Before anyone says, I’ve heard this before:
2 Peter 1:12-13
12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.
13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,
I was listening to Christian radio yesterday, and someone came on talking about how we will have to answer to God one day for our sins. So I thought this would be a good day to clear that point up.
We will have an evaluation of our lives by the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed (A better translation is rewarded) for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Notice especially the word deeds. The Greek word is ERGON, and it means deeds, not sins.
Good – AGATHOS – something inherently valuable.
Bad – PHALLO – doesn’t refer to sin, but something that has no intrinsic value, like a counterfeit. It refers to things accomplished in your own power, not in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our evaluation is based entirely on whose power behind the deeds, either yours (flesh) or the Holy Spirit’s. What was your motivation?
Let’s look at this evaluation in more detail.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like
a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But
each man must be careful how he builds on it.
11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which
is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (So the
foundation is Jesus Christ, this refers to believers)
12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, (Gold,
silver, and precious stones are what is produced under the leading and filling
ministry of the Holy Spirit. Wood, hay,
straw are produced under your own power, with wrong motivation.)
13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will
show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test
the quality of each man's work. (It’s
not what you do, it’s how you do it!)
14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss (of rewards); but he himself will be
saved, yet so as through fire. (So
salvation is of course secure, because the foundation
will hold even through fire.)
So it’s your deeds, or work that will be judged, NOT your sins!
ALL your sins were paid for on the cross.
Remember how God sees your sins:
Acts
43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
Psalms 103:12
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Isaiah 43:25
25 "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake,
And I will not remember your sins.
Jeremiah 31:34
34 ... "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
If God were to make us pay the price for our sin, then He would be violating the principle of double jeopardy! The price for ALL our sins has been paid by Jesus Christ on the cross.
Of course, you may have consequences on earth for your
sin. You can’t rob a bank and expect not
to go to jail! God may discipline you,
but discipline is designed to train and correct, not to punish. You will never have to pay the price for your
sin (Rom
Therefore, realize that when (notice I didn’t say if!) you sin, you can just acknowledge it to God, and then forget about it just like He does!