Eternity Your Choice; Judgement or Grace

God gave you a freewill.  

He's not going to override your will before you get saved, or after you get saved. 

You decide where you spend eternity, and how you spend eternity.

We are saved by grace alone, but there are a whole bunch of Scriptures on how we are judged by our works. 

How do we marry the two ideas together?

Your works are still judged, but you are not saved by your works.  You are saved by grace.

To understand, you have to understand point #1 which is... 

#1. Belief and behavior.  

Your belief determines where you spend eternity.  Your behavior determines how you spend eternity.  

I'm going to show you that there are degrees of punishment in hell, and there are degrees of responsibility in heaven.  

For this reason whether you are lost or saved, your works matter, but you are saved by grace. 

Ephesians 2:8-9(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.

Here are some verses which say our works will be judged. 

Ecclesiastes 12:14 (NKJV) For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

This passage was written of unbelievers. 

Revelation 20:13  (NKJV)The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

This passage was written to believers.

1 Peter 1:17  (NKJV)  And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.

Here's what Jesus said about works. 

Matthew 16:27  (NKJV)  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels,and then He will reward each according to his works.

Jesus also said to the Apostle John while he was in exile.

Revelation 22:12 (NKJV) 12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

It matters how you live.  Your belief determines where you spend eternity.  Your behavior determines how you spend eternity.

Don't get hung up on perfect behavior, but your belief determines your behavior.  

There are people who say that they believe in Jesus, but they don't live for Him.  That's evidence that they haven't believed.  

When you believe, God gives you a new heart. You desire to turn from sin and live for God. 

If you believe something, you do it.  If you don't do it, it's because you don't really believe. 

If you really believed in bathing you'll take baths.  If you really don't believe, you won't. In this way, our beliefs determine our behavior. 

Now I want to show you in the believer's judgment and the unbeliever's judgment in both judgments, your works are being judged. 

#2. The Judgment Seat of Christ.   

This is the believer's judgment.  This passage below is written to believers.

2 Corinthians 5:10  (NKJV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Let me clarify something. 

We are not judged for our sins since Jesus has already taken our judgment.  

But we are judged for our works.  

We will receive a reward, or lose a reward because of our works. 

Romans 14:10  (NKJV) 10 But why do you judge your brother? 

Or why do you show contempt for your brother? 

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

This passage below was written to believers. 

1 Corinthians 3:10  (NKJV) 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. 

But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 

You can build with temporal or eternal materials.  

Gold, silver, and precious stones which would survive a fire; however, you could build with wood,hay,and straw which would not.    

13 each one’s work will become clear; for the (Judgment) Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 

14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

1 Corinthians is the 2nd letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians because the first letter was lost. 

2nd Corinthians was the third letter written to them.  

God in His infinite wisdom decided not to save the first letter. 

The Corinthians had written a letter about the 1st letter with questions.

Paul is repeatedly using the words "now concerning" their questions about his first letter to them. (see 1 Corinthians 5:9, 1 Corinthians 7:1)

The Corinthians were struggling with whom their foundation was, Paul, Peter (Cephas), Apollos, or Christ.  

Paul said that we have one foundation who is Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11) 

You have a choice whether you're going to accept Christ, or live for Christ.

Even though you have Christ as your foundation.

You can build upon that foundation with things that will burn up, and you'll have no rewards in heaven. 

Here is Jesus saying the same thing as Paul.  

Matthew 6:1-4  (NKJV)  “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them.

 Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.   

Jesus is addressing your motive. Is it to be seen by people?  

It's okay if people know about it because God knows your motive. 

If you don't do it to be seen, you'll get your reward.

Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. 

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  

But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

You will personally meet the Father one day. 

1 John 2:28  (NKJV) And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

How would a believer be ashamed at the Lord's coming? 

Because he's not been living for Jesus. He might realize that he has wasted his life here on earth. 

He or she might be ashamed because everyone is receiving rewards when he received none, and the Father himself is handing them out.

The third point is the... 

#3. The Great White Throne Judgment.     

 It's for all unbelievers.     

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. 

And there was found no place for them. 

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books (plural) were opened. 

And another book (singular) was opened, which is the Book of Life. 

And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books (plural). 

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. 

And they were judged, each one according to his works.

The book is the Book of Life and the book has names. 

If your name is in the Book of Life, you go to heaven.  

If it's not, you don't go to heaven.  

If you want your name to be written in the Book of Life, accept Jesus as your Savior. 

Then, there are books kept in heaven because it's more than just names.  

It's about works. 

Then, you're judged by the books based upon your works if you're not written in the Book of Life by accepting Jesus as your Savior.  

Am I saying that there are degrees of punishment in Hell?  

Yes, I am. 

In the same way that there are levels of responsibilities in heaven.

Will the believer that witnesses, tithes, and serves the Lord receive the same reward as a believer who does nothing.  No! (Luke 19:11-24)

God gives to each according to his works. (Matthew 16:27) He is a righteous God! 

Let's talk about unbelievers now.  

Say a man is a relatively good man, but obstinately refuses to give his life to Christ.  

Will he receive the same punishment of Adolph Hitler?  No. 

Adolph Hitler killed 6 million Jews, and God is a just God.    

A believer isn't punished for their sins because they believed in Jesus.  He took their payment for all their sins. 

The relatively good unbeliever will have to pay for whatever sins he did commit because they weren't paid for by believing in Jesus. 

In Jesus' own words, He said...

Matthew 11:21-25  (NKJV) 20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:

21 “Woe to will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 

23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 

24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”  you, Chorazin! 

Woe to you, Bethsaida! 

For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 

22 But I say to you, it

Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Capernaum is where Jesus did most of his miracles.  It formed a triangle.  

It would have been easy to be saved there. 

Their judgment will be worse than Sodom which God wiped off the face of the earth.  

Paul said it too in...

Romans 2:5-9A  (NKJV)  5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 

6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 

7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 

8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 

9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil.

Since there are degrees of rewards in heaven, there are degrees of possessions in heaven.

Jesus taught...

Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 

20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

You can't carry any of your wealth with you, but you can send it on ahead. 

It's only common sense to do so.  Jesus told us too. 

In the same way that believers store of treasures, unbelievers store up wrath.  

Will some believers receive a stricter judgment?  

Yes.  

I will. 

I think about this all the time.  

The book of James says...

James 3:1-2(NKJV)My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 

2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

The Father is watching, and you get to choose which judgment you attend.  

The Great White Throne for unbelievers, or the Judgement seat of Christ for believers.  

Ask what are you saying to me today, Lord.  

The Holy Spirit is drawing you to the Lord Jesus Christ if you don't believe in Him.  

Dear God, please forgive me for all of my sins.  

I receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me.   

   

Notes taken from Robert Morris, Gateway Church 

http://gatewaypeople.com/ministries/life/events/bring-a-friend-a-gateway-series/session/2018/08/18/where-and-how