If We Are Saved by Grace, Why Will Our Works Be Judged?

If we are saved by grace, then why will our works be judged. This is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi welcome the program I Bill Meyer along with pastor Gabriel Sanchez. This is the radio show where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Our phone lines are open right now you can call us for the next 25 minutes or so. Here's the phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

By the way, we have a YouTube channel and you can watch a drill live in the studio right now on YouTube and every day Monday through Friday 11:30 AM Pacific time.

So check that out, see what culture he's wearing today and you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. You are quite kind of a fashion plate. You know that I met a fashion plate, never heard that bill but thanks man. I mean I just wear the same shirt every day actually is your wife dress you or do you pick at her own shop.

I pick my own shirts, all right, let's go to a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners earlier this week. Euro a question regarding Babbitt. So my thought is that even that the rumored Babbitt to give the holy what part of the old covenant. My understanding is that today, Christians are bound by that no if it day and to work and get paid on the Sabbath, so that he considered. Thank you. Yeah just just quickly because we we just answered one like this earlier this week as the Sabbath was a commandment is a part of the 10 Commandments.

These commands are binding upon the people of God.

This is God's moral law. God calls us to worship him and that looks like resting in him and in the redemptive work that Jesus Christ is one for us. I always like to go to the prayer that Jesus prayed at the end of Matthew chapter 11 case thanking the father for revealing these truths to to the babes hiding them from the wise and prudent, and then he says come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. True Sabbath rest is found in Jesus Christ and his believers under the new covenant were called to live in that rest and one of the ways we do this by gathering together with other Christians for worship on Sunday and so if if you're a Christian. This is something you need to be doing God calls you to worship together, together with his people and and and so I think that the way in which were faithful to this command here now under the new covenant is bite resting in Christ and gathering with believers on Sunday to dedicate ourselves, devote ourselves to worshiping the Lord and growing together in in holiness and certainly if if an individual is prioritizing work and making money and neglecting we call the means of grace, gathering together with God's people to hear the preached word but yeah that that that could very well be an issue of sin. That is an issue of of sin if you just if you think I do not listen to your call to worship my own thing that's disobedience. And so we want to submit our lives to the Lord in all areas and this is one of them got less than while said this is core Christianity with pastor Pedro Sanchez were open to your questions about doctrine and theology may be any doubts you have about the Christian faith. Maybe you practice a different religion.

You have some questions about Christianity. I would love to hear from you.

Here's the number it's 833.

The core our phone lines will be open for the next 20 minutes or so.

1-833-843-2673 let's go to Carson calling in from Birmingham, Alabama, Carson, what your question for atrial drill. The question of polity that is how do we stay focused on the goodness of God will regret the trials or their life is like everything is going wrong in our lives. How do we didn't think that he is not good or that he's a bandit so order practical ways that we can stay focused on him, such such an important question and in your IM and this is this is very practical course, our Lord Jesus said in John chapter 16 in this world you will have tribulation and we look at the lives of the disciples the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ is very clear that many of them suffered immensely many of them were martyred, put to death. You look at the early church. Read Jesus's letters to the churches in Revelation chapters 2 and three and they're experiencing poverty, persecution, weakness, and so in in our lives as Christians and in individually.

We do face these kinds of trials. What do we cling to their first it's so important for us not to associate God's love for us with our with our you know circumstances if you will you. I think I think we can look at our earthly circumstances.

Whether we know we have wealth and health and so on so forth and we could soak if I have these things God loves me if I don't maybe just he just doesn't love me but that's actually not at all what the Bible teaches that part of I think the error of the prosperity gospel because it's convinced so many people that God intends for you to be healthy and blessed if you just if you're faithful to Jesus man you're going to have money you're going to have health and so on and so forth.

But that's that's actually again, not what the Bible teaches. Think about what Paul said in Romans chapter 8 who shall separate us from the love of Christ and Carson. This is for you who will separate you from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written, for your sake we are being killed all day long we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered know Paul says in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, not the physical trials that we face, and so so in the midst of them at we need to be reminded of the fact that look this is not mean that God doesn't love me. We are more than conquerors through these things and God has exhibited his love for me so clearly in the fact that he sent his son into the world to die for my sins that I have eternal life through him and that he is using even these trials to sanctify me to mold me more into the image of his son, Jesus, for my good son I do know I don't know what that good is right now to join in the midst of it, but God is able to use this for his glory and for my ultimate salvation, and so I think you know we we heed the words of the author. The Hebrew since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. Hebrews 12 one. Let's lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

So it it's clinging to Christ, his gospel looking to him in the midst of the trials that we face and not minimizing the pain in the struggle and the difficulty God doesn't want you to brush it under the rug but taking those things to him lamenting while also trusting in his sovereign purposes for your life and one of the ways I think it just began practically is being a good community where people around you can lament with you and mourn with you and points you in the right direction because on your own when were all by ourselves.

