THE ACCOUNT WE MUST GIVE.

THE ACCOUNT WE MUST GIVE. The Positive Side of the Judgments of the Lost and Saved. 2 Corinthians 5:10-15

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Introduction:

1. The Bible clearly teaches there will be a day of accounting for every man, woman, boy and girl.

Heb. 9:27 clearly says, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."

The Bible's message of judgment is not popular today, and many denominations and churches never preach on the subject. They fail to understand that God's negative message of a coming judgment for us all, is in fact presenting the positive message of God's Grace and Mercy. Every time in the Bible God tells of his wrath and judgment on sin, it is always accompanied with the positive message of God's forgiveness to those who heed His warning and turn from their sin. God says, in 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

The negative message of judgment is a loving warning to all mankind and a positive message of possible forgiveness and redemption. Clearly that it why God warns us of the coming judgment because He want us to be forgiven and avoid condemnation. God gives every man a choice as to whether he will spend eternity in heaven or hell. God's love is shown in that the way to heaven is impossible for a man to earn or merit because he is a sinner and because of his sin under the condemnation of sin. Therefore God, Himself, came to this earth incarnate in man, the man Jesus Christ and He suffered and died for our sins. He paid the debt we could not pay and offers salvation...which means forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who will be faith believe and receive it. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

2. The Bible tells us of two judgments:

(a) The judgment of the lost: Rev. 20:11-15. It is called the "Great White Throne Judgment".

(b) The judgment of the saved: I Cor. 3:10-23, II Cor. 5:10-11. It is called the BEMA judgment, which is the Greek word for "Judgment Seat." It refers to the Greek Olympic and the place where rewards were given. There would be at the end of the competition a giving of rewards. Three rewards would be given: First place for the best athlete, second and third rewards for those that came in the next two places. It was not a place of condemnation, but only a place where rewards were given. God's judgment of Christians is the same. No one at this judgment will be condemned because they are forgiven of their sins and saved, but here all will be judged accounting to their works for Christ. As Paul put it we will judged according to how we ran the race of this Christian life.

3. It should be understood that everyone will appear before God at one of these two judgments.

Which judgment one stands before is determined simply by one fact: Whether one has believed and trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior or not. Neither judgment is to determine whether one goes to heaven or hell! That is determined now while we are living. Many people have the false idea that after we die we stand before God and He weighs our lives. If we did more good things that bad things we can go to heaven. In other words we by our good deeds can earn heaven. However, this is absolutely false.

If we believe God's word and receive Jesus as our Savior, we be judged at the BEMA judgment and will go to heaven. Everyone at the BEMA goes to heaven.

If we refuse to believe and die without receiving Christ, we will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment and everyone there is cast into the "Lake of Fire" or Hell and eternally separated from God.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:26).

What one does now determines where he will spend eternity. It is not determined after death. There is absolutely no judgment after death of one's works or deeds to determine whether they go to heaven or hell! That is a totally false idea and not taught in the Scriptures. No one, after they die, stands in judgment to determine if they go to heaven or hell.

4. This message, however, is addressed to those who profess Jesus Christ as their Savior. We will take a close look at the BEMA judgment of believers.

5. The emphasis today in many churches when they teach about heaven and the BEMA judgment is to stress that it is a place of reward. We speak of mansions in heaven, and of how wonderful it will be to see Jesus, "Face to face." All these things for many are true and are wonderful and reassuring. However, it is a message off balance when there is little or no mention of any condemnation at the BEMA judgment.

We are taught it is strictly a place of getting reward. We view it much like taking part in a contest where the main prize is a million dollars. However, we don't think we will win the grand prize and therefore we are content if we win anything at all. All we suffer is a little disappointment that we did not get the million. That is not a proper understanding of what the Bible teaches about the BEMA judgment. There will be people at the BEMA judgment who stand there with NO reward....nothing at all.

I. THE MISSING DOCTRINE (TRUTH) CONCERNING THE BEMA JUDGMENT OF CHRIST. 2 COR. 5:10-11.

A. In modern Olympic games there is a ceremony and place of reward where those that did well receive rewards. The Gold, Silver or Bronze metals are awarded. Many participated in the games yet only the few who win receive any reward.

