"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 an account of himself to God." – Romans 14:10-12
All of us on earth will someday stand in front of God and give an account of how we lived on earth. Each thought, word, and deed, will be plainly laid in the sight of God whether we hide it or not. As such, we better be careful how we live our lives.
The Bible tells us that we who believe in Christ must live a life worthy of our calling as God's children. And while we all know that everyone who does not believe in Christ and His finished work will be condemned, far be it from us that they will not believe Him because of us Christians!
Fear God
We must realise that as children of God, we will face a stricter judgment (see James 3:1). Whatever we say or do reflects our God, and this thought should actually make us sober. We as God's children represent God our Father, and how we live on earth is subject to His scrutiny.
While He's very loving and is committed to erasing all unrighteousness in us (see 1 John 1:9), He's also a Father who disciplines those whom He loves (see Hebrews 12:6). We must learn to both lovingly enjoy and reverently fear Him.
Knowing this, we should strive to live the life He wanted us to live — the life Christ died for us to live.
Here are some things we should stand for, the things that God will require of us who profess to be Christians.
1. Preaching the Gospel
First and foremost, Christ gave us a command to preach the gospel. If we don't, we disobey Him. If we don't preach to gospel, many won't hear it and be saved when they respond to Christ in faith. If we don't preach the gospel, it will be like a fire eating at our bones (see Jeremiah 20:9).
And if many don't hear the gospel because we refuse to speak and they die without knowing Christ, we'll be called to account for that.
2. Living for Righteousness
The Bible tells us that we died with Christ in baptism and were raised to new life in Him, a life imbued with His righteousness (see Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12). God has given us a new nature in Jesus and wants us to pursue Christ-likeness.
If we are truly saved and are truly in Christ, we will want to live for righteousness (see Ezekiel 36:25-27).
"Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:24-25)
3. Standing up for the Oppressed
God wants His people to be like Jesus – not a pushover, but rather a person who will stand up for God. Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, bring recovery of sight to the blind, to free those who are oppressed, and to declare the acceptable year of the Lord (see Luke 4:18-19). We must follow suit.
I don't mean that we should all call ourselves messiahs and let ourselves be nailed on crosses. What I am saying is that we Christians must all stand up for Christ and keep doing all that: to preach the gospel, heal the broken, set captives free, let the blind see (literally and figuratively), defend and free the oppressed, and to bring as many people as we can to the Lord.
What are we doing?
Very Important
Friends, Christ has already commission us to do His will, and has given us the authority to do so. He has even sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, our ever-present help in time of need. We have been given all that we need for a godly life (see 2 Peter 1:3). Let's live our lives the way God wants.
