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The Daily Word of Righteousness
My Reward Is With Me, #8
So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28—NIV)
When the Lord returns, we will be delivered from sin for all time.
How wonderful it will be to be free from sin in spirit, soul, and body! How absolutely marvelous! And this is the promise of God.
Paul struggled against sin all his life. He fought the good fight of faith.
No, I beat my body and make it my slave so after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (I Corinthians 9:27—NIV)
What will Paul's reward be, for having placed his moral behavior as a treasure in Heaven?
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (II Timothy 4:8—NIV)
The crown of righteousness. This is the reward for overcoming, through Jesus Christ, the sin which so easily can take control of us if we are not utterly vigilant.
But what of those Christians who do not gain the victory over sin?
They will not be delivered from sin when the Lord returns. They will not receive the crown of righteousness. They have not been faithful in the lesser and so they will not be entrusted with the greater.
They will not receive the rewards assigned to the victorious saint. They have not overcome the spiritual death that presses against them, and so those rewards we associate with the Christian salvation will not be theirs.
Some shall be saved by fire, meaning they will be stripped of all rewards and subjected to intense suffering until they are ready to enter the righteous Kingdom of God. No immoral individual ever will inherit the Kingdom of God, not by grace, mercy, or any other means. The Kingdom is a righteous Kingdom, and all who are part of it are filled with iron righteousness, fiery holiness, and stern obedience to the Father.
Among the prophets there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. Yet he who is least in the Kingdom is greater than he.
Do not let my words discourage you. They are true. But it also is true that the Lord Jesus will work with endless patience with the weakest of believers, if that person really desires to be in the righteous kingdom of Christ.
But those of today who are haughty, arrogant, smug in their assurance that since they have taken "the four steps of salvation" they cannot possibly experience anything except the most wonderful reception when they go to Heaven or when the Lord returns, are in for a very rude awakening. Unless they humble themselves, pray, and turn from their wicked ways, they are facing Divine fire even though they have taken the four steps of salvation.
There is no need for any sincere person to be discouraged because, as I said, Christ will deal with the weakest of believers until He brings forth victory. But those who are filled with their own ways, even "Christian" ways, have much to fear if they do not repent and turn to the Lord.
To be continued.