ILLUS: Have you ever seen the face of the one who lost the game? I saw the final competition a few years back of the two women who were competing for the Gold metal in the standing high jump. I will never forget the look of pure pain of losing on the face of the women who lost. She won the silver, yes, but she suffered greatly because she did not win the GOLD, the first prize.

B. 1 Cor. 3:15, says that if a man's works are burned in the fire, HE WILL SUFFER LOST! It further says that some there will get no reward at all! This person will is saved, but "so as by fire." It has the meaning of referring to a person who runs out of a burning building barely escaping with his life. 1 John 2:28-29, says there will be "shame" for some at the coming of Christ as they stay before Christ Jesus.

"And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28).

1 John 3:3, tells us that those who are truly looking of the return of Christ, are purifying themselves now in preparation of Christ's coming.

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 33).

Lots of folks talk and sing about Jesus coming back, but the test of whether one truly in looking to Christ's return is determined by how they are presently living their lives! Hebrews 13:17, instructs the churches to obey their pastors, which means to receive God's word when they teach it. Why? Because these pastors watch for your souls and will have to one day give an account to Christ for what they did. Every message we heard preached that abmonished us to live for Christ and then went rejected....will be answered for. Every time God brought conviction to our hearts for some sin or unfaithfulness to the Lord will one day be brought back before us and we will have to give an account.

Most do not understand that for pastors there will be joy or grief experienced at the BEMA judgment. God is saying that the pastor will stand and watch as his congregation comes before Christ and will experience joy with those who faithfully served Christ, and grief over those that did not. Note how the verse is worded: "they must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you."

C. Most teaching discounts the "fear" of God. It is said that to fear God means we should revere Him, but not be afraid of Him. Yet, Hebrews 12:28, which is addressed to beleivers, says we are to serve God acceptably with reverence and also with GODLY FEAR! Verse 29, explains "For our God is a consuming fire."

"For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 1):30-31).

We should rightly be afraid and terrified at God wrath! But today, God's love is stressed with little mention of the fact that God hates sin, and will absolutely judge it! God is pure and righteous and holy. He will not condone sin and its destructive effects on us. The fact that God will condemn men to Hell because they rejected His provision for their salvation is proof enough that God deals harshly with the sinner. Yes, Jesus Christ is our dear friend and our loving Savior, but that does not mean He is not also our righteous Judge.

2 Cor. 5:11, Paul speaking of the BEMA judgment says, "Knowing the TERROR of the Lord, we persuade men." This is rarely taught in our churches but it is clear the BEMA judgment will will a sad time for many Christians.

D. Pastors who are faithful of the Lord are begging folks to serve God. The reason is because they see many of their congregation not serving God as they should. That is indicated by the poor attendance at services, Sunday School and Bible study. It is indicated in the fact only about 25% of Christians tithe and give thanksgiving offerings to God. It is seen in the worldliness that is so much a part of lives of many who profess to love the Lord.

It is indicated in that lack of comment to jobs that are assigned and poorly done. It is hard to get enough teachers, choir, nursery workers, and youth leaders. In almost every church only a hand full of the faithful do all the work.

ILLUS: In one church I once pastored I have a young man come to me and talk about the need we had for a good youth program. He said he was really interested in our young people and they needed to be taught and that our church had a great responsibility to them. He said he thought he might like to work with the youth. I was 100% in agreement with him, the there was a problem. The problem was this young man only came to church occasionally! Once in a while on Sunday nights, and rarely on Wednesday for Bible study. If there was some sports activity on Sunday or an event that supported his hobbies. . . he took his family there and missed church. He had the talent and ability and could have been greatly used of the Lord. He saw the need, but other things more that the Lord was important to him. He never really did anything for the Lord.

