And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29)

It is not that we are raised from the dead that is so important, for all will be raised from the dead. It is what happens to us after we are revived.

Sometimes the house from Heaven, that with which we shall be clothed in the Day of the Lord, is referred to as a crown of life, or a crown of righteousness, or a white garment.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness [righteous deeds] of saints. (Revelation 19:8)

The term "righteousness," in the Authorized Version (Revelation 19:8 above), is unfortunate, because it could be construed to mean imputed (ascribed) righteousness. A better translation of the Greek term is "righteous acts," or "righteousnesses."

Notice that the members of the Bride are arrayed in their own righteous conduct, a righteous conduct resulting from their abiding in Christ. As Christ dwells in us His righteous Nature begins to be revealed in our conduct. Each righteous act proceeding from Him and developed in our behavior has the effect of weaving a robe of militantly righteous and holy behavior, a robe that appears before the Throne of God in Heaven. In the Day of the Lord, each saint will be clothed with the robe woven from his Christ-filled conduct on the earth.

. . . she should be arrayed in fine linen, . . . [which] is the righteousness [righteous acts] of saints. (Revelation 19:8)

Again, as in II Corinthians 5:10, we have the teaching that the one appearing before the beema of Christ will be handed what he has practiced during his discipleship on the earth.

If we sow righteousness we will reap righteousness. If we sow sin we will reap the consequences of sin.

This does not mean an individual who serves God with all his heart, who falls into a sin and then recovers and fights onward in the Lord, will be clothed with that transgression in the Day of Christ. God has made provision for the faithful saint who sins and who then confesses his sin, repents of it, and presses forward in Christ (I John 1:9). His sins will be erased from the record. The law of sowing and reaping applies, rather, to what the individual continues to practice.

The believer who does not serve the Lord but walks in the lusts of his soul and flesh will reap corruption in the Day of the Lord. The believer who presses on in God, confessing his sins when he stumbles, serving Jesus with all his strength, will receive glory. God will forgive and cleanse him in the midst of the battle. He need not worry about his shortcomings for he will not face them in the Day of the Lord.

But the careless, disobedient believer, contrary to current teaching and assumptions, indeed will face an angry Christ in that Day. He will not receive glory. He will receive what he has sown. He will be raised to shame and everlasting contempt. The consuming fire will be his portion. Whether or not he ultimately is saved is in the hands of the Lord Jesus.

To be continued.