There are times that people will ask, “Since we live in a pluralistic society in our country, why do Christians try to get their morality put into law?” Or they will ask, “Why do Christians back certain candidates for office?”

The answers to these questions involve much Bible study and a knowledge of the Word. As we read the history of Israel in the Old Testament, we see that Israel either flourished or languished depending on the leadership that was present. When Israel had a leader that “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,” the Lord blessed Israel. On the other hand, when the leadership was sinful, Israel suffered under the hand of God, and became all the more sinful as a nation.

As long as Israel obeyed the Lord, the promise to Israel in Deuteronomy 28 was one of blessing. However, almost twice as much of that chapter speaks of the cursing that would come upon the land when it chose to disobey the Lord. In other words, the nation was dealt with according to its moral conduct, with that conduct being measured by the law of the Lord. Since we are told in I Cor. 10:11 “And all these things happened to them as examples; and it is written for our warning on whom the ends of the world have come, ” we need to heed the warning! God says, in essence, “Obey my law and be blessed, but disobey my law and be cursed!”

It follows to reason, that a person who studies and believes the Bible would want godly leaders in office and God’s law as the rule of the land. It is not a matter of legislating morality. Every ruling body legislates some kind of morality, but it is a matter of accepting God’s law as the authority for our lives and the law for our land. That does not mean that every person in the land must be a Bible believing Christian, or attend a Bible believing church. (However, it would be wonderful if everyone did.) It does mean however, that when God has spoken about a matter, we must accept His Word as final.

Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world stand in awe of Him.

9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood.

10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plots of the people.

11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; the people He has chosen for His inheritance.

13 The LORD looks down from Heaven; He beholds all the sons of mankind.

14 From His dwelling place He looks on all the people of the earth.

15 Together He forms their hearts; His understanding is to all their works.

16 The king is not saved by a great army; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

17 A horse is a vain thing for safety; neither shall he deliver by his great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is to those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy;

19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we trust in His holy name.

22 Let Your mercy, O LORD, be on us, according as we hope in You.

Predestination and the freewill of man is our topic today as we consider the major doctrines of the Bible. Perhaps, no two doctrines seem farther apart from each other than these two. Predestination teaches that God controls the destiny of each person, and freewill teaches that each person makes his own choices, using his or her free will. It would appear that these two ideas could not coexist. Perhaps, after our Bible study today, you will see that they can, or maybe you will be even more emphatic in saying that they are poles apart. Let’s look at each of these concepts and the scriptures that would seem to teach each.

Those who teach the freewill of man would use, among other portions of the Bible, those that use the term, “whosoever.” There are many of these in the Bible.

John 3:14 But even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, 15 so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

Romans 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Ironically, this verse is in the chapter that speaks the most powerfully on the sovereignty of God. Romans 9: 9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

In the next chapter, we have further teaching on freewill. Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

In the last book of the Bible, the last chapter, God once again gives the invitation to all to come to Him for salvation. Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

Those who believe the Bible teaches that God predetermines the destiny of the saved and the lost would use the verses that have the word “predestined” or “predestination” in them. Here are several.

Ephesians 1:4,5 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Matthew 7:21 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. 22 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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Those who are predestined or chosen are sometimes called the “elect.” The word “elect”, means “one chosen or set apart, designated by God to salvation, predestinated to glory as an end and to sanctification as the means.” (according to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary) This term is used in several Bible verses. First Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Looking at the verses that seem to support these two opposing views, we do see one thing that sheds some light on the subject. In the verses that are used to support predestination, we usually find the words “according to the foreknowledge of God.” God, Who knows the end from the beginning, knows who will claim the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, as their payment for sin, and elects them to salvation, thus predestining them to Heaven. Psalm 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. I like to summarize that by this phrase, “There is enough room in the sovereignty of God to handle the freewill of man.” A God as awesome as the God of the Bible is in control of all things and all beings. However, our God is also a God of love, giving each person the will to choose or refuse His Son as Savior and Lord. To go too far on either side in this area, is to misinterpret the Bible. On the one side would be the fatalism that says, “Whoever God is going to save is who will be in Heaven, so we do not need to witness or send missionaries. On the other side is a view of God that makes Him inferior to man and bound by man’s decisions. Neither extreme is biblical.