In the beginning of starting one church I had several come to me and ask me when we would start having Wednesday night services. They said, they really missed coming to Wednesday night Bible study. They said it was a long time between Sundays. We did not have a place to meet, but in a short time that changed and I started having Bible studies on Wednesday nights at our home. Not even once were they all there. Every Wednesday night there would be some excuse they could not come. Ball games, exercise classes, hobbies, visiting family or friends and a host of excuses were offered for not attending. They even said how much they got out of coming and about all they learned in the Bible study when they came...but they missed more than they came. It broke my heart! There were many Wednesday evening that Carolyn and I would be ready for the Bible study. She would have fresh coffee and something to go with it. But no one came. I cared for their souls and prepared the biblical meal each week that God wanted them to have. It hurt me deeply and I know the hurt the Lord also. How can the Lord build a church and win the lost when his own children will not even come to worship Him?

Hebrews 10:25, speaks of not forsaking attending church, which means worshiping, fellowshipping and studying the Bible with other believers. We need to be exhorting one another (building each other up). How can a believer help his fellow brother or sister in Christ when he is unfaithful and a poor testimony. The day of Christ's return is coming and Paul begged the Corinthians to receive the promises of God, and to "... cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the FLESH and SPIRIT, perfecting holiness in the FEAR of God."

In 2 Corinthians 7:2, Paul begged them to "open your hearts to us." He explained in verse 3. "I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you."

ILLUS: Even as I prepare this message my heart is heavy because I can think a many people over the years who never really became faithful to the Lord. They would speak of their faith in Jesus Christ and love of the Lord. They would stand for sound doctrine and were a really people. However, you never knew when they would be at church and they miss more services than they attend. Why? Most were are very involved in hobbies and Sundays were the days they enjoyed them. The are only in church when they had nothing else going on. Often their marriages was shaky and although that seem to be wonderful Christians the truth is, based on their actions, they put their pleasure before Christ. The Lord did not have first place in their lives and they are missing so very much. Many of them had children and the odds were they will go up confused and maybe not be saved. One day these professing Christians will stand before Christ Jesus the Lord and give an account.

With all my heart, I want it to be a good account that honors the Lord, but if they do not change...it will be a sad time. It might even be as Jesus said in Matthew 7:22-23, "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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

II. HOW THEN CAN WE CLEANSE OURSELVES THAT WE NOT FEAR THE COMING JUDGMENT?

A. The Bible says we do not have to stand ashamed at Christ's coming. Paul was not. 2 Tim. 4:6-8 He was ready. He knew he would receive reward. Why? Because he knew he had "fought the good fight, he had finished the race, and he had kept the faith." He emphatically states: "...there IS laid up for me a crown of righteousness..the Lord will give when He appears."

Paul urged them strongly saying 2 Timothy 4:1, "I CHARGE you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who WILL judge the living and the dead at His appearing." Verse 3 says there will come the time when believers will not endure sound doctrine. I believe many are in that state now. They know the truth, but will not live by it. They claim to know and love God, but He is not very important in directing the way they live.

B. WHAT IS THE ANSWER THEN? I John 1:9, tells us to confess our sins to the Lord. The verse says to confess and Christ will forgive us and cleanse us for sin. It means He will work in our lives so that we can overcome our sins. But aren't we already forgiven? Why does God say he will forgive us now, when other Scripture tells us we already are forgiven? Folks the answer is simple. At the BEMA judgment all we did whether living for the Lord, or not which is sin will be judged. Yes, we are forgiven, but the consequences of our sins must be dealt with. God cannot reward unfaithfulness.

Folks the BEMA is the place of setting things right before be presented to Jesus Christ as the "chase" Bride of Christ. C. The unfaithful Christian will suffer greatly at the judgment seat of Christ. He will stand having to look into the eyes of the One who suffered and died for his personal sins. Who went through great torment on his behalf. Many will stand there ashamed, fearfully so because they did not "...discern the Lord's body" 1 Cor. 11:29.

They that made little of Christ's suffering for them as those that sin and are not faithful to Him. There will be two groups there at the BEMA.

