Scripture:
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. v12
Observation:
We will be judged based on what we have done which is written in books.
Application:
This text can be a scary one if we don’t read it in context of the whole Bible & the Gospel.
Wait, I thought I was going to be accepted because of Jesus’ works? I have no shot if they look at my actions!
This is true. We have ZERO hope if God judges us based on what we have done. ZERO. NADA. NOTHING. We will be found lacking & wanting & will not be accepted into the Kingdom if God judges us based on what we have actually done.
So what do we do with this passage?
See, in the Gospel, when Jesus saves us there is this special word called imputation. This word means that when we place our hope & faith in Jesus his life is imputed to us. It becomes ours. Our sin & brokeness is imputed to his.
It’s like our accounts were switched at the bank. You & I were broke, and he wasn’t. His account became ours, like we owned them, like we made that money. His account became nothing, like it was his, like he himself was bankrupt.
So… When God looks at the book for us, for his people, what will he see?
PERFECT.
ACCEPTED.
WORTHY.
ADOPTED.
MINE.
Jesus needed to be obedient in this life, so that his obedience would become ours in faith. When John says in Revelation that we will be judged on our actions we need not worry, because Jesus’ obedience has become ours if we are his. Praise God!
Prayer:
Thank you Lord for becoming sin in my place, so that I could become your righteousness. I don’t deserve this. You don’t owe it to me. I am totally unworthy but thank God, you are worthy. I am humbled Lord.