Romans 14:10-12 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.  

 

Our lives are all about our relationship with God. Although we have relationships with other people, in the end, it’s all about us and Him. No one else will be able to make your case for you or condemn you. He is the only one worth pleasing and obeying. All believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and give account. 

 

Most folks strive to please other people and give little to no consideration about pleasing God. The truth is, when we please God, we will automatically please other people. 

 

There is no law against that which is pleasing to God. We read this in Galatians 5:22-23. Here Paul writes of the Fruit of the Spirit. But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

 

These benefits are not the fruit of one’s own labor. Nor are they inherited or granted by a person. They are the Fruit of the Spirit. They come to us ONLY by the Holy Spirit of God who dwells in us ONLY because of our faith in the Cross of Christ. It is impossible to please God without trusting in and having faith in Jesus and His Work on the Cross. All things of God come to us through the Cross.

 

The moment we truly accept Jesus as our personal Savior by fully understanding and believing in His Sacrifice for us, we receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit who moves in and dwells inside us. He brings with Him the Fruit of the Spirit listed above. 

 

As we read the scripture again, please notice that it is the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT; singular, not the FRUITS of the Spirit; plural. There is only One Fruit of the Spirit and it contains love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

 

As we live keeping our eyes on God and strive to please Him through our faith in Jesus and studying His Word, the Fruit of the Spirit develops within us. The Holy Spirit leads us in the path of righteousness and guides us along our way. Step by step, we grow stronger in our faith and are more pleasing to God.

 

At the Judgment Seat of Christ we will each give account for ourselves. There will be no negotiations. We will not be able to take anyone with us. Our lives are between us and God, period. We will answer for our motives, stewardship and the unrepented sin in our lives. 

 

With that said, why do we judge our brother or show contempt for our brother? What our brother does is between him and God. It has nothing to do with how God sees us. Our relationship is between us and God. To Him, we will answer and give account. 

 

Let us strive to live so that in the end we will hear God say, Well done, good and faithful servant.

 

Christ alone can……..turn the tide

 

In Christ alone,     Doreen

 

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