One rejoicing receiving crowns and reward that they in turn lay at Christ's feet in worship and thanksgiving to Him. They will honor and glorify the Lord Jesus who is worthy! (Rev. 4:9-10)

The other group will stand, ashamed, heads down with nothing to offer. Having received salvation they made little of it. They will suffer great loss. How terrible to stand face to face with Christ who gave His all for us and have nothing or very little to thank him with. We will see Him as He is the One who desires all our Honor and love. Yet, many will stand there acheing inside wanting with every fiber of their being to show their love for Him who suffered that they might have eternal life and heaven....but they will be emptied handed with nothing to honor Him. It will be a terrible day for many. BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE!!!!

It will not be pleasant for the latter group. In Hebrews 10:30, after begging believers keep the faith and abide in the Lord we are warned..."Vengeance is mine says the Lord...THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." Please note that the verse says God will judge HIS people. This is certainly not a reference to the lost, but to the saved.

This is surely not an idle meaningless threat. If there is not a serious negative side for those who have been unfaithful, the these Scripture have no meaning. It would be like the way so many parents today try to discipline their children. Many is the time we hear a parent say, "Don't do that, you will get a spanking!" Yet, the child knows the parent hasn't spanked him in that past and has said it a thousand times without taking any action. So, the threat has no meaning.

Surely God is not making an idle threat here. He means what he says! Verse 31 warns believers, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" Yet all this does not have to be, all we need do is to turn from the sin of unfaithfulness and live for Him.

III. CONCLUSION: WHAT THEN SHALL WE DO?

A. The unfaithful should confess their sins. They must Admit it and stop fighting with God about it, and stop trying to themselves and admit that we they are sinners. Jesus said he came to save not the righteous (they think they are without sin), but folks who will admit and accept that the are sinners and need God's forgiveness.

Those that repent, which means to be sorry and to turn from sin. GOD FORGIVES! Thank God...He forgives......

B. Would you do that now? Admit the sin that is surely in your life. Some more that others.

1. The secret things only you know about.
2. The unfaithfulness in your life.
3. The bitter or unforgiving spirit you harbor toward someone, maybe even a relative, ex-friend?
4. Your unfaithfulness in:

*Attending the services of the Church.
*Of not try to exhort and lift one another up.
*Robbing God of His tithe and not giving our offering of thanksgiving to the Lord.
*Setting by and letting others do the teaching, cleaning the church keeping the nursery and etc.
*Not regularly studying God's word.
*Not praying and spending time with the Lord.
*Husbands who do not really love their wives as the Bible says we should.
*Wives who refuse to submit and be the helper their husbands need.
*Parents who are setting a poor example before their children. *Using language unbefitting a Christian.
*Lusting after the world and all its hollow pleasure.
*Not visiting neighbors and witnessing for the Lord.
*Being unethical in our dealings with others.
*Lying, stealing...and a host of others sin.

1 Cor. 11:31, says "for if we should judge ourselves, we should not be judged."

C. "I beseech your therefore, my brethren, by the mercies of God, that your present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

CAREER DEVELOPMENT: A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

CAREER DEVELOPMENT: A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

Paul Minear, a Bible scholar, once remarked that the Bible is an album of casual photographs of laborers….. a book by workers, about workers, and for workers. The opening chapter of the Bible portrays God at work. Some of the specific images of God in the Bible include that of a composer and performer, metalworker, potter, garment maker, gardener, farmer, shepherd, tentmaker, and builder.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was a man of work. He was a skilled artisan, a craftsman who knew how to produce a quality product. He took great pride in His work. He said, “My yoke is easy.” As a skilled carpenter, He knew the difference between a yoke that was made well and one that was poorly built, for a well-made yoke was easy on a beast of burden. Of the 132 public appearances of Jesus, 122 were in work settings, and He used them effectively to teach great spiritual truths to His disciples.

Apostle Paul worked with his hands and supported himself while preaching the gospel in Thessalonica. For Paul, work was an arena to express his faith in Christ. He wrote, “If any will not work, neither let him eat” (2 Thes 3:10). Thus, Scriptures teach us that we are all called to do a work. The word “career” simply refers to pursuing an activity as a lifework. It’s a vocation or a calling. You may be called to work as an engineer, a medical doctor, an attorney, a homemaker, a farmer, or even a minister of the gospel.

