Bow Now

Many people don’t think much about their future, but live just for today.

In a sense this is valid because yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not promised to us.

But the way that we choose to live today and the choices we make tomorrow do have an effect on our future destiny.

God’s Word divides people into two groups: saved and justified or lost and condemned.

There is a different place of judgment for each of the two groups.

For the lost and condemned the judgement is called the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15. These people will be judged because their names are NOT written in the BOOK OF LIFE. They will be judged by their works or deeds using the TEN COMMANDMENTS listed in Exodus 20 as a standard.

Each and every one of us has broken one or more of the TEN COMMANDMENTS (notice that these are not SUGGESTIONS), therefore every person that has ever lived should fall into the group of people who are lost and condemned.

But, God had a plan called ‘REDEMPTION’ that has made a way for those who will listen and obey to be saved and justified. Redeem means to ‘buy-back’. Mankind was created; Adam and Eve. Then came the temptation by the serpent (devil) and mankind lost their place in the garden of God. Adam and Eve were told not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they disobeyed. Therefore, God had to shut them out of the garden.

But, God in His grace, clothed Adam and Eve with coats of skins. This is the first picture in scripture of God divinely providing garments of righteousness. (See Genesis 3:21).

It is important to see that ‘blood’ had to be shed before God could make Adam and Eve coats of skins.

Genesis 3:21 is the first picture in scripture of being redeemed by the shedding of ‘blood’.

Jesus’ death on the cross of Calvary was the final fulfillment of being redeemed by ‘blood’.

Hebrews 9:22 says: "Without the shedding of blood is no remission (of sin).

Hebrews 9:28 says:
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.’

Once again let’s think about why we needed to be redeemed or bought back.

We were sold under sin by Adam. We can be bought back by Christ.

I Corinthians 15:2 says,
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

But, God will not force this redemption on anyone; each person of their own free volition has to receive God’s free gift (yes, I said free gift) of salvation to be redeemed.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:16-18

The word "BELIEVE" in these verses means: to have faith in, to entrust, and make a commitment to . . .

In these last verses we see the phrase ‘not condemned’ and the phrase ‘condemned already’. Remember we said that there were two groups of people: saved and justified or lost and condemned.

Jesus Christ is the only way to move from condemnation to justification.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by ME."

Jesus Christ also spoke of himself as a ‘vine’ in John 15:5-6 "I am the vine, you are the branches: He that remains in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. If a man remains not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."

The illustration of the vine and the branch pictures something that is living: in other words, when a person receives God's gift of salvation by receiving Jesus Christ, he or she enters into a living relationship with a living God.

Yes, Jesus is God ! ... 'God the Son'

This is not ‘religion’ that is cold and distant, but rather it is a living, vital relationship between God and His created beings whom He bought back with the ‘blood’ of His only begotten Son, Jesus.

Now let us discuss the place of judgment for the believer. Yes, even the one who receives the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross must come before a place of judgment. But, the believer’s place of judgment is a place where his works will be judged.

"Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted (well pleasing) of Him. 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. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God." II Corinthians 5 : 9-11.

The believer will be presented crowns, or he will suffer loss. This all depends on how he has lived his life after receiving the gift of salvation.

Jesus will present rewards for acts done in His will; for works, for spiritual endeavors, for our testimony, for the exercise of spiritual gifts, for stewardship of what God has entrusted to us, for suffering, for faith and hope, for faithfulness, and for our own labor.

Crowns will be given that we will be able to cast at Jesus’ feet as a thank you for the gift of salvation. (Rev. 4:10)

There is the Crown of Rejoicing for those who win the souls of men or women into the Kingdom of God. (I Thessalonians 2:19-20)

There is the Crown of Righteousness for those who eagerly anticipate the return of Christ.
(II Tim.4:8)

There is the Crown of Life for those who conquer trials and death by faith.
(James 1:12 & Rev.2:10)

There is the Crown of Glory for those who build up the people of God. (I Peter 5:2-4)

BUT, FOR THE BELIEVER THERE IS ALSO A WARNING:

CROWNS CAN BE LOST !!

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."
Revelation 3:11

The conclusion of the matter is thus: there are two groups of people. Each group will
individually come before a judgment seat. Each person that has ever lived will first
be classed as to whether they have received God’s free gift of salvation.

If a person did not receive that free gift of salvation he must appear at the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT and meet Jesus Christ as his JUDGE and have to bow before Him.

The second group who have received the free gift of salvation will have to appear before the JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST where his life as a believer will be judged, but he will bow before JESUS CHRIST as his or her SAVIOR AND LORD !

I pray that each of you will be in the group that bows before Jesus Christ as your LORD and SAVIOR . . . NOW!

Philippians 2:9-11
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father."

I Peter 4 : 17-18
"For the time has come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ?"

II Peter 3 : 7
"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men."