“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in." Matthew 23:13 (NKJV)
What could be the most regrettable and fearful legacy for a person to have follow them into God's presence on the day of judgment - aside from any question of their own salvation?
Could it be a legacy that recorded that someone fell or was misled along the way and was lost to The Father because of my conduct and life, or my poor representation of Christ?
I've actually stopped to think about this before and it's given me the cold opportunity for some serious reflection - not because I've attempted to intentionally mislead anyone in regard to things relating to our God, but because I've had concern about the record that I'm creating under the watchful and omniscient eye of Almighty God that I love who judges these things and what effect I may have had on someone else ... And I know well that I'm not perfect. I'm still human. It's not that I have fear around my own salvation - I fully trust Christ for that, but what will my God have known me for when I come into His presence then after leaving life here? What will be the truth of my reputation before Him as He has watched and listened now - not only to every word that I've spoken, but to every thought, and as He observed my every deed and motive? ... And did I cause anyone else to stumble?
Because I love my God deeply, I care about what He loves - and that of course leads me to consider my own imperfections ... and my fellow man.
"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 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. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way." Romans 14:7-12 (NKJV)
Paul wasn't speaking to unsaved heathens when he said that "each of us shall give account of himself to God" in chapter 14 of Romans - he was speaking to believers. So it's important for each of us to consider what we might need to repent of and ask forgiveness for now. And also consider the legacy we would like to write now - from this moment forward that more certainly honors Christ,... because we will stand before Him then to give an account.
"And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." " And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie." “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”" Revelation 22:10-16 (NKJV)
Then as now, it won't be about what happened to us in the past, who we might blame for our actions - why we did what we did, thought what we thought, or said what we said, ... but what we ourselves thought, said, and did, as we in all things respond to God as we live. It won't be about circumstances in this life, but how we responded. And most importantly, it'll be about the singular most important thing that any of us can do ... and that is how we honestly responded to God while in the commission of our lives here.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." Romans 12:1-5 (NKJV)
Going back the the verse that I opened with and the recounting of the interactions between our Savior and the members of the Jewish ruling body, as well as Christ's interactions with others in scripture tells us something very clearly if we're paying attention. Who was it that Jesus had trouble with? Who was it that He scolded harshly? - The legalists and the supposed experts of religious law! How many people were left wanting for the actual truth of God by the people that they were supposed to be able to look up to for such things and for the example then that they should follow? I'm one who believes that because of my faith in, and close relationship with Christ, that my salvation will be revealed by my permanent residence in heaven, I also believe though, that there may be room for concern still. In the moment that I am caught up to face Him - my Savior, my Lord, and my King,... what of His scars will bear my name?... And knowing myself, that I bear shortcomings now still, as I will certainly face Him then, will I have attributed in anyway to the fall or failure of anyone else that He loved with the same love that He's shown me so mercifully? Did I judge, misjudge, speak wrongly, act impulsively, think wickedly about others, or example poorly, the reputation and character of my Christ in a way that cost Him someone else by my own poorly written legacy? I pray not, but if I have in anyway, I pray in earnest also Christ Jesus to stand in the gap of my failure to rectify for the sake of the offended. For whom my Love loves, I am called to love also and I am concerned with this for both now and then.
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 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; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God." 1 Peter 1:17-21 (NKJV)
I'm not primarily concerned with my reward or position then. My concern is far more how I am loving my God both now and then. I know without a doubt that I can rely on Christ for my destination beyond this temporary life then, but as I face Him in eternity, what will He have known me for by my reputation - the very reputation - my response, that He Himself witnessed firsthand while I live now? What will He consider toward my reward to live out in heaven? Having learned about Him, His ways, likes and dislikes, and having walked in relationship with Him, it may well be to my benefit to think about how I have treated and am treating Him now, as my betrothed, and all that He is now and always as my Lord and my God,... before I stand face to face with Him then.
In Scripture...
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it." Deuteronomy 10:12-14 (NKJV)
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