The term, “career development,” is often understood to mean the work we do for a living or the career we pursue in our place of employment. Regardless of the nature of work we do, if we are going to advance in our careers, we must pursue a strategy of appropriate preparation, strategic positioning, acceptable performance, and proper perspective. They are, what I call, the four “P”s of career building.

Preparation

Preparation is the first step to reaching a career goal. When Apostle Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus and was called to take the gospel to the Gentiles, he waited for three years in Arabia before going to Jerusalem. There in that Nabateaen Kingdom, he spent time in contemplation and preparation before launching his evangelistic ministry in full stream.

Proper preparation is the first essential step for a successful career. Abraham Lincoln said, “I want to live in such a way that when I am called, I am ready.” If you want to be a doctor, you will have to undergo many years of study in a medical school. If you want to be a lawyer, you will have to go to a law school. If you want to be a skilled electrician, you will have to go to a trade school. Every career path requires a certain level of appropriate preparation.

Of course, before you can prepare for a career, you must decide on what you want to do. Career selection is not an event, but a process. And that process begins by first getting to know who you are. You need to know your abilities, interests, and values. You can engage in this self-discovery process by seeking feed back from your school counselors, advisors, pastor, family, and others trusted friends. Ask them what they perceive to be your strengths and weaknesses. There are aptitude tests you can take that will give you some clue about careers in which you are likely to succeed.

Second, ask what careers relate to your interests, abilities, and values? What professions interest you the most, or for which you have a passion? A great place to get information on career options is your local library or a nearby university placement office.

For some, their career path may require them to go to a trade or a vocational school. Careers such as law, medicine, engineering, or business generally require undergraduate and graduate studies. A word about college admission is in order here. College admission is based on a complex formula that takes into account your high school grades, record of extra-curricular activities, SAT cores, and recommendations from your teachers. Admission counselors want to see how you have performed in high school over a period of four years rather than base their decision just on one test score. Randy McDow, President’s scholarship program director at Georgia Tech in Atlanta said:

Long gone are the days when a high SAT score would suffice to win a scholarship from Georgia Tech. . . Georgia Tech’s presidential scholarship, strictly merit-based, will be awarded this year to students with SATs ranging from between 1200 to the 1600 maximum. High-test scores are nice, but they are no substitute for persistence, creativity, and communication skills when trying to master college course work and life beyond ivy-covered walls. It seems extremely shortsighted to so highly valued the results of a test taken in isolation when effective learning, living, and leading require interaction.[1]

It is important to keep in mind that it is not unusual for a person to have more than one career in his/her lifetime. If you discover that you are not fulfilled in your present career, you can always make an effort to change, provided you are willing to pay the price of time, energy, and money involved in that career move.

Positioning

Career positioning simply means putting yourself at a place where you are at a competitive advantage for your next career move. Each position you take must prepare you for your next assignment in your career path. I recognize that it is not always possible to plan your career with such precision. Sometimes, the Lord may put you in a position where you wonder how in the world it is going to help you in your career? But be patient with God, with yourself, and with others. God is at work in your life. Hold your ground and learn what you can in your current position. It just may be the right experience you need for your next career move.

If you are working in a corporation, every year you have a performance review or a time when you discuss your career with your supervisor. That is a good time to talk about what you want to do next and solicit input from your supervisor how best you can prepare for that assignment. Sometimes you may have to serve in one or more antecedent assignments before you can be considered for the position that you really want.

In Acts chapter eleven we read that the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to Antioch to investigate and verify reports about a revival that was sweeping across that region. He went there and saw what the Lord was doing. People were getting saved in large numbers. Barnabas knew that Paul was called to take the gospel to the gentiles, and he was the right man for the job. Paul was prepared and positioned to assume this challenge. It was the next move for Paul in his career path as an evangelist.

