Daily Devotion (July 29, 2024)
1 John 4:17–20
17Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
19We love Him because He first loved us.
20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
Love one another! To proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior is to love others. Loving others proves that God is going to deliver us from judgment. I’ve said many times, “Talk is cheap.” We can talk about love but it is proved in our actions. The Bible says God loves the world. How did He prove that love. John 3:16 says God proved it by giving Jesus to be the reconciliation for our sin by dying for us. Christians have no problem in standing before God in the day of Judgment.
For the non-believer standing before Christ is a horrible experience. The words they will hear are; “‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41).
For the believer standing before Christ the day of judgment is different. Billy Graham wrote, “One of the bible’s greatest truths is that when we turn to Jesus Chris in repentance and faith, God forgives our sins and gives us the gift of eternal life. We no longer need to fear death or hell or judgment, because Christ endured them for us.”
The Christian will stand before God but not to be judged for our salvation but to be rewarded for our good deeds. We need to know what we do in this life will be judged. We will stand before God to be rewarded for our good deeds. 2 Corinthians 5:10 “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.”
Not everyone does the same thing the same way. We must look at the heart of others. Thank God does not see or judge us by worldly standards. God sees the real person. He looks at the heart. If you find yourself standing before the Great White Throne, fear. If you are standing before the Judgment seat of Christ rejoice. Romans 8:1 tells us there will be no condemnation for the faithful believer. Good works done in the name of Jesus will be rewarded.
We are to serve God faithfully and in light of eternity; Paul writes in Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”