THE JUDGMENT DAY: No event is going to be more important to you personally than the judgment day. A common proverbs goes, "Two things are inevitable: death and taxes." We add a third: the judgment day. And yet the topic is rarely discussed. Many Christians insist there is not even going to be one for believers (citing Rm 8:1).
The idea that there is not a judgment day for Christians is a Christian Myth. God is thorough; He will not leave one stone unturned in judging your life (or mine). In Mt 12:36-37, Jesus said, "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
No one is going to be left out.
"I'm going to appeal to my faith in Jesus to protect me," you say. Good idea! So are we. Nevertheless, our lives are still going to be examined closely by God. We are not out of the woods. One of the clearest scriptures for this is 1 Cor 3:12-15:
(12) Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, (13) 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. (14) If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. (15) If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
The context applies this judgment to Christian teachers. This is brought up again in James 3:1, "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment."
Stricter than what? We think James is comparing the judgment of Christian teachers with the judgment of all believers. According to Paul, this judgment "will test the quality of each man's work." He defines "quality" using things God created.
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Gold
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Silver
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Precious stones
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Wood
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Hay
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Straw
This is helpful. You should be able to look at your own life and gauge the quality of your work. Though the topic of judgment is gruesome, there is some comfort in the text. Paul says, "If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."
On the other hand, there is a big difference between a life filled with "wood, hay and straw," and a believer who is lawless. Jesus makes this point very clearly in Mt 7:21-23:
(21) Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. (22) Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' (23) And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
Jesus is emphasizing a point that is usually missed: these people expected to go to heaven, they believed in Jesus, and called Him Lord. But Jesus does not accept them. Why? Because they were lawless. He goes on to explain how you can avoid this happening to you (24-27). We recommend reading the rest of the chapter. It could change your life ~ forever!
"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil." (Ecc. 12:13-14)
"But," you might be thinking, "where is grace then? Am I still supposed to fear God even though I'm saved? He's my Father and He loves me unconditionally....doesn't He? Aren't all my sins cast into the deepest sea never to be remembered or mentioned? Are you telling me I will have to be humiliated before God as He parades my sins out for all to see? If that's the case, where's the joy in salvation?"
Some clarification is in order.
People often confuse God's "offer" of salvation (which is unconditional and available to all via the cross) with His assignment of the benefits of that salvation to individuals. Individuals are saved when they exercise personal faith and repentance. This means that salvation, individual salvation, is conditional and contingent upon our response to God's offer.
When we respond in faith to God's offer, confessing our sins and fully intending to turn from our corrupt ways, God rescues us from the domain of darkness and certain everlasting judgment, and betroths us to Himself as His intended Bride. This begins our life as a son or daughter of the Most High God, one that requires a surrendered will, ongoing faith and repentance, and growth in godliness. God is not mocked. Our life must produce evidence that our surrender is genuine, not just lip service.
This is what the Judgment will reveal. John tells us in his first epistle that faith, true faith, will be reflected in obedience to God, love of the brethren, walking in the light, and confession of Christ. (See the self-test elsewhere on this site.) If these things are manifesting in our lives, we can have confidence before God in the day of judgment and not fear, because we are being "perfected in love."
John says in 1John 4:16-18: "And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this [abiding], love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."
In other words, if you have come to know God's love for you and have confidence that you are fully accepted in the Beloved and that your life evidences the love of God in deed and truth, then you have nothing to fear. On the other hand, if you are unsure of where you stand with God, if you are unable to rest in His love and care, you might want to examine your life and heart for these signs of true conversion. If your salvation doesn't feel real, it may not be, and the Holy Spirit may be trying to alert you. Something may be inhibiting your fellowship with God: unconfessed sin; footholds of the enemy due to bitterness, anger, unforgiveness; unbelief; rebellion; idolatry. Face these things squarely and get them cleaned up and you will find yourself finally able to "have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame [or fear] at His coming." (I John 2:28)
Paul did say, after all, "Therefore also we have as our ambition...to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore knowing the fear [terror] of the Lord, we persuade men." (2 Cor. 5:9-11a) Meaning that those who are not living to God are in danger of great loss.
In summary, salvation is not a mechanical exercise based on a one-time prayer, nor is it mere mental assent to a few facts about God. It is a living, breathing relationship with the Creator of the universe who will not settle for pseudo-anything. He is real and He expects us to be real back. The reality of our faith will be tested by the Judgment and that Judgment includes a review of our life. If we are walking with Him in intimate fellowship and love, we have nothing to fear and every reason to rejoice with joy unspeakable.
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