Performance

No matter what job you hold or what profession you pursue, you need to demonstrate your competencies if you are going to advance in your career. Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “to give attention to public reading of Scripture, exhortation, and teaching. He exhorted Timothy not to neglect the spiritual gift God gave him. Then he said, “Let everyone see the progress you are making in Christian service.” The Bible says, if you are faithful in little things, God will entrust greater things to you. Nehemiah and his friends were able to build the wall because they had a mind to work. In other words, they performed. Talk is cheap. Walk the talk!

Generally, four levels of performances are recognized in most professional work settings.

• Stage 1 performer: This person is a learner, a helper, performing sub-tasks under direct supervision. The person is very much dependant.

• Stage 2 performer: This person is known for a distinctive competence. He/she is a technical specialist, an individual contributor. This person works independently.

• Stage 3 performer: This person is a coach, a guide, mentor. This person has reached a level where he/she assumes responsibility for others. This person is Interdependent.
• Stage 4 performer: This person sets the course of an organization or the company. He/she is a pathfinder and assumes responsibility for the larger organization. This person is Interdependent

Ask yourself at what stage are you performing currently? What is required to move you forward from your current position? You may get your first job based on the school you attended or your technical competence, but from then on, what determines who gets to stay, who is promoted, who is passed up, is the level of your emotional intelligence. Many people who are book smart, but lack the necessary emotional intelligence will end up working with people who have lower IQs than they who excel in emotional intelligence.

What is emotional intelligence? It is our capacity to work with people, negotiate disagreements, and engage in teamwork. Daniel Goleman, a Harvard trained expert, notes:

The new rules predict who is most likely to become a star performer, and who is most prone to derailing. And, no matter what field we work in currently, they measure the traits that are crucial to our marketability for future jobs. These rules have little to do with what we were told was important in school; academic abilities are largely irrelevant to this standard. The new measure takes for granted having enough intellectual ability and technical know-how to do our jobs; it focuses instead on personal qualities, such as initiative and empathy, adaptability and persuasiveness.[2]

A study of what corporations are looking for from their MBA recruits shows that the three top competencies are: communication skills, interpersonal skills, and initiative. Jill Fadule, Managing Director of admissions at Harvard Business Schools said, “empathy, perspective taking, rapport, and cooperation” are among the competencies the school is looking for in those who apply.

Perspective

No matter what career we pursue, if we are going to find genuine fulfillment in what we do, we must keep our work in proper perspective. Our work is ordained of God. It was not a result of man’s rebellion. Adam, in his state of innocence, was given a task to do, to fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature. God intended man to work and find it fulfilling. But because of sin our work has come under its curse. As a result, we can no longer find our fulfillment in our work, no matter what it is. Because of sin, our work has become a drudgery and toil. The Bible teaches that Solomon had built houses, planted vineyards, and had male and female servants, And yet when he surveyed all that he achieved in life, he realized that everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind (Eccl. 2:4-11).

But God in Christ has redeemed our work from the curse of sin. We can now glorify the Lord through the work of our hands and find it rewarding. The Bible says: Whatever you do, work it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Jesus Christ you are serving (Col. 3: 22-24

The ancient Greeks thought that manual labor was an inferior activity. Aristotle said that the most perfect man would not soil himself with the labor of his hands. Reformers like Luther and Calvin regarded work to be noble and the arena in which we express our faith. They taught that God calls people not just to faith, but also to express that faith in all walks of our life. For example, Luther trumpeted the religious virtues of household chores saying, it has no obvious appearance of holiness, yet these very household chores are more to be valued than all the works of monks and nuns.

Finally, no matter what work we do, we must recognize that our careers are not an end unto themselves. They are only a means to serve the Lord and our fellow men. If we loose sight of this fact, we can fall into what Nathan Hatch of the University of Notre Dame calls the “the perils of professionalism.” His poignant words aptly put the whole matter into perspective:

Those called to the professions should bring to them a full measure of energy, diligence, and creativity. Yet our pursuit of the excellent should spring from a different motivation—our calling as Christians. The church of Christ does not need smug professionals, preoccupied with managing their own careers. The church does not need success-oriented members who reach out only to other winners. The church does not need those who expect the good life because of how hard they work. Instead, Christians are to live out the original ideal of the professions: to serve rather than to be served.[3]

WHAT HAPPENS HEREAFTER ?

