What judgment will you receive?

© 2016 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

“…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27).

How will God judge us?  Jesus told Nicodemus that this judgment determines who gains entry into God’s kingdom.  Only those made alive by God’s Holy Spirit will be allowed.

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). 

Many expect their good deeds to gain them access to Heaven when they die.  However, the Bible tells us that all those righteous things people do, trying to earn salvation, actually displease God.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6). 

This is because those who’ve not been made alive by God’s Holy Spirit perform their good deeds for the wrong reason.  Instead of doing good things out of love for God, they’re trying to bribe God with good deeds.  This, itself, is sin.  What do we earn with such bribery?

“…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27). 

When God’s Holy Spirit breathes life into a person’s heart, that person forsakes all efforts to earn salvation and cries out to God for forgiveness.  This individual realizes that only the blood sacrifice of God the Son, Christ the Lord, can pay the penalty for sin.  Saved people trust Christ’s work rather than their own.  True works of righteousness begin to flow joyfully from that person’s Spirit filled heart.  Their works are no longer performed to earn salvation.  Instead, they flow thankfully from a heart that loves Christ who has forgiven them.  They understand more fully than ever that the Bible is true when it says,

“…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27). 

However, they now know that Christ has paid their penalty for them.

When you die, will you be judged for your own sins or will you be covered by Christ’s payment in full?

If you try to earn your own salvation, you, yourself, will bear the judgment for your sins.  Only a soul that is trusting in Christ’s finished work will be saved.

“…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this…”

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