“For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says
the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” (Romans
14:10b-12)
Paul is quoting Isaiah 45:23 when he declares that all shall
one day bow before the Lord and give an accounting of ourselves. It’s my belief
that we will not be giving any explanatory statements regarding the life we
have lived, but rather our lives themselves will speak for us.
Where will
this take place? There is the White Throne Judgment of God (Revelation 20:11-15)
for those who don’t know the Lord and face His judgment. Then there is the Mercy Seat or Bema Seat of
Christ (Hebrews 9:3-5). The first passes
judgment, the second passes out rewards for our faithfulness to Christ or
withholds them for our unfaithfulness.
Some folks
foolishly think that will have an opportunity to state their case when they
face God as if they can wangle their way into heaven. Your name either appears in the Lambs Book of
Life or it doesn’t. The way you lived
your life and the decisions you made along the way will determine which seat
you stand before at the end of time.
If you think
this is the stuff of fairy tales, study your Bible carefully and consider the
words of Nobel Peace Prize winning French philosopher Albert Camus who once
said “I would rather live my life as if
there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live as if there isn't and
to die to find out that there is.” Until next time, walk with the King and be a
blessing!