WHAT HAPPENS HEREAFTER ?
What in Future – Everybody’s Conceren Today.

Curiosity to know about future, in man, is as old as the human history. It is one of the differences of human beings from other animals. We have a strong desire to know about our future. Many fortune tellers and the so-called predictors of future, exploit this nature of man. The human trend is to work today for tomorrow’s well-being. Students study and work hard for many years aiming a better future. The term future used above refers to a period just ahead a few more months or years during one’s life span, whereas Bible teaches about future, which will go even beyond one’s death. Bible is an incredible book which not only gives the history of the creation of the world, human beings and the things herein, it also gives a clear picture of what the earth and the human beings are going to be in future.


It teaches from the eternity past to the eternity future. Most of these revelations of the things to happen in future were revealed to the apostle John and recorded in the book of Revelation. John had these visions in the island of Patmos, where he was exiled by the Roman emperor Domitian in AD 95 during his severe persecution against christians. Jesus revealed the hidden future of the church, the human race, and the devil to His ‘beloved deciple’. John was asked to write and send this revelations (‘apocalypsis’) to the seven churches in Asia Minor (today’s Turkey). The prophetic message of the book of Revelation is communicated through apocalyptic images and symbolism. This is the most difficult New Testament book to interpret. Although the original readers probably understood meaning of this book without much confusion, in subsequent centuries many schools of thought came up giving various interpretations.

1. THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH (Rev 12:1-8)

The most imminent thing which is to take place in today’s world is the second coming of Jesus Christ. The number of prophecies in the Bible regarding His second coming is much larger than that of His first coming. Jesus will appear in the mid-air with angels and with the sound of the trumpet of God (1Thess. 4:16). At His coming, the dead in Christ, whose souls are hidden in the Lord (Phil 1:23, 1Thess. 4:14-17, 1Cor. 15:52), will resurrect in glorious spiritual bodies, and the true believers who are still alive will instantly be transformed into glorious bodies. These two groups will be caught up in the clouds with Jesus Christ whom they longed for (1 Thess. 4:16, 1 Cor. 15:22). This is called the Rapture of the church. The church of God, which consists of the saints in the past and the present, will be with Jesus Christ. The rapture of the victorious church is described in Revelation 12 as child caught up in heaven. The raptured saints will be with the Lord for seven years in heaven. At this point, great rejoicing bursts forth in heaven, and the marriage supper of the Lamb (Jesus) and his bride (church) is announced (Rev 19:1-10). The Lord will honour His saints with crowns and rewards according to their deeds and labor for Him on earth ( Rev 2:10,17; 3:11).

