Let's hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. Ecclesiates 12:13,14. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:11,12. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. I Corinthians 4:5. 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; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. II Corinthians 5:10,11. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31. You Cannot Do Wrong And Get By Upon reading these verses, we're made to realize that we're ALL going to meet God. When God's Word says, For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ..., it means ALL, irrregardless of our position in life. When we think of coming into the presence of Almighty God, Who knows the secrets of the heart, Who keeps an accurate record, and Who'll give out the final reward for all eternity, it should cause every one of us to walk circumspectly in this life. There's a God who's standing in heaven's door, He is looking this universe o'er. He sees each mortal with a searching eye. We can't do wrong and get by. We can't do wrong and get by. No matter how hard we may try. Nothing hidden can be--everything He doth see; We can't do wrong and get by. Out in the darkness we alone may go And seeds for the wicked one sow. But there is an eye that's watching on high-- We can't do wrong and get by. Mistakenly, there's many who entertain the thought that when this life's over, all things end. There's some things they've done that they don't want to face up to, so they try to convince themselves that death's the end. However, the Word of God tells us in Hebrews 9:27, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. God has set two appointments for each and every one of us: death and the judgment. There've been many who've said, "I'm not going to die." There's no one who can refuse to go up to that final judgment. God has set it up and we will each, ALL of us, appear before the Judgment Seat of God. God is fair. He's set before us life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. Deuteronomy 30:19. Aren't we glad it's a personal choice we're allowed to make for ourselves? Someone might not like us and would choose hell for us--yet it's not done that way. We're given a personal choice to make for ourselves. We must individually choose whether we want eternal life WITH God or eternal separation FROM God in hell. Joshua 24:15 tells us, ...choose you this day whom ye will serve.... God's no respector of persons. He doesn't play favorites. He doesn't have any "pets". God's going to give out each reward just as that person has lived his (or her) life here on earth. Now I might be able to "fool" you or you might be able to "fool" me, but NO one can fool God! God's judgment will reveal ALL things. There's never been any more foolish than he (or she) who thinks they can fool God and get by. Mark it down, when each of us are brought into judgment before God, ALL that we've done will be revealed. Those who insisted on being dishonest with themselves (and God) will desperately wish they hadn't done so! Paul told us in I Corinthians 4:5, ...judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.... The "counsels of the heart" are those innermost secrets we hold in the closeness of our individual selves. We may have known one another for decades, but we still don't know as much about one another as God does. Living A "Double Standard" We're living in a day of hypocrisy. It's bad enough to be a hypocrite outside the walls of a congregation, but it's far worse when a person knows The Truth and professes The Truth, but still walks in disobedience. We may seem to be happy and rejoice in the church service, but God knows our hearts. Any old mossbacked hypocrite can jump up and walk the aisles. It doesn't matter how loud we shout or how high we jump: we need to just make sure we WALK STRAIGHT when we hit the floor! Paul told the Romans, ...As I live, saith the Lord, EVERY knee shall bow to me, and EVERY tongue shall confess to God. Each and EVERY one of us shall give an account of himself to God. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 12:13, Let's hear the conclusion of the whole matter... In other words, the "whole thing in a nutshell" was literally summed up in the words that followed: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. God's going to reveal ALL things about ALL people at the judgment. The Judgment Day's going to reveal every crooked business deal. We're living in a day when honesty is "old-fashioned". It used to be that a person's "word" was their "bond"--meaning if they told you something, they would keep their word. In this day and age, even a person's signature, fingerprint, and witnesses doesn't mean they'll "hold up" their end of a "deal" or "bargain made". Every one of us has dealings with people, and we'd better keep our business dealings straight. Have you made crooked business dealings in the past? Let me tell you, WHATEVER hasn't been taken care of (made right), is STILL ON THE BOOKS. Oh, man may have had to take a loss and "write them off", but God doesn't "write off" things against us simply because a certain amount of time has expired. ONLY repentance of it and restitution (wherever possible) will erase it. The judgment will uncover ALL things. Each of us had better think seriously and soberly about that which we do in our daily lives. When we set out to deceive, to purposely mislead a person, we're lying and where does the Word of God tell us liars go? But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and ALL liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8. There's so many "little" ways that we can "cut corners" in this life. We think because the pastor and congregation where we attend church don't know of something we've done, we're going to get by with it. We won't! There's an ALL-SEEING EYE watching each one of us. We get so messed up in our minds, our way of thinking about those we perceive as "getting by with something". We need to quit worrying about what somebody else is "getting by with" and take care of our OWN business! On "Judgment Day", every one of us is going to give account of (for) ALL of our actions, even every one of our words! The Word of God tells us that we shall give an account of EVERY IDLE WORD that we've spoken! Sure, there's those who seem to get by in this life with all kinds of dishonesty, but we need to look to our own selves and make certain we don't follow their practices just because "they're getting away with it". They aren't! EVERYTHING that we (and that means EACH person) have done, or FAILED to do will be exposed. That person who's one thing in church and something else outside the church doors will be exposed. That person who lives by one standard in town and another out of town, will be exposed. That person who's nice to a person's face but cuts them down behind their back, will be exposed. We think because we do things behind the cover of our walls and doors at home, nobody has seen us. WRONG! It'll ALL be exposed. Are you carrying two faces--one which is seen by those outside your home and that one you use behind "closed doors"? Do you have a tongue that runs in one direction around THAT group of people and in another direction around THIS group? In other words, is whomever you are with who dictates your speech? A double minded man is UNSTABLE in ALL his ways. James 1:8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Job 27:8. If you're playing the role of hypocrite today in your life, what are you gaining? When you step into the presence of Almighty God, will it stand up to His judgment? Oh we can look like a Saint of God: "Oh look at me, how pious I am: I am dressed just right, my hair is like it ought to be, my head is 'properly covered'. I am not wearing jewelry like Sister So and So; I don't spit tobacco like Brother Such and Such..." We may not "see" a thing wrong from the outward appearance, but God doesn't judge by our outward appearance. He goes right down into the innermost recesses of our heart. God Sees The Motive Of The Heart No one is exempted from God's day of judgment. That day of judgment is going to reveal every person who tried to hide behind the church doors, all the while cutting great swaths of destructive malice through the lives of their fellow men (and women). That day of judgment's going to reveal every preacher who used his position (of authority over the congregations) or his pulpit to slander, hurt, bruise or mislead another. Lay persons, congregational members, ALL will be judged. The judgment day will reveal those things that God convicted folks of to make right, but they refused to do so. If there's something you've been "holding against someone", you need to make it right, NOW. I John 4:20 tells us, If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he's a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? We'd better be about the business of dealing honestly with all people and making certain we're not harboring ill will against anyone in our hearts. Husbands and wives, parents and children, what old hurts are you holding in your hearts against one another? Simply because you're "family" doesn't give you license to deal harshly and wrongly with one another! ...If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:23,24. Oh my! Before we can even pray, we must make things right with our fellow man or woman. If you have dealt hurtfully with your husband or wife, don't try praying "around" them--you must FIRST go to them and make it right! Far too many of us have become plagued by rotten, stinking, self-centered attitudes which will take us to hell if we don't repent of them FIRST to those we've harmed, and then to God. The judgment will reveal ALL things. Is Your Conscience Clean And Clear? Several years after our dad died, Mother married a widower who our family had known for many years. He and his wife had attended Daddy's church for years and years; his wife had died about four years before our dad. In so far as "good men" go, he was a good man, but when Mama died, he acted ugly and said some mean-spirited things at her funeral. We moved away from the area and had no contact with him for a number of years. Then, we had cause to go back to the old hometown and take care of some business. As we started back home, the thought "occurred" to us to go see Ken. At first I resisted, even to the point of getting on the interstate, but turned around and went back. He wasn't at home. We stopped at a little store on the way back to the interstate and then headed for home, but once again felt we should attempt to see him. We went back and he'd just gotten home from town. We had a nice visit, and as we started to leave, the children all hugging him good-bye, "something" swept over me and I began to cry. I stepped up to him and gave him a hug. I told him that he had always been good to me, all the years I had known him and that I was sorry for any part I had played in causing him hurt. He was a big man, but he choked up and said, "I'm sorry, too; I was so wrong to have said what I did." Less than one month later we