Do we really believe what we read in our Bibles? I mean, if we really believe something, then it should influence, direct and guide our living. But most of us just continue to live our lives any ole way we want to.
For example, take 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” Do we really believe this verse? Do we really take this verse seriously? If we believe it and if we take it serious, then it has to change the way we live our lives!
One day, we are going to stand before Christ and He is going to judge us! The reason He is judging us, is so we can be rewarded or punished. We will be rewarded for our good and punished for our bad. Is there really any other way to interpret this verse?
I know, some of you are reading this and you are wanting to play the “salvation card”! You are thinking: “Well yes, I do bad, but I am saved and that means that God has forgiven me!” It is true that God will forgive us, but if we are really saved, then it carries us right back to what Scripture says we should do if we really believe it!
If you are really saved, then it has to change the way you live your life! There is no getting around it! Way too many church people have played way too many games and are going to be surprised on that day when they stand before Jesus!
Jesus put it this way in Matthew 25:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Pretty much sums it all up, doesn’t it! Play games if you want to, just realize that there will be a day and it might be a lot sooner than any of us realize!
Michael Joe Harvell 