GRACE TO JUDGMENT

Karen was talking to a very misguided lady recently about suicide who said, “thank God for forgiveness,” well Karen was mortified at her words, but knowing the lady who get offended at the drop of a hat and is a know it all Karen moved on in the conversation. Later we discussed it and I felt the LORD say, here is a topic that needs to be addressed. I really love it when the LORD gives me an article this way. Wel, the lady was right “thank God for forgiveness,“ but once our life is over, once we close our eyes in death God’s grace and forgiveness is no more applied to our life, next for ALL dead (as some time or period) is judgment. I guess there is more confusion out there in Christiandom about judgment after death. I mean the Catholic religion believes in purgatory where you can pray or pay (indulgences) sins away from the dead to get into heaven and there are many other mainstream religions who pray for and pray to the dead to get the dead into heaven. But that is not what the Bible says happens in death, Paul in Hebrews (I believe Paul wrote Hebrews) writes “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27) This sounds vividly clear to me, we die and then we are judged. It does not sound like there is time for God’s grace to be extended to the dead. Now at the time of our death there are two types of people: those who accepted the finished work of the cross in their lives and Christ dwells within them and the second type those who did not accept the finished work of the cross in their lives and Christ does not dwell in them. Simple. God made it simple for us. Depending on whether or not Christ dwells in us will determine where we shall appear before God to be judged. If Christ dwells in us then we shall appear at the “judgment seat of Christ.” “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) Here, Paul is talking to Christians in a letter to the Church in Corinth. That would be “ALL” Christians will appear before the “judgment seat of Christ” to receive the things done in the body (while on earth) have they be good or bad. So, some Christians will receive some bad things from the LORD for their actions on earth and some Christians will receive some good things from the LORD. I wonder why we think (oh I know, because we are taught that) when we stand before God at the “judgment seat of Christ,” He will pour out His blessing on us? Well, no it says, “whether it be good or bad.” We as Christians are NOT going to get away with things that are not sin that would keep us out of heaven, but need to be cleared in our lives before we can “enter in to the joys of the LORD.” Things like, bad attitudes and character flaws that are not sin, but displeasing to the LORD. Now, I know this is correct because John writes, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4) But, what are the people doing crying in heaven? That is right, they are at the “judgment seat of Christ” and God has dealt with the many things that Paul talks about in Romans, coming short. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) Now there is an “and” a conjunction which means two thoughts, things that are a sin and things that cause to “come short” of God’s expectation and “the glory of God” that are not sin. God has dealt with these “coming short” issues and our sin has been dealt with by our acceptance of Christ in our lives and now we can enter in to where, “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” I do not know about you my friend, but I am not looking forward to this time at all. And there is the second type of people. Here John writes not about Christians, but people from all of the ages who has not accepted Christ. Notice there was no time here for God’s grace and mercy, no time for God to forgive them. Their life was over and now it was time to receive from God what they have done in their body. And of course, the one thing they did not do in their body (while on earth) was accept Jesus Christ as their savior. John writes, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books (God is keeping track) were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:11-14) For them it was too late, no time for forgiveness they squandered their time on earth (in their body) they were judged by God and received their reward, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15) It was too late, no grace, no mercy, no forgiveness. I will be honest I am puzzled to why people, like the misguided lady Karen was talking too, believed things not written in the word of God? Again, salvation is simple. God has given us a Book, the Bible, to study so that we may come to know Him and His ways. God has asked us to spend some time with Him so we can learn how much He loves us. Well, I guess this lady does not study the Book, the Bible, God has given us to know Him and does not spend time with Him to learn how much He loves us. Maybe that is why this lady gets offended at the drop of a hat. In Galatians Paul was dealing with some folks like this lady who first believed in what he taught, but others (Paul called them Judaizers) came in and taught another message that contradicted what Paul taught so Paul had to write a letter, what we call the Book of Galatians, to get the Church back on track. In Chapter 5, Paul writes, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.” (Galatians 5:9-11) Or a little bit of sin will cause the entire body to sin. But in verse 10 Paul uses these words, “otherwise minded.” I think this is the problem with this misguided lady and most Christians who get off track from the Word of God, the Bible, because they get otherwise or of another mind. Others are able to put another mind, a thought, or a line of thinking in their mind that is contrary to the Word, the Bible, of God. This is what the Judaizers were doing telling the Christians in Galatia they need to add circumcision and keeping of the feast to grace to be saved. Paul said, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” (Galatians 3:1) They were “otherwise minded.” When we get “otherwise minded” we make the offense of the cross not popular, not acceptable, we go after messages of a hip Jesus, the shadow and not the substance, and when this happens we have no desire to identify with the death and shame of the cross in our lives. We do not want to hear the truths in the Word of God, the Bible, or even read them, but we go after the latest fad, the latest thinking, the latest concept which always ends in confusion, frustration, and isolation as with this misguided lady. The opposite of “otherwise minded” is single minded where we have a heart and mind for the Word of God, the Bible, and for Him and Him alone. Single in purpose and focus, single vision. Singleness of heart towards God. I received an email one day telling me why I should leave the ministry. It went on and on telling me how wrong I am and ended like this “and you never change your message.” Well, I thought what a compliment. So, I wrote only this back. “Truth never changes no need to change!” Written by David Stahl