It's really easy to get discouraged and so having people who know us who are part of our lives and who can speak the truth in love to us is so important. Carson may the Lord be with you. Father, I just, I pray for Carson in whatever it is that he's going to his loved ones are going to that you would be with them. Thank you that you are the God of all comfort you comfort us in the trials that we experience.

So would you buy the power of your Holy Spirit give him your comfort and help him to fix his eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith blessing Lord I pray in Jesus name meant man and Carson were love to send you a copy of the book core Christianity by our founder Dr. Michael Horton. It will hang on the line for second and give us your contact info would be glad to give it to you.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and we have an invitation for you today to join a very special group of people. Yeah brothers and sisters. I want to invite you to join the inner core it's it's a group of people who support us with the monthly gift of $25 or more and those resources go towards helping us continue to expand to get the word out and in answering people's questions. The difficult questions that they have about the Christian faith, giving insight into the Scriptures and into the know pastoral situations that we we know our encouragement for you and so if you been encouraged and blessed would you consider joining the inner core as a thank you. Will send you a copy of the book core Christianity, written by my friend Dr. Michael Horton. It's a wonderful resource and just will continue to build you up in your faith and for all of you have joined the inner core. I want to say thank you again. Your support means so much to us. It sure does.

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This is from grace and are all covered in or under the blood judgment. Talked about were being judged for our good and bad works so I don't understand if I remember our spend anymore.

Why during the even better work judge, though I question thank you when it comes to our justification before God. This is something that is settled by faith in Jesus Christ, so that we are not condemned Woodward justified the final judgment if you will has already been rendered in Jesus Christ.

And this is why the New Testament says that those who believe in Jesus can be confident on the day of judgment in him. And if if if getting into heaven was depend upon my works. Who of us could have any confidence special.

We consider the law of God and yet were told that believers can and should be confident first John chapter 4 verse 17 and John in his gospel records Jesus saying, in John chapter 5 verse 24 that we don't enter into judgment that is were not condemned but that the one who believes, is already passed from death to life. And so there's there's no condemnation for those are in Christ Jesus. Romans chapter 8 verse one but so many passages of Scripture do talk about works and the final judgment and so how do we make sense of this. We are to stand before God. We are to give an account for the things we've done in the body, whether good or evil. This includes everyone them is what what the apostle Paul warned about in acts chapter 17 verse 31.

It's what Paul himself, you know, but speaking to the churches reminded them of places like Romans chapter 14 verses 10 through 12 but but but that judgment isn't about being condemned before God or just if it we've Artie been justified in Christ.

And so we are going to be commended, not condemned for the good that we've done by the grace of God and and then Scripture speaks of these these rewards. These these gifts that God gives to his people that we have a lot of clarity as to what exactly that's going to look like this commendation. This blessing, but the Bible talks about it and so are our works if you will follow us not not as the cause of our justification before a holy God in the lives of the righteous works of Jesus Christ imputed to us by faith but but there is this language of reward and so here's a way you can think about about this is a believer.

I'm not going to be condemned because I'm justified in Jesus Christ but I will be commended for the good works that I've done there.

There are rewards that God gives to his people and that's something we look forward to it. We don't fully know what that's going to look like but we rejoice in the fact that God cares for us and is mindful of those things and will will reward us on the day of judgment. I'm hoping for a tropical island but I know will probably get a rock him. Oh yeah like oceanfront new creation property. I was just thinking about Bill not no joke. I was taking a walk my wife last night on the beach and I just that man in the new creation. I wouldn't mind one of you can afford it now, in this present evil age in the new creation. Maybe you know who know this is where I like to camp out. I'll put in the request for you. Thanks. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel serves as we still have time to take your call if you got a about the Bible or the Christian life. Maybe there's a passage of Scripture that's kinda got you stumped and you like to ask a drill about it. Here's the number 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 Scott Eric was calling in from St. Charles, Missouri Eric what your question for a drill project involved all well. I just want to know if I can get any help or at all about talking and witnessing my family members and friends have a lot of plans who are white and black, but may have about now.

A lot of my family members causing the flame are just so blinded by the liberal policy is almost nothing you can say sometimes it almost violet Angel and only hear it or not you not have contributing a lot of bellbottoms born in different names but this puzzle of how to go support all kinds of racist Planned Parenthood. But you know, started by Margaret standard legal things are about to teach you obviously were also banking all morning, but you kinda obviously wrong, then just any Scripture. Anything that you think I might could say use the Bible to convince now or how should I witness to them next Eric man. God bless you and in your desire to minister to your family members and to bring them closer to Christ. Admit. Is it men it is such a struggle because I have I have family members and friends who I love who think very differently than I do on these issues. So we've gotten into conversations at barbecues and you know family birthday parties that kind of thing that it can be. It can be hard but we do want to focus on what the word of God says we do want to present a compelling argument in whatever the issue is so they were talking about something like abortion and organizations like Planned Parenthood, one of the one of the strategies that I is just emphasizing look especially for people who kind of are on that side of the political aisle. There is a strong sense of you know we want to take care of vulnerable marginalized communities and so when I'm having conversations with with family members who embrace you know the so-called in approach pro-choice movement. One of things I highlight is like look what were doing it did. There's a contradiction here because were talking about a community, the unborn, that is so extremely vulnerable and yet they're not receiving the care that they should receive where dehumanizing them.

