Good Morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from the book of 2nd Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 5 ⁹ Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. ¹¹ Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
The Apostle begins by teaching that we labor. When you labor it means to work. Before we became a believer, each of us were involved with the sinful works of the flesh, this is because the scriptures conclude that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But once we are submerged beneath the waters of baptism, we are to rise up and become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Our past misdeeds are expunged, so that we can take a step in a new direction. As our past was filled with bad works, now our future must be filled with good works instead. All of us have sinned, but through God’s grace, and a willing heart, we can become transformed into His chosen saints.
“For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:” 1 Peter 4:3
Ephesians 2. ² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: ³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
To inherit eternal life, we must repent of dead works, because unless you rid yourself of them, they will only lead to death.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.” — Romans 6:21
We must labor to eventually enter into the kingdom of heaven. Our lives need to be a labor of love towards the Lord. Each day we are working to perfect ourselves. Each day we are working at obedience towards God. Each day we are working at humble submission to His will. Someday each of us will be judged according to our works. Just knowing that fact should cause somebody to flee from sin. Each day God is watching to see who truly will be obedient to Him. We must prove our faithful love for Him by our works. Faith is the evidence of things unseen, and works are the evidence of our faith. No works, No faith.
James 2 ²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴ Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. ²⁵ Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Obviously, we have the precious gift of forgiveness through our Lord Jesus Christ, but we must act accordingly and cooperatively with the grace that He has supplied us.
Once again the Apostle continues…..
……..⁹ Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
To walk in an acceptable manner before God is to have a lifestyle that He approves of. Heaven is a place reserved for God’s saints, not for wicked impenitent sinners. Abiding in sinfulness has never been, nor ever will be acceptable to God. This is why God sent Jesus, so that we could get forgiven for our past and go and sin no more. Sinful and unholy living must be repented of, otherwise death will follow. Be not deceived, without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” — Hebrews 12:14
To be acceptable, we must be capable of coming out from the world and its sinful ways. Moses came out of Egypt and Lot came out of Sodom and Gomorrah. We must do the same to prove our love for the Lord.
2 Corinthians 6 ¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
We must lovingly obey Christ to become acceptable to Him.
“For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” Romans 14:18
Ephesians 5. ⁶ Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. ⁷ Be not ye therefore partakers with them. ⁸ For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: ⁹ (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;). ¹⁰ Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
You might give somebody a command to do something, to which they will respond ” it will be done.” But in order to get something done, it requires actions, and must be proved by works.
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” — James 1:22
Professing faith without submission to the will of God is complete vanity.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
— Matthew 7:21
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
— Colossians 1:10 (KJV)
When you obey God you are pleasing Him, which will result in being accepted by Him. When a child obeys their parent, they please them too.
“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1
Lastly the Apostle teachers….
……For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. ¹¹ Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
Paul was very concerned and filled with the fear of God, knowing what was going to happen to those who refused to repent. Paul wasn’t living like a wretch, like many people who profess Christianity do today. Those who reject the path of conversion and sanctification, will ultimately be punished by God. What are people going to think when entire families are cast into a lake of fire? They will be shaking their fists and gnashing their teeth. If they don’t think God’s going to avenge, they are out of their minds. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
“Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.” — Job 23:15
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
— Hebrews 10:31
By God’s grace, we must repent of dead works and submit and serve Him with an obedient heart.
Hebrews 12 ²⁸ Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.
The Christian life is about turning from darkness to light and from wrong to right. The path to heaven is clearly laid out to us through the teachings of scripture, and now the responsibility is up to you. Will you lovingly submit to the will of God? Will you take the opportunity that is granted through His grace, to change and amend your life? Will you yield yourself to Him with a meek and obedient heart? What will you choose to do with God’s incredible Grace? Will you use it to prove yourself acceptable to Him, because……
….. The Ball’s in Your Court
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
tlkjbc.com
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 