The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Real You, continued

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (Deuteronomy 8:2—NIV)

"To test you in order to know what was in your heart."

The human heart is so deceitful it is possible not even God knows all that is in it. Therefore God keeps bringing us into circumstances that will reveal what is in our heart. Then God judges us according to what we did.

This is important for every saint to remember. God does not judge us according to what we think we are, our "good intentions." God's perfect judgment requires that He wait until we actually do something. Then He judges the deed so we as well as He understand that the Divine judgment is righteous.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10—NIV)

"The things done"!

The future rulers of the universe will be tested, taught, tested, taught, tested, taught seemingly endlessly. In the meanwhile our life (which is Christ) is hidden at the right hand of God and the remainder of our personality, including our mortal body, remains under the blood of the atonement.

If it becomes obvious we are not going to pursue the program of moral transformation, are not going to press into rest in the perfect will of God, then the program of salvation will cease and we will be set aside to wait for the final judgment. We may become ill or even die prematurely. We will not be raised when the Lord appears. When we are raised from the dead, at the conclusion of the thousand-year Kingdom Age, we will be judged fairly according to what we have done.

The Bible states we will not escape punishment if we neglect our salvation.

Those who are raised in the first resurrection, the resurrection that will take place when the Lord appears, have already been judged. Their sentence is to appear with Christ in the fullness of Divine Glory. They were judged as God brought out what was in their heart, showed it to them, and they confessed the area of darkness and turned away from it. Then God forgave them and removed the darkness from them. This is an eternal judgment.

When the Lord appears they will appear with Him as the judges of men and angels. The Apostles of the Lamb will sit on twelve thrones judging the tribes of Israel, as Jesus stated.

Who is the real "you"? Is the real "you" the dead "Adam" who was born of your mother and father and now, through the grace of God, is learning to keep the commandments of Christ and His Apostles? Or is the real "you" the son of God who is hidden with Christ at the right hand of the Father?

It is up to you to decide whom you want to make the real "you." (from The Real You)