“… each person was judged …”
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
(Revelation 20:11-15; NIV. Please read Revelation 20.)
When it is all said and done … forever done … all that will matter – really matter – is where I will stand on the day that the Lord God judges the living and dead.
“Each person will be judged according to what he had done …” – so my expectation of that day of judgment now or later is fearful … disturbing. My life – with my weaknesses and failures – cannot withstand such righteous scrutiny.
But my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He promised me. Therefore, I will await the Day – whenever that comes – with humility … for I know what I have done and what I deserve to get … and with gratitude … for I know what He has done for me and what He has freely given me.
ON SECOND THOUGHT: When I read these words from God … I am sobered (and more than a little ashamed) of all the petty and pitiful issues that I let distract me from what really matters … in this life and the life to come. Please forgive me, Father.
November 16, 2008 at 11:14 am
This passage can be very sobering. If not for mercy…grace…forgiveness….JESUS then we would all have to fear being judged “according to what we had done”. Thank you Father for sending Jesus so that I will not be judged according to my deeds because I deserve to be thrown into the lake of fire with the rest . Thanks to Jesus I have been forgiven….my name is in the book of life…I have nothing to fear!
It does make all other things insignificant . I am ashamed and a little (alot) fearful that I will let the world distract me….petty (and not so petty things) make me forget what is important….lose my place in the book of life and be judged according to my deeds.
Please God help me forgive others so that you will forgive me…..so that my name stays written in the book of life……so that I can feel joy, not fear on that day!
November 16, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I’m grateful that God made the Promise and made it possible for us to know that we are saved. I lived for so long not knowing, not understanding that I could KNOW. To say that I know that I’m saved makes me feel strange … who am I to say that … well, I’m one that believes God’s promise.
He wants my heart to be at rest. He doesn’t want me worrying for one minute about something that I can be sure of, something that I can have faith in.
The essence of life is me and God. When it’s all said and done He is all I have, all that matters. I need to keep that in the forefront of my mind … always.
November 16, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Well, I have to second what Snack said. I grew up thinking that even if I were faithful, I would/could never receive true salvation. I am pretty sure that wasn’t something I was directly taught.
What a relief when I found out that I could stand before God and receive his mercy and grace! Thank you God, for Tony Coffey who taught me about grace through Galations. That was such a turning point in my life and impacted how I viewed God, not that that changed God’s nature. It is like Snack has said before about it doesn’t matter what I feel about God. His promises are always true, even when I don’t feel deserving.
I am thankful to know that inspite of the mistakes I have made, and the ways I have sinned against God, my name is written in his book of life. He is faithful to his promises!
November 16, 2008 at 6:23 pm
I know that I deserve to be burned in the fire..because of the things I have done. But I know that I am saved by the blood of Jesus that causes me to appear clean and righteous before God. And I have Jesus as my advocate pleading my case before God. I don’t always feel that…I never feel worthy of that…but I know that I have that promise of salvation because God says so. And…it’s always right to agree with God! Faithful and True. Lord of lords and King of kings. Thank you Jesus.
November 18, 2008 at 7:45 am
there you go, Sherry – it is always right to agree with God! satan would love us to forget all those “good promises” (see the book of Joshua to learn about promises of God!!) or to doubt them…but then, that would be calling God a liar, and I am NOT gonna do that! And letting my ups and downs in sin be the barometer for God’s forgiveness and love is putting Him down on my level. His grace and mercy don’t stumble because I do – a promise is a promise…and He won’t break His no matter what, so I don’t need to doubt Him just because I doubt myself