1 Peter 1 Part 5: The Motivation for Godly Living
1 Peter 1:17-21; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 - We will be before the judgment seat of Christ for how we lived. We’re saved, but we should also be motivated!
“If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”
1 Peter 1:17-21 NASB1995
Do you recall your days in high school or college, when you had a term paper due or a very important final exam scheduled? In those days, nothing motivated even the most slothful person (I can be usually be described that way) more than a deadline or the hope that you could achieve academic success with a well-received paper or a successful exam. If you were not motivated or prepared, then you were setting yourself up for failure. Some people had to cram for the final exam (guilty as charged) or rely on incomplete classroom notes or struggle to re-read a very boring 500-page textbook. And there were distractions: Friends who were done with their exams and wanted to party, efforts to get ready to move back home for the holidays or summer right after the exams, or even the time I struggled through final exams while fighting a serious infection, complete with a very high fever that caused weird hallucinations (I somehow did well on the exams that day).
Well, we believers will get a “final exam” from the judgment seat of Christ. We should conduct ourselves in fear during our very temporary lives here on Earth and keep this in mind as we grow in our sanctification. Unbelievers are brought forward to the Great White Throne, according to Revelation before their final judgment. Believers face our Savior, as noted in this commentary from GotQuestions.org:
The judgment seat of Christ involves a time in the future when believers will give an account of themselves to Christ. This is the plain teaching of Scripture: “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). The warning is to Christians, not unbelievers. As Jesus taught in His parable, the king is going to return, at which time he will require an account from his servants (Luke 19:11–26).
The judgment seat of Christ is different from the Great White Throne Judgment. That will be the final judgment of the wicked prior to their being cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15). Appearing before the Great White Throne will be unbelievers. Believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
The judgment seat of Christ does not determine our salvation; that matter was settled by Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf (1 John 2:2) and our faith in Him (John 3:16). All our sins are forgiven, and there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24, emphasis added).
So, believers are secure in Christ, but they still must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. It will be a time of examination and a time of reward. Jesus will inspect our works. What did we do with the resources God gave us? How faithful were we? Were we yielded to the Spirit, seeking to honor Christ and further His work in the world? If so, we will have reward (see Matthew 10:41–42). Did we neglect our opportunities to serve the Lord? If so, we will suffer loss of reward.
Our salvation and the hope of our eternal life are not dependent on works; you are saved by declaring Jesus as your Lord and Savior and repenting of sin. Our rewards from our Lord when He joins with us again ARE dependent on what we did with the time we had in this life after coming to Christ and how we worked, with the Holy Spirit guiding us, towards holiness and righteousness. Jesus tests believers with fire: If our works are worthy, then they will remain; if they were unworthy or non-existent then we pass through this fire, but are still redeemed. Paul talks about the “buildings” we are building in 1 Corinthians 3:
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NASB1995
We were redeemed with the most precious thing known, the blood of the Lamb; the shedding of that blood was foreknown before the foundation of the world. Can you, if you merely work to get a spiritual “C” after declaring Him Lord, actually look Him in the eyes, knowing how He suffered and died, and hope to get a nice reward rather than wanting to sink into oblivion? Will we hear “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord” and receive a crown of righteousness? Or will we, with downcast eyes, pass through His fire? Talk about motivation!
1 Peter is a tonic to the soul, so invigorating in how it lays out for us the path to glory!
My next devotional will examine 1 Peter 1: 22-25 - The necessity for love.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please guide me to a life of righteousness and holiness with your Holy Spirit. I want to look at my Savior when the day comes and be joyful in that I was obedient and motivated! Amen
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org