Judgment of the Saints

Did you know we’re going to get crowns in heaven? We are. At least believers in Jesus will get them when they appear before the “judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). I think there will actually be three judgments: 1) the judgment of believers which will begin after the rapture, 2) the judgment of the nations after the battle of Armageddon, and 3) the Great White Throne Judgment of non believers after Jesus’ one thousand year reign.  In this blog I’ll only be talking about the first judgment. I’ll discuss the others another time.

1Corinthians 8-15 gives us a good picture of this first judgment. It’s obviously speaking to believers or the “saints” since the passage makes it perfectly clear that salvation is not on the line, but only the rewards for the works one has done for the Lord. Our works will be tried, and if our motivation is wanting, if we have not obeyed the Lord and instead followed our own inclinations rather than the Holy Spirit’s, and done a work, even a seemingly good work, because of self interest, then it will not be viewed as “gold, silver” or “precious stones” but rather as so much “wood, hay and stubble” to be burned.

At times I’ve collected my share of “wood, hay and stubble,” just as other times I’ve narrowly escaped doing so. One example was during the season when God specifically impressed upon me to concentrate on three things: His word, prayer, and writing. At that time a friend was going through a difficulty and asked me to work with her at a local mission for the summer. After praying about it, I felt the Lord’s permission, so I did. But at the end of the summer, instead of releasing the mission ministry, I began begging God to let me stay. I think He got tired of my whining and pleading because He finally came back with a one-word question: “WHY?”

I thought about that question long and hard, and came to realize my desire to stay at the mission was birthed only out of the good feelings I had about myself for working there. I felt like a “real” Christian, and my actions proved it! Sadly lacking in my answer was God Himself. My work was not an act of obedience. Neither was it for His glory but for mine. Fortunately, I didn’t continue at the mission. If I had, my seemingly good effort would have been nothing more than a bit of stubble.

The Bible tells us that God Himself has prepared the specific good works that He wants each of us to do (Ephesians 2:10) and that He gives us the will and the ability to do His will (Philippians 2:13) . Our job is just to yield ourselves. And here’s the part that blows my mind. After Jesus gives us the will and ability to do His will, after He provides all the grace necessary to do the things He’s asked us to do, after He’s given us the provision, the ability, the courage, the talents, after He’s given us everything required to succeed in our assignment, He rewards us with crowns for actually doing it!! Imagine!

Who is like our God?

Until next time,

Sylvia