Daily Devotional – Monday, November 22, 2021
And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. Revelation 20:12 (NKJV)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is a fundamental Christian teaching.
However, some Christians believe they are not under obligation to keep the commandments of God. They opine that any attempt to keep the law is tantamount to legalism – the attempt to win God’s favour by keeping the law.
On the other hand, Christians believe in the Judgement. According to Solomon, “… God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
One day, we will stand before God in judgement. The verdict will determine our eternal destiny. On what basis will God judge us?
The Judgement and Works
God gave the Apostle / Prophet John a vision of the Judgement and the criteria. John wrote, “And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” (Revelation 20:12).
God records our thoughts, words and actions in designated books. This means God cares about our lives after He has saved us. Our Heavenly Father saves us irrespective of what we have done but He judges us according to our behaviour after we accept Him.
Jesus’ Parable of the Goats and Sheep in Matthew 25:31-46 is about the Judgement. It teaches that whether one inherits eternal life or everlasting punishment, it depends on one’s treatment of others, especially those in need.
The Works of Salvation
After insisting that God does not save us because of our good works, Paul adds, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10).
God expects us to produce works of righteousness after we accept Jesus as personal Saviour and Lord. We obey the commandments of God as a fruit of His saving power, not because we want Him to save us.
By our own strength, we cannot obey God. That is why God promises to fill us with the Holy Spirit. As a result, we will produce the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) which are in tandem with the unchangeable law of God.
Remember, when Christ will seat to judge the world, obedience, works and actions will be the fundamental issues. Keep in mind Jesus’s words, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:21).
Lord Jesus, help me to be a doer, not just a hearer, of Your word.
What is your take on the relationship between salvation and works?