as gold, silver, and precious stones, you will be positively rewarded.
If, on the other hand, your choices amount to hay, wood, and stubble, guess what’s going to happen? They’re going to burn, and there’s going to be little or nothing left on the scale to reward. You know to me, the sobering point of 1 Corinthians 3 is simply this: if anyone’s work is burned, he’s going to suffer loss.
Let me ask you this: how do you suffer loss in Heaven? Is that really possible? Isn’t Heaven the prize? Isn’t it the hope? Isn’t it the land we’re all trying to reach? Paul makes it clear that it’s possible to reach Heaven and still suffer loss. Loss of what? Loss of the reward you might have received if only you had made the right choices. If you made the wrong choices, your reward is going to be placed in the fire and burned up.
Remember, every choice you make brings a reward. Every choice you make has a consequence. Every choice you make pays you compensation both now in this life and in the world to come. And I pray for you to make the right choices; choices that will result in a better life here on this Earth and in the life to come. God bless you.