got the news: Ken had died suddenly, sitting in his recliner, of a massive heart attack. I knew immediately why I could not leave the area without seeing him--it was to get things "cleaned up" between us, and I'm so happy we did. For too many of us, a lot of the grief endured when someone dies can be attributed to regret. That's right, regret. Regret for old wounds that were never healed. Regret for that which we "meant to do" but put off doing. Selfish pride keeps us from making things right, too many times: "It's not my fault!" If a "fault" exists, we need to do ALL we can to make it right! All we can do is to ask someone to forgive us and genuinely mean it in our heart. If there's something further we need to do, such as reimbursement or paying back a long-overdue debt, we need to do it! If they choose to not forgive us, that's between them and God, but we've done our part to "make it right". God knows the intent of our hearts. If we've forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange God; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Psalm 44:20,21. God knows what goes on in our minds. He knows what we let build up in our imaginations. That's what's called the "intimate closeness of one's self". That's why David said, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23,24. Are you keeping in the way everlasting? Or do you just let your mind run, run, run? The day of judgment will reveal ALL secrets of the heart. For there's nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. Luke 12:2,3. NO, I said, NO secrets are kept from God. God hears every word that we speak, every conversation that we have--He knows the thoughts and motives behind all that we do or speak. Unfaithfulness Is Still Sin Unfaithfulness today is a common thing. Sociologists tell us that "variety is the spice of life". However, we'd better have it settled in our hearts as to which we're going to follow: the world or Christ. The Word of God tells us in I Samuel 15:22, Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.... Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:27-30. This hasn't changed today. Oh the world would have us believe that these are modern times and we should "modernize" the Word of God, but let me warn you--sin is STILL SIN in the eyes of God. And the part that talks about us dismembering our bodies? That doesn't mean that we're to start hacking off body parts, but we should be so adamant against committing sin that we would RATHER cut off a body part than commit sin with it! A prime example of unfaithfulness can be found in David. He stayed home from battle and got out of the divine order of God. All it takes is one careless move and we can be "on our way down". David walked upon the roof of his house, and from there he saw a beautiful woman by the name of Bathsheba washing herself. When David inquired after her, he found that she was already married; she was Uriah's wife. That should've been enough to stop a man who was "after God's own heart", but no that old spirit of lust rose up in him. David gave in to that lust and not only was unfaithful to God by his actions, but caused Bathsheba to be unfaithful to her husband. David got so caught up in "doing things his way", in making certain he got what he wanted at any cost, that he ordered Uriah to move up into the front of battle, knowing he would be killed. He was. Oh, there were no sudden lightning bolts! There was no immediate retribution or payment exacted by God for David's unfaithfulness. Like so many of us are, we think we've gotten away with something if we're not immediately punished for our wrongdoing. But just like David, we need to remember where God is when we're doing wrong: He's not "turning a blind eye", my friends. Soon afterwards, when David was enjoying a period of peace with his now pregnant wife, Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan showed up. Nathan didn't openly accuse the king of having done wrong; he merely described a situation (what we would today call "posing a hypothetical question") and asked David what should be done about it. When David gave his answer, Nathan advised him that it would happen just that way, and that he, David, was the one who was the wrong-doer. Some say that was when David found out his "great sin"; WRONG. David knew it was sin when he did what he did--Nathan's pronouncement of God's judgment against David was merely bringing out into the open what David had done "secretly". See, there's NO secret sins. We may hide them from our fellow man, but God sees and knows ALL. Do You Have Time For Jesus? The Judgment Day will reveal all the times people had the opportunity to get saved, but had no time for God. People are selfish with their time--they don't wish to give it over to God and use it for His glory. However, time's running out and it'll be too late to make a decision for Christ. We'll ALL meet God, in one condition or the other: saved or unsaved. Dear Readers, what are we going to do when our time has run out? We need to take the Word of God seriously--we can't allow ourselves to become so jaded by the world, so hardened in our hearts that the message of God can't stir us! The unbeliever who ridiculed and mocked the things of God will meet the same God as those of us who "professed" to know Him but wouldn't serve Him, will. We need to constantly be mindful that we know NOT the day nor the hour of our time to meet God, but it's for sure we need to live our lives so that whatever the moment, Judgment Day will not find us lost and undone without God