Wouldn't it be wonderful if God's people, those who say they are born again, would determine in their hearts each day to find ways to out-love other Christians? Instead of "random acts of kindness" let's change that to "daily acts of kindness" and see how that brings peace in the world!
Think about it - instead of criticizing, finding fault and finding ways to convince those in our circle of family and friends they just don't measure up - if we actually believed and acted on what Jesus said? What did Jesus say? I'm sorry you have to ask, but let's read it together and vow to apply it faithfully from this day forward - I know I will.
Jesus told His followers...a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another...by this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another...John 13:34-35. In other words, if the body of Christ does not show love for each other, how dare we say we are followers of the Christ! Jesus Christ personifies unconditional love. It seems our words are not sufficient proof we are Christians - we can only be known by our acts of love for one another. Loving someone the way God loves us----begins with forgiveness.
If we don't apply His New Commandment to our lives while we live on the earth, when we die and stand before Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ, we will be devastated to learn what great loss we will suffer - albeit too late. Jesus will not be able to give us the reward He brings with Him at His return.
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened...and another book 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...Rev. 20:12 When were last together I asked, "In this mass of billions of human beings, how does Jesus differentiate between His followers and Satan's followers, so that all will understand clearly?"
We all know that Jesus knows everything, but I asked the question so that we can find out that the answer is in the Bible. This is important in case we have to make some adjustments in our lives while we are still on the earth in order to be presented as blameless, when we meet Jesus face-to-face at the Great White Throne, the day He returns. This biblical answer is not only for believers, but also for non-believers alike - those seeking the truth about Jesus Christ and eternal life.
Let's find out what one prophetic parable of Jesus tells us regarding how He differentiates His followers from Satan's followers. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory...all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats...and He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left...Matt. 25:31-33.
This text reveals that when the Son of Man (Jesus) returns for His people...He will sit on His throne of glory...where all people will stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ. This text is very clear - no interpretation needed - even though this is a future event. Jesus divides the masses into two groups - sheep on His right hand - goats on His left hand. How does Jesus know who is a sheep and who is a goat?
Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life...Rev. 20:12. If the name of a human being standing before Jesus is found in the Book of Life, this means that his name was preserved in this book by the blood of Jesus Christ. He is sheep. If his name is not found in this book, this means that his name was not preserved in this book by the blood of Jesus Christ. He is a goat. The Book of Life records the eternal destiny of every human being - it is final!
You may be asking right now, "Well what about all the people who lived before Jesus Christ? Good question. The blood covenant of Abraham and the Law of Moses provided eternal provisions for the people of that day. A Messiah - deliverer - was promised from the book of Genesis forward. Those who obeyed God, believing in the promise of a Messiah, are covered by blood sacrifices as directed by God, practiced in past ages. So their names are preserved, by blood and faith, in the Book of Life. Moses revealed that a name can be blotted out of God's Book - but only those who sinned against Him...Ex. 32:32-33.
Those who have followed my blog for three years know that I ask a lot of questions. So as I studied this prophetic parable, I asked myself, "Why must the separation of the sheep and the goats take place before we look in the other books?" At the Judgment Seat of Christ we see...books were opened...and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life...Rev. 20:12.
Books were opened indicates there are books that record the works of believers in Christ while they were on the earth. Paul said to believers...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...II Cor. 5:10. These works had to be recorded some place in order to be presented to each believer.
Why aren't the works of all human beings written in the "books" that were opened? The works of a believer - sheep - defines the house he builds on the foundation of salvation. The goats don't have a foundation of salvation, so they did not build a house for the Lord to be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ. They are already judged - condemned - by the rejection of all blood sacrifices provided by God throughout the ages. How did their names get in the Book of Life?
All human beings born on the earth were written in God's Book at conception. For You formed my inward parts, You covered me in my mother's womb...Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed, and in Your Book they all were written...the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them...Ps. 139:13-16. Since it was not our choice to be created, God gave all human beings equal access to Him and His Kingdom. But He did give us the choice to stay in the Book of Life or be blotted out. We get to decide where we will spend eternity - Heaven or Hell!
Since the goats names were blotted out of God's Book, no other books apply to them. What happens to the goats? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
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