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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Terror of the Lord, continued
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:46-48)
It is our understanding that unless there is a widespread repentance in our day, many if not most believers will face pain and torment after death or when the Lord returns. They will experience pain and torment because they have not obeyed the Gospel. They have not repented of their worldly ways. They have not presented their body a living sacrifice. They have not hated their life, taken up their cross, and followed the Lord Jesus. They have not forgiven their enemies. They have not crucified their flesh with its appetites and lusts. They have not been diligent in the use of their talents.
They shall be judged and rewarded according to their behavior when they die. It is possible that many Evangelical believers in the wealthy nations of our day are not prepared to meet Christ. They are trusting in an unscriptural "pre-tribulation rapture" to save them. They are careless and lukewarm concerning the things of Christ.
They have not worked out their own salvation with fear and trembling. They will not hear, "well done, good and faithful servant." They sometimes are foolish, silly, spiritually lazy people who have neglected their salvation. They shall be terrified when they die and find themselves in the hands of God.
It is because of the terrifying prospect of finding ourselves in the hands of God that we are exhorted to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Although we may have minimized the demands of God, the demands of God have not actually changed. Therefore we Christians can expect to experience the terror of the Lord when we die.
We are as children whose parents have been indulgent, caring more for our approval than our welfare. We are self-centered, selfish, despisers of those who are good, arrogant, proud, believing that God stands ready to wait on our every desire. How little we understand the consuming Fire of Israel!
When we turn away from the sin of the world and receive the Lord Jesus we are saved. What does it mean to be saved, in this sense? It means that Christ has become responsible for us. He paid the price for us; therefore He can give eternal life to whomever He chooses.
To be saved means the Lord Jesus will work with us until we are in His moral image and filled with His life. To be lost means that the redemptive processes of the body and blood of Christ and of the Holy Spirit no longer are available to us. We are cut off from the Presence of God forever. We are lost!
To be continued.