As someone have aptly put it, “As you approach the gate of Heaven, you see the phrase engraved over the gate, ‘Whosoever will, let him come.’ After you pass through the gate, you turn and read the phrase again, and it reads, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:.” Ephesians 1:4

Now, the question comes down to this, “Have you chosen to receive God’s gift of life in His Son, Jesus Christ?” I felt led of the Lord to teach this lesson, because there may be someone listening today who may feel that they are not one of God’s chosen, elect, predestined saints. My friend, if you have an interest in Heaven, trust Jesus Christ today and He will save you. If you have not done so, and you would like to trust Him right now, where you are, just call this number and someone will be glad to help you, 1-800-888-7077. Don’t let anything stand in your way. God’s invitation is clear, and it is for you. “And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is a thirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

For more on this topic see BBN Bible Institute course # 00900 Doctrine of Salvation

Sometimes we go looking for something, and we are just sure we know where it is. We hunt and search, but it is not where we thought it would be. After a while, that item shows up in another place and we realize we would never have found it in the place we originally searched, because it was not there.

We often get questions from people who ask where in the Bible a certain idea or phrase is found. When I do, I think back to my freshman year in college. I had an idea for a message to submit to the “preacher boys” contest. I wanted to write the best sermon I was capable of writing. I wanted an attention getting start to the message, and I needed to locate that famous verse in the Bible, “God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.” I had heard that phrase many times, and just needed the Scriptural reference for it to make it a part of my introduction. After asking several people, I was referred to the library and a book on famous quotations. I was embarrassed to find that it is not in the Bible, but was written by a hymn writer, many centuries after the Bible was completed!

Not too long ago, a gentleman called here to BBN and asked where in the Bible he could locate the passage that spoke about the seasons of the year becoming indistinguishable as the end of the age approached. He referred to the unusually warm weather we were having for the winter season. When I told him it was not in the Bible, he would not accept my answer. After a little discussion about it, I pointed to Genesis 22 “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” God would not put a verse in the Bible that would contradict a prophecy that He announced until the time period prescribed has run out. The caller finally agreed that the phrase he had heard was not in the Bible.

Perhaps you have heard the phrase, “Cleanliness is next to godliness”, but your study of the book of Proverbs failed to turn that verse up. That is because it is most often ascribed to Ben Franklin, and is not in the Bible. “God helps those who help themselves” also qualifies for a phrase that is not in the Bible. “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) is found in the Bible, and would seem to teach almost the same thing, but it is not the same phrase.

Another caller asked about a phrase that had been quoted to him that would justify a man having relations with a prostitute if his wife was unable to meet his need. This phrase condemned spilling one’s seed on the ground, and thus it taught that the immoral act of fornication was the better of two alternatives. (The idea of spilling one’s seed on the ground is mentioned in Genesis 38:9, but the problem was one of not wanting to raise up children for his brother, who had died, not self gratification.) When I told him the phrase he had quoted was not in the Bible, he offered to bet me that it was. I declined, and told him one could always tell when something was not in the Bible if it violated a clear command of God. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” and “Flee fornication” are biblical verses, so nothing that contradicts them could be biblical.

Perhaps our problem is that we are not familiar enough with what is in the Bible. We, therefore, tend to fall for teaching that sounds like it could be in the Bible. Since we have the Bible to read, let us dedicate ourselves anew to reading its truth. It has been honored by literary experts, hailed by great thinkers, accepted by millions, but read thoroughly by so few. Rather than looking for answers that are not in that Book, let us find the Truth that it teaches. Read it, meditate upon it, seek to understand it.

As the billboard in Florida reads, “Have you read my book? A final exam will be given. God” Have you been doing your homework lately?

For more about this topic see: 0503 Understanding Truth

While salvation is free and available to all without cost, rewards in Heaven are promised in various places in the Bible and for various reasons. In Revelation 14:12, we read, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Their works do follow them. Not their words, not their reputations, but their works follow them. Some Christians talk a good game, but do not play the game by the rules.

First Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. Notice the word “strive”. That word means working hard, energetically, for a goal, a prize, a crown. The athlete in the Olympics gives his very best to earn a prize that will someday fade away. Paul says that we should work even harder as Christians, since our reward is one that will last throughout eternity, a crown that is incorruptible. Jesus put it this way in the Sermon on the Mount, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21.

Again, in that same sermon, our Savior talked about rewards in Heaven. Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians about a reward for good service for the Lord. First Corinthians 3: 8 “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” Note that good deeds done by family members, other church members, missionaries or pastors will not count for rewards for you as a Christian. It is the work of each individual Christian that will count toward that Christian’s reward – “according to his own labour”

In the last book of the Bible, the last chapter, we are again reminded of the existence of rewards for Christians. Revelation 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Notice that every one will receive a reward, not just the “stars” of the Christian community or family. So many times we only hear of the great things that have been done by those who are the famous among the Christians. Some missionary is martyred for his or her faith, and we are sure that they will receive the “Martyr’s crown.” Or some evangelist has one hundred or more come to Christ through his ministry, and we say that his reward will be great in Heaven. Yes, the Bible says in Daniel 12:2,3 “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” However, the evangelist may have to take a back seat to some saint who prayed for God’s power to be manifest in that preacher.

Jesus put it this way in Matthew 10:40-42 “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” Ephesians 6:8 says, “Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.”

2Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:Let’s look at several of the rewards or crowns that are to be given to Christians, and what the standard is for their award. Second Timothy 4:7 & 8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Paul states that a crown of righteousness is to be given to each one who fights the good fight, finishes his own course, looking for the Savior’s appearing. That means that the Christian does what God gives him to do, accepts what God has given or withheld from him, and still looks for the return of our Lord.

We read about a faithful follower of our Lord in Hebrews 11:24-27 “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” He accepted the reproach rather than the riches looking forward to the reward! A crown of righteousness would be the reward for this king of life.

Another reward is promised for a faithful saint who endures great trials and temptations without falling or losing confidence in God. James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” While the Christian may not understand the trial and may feel that it is undeserved, he nonetheless accepts it from the Lord and endures it. To the church at Ephesus, God said in Revelation. 2:10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

To Pastors and others who shepherd and lead God’s people, a special reward is promised. First Peter 5:1-4 “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock and when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” The under-shepherd is told to exercise the oversight of his flock, willingly, not for gain of money, and by setting a good example for his flock. For faithfully doing that, he is promised a crown of glory in Heaven.

The under-shepherds will also receive some kind of reward, based on the actions and attitudes of those they lead, First Thessalonians 2:19 & 20: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.” The flock will also receive a crown of rejoicing for following the under-shepherd faithfully. Second Corinthians 1:14 “As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.” Wouldn’t this lessen the number of church fights and conflicts if church members could realize that a reward awaits the Christian that willing follows faithfully the pastor who follows the Lord faithfully? It is not a competition between Pastor and flock, but a team effort shared by both!

Yes, there are rewards to be given in eternity, but remember they will be based on what we have done for the Lord here and now. Perhaps you have never thought of this concept of the Christian life. Obviously many are ignorant of this truth, or Christian lives would be different. Some who now live for the here and now, the self-gratification of this age, would live in the light of eternity. Remember, the rewards or crowns are often spoken of as not fading away! Will you have any eternal rewards?
For more about this topic see:  040203 Rewards for believers

We have here a doctrine that has caused some confusion among Christians. Some believe that sins prior to the new birth are forgiven, but sins following that are another matter. Others believe that all sin is forgiven at the time a person receives Christ as personal Savior and there is “therefore no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus,” therefore there is no penalty for sins that a Christian commits. Neither of these opposing views is correct.

While it is true that a Christian is a forgiven sinner, and the blood of Christ has paid for his sins, there are still consequences for sins that a Christian commits. First, there are consequences in this present life. If a Christian should get angry at a driver who cuts him off on the highway and try to get his pound of flesh by catching that car, maybe passing it and yelling at the driver, and crash, he or she could have permanent scars or disabilities as a result. God would forgive the sin, and the eternal penalty of that sin would have been paid on Calvary by the death of Christ, but God does not erase the scars or correct the infirmities.

