Thursday, November 15, 2012
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 5:28-29 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
THE LAST JUDGMENT -- THE EVIDENCE
In a court of law, a verdict is handed down on the basis of evidence. In the court of human opinion personal opinion, gossip and hearsay have weight. In a court of law, opinion and conjecture have little weight, and evidence must be offered to support a verdict of guilty or not guilty.
When we must stand before the Judge, our advocate the Lord Jesus will speak on our behalf. Good works (by God's definition, cf. Hebrews 11:6) will stand as evidence of faith's existence. In this sense it may be said of those who die in faith that their "works do follow them" (cf. Revelation 14:13). Jesus was talking about the fruits of faith (good works) when he says, "Inasmuch as you did it to the least of one of these, you did it to me."
We stand justified by faith in Christ alone. Faith that trusts in Christ is, however, never alone. It is a living active thing that expresses itself in love, in fruits of faith.
When we stand before the Judge, good works (those things done in faith for Christ's sake) will stand as evidence of faith. Therefore those who have done good will go to the resurrection of life but those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation (cf. John 5:28-29). We will go to eternal life because Jesus lived and died for us. Our Spirit-created faith's fruits will stand as evidence that we have believed on Him.
