You will be Judged, therefore, Worship God

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:17-19

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?  Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Insights:  Our final subject with which we are going to examine this week deals with judgment.  We are to worship God while we are being judged.  As with the testing and the suffering, today’s verses tell us three truths about this judgment.  Firstly, God’s judgment begins with His family.  We call this judgment the Bema Seat judgment or the Mercy Seat of Christ’s judgment.  First Corinthians chapter three discusses in more detail this judgment.  The gist of it is that our works that are self-serving result in being wood, hay and stubble.  This kind of work burns up and will not last.  Work that is pleasing to the Lord, however, is gold, silver and precious stones.  These are eternal rewards that will never perish.  Our lives are going to be judged by God’s standard.  Secondly, God’s judgment on us is radically different from those who are outside of God’s family.  Revelation chapter twenty discusses in more detail this judgment which is called the Great White Throne judgment.  All those who are not born again face this judgment and they will ALL be found guilty and cast into the Lake of Fire where they will be tormented for ALL of eternity.  Thirdly, our judgment leads to life with God.  God is faithful to those who are born again.  He is going to accomplish His objective and bring us safely into His eternal care in His kingdom.  We can trust this gracious Creator with our very souls.  If we are born again, then we can trust Him to bring to completion that which He has begun in us.  Even though we will be judged, we can trust His judgments to be true and right.  He will lead us to eternity with Him if we are His children.  Praise the Lord I know where I will spend eternity.  It is my prayer that you know also where you will spend eternity.  Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and experience the first judgment that leads to life with God.

Questions:

1.  Have you come to realize that all will be judged and that judgment starts with God’s family?

2.  Will your life be full of wood, hay and stubble or gold, silver and precious stones?

Prayer: Father, I am fully aware that I have often performed for my own earthly reward.  I pray You purge my self-serving heart and may my works be pleasing to You.  At the end of the age, may my life produce gold, silver and precious stones.  Amen.