![]() ![]() If we have trusted Him for that provision, we will not pay the eternal price that is, we will not go to Hell. Christ paid the eternal price (Hell on the cross) for all our sins, once and for all (Hebrews 10:12-18). (Of course, it is empowered by the Holy Spirit nevertheless, God refers to it as our work.) Likewise, when it comes to rewards, God rewards us for our work, not Christ’s. God saves us because of Christ’s work, not ours. When it comes to salvation, our work for God is no substitute for God’s work for us. Conversely, rewards are a matter of our work for God. It seems obvious that giving account for those careless words we’ve spoken will make us feel bad. Jesus, speaking to both believers and unbelievers, said, “You must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak” (Matthew 12:36, NLT). If you disagree, keep in mind that these are not my words, but God’s. Some who have never been taught this may find it shocking, but God’s Word tells us we will be held accountable at the judgment seat of Christ for every deed we’ve done, including the evil ones. Did Jesus really mean “each one,” including believers, will have his or her works evaluated, to see if they are worthy of reward?Īnd how about this statement from the apostle Paul: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV). And yet…there are other true things also revealed in Scripture, which we must strive to reconcile with them.įor instance, Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done” (Revelation 22:12, ESB). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NIV)Įverything these verses say is true. “For I will forgive their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins.” (Hebrews 8:12, CSB) “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (Isaiah 43:25, NIV) “s far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12, ESV) You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19, ESV) ![]() “He will again have compassion on us he will tread our iniquities underfoot. The joy of Heaven is dependent upon the reality that God forgives our sins: Certainly, Heaven ultimately will be a place of eternal joy: “In your presence there is fullness of joy at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11, ESV). God promises total forgiveness for our sins, and without it we can’t enter Heaven.įirst things first. I want to explore this further than I was able to do in that interview. While many Bible verses teach this, most of us fail to live daily with the eternal perspective this truth should cultivate in us. I really appreciated Kirk’s question because of his Bible-based recognition of a truth many Christians don’t often contemplate, that “each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Romans 14:12). ![]()
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