Does not God judge our works?

As far as judging our works goes, we fear because of the underlying concept that many of OUR works are OK, but also that many are not! Get rid of that whole mentality … we are in the realm of the miraculous! That is how Jesus and the apostles spoke of these things. To them it was a foregone conclusion that we were dead in our sins and had nothing but death to offer up.

What are the works that are evaluated as being good? What about the bad? It is as simple as the division between life and death, light and darkness!

Listen to John:

And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices (literally, “does”) the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. John 3:19-21

Questions:
• Who do NOT come to the light? Why not?
• Who DO come to the light? Why did they?
• Who does the truth? (forget the word “practices” — it is not there)
• Can you say you have EVER done the truth? If not, then what are you judging that by? Appearances?
• Who hates the light? Why? Why do they hide?
• Did we used to hide?
• Do we anymore?
• What is it that we show when we come to the light?
• Does any of this sound like our usual concerns over good and evil?
• Does it sound like it takes a miracle for one to come to the light?
• What is good?
• What is evil?
• Has this judgment already occurred … or are we waiting until we die to find out?

Paul’s writings follow a similar, but unique train of thought. There is NO CONDEMNATION to us in ANYTHING.

Love,
Jim