2. SEVEN YEARS OF TRIBULATION (Rev. 6 – 11, Rev 14 – 18).
The seven years just after the rapture, will witness the worst incidents in the history of human race. While rapture takes place Satan will be cast down to earth from the heavenly places in a war lead by the archangel Michael (Rev12:7-9). Satan will work against all the christians who are left behind the rapture. Satan works through a new world leader referred to as “the antichrist” or “ the beast” and the False Prophet is his spokesman.. The nation Israel does not have a worship place at present. The prophecies reveal that just after the rapture, they will re-build their lost temple. By this time, the antichrist will be chosen as the world leader and all his strategies seem to work effectively. His rule is based in Babylon(religious or state) and 666 will be his mark. No one will be able to buy or sell unless he receives this mark on his right hand or on his forehead (Rev. 13:16-18). During the first three and a half years, the antichrist will make peace pact with Israel too. God’s dealings with the Israel and the rest of the nations during this time are written in chapters 6 to 11 and 14 to 18, respectively. While God’s dealings with Israel is depicted by seals and trumpets, His dealings with the rest of the world, is accompanied by the appearance of angels and vials of wrath, and God’s wrath and judgement will fall on the world in general and in Israel, in particular. One third of the whole population will be destroyed during this time. Those left behind will go through this tribulation. Out of them, many will be killed as a result of their refusal to receive the mark of the beast. After the first phase of tribulation, they will be gathered up by the angels at the appearance of Jesus Christ in the clouds. This appearance is in the middle of the seven years (Rev 7:9-17, 14:14, 20:4 ).
After the first three and a half years of his reign, antichrist will turn against Israel and will break the pact and will put an end to sacrifice and offering (Dan. 9:27, 12:11) in the temple of Jerusalem. God will send two witnesses to make the Jews aware that the new world leader (antichrist) is the enemy of God. The two winesses will be killed by the beast and their bodies will lie unburied for three and half days and will be seen by the whole world. After that God raises them back to life and taken up to heaven (Rev 11:3-11). Towards the end of the seven years, the antichrist will declare a war against Israel. This war is known as the war of Armageddon. During the war, Israel will be at the verge of defeat. At this time, Jesus along with His saints and angels, will step on the Mount Olive and fight for Israel in the battle against antichrist (Zech. 14:4,5). Jesus will defeat the antichrist and bring victory to Israel. Israel will then realize Jesus, whom they pierced, is the actual Messiah whom they were looking for. As an outcome of the war, Jesus Christ will cast the antichrist and false prophet into the lake of fire and satan will be bound for thousand years.

3. THE MILLENIUM RULE OF CHRIST ON EARTH( Rev. 20: 4-6)
As a prelude to the thousand year rule by Christ, Satan is bound, preventing him from deceiving people. The millenial reign is the perfection of the first human rule in Eden. Christ and His saints will rule over the whole earth, and Jerusalem will be the capital city. The millenial kingdom is a period of prosperity and good health and the population will be increased. During the rein of this righteous king, the wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid …. (Isai 11:5-10).

4. THE LAST JUDGEMENT (Rev. 20:7-15).
During the millenium, Christ and His saints will rule the people with a rod of iron. This shows that even in the absence of Satan, not all people are obedient to Christ. At the end of thousand years, Satan will be released for a short time. Satan sows seeds of rebellion in hearts of men and he goes out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – to gather them for a battle. They march ahead and surround the camp of God’s people and Jerusalem, the capital of the millenial kingdom. At this time, Jeus and the saints are taken up to heaven and God sends fire from heaven upon His enemies to consume them. Moreover, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire, where the antichrist and the false prophet had been thrown. After the judgement carried out on the devil and his angels, Jesus appears as a great Judge seated on a ‘Great White Throne’ to judge the human beings. The earth and the sky fled away from His presence and all the dead, great and small, stood before the throne awaiting their judgement. They were all judged according to their deeds recorded in the Books in heaven. All whose names are not inscribed in the Book of Life, were thrown in to the lake of fire, where they will spent their eternity with the devil and his angels in great suffering. This is the second death from there no one can escape.



5. THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH (Rev. 21:1- 22:5)
God’s creation does not end up like a tragedy. The book of Revelation, the apocalyptic prophecy, concludes with glorious scenes that impart hope in believers. After the last judgement on Satan and the wicked, God brings about the New Heaven, New Earth and new Jerusalem as the final destiny of the saints (Rev. 21:1 – 22:5). From the dark chapters of human history which describes human suffering due to sin and its results and the rule of Satan now enter into a glorious eternity where there is no night, no suffering, no tears or death. God dwells among His people. Let us hope and long for “the Tabernacle of God with men” (Rev. 21: 3).
Life Application:
The ultimate victory is of God. God rewards His saints who stand firm for His words faithfully without compromising with the world and the devil. While on earth make sure that your name is written in the Book of Life and you are in the Christ. Flee away from all strategies of Satan to deviate your love and concentration in Christ. We need to be prepared to go with Jesus at His coming. A person left behind will have a lot of suffering, tribulation if willing to resist the devil then. When we prepare ourselves for His coming let us also prepare others for the same by making aware of the things in future.