Frankly, is what what were doing and so is a presenting in that way. I think you're trying to help a person to see the inconsistencies in their own view and and ultimately right and just that if the reality of life and the value of life and there are passages of Scripture that you can go to their it's it's not going to be. I think one verse Eric I think it's going to be prayer consistent conversations, listening and then seeking to engage thoughtfully with the word of God, I'm challenging. Maybe some of the faulty presuppositions and also challenging. I think this sort of idea that hate because I feel this way about politics or I had to set align myself with this party. You know, altered like a hook line and sinker.

Everything after buying to all of it because you don't and the word of God challenges us challenges our beliefs challenges the way we think about the world. So I think even helping people see that that these are political views business not ultimate is that we get ultimate truth from we need to go to the word of God and especially if you have family members who at least are professing Christians who have a background in that I think appealing to that and saying hey, this is this is just you know you know that ideas were talking about what God says in his word what he calls us to not not just because it's it's right and true because it is, but because it's good for us. It's good for society and, ultimately, wanting to get to what you can debate about the politics Planned Parenthood all these things, you know, till till you're blue in the face you want to get to the gospel.

That's the main thing and so not just stopping the conversation. There, but but wanting more than anything to get to the gospel of Christ in your communication with your family members I think is so important. So friends but let let's not be satisfied with winning arguments about politics or policies. That's not what Jesus calls us to do. He calls us to be lights in the world through the proclamation of the gospel and that's where you want to focus.

Eric focusing on the message of Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of lords was gracious and merciful and forgives our sins and calls us to love our neighbors, including the unborn, those who are in need.

So I think I think approaching it in that way is so important. May the Lord bless you brother as you have those conversations give you patient's grace and wisdom, and open the hearts of your loved ones to the gospel of Christ Eric. We appreciate you so much. Thanks for your call and thanks for your heart where that's great counsel for all of us a drill as we approach this political season just now here we are couple months away from a major election and is going to be a lot of discussions around dinner tables, sand, workplaces, and this is this what are called to were called to point people to the gospel to the truth of God's word and who Jesus isn't. So thanks for that. That's, that's wonderful. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, just a note were to be recording a second episode of the core after our live program ends. So if you weren't able to get through.

You can still call us for the next 35 minutes or so with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 go to David calling in from Washington, Missouri David what your question for a drill. My wife was in a very abused marriage in her early days and she was very, very afraid of and she got pregnant.

She was very afraid of the child being abused. She ended up getting out of the marriage, but it was a very abusive American marriage should have an abortion because she was so afraid someone told me that she abortions a mortal sin and that she would not go to heaven because she had an abortion. Both of us are very very very Christian would read the Bible every day. We did every we try to be good people, by the grace of God that the child did go to heaven because God looks over all his children, unborn are are even born. But I guess my question was is someone told me that she wouldn't go to heaven. I was with her when she died.

It was a very, very, very religious experience.

The Holy Ghost entered me I it's hard to explain how when the Holy Ghost actually enters into your racing experience. I felt him come into me going to my arms in her when she died, and I do feel she want to heaven but I guess my question is is is abortion a mortal sin David. I am sorry to hear about the death of your wife and I'm sorry to hear about the abusive relationship that she was in and the abortion. All of those things to your question specifically is abortion.

The unpardonable sin of the answer to that is no the fee only unpardonable sin is the rejection of the gospel unbelief if you will. And when Jesus talks about the unpardonable sin is in the context of the religious leaders who were accusing him of being demon possessed him and they rejected him.

They wanted nothing to do with him. I'm grateful to hear that you and your wife love Jesus and pursued him inside to know him through his word, and so that we have the comfort of but it's not that we get into heaven because we haven't done heinous and horrible things we've committed terrible sins we want to minimize the gravity of our sin.

There are two places that sin is taken seriously. I've heard it said in Helen at the cross and our sins were taken by Jesus sins like abortion. Yeah sins like abortion on the cross where he endured the judgment that we deserve, so that we could have life and be forgiven, and so brother if your wife believed in Jesus trusted in him, confessed her system. Give me you can have confidence. I'm grateful that you had the sense of the Spirit's presence there with you comforting you in that moment, but I don't think that you need to to think about or believe that she's in perdition. Because of this, and because that's not the unpardonable sin all manner of sins and blasphemies will be forgiven the children a minute go to the Lord. We ask for his forgiveness sincerely and then for those of you listening right now. Maybe you've done something that I don't know if I can ever be forgiven look to Jesus turned to him, trusting him and receive his grace for you. His blood is sufficient for you. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

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