Years ago I heard this illustration, and it has stuck with me every since. A young farm boy was having trouble behaving, as he should. His father gave him the project of putting a nail in the barn door every time he did something bad. He gave him a bag of nails and a hammer. For several weeks, the path from the house to the barn stayed well worn, as the boy obediently pounded a nail in the barn door each time he disobeyed. Soon he came to his father and said, “Dad, I am all out of nails! Now what do I do?” His father then told him to pull out one of the nails each time he obeyed. Some time later, he again came to his father and said, “Dad, I have pulled all the nails, but…” “But what?” his dad asked. “Dad, the nails are gone, but there are holes all over the door, and it is ugly!”

God pulls the nails through His forgiveness, but many times the holes are left as scars of the evil deeds and thoughts. King David got forgiveness for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, but he watched his young son die, his family ruined, and his fellowship with God break. Here is his prayer following his being exposed by Nathan.

Psalm 51: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

The results of David’s sin was a feeling of filthiness. A Christian is a lamb, not a pig. A lamb is uncomfortable in dirt and filth. He cries out for a cleansing. If you can wallow in the mud of sin and feel comfortable, you may not be His lamb. It also left David with a guilty conscience because he has sinned against God, and he knew it. By the way, a conscience is only a safe guide if the conscience has been tuned to God’s Word. David knew better, but sinned any way.

He had a feeling of disappointment, knowing that he had disappointed God. My dad did not discipline me physically very often. His worst form of discipline, as far as I was concerned, was for him to tell me that I had disappointed him. That hurt me far more than any spanking would have done. God allows the Christian to know that he has let God down. God’s love is still just as strong and meaningful, but the Christian knows a guilt from falling short of what God expects of us.

David also lost his joy. He mentions that in verses 8 and12. So many Christians are living below their privilege because they have unconfessed sin and a guilty conscience. Perhaps you are thinking of a sin right now that you need to confess to God, and perhaps confess to the person that was the victim of your sin. You need the joy of your salvation back, and sin is hindering that. You, like David, have lost the song in your heart. He asked God in verse 14 to deliver him that he might once again sing God’s praises. He also lost the respect of the world. Let me ask you, when was the last time you witnessed successfully for God? Sin can be like a sign hung around your neck that tells the sinner, “Don’t listen to me, I am a sinner like you.” Ask God to cleanse you and you like the forgiven, cleansed David, will teach transgressors God’s way! What do you suppose would be the result in your community of several Christians just got a good bath in God’s forgiveness tub?

Perhaps one of the most devastating consequences of unconfessed sin in a Christian’s life is not being able to conduct an effective prayer life. The Bible says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” Psalm 66:18. This can translated literally, “If I view and tolerate sin with pleasure, God will shut his ear to my prayer.” There will come a time when your prayer, not the prayer of your Pastor, a deacon, the listeners to Family Altar on this radio station, or anyone else, will be the one that will make the difference. It would be tragic if God stopped his ears from hearing you because you had refused to own up to your sin, confess it, and get God’s cleansing. He has promised, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” First John 1:9.

Paul warned the Corinthians of further consequences of unconfessed sin. He gave the teaching on partaking in the fellowship of communion or the Lord’s Supper. First Corinthians 11: 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” Notice that some Corinthians were sick and some had died because they refused to confess sin and judge themselves. No, a Christian cannot live a life of sin without bad effects, even sickness and death. While some sickness is not directly related to sin in a Christian’s life, much is. David’s baby with Bathsheba became sick and died because of David’s sin!

There are also results of that sin at the Judgement Seat of Christ, where every Christian will give an account of the deeds done in the flesh. Although Christ has purchased the Christian’s place in Heaven, there are still consequences of sin in the Christian’s life. There is such a thing as the Judgement Seat of Christ! Paul describes that event this way; “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted 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.” First Corinthians 5:9 & 10. Now I am not sure what this will be like. I am concerned because the very next thing the Apostle told the Corinthians was, “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.” Verse 11. Remember, unconfessed sin robs you of the opportunity to serve the Lord as you should. Isn’t it time to confess that sin to Him and claim his forgiveness and cleansing?
For more information about having your sins forgiven please see: What the Bible Teaches about Sin or visit BBN Bible Institute and study course # 12100 Doctrine of Repentence