Traditions of Men VS.

God’s Word

“ #14. The Pre-Advent Judgment in Light of the Cross ”

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NASB) 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has
done, whether good or bad.

John 10:14 (NASB) 14"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know
Me,

1 John 4:16-18 (NASB) 16We have come to know and have believed the love which God
has for us God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in
him. 17By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in)the day of
judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but
perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is
not perfected in love.

Colossians 2:10; 3:3,4 (KJV) 10And ye are complete in him(Christ) , which is the head of
all principality and power:3For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
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When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in
glory.

Revelation 12:10 (NASB) 10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the
salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ
have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them
before our God day and night.

Deuteronomy 25:1 (NASB) 1"If there is a dispute between men and they go to court,
and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,

Daniel 7:9, 10 (NASB) 9"I kept looking until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of
Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure
wool His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire.10"A river of fire
was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were
attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And
the books were opened.

Daniel 7:21-22, 25-27 (NASB) 21"I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the
saints and overpowering them 22until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed
in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took
possession of the kingdom.

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'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest
One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given
into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26'But the court will sit for judgment, and
his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27'Then the
sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven
will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an
everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.'

Matthew 25:34, 41, 46 (NASB) 34"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come,
you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. 41"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me,
accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
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"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

1 Corinthians 15:52 (NASB) 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will
be changed.

Do certain text say that we are saved by our works?

1). 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NASB) 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what
he has done, whether good or bad.

2). Matthew 16:27 (NASB) 27"For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His
Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS
DEEDS.

3). John 5:28,29 (NASB) 28"Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all
who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29and will come forth; those who did the good
deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of
judgment.

4). Revelation 22:12 (NASB) 12"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with
Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.

5). 1 Peter 4:17 (NASB) 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of
God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey
the gospel of God?

6). Revelation 20:12 (NASB) 12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing
before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the
book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books,
according to their deeds.

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The verses we just read by themselves and out of context could support the idea that we
are saved depending on the amount of our good works/deeds. We will now see what
other verses have to say about this idea of “salvation by works”.

1). Romans 3:28 (AMP) 28For we hold that a man is justified and made upright by faith
independent of and distinctly apart from good deeds (works of the Law). [The
observance of the Law has nothing to do with justification.]

2). Ephesians 2:8,9 (NASB) 8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

3). Titus 3:5 (NASB) 5He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in
righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing
by the Holy Spirit,

4). Galatians 2:16 (NASB) 16nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the
works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ
Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law;
since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

5). Romans 3:20 (NASB) 20because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in
His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

6). Romans 4:5 (NASB) 5But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who
justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

The texts that we just read say that we are saved by faith alone. Well the Bible doesn’t
ever contradict itself so lets take a closer look at scripture to get a clearer understanding
on 1. How we are saved 2. How do good works play in.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NASB) 8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may
boast.
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For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Titus 3:5, 8 (NASB) 5He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in
righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing
by the Holy Spirit, 8This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want
you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage
in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

Titus 2:11-14 (NASB) 11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all
men, 12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly,
righteously and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing

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of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who gave Himself for us to
redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own
possession, zealous for good deeds.

So what’s the conclusion? Your faith in what Christ has already accomplished on the
cross, (Justification by faith) ALWAYS PRODUCES good works, AUTOMATICALLY.
Keep this in mind as we continue to view other texts that confirm this gospel truth.

John 15:5 (NASB) 5"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in
him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

James 2:21-23 (NASB) 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he
offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22You see that faith was working with his works,
and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23and the Scripture was fulfilled which
says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS
RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.

Genesis 15:4-6 (NASB) 4Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him (Abraham),
saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own
body, he shall be your heir." 5And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the
heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them " And He said to him, "So
shall your descendants be." 6Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as
righteousness.

Notice how Abraham was declared righteous the instant he believed. However years
later, (as we see in the next few chapters of Gen.) He offered up his son Isaac, believing
that God’s word in this promise would still be fulfilled, even if he had to kill his own son.
So this “work” of sacrificing his son came as a natural production of his faith in God’s
word. (Gen 15:6) Did this “work” make him even more righteousness? No! He was
already declared righteous by his faith ALONE! How ever genuine justification by faith
ALWAYS and naturally produces good works. So throughout God’s word, comparing
scripture with scripture, (and there are MANY more to confirm this conclusion) we’ve
learned that good works do not “add” to my salvation, or declare to God that I am
righteous. I am declared righteous, as an individual, the second I accept the gospel of
Christ. However if this faith is truly genuine, that Christ is now living in me, He will
begin producing works through me, not to prove that I am righteous, but to show that my
faith is resting in Him alone, and not myself. (Because of myself I can do NOTHING!!)
Works are evidence to the universe of my faith in Christ. (Matthew 5:16 16"Let your light
shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father who is in heaven.”) God is glorified by the works Christ produces in us, because
its evidence of how the gospel can change and then produce good works through sinful
mortals like us, just by faith in the complete gospel of Christ.

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