2 John 1:7-11 - Our Works Will Be Judged

Today, Friday October 8 Our Works Will Be Judged 2 John 1:7-11 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but thatwe may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.” I know I said this yesterday, but let me say it again. You cannot lose your salvation but you can lose your reward that you have worked for. We do not work for our salvation but we must work for our reward. From verses we shared yesterday, I believe that our present performance will determine our future position in the Kingdom. One day every believer will stand before the “Judgment Seat of Christ”. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10) I believe the scriptures teach that the Judgment Seat of Christ will take place sometime during the seven year tribulation period that is taking place on earth. Remember the passage in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the 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. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” Our acts of service for Jesus that we do now will be judged at that time. I’m convinced our reward will not be based on the actual work or deed of service or amount of time or energy we expend, but on the motivation behind the work. What was your motivation in giving your tithe? Why did you give to the poor? Why did you teach a Sunday School class or sing in the choir? And when you did the act of ministry, what or who was you depending on to do it? Remember Jesus said, “Without me you can do nothing!” (John 15) In other words, if we preached the message, taught the lesson, witnessed to a friend, fixed a widows car, or anything we did, in our own strength or wisdom and was not totally dependent on the Holy Spirit and our motivation was to be seen or praised for what we did instead of doing it to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, then that work will be burned up and there will be no reward. Only those things we do with the right motivation and in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit will be able to stand the test of the judgment fire as gold, silver or precious stones. Everything else will be wood, hay and stubble and will burn up. Paul told Timothy that if we suffer with Jesus we shall also reign with Him. The reward will be a place of honor and special position and place of service in the one-thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth after the tribulation. Time and space would fail me here to share more about this. But when we study the book of Revelation I’m sure we will be telling more about these events. Today, make sure your motivation for Christian service is to glorify the Lord alone, and totally depend on the Holy Spirit for the grace, wisdom, strength and ability to fulfill the ministry the Lord has given you! God bless!