Preparing for the Judgment Seat of Christ
To whom are you accountable? Naturally, we think of our relationships—husbands and wives are accountable to each other and children to parents or guardians. However, some people act as if they answer to no one. But that is a dangerous direction to take because accountability is a safeguard to keep us on the right path. Ultimately, we are all accountable to the Lord God and His Word and will one day stand before Him to be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
So how do we prepare for this judgment? Here are four things we must do:
- We must receive the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior. Otherwise we will find ourselves at the Great White Throne Judgment suffering eternal loss rather than at the judgment seat of Christ receiving eternal rewards.
- We should review our lifestyle. We ought to consider the following questions: What am I living for? How do I spend my time? How do I employ my spiritual gifts? How do I give my resources? In what ways do I serve the Lord? In what ways do I honor Him? How often do I think about the Lord and thank Him during the day? Is my life pleasing to God? Are my relationships pleasing to Him? Then we should ask the Lord if there is anything He’d like us to change.
- We need to re-evaluate our priorities. Where is the Lord in the busyness of daily life? Do I make time for Him? What role does He play in my decision-making process? Do I seek His perspective on issues? Considering how good God has been to us, we want to be sure to prioritize the right things.
- We should renew our daily commitment to live a godly life and serve Him with our whole heart. Mornings are a good time to focus on the fact that we are responsible to live for God throughout the coming day. As a reminder, begin the day with Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
What is your first reaction when you consider the future judgment? Do you have anything you need to change in your life in light of the Judgment Seat of Christ? This awe-inspiring event should motivate us to use our abilities, opportunities, finances, relationships, and everything we have in a way that will enable us to stand before Him with a life worthy of reward.
