LET US DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE ESPECIALLY BELIEVERS

Proclamation:

“Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please The Spirit, from The Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”  Galatians 6:7-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Galatia.  In this final chapter, Paul begins by stating that if someone falls into sin, they should forgive them and restore them gently into the fellowship.  He also said that they should share one another’s burdens for no one is as good as they think they are. (Galatians 6:1-3)  Then he tells them that as they sow, so shall they reap.  He encourages them to not grow weary of doing for in due time they will be rewarded.  They should do good to all people, especially to all believers.

Application:

Do not fool yourself; The Lord God cannot be deceived.  That which we sow is the same thing that we will reap.  We should treat others as we would like to be treated. (Luke 6:31)  We should continue to do the right thing and do good to others.  We should not do good because we expect to receive good in return but because it is the Christ-like thing to do.  It may not come right away but we will be rewarded for doing so.  We should treat everybody right and help those that we can, especially those who are also believers.  Remember, Christ said that as we have done to the least of His brothers, we have done it to Him. (Matthew 25:40)

THE LORD GOD WILL NOT FORGET OUR GOOD WORK AND OUR HELP OF OTHERS

Proclamation:

“God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.  We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.  We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”  Hebrews 6:10-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by an unknown human author under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter the author urges the people of God to move on “from milk to meat,” from the elementary teachings of God to the more mature doctrine. (Hebrews 6:1-2)  He then begins to discuss those who have been enlightened by The Word of God and then fallen away. (Hebrews 6:4-8)  Although The Bible makes it clear that once we are saved, we cannot lose our salvation.  We cannot be taken out of the hand of God. (John 10:27-29)  Then he goes on to say that The Lord God will not forget their good works. (Hebrews 6:9-12)  He concludes the chapter by encouraging them to persevere in faith because of the certainty of God’s promise. (Hebrews 6:13-17)

Application:

The Lord God knows everything about everything, and He remembers all that we do.  We are encouraged to do good so that men can see our good works and give God glory. (Matthew 5:16)  Our good works will not save us.  Our salvation is based upon our belief in Christ.  However, we will be rewarded for doing good works when we have to give an account of our stewardship. (Luke 16:2 and Matthew 25: 21 and 23)  The Lord considers the good that we do to those who are in need as if we had done it unto Him. (Matthew 25:35-40)  So, keep on doing good works and helping God’s people and we will receive God’s promise.

THE BEATITUDES OR THE BLESSED ATTITUDES

Proclamation:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit ... those who mourn ... the meek ... those who hunger and thirst after righteousness ... the merciful ... the pure in heart ... the peacemakers ... those who are persecuted ... you when people insult you , persecute you and falsely say all kind of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad; for great is your reward in heaven ..." Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke in His Sermon on The Mount as recorded under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Matthew.  Jesus taught His disciples and the crowd which had gathered around them.  The word "Blessed" here literally means "happy, fortunate, and blissful", the divinely bestowed well-being that belongs only to the faithful.  The way to heavenly blessing is the opposite of the way to the worldly pursuit of happiness which is found in riches, merriment, abundance, leisure, and such things. (John MacArthur)

Application:
Believers of the gospel should displace a Christ-like attitude.  Blessed are the people who possess Godly characteristics.  Those with a penitent spirit, mild-tempered, gentle spirit, thirsting for righteousness, compassionate and merciful spirit, the spirit of mediation, long-suffering and forgiving spirit.  These characteristics are God-given and are evidence of the indwelling of The Holy Spirit within the believer.  We will be blessed for exhibiting these Godly attitudes and characteristics while we are here on earth living in a world that behaves totally differently.  The spiritually poor will be blessed by The Word of God and receive joy and gladness on earth and in heaven.  As will those who mourn for the sins of the world be blessed and comforted by The Holy Spirit of God.  The meek, who are not easily provoked or angered but quietly and humbly submit to the will of God, will inherit the new earth when it comes into existence.  Those who aggressively seek righteousness will be filled with it and with other good things such as joy and peace.  Those who show mercy to others will receive mercy from The Lord God.  The pure in heart, those who have the grace of God within their hearts, they will enjoy communion with Him in this life and they will behold His power and glory in the afterlife.  Those who try to make and keep peace among men and exhibit the fruit of The Holy Spirit of God shall be known as the children of God.  Those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness and their Godly conversation and behavior, will be blessed the same as the poor in spirit.  To the Disciples of Christ, the students who study and live by His Holy Word, the world will reject them, falsely accuse them, and persecute them for His sake.  To them He says “Rejoice” for great will be their reward in heaven.

OUR DEEDS WILL FOLLOW US EVEN AFTER DEATH

Proclamation:

“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in The Lord from now on.’  Yes, says The Spirit, ‘They will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” Revelation 14:13 (NIV)

Explanation:

The apostle John, who referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, recounted an out of body experience that he had in which things beyond earth were revealed to him.  He was told by angels and by The Holy Spirit of God to write what he saw and heard.  He was told that those who die believing in Jesus, The Christ, will be blessed.  They will be given rest from their earthly labor, and they will be rewarded for their works which were obedient to God’s Word.

Application:

The good and the bad that we do will live on after we die.  There is a record being kept in heaven of all that we think, say and do in this life. (1 John 5:7)  Both the saved saints and unsaved sinners will be judged after death but they will be judged differently.  The unsaved sinner’s life will be recounted to show that they had the opportunity to accept Christ but refused.  Then they will be condemned to spend eternity in hell and damnation. (Revelation 20:15)  The saved saint’s life will be recounted to give an account of their stewardship. (Romans 14:12)   Jesus, The Christ, will judge (John 5:22) each of our thoughts (Romans 2:16 and Hebrews 4:12) words (Matthew 12:36) and actions. (Revelations 20:12-13)  We will be given a reward for all that gives God glory and that passes through the test of fire. (1 Corinthians 3:13-14)  The rewards which we will receive in heaven will be based upon what we did in life to give God glory.  All who believe and love Him will receive a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) but everyone in heaven will not have the same rewards. (Matthew 10:41-42)  Some will have great rewards in heaven. (Matthew 5:11-12)  There will be many mansions in heaven but they may not all be equal. (John 14:2)  Let us do more for the glory of God, for in the end that is all that will matter.

Store Up Treasures In Heaven

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

The Apostle Matthew recorded these words, which were part of The Sermon on The Mount which Jesus spoke to His disciples, and to the surrounding crowd.  Jesus said that man should not store up treasures here on earth, but rather he should store up treasures in heaven.  Then He told them that their heart and focus will be where ever their treasure is located.

Our treasures are the things that we value, cherish, esteem, desire, love, and delight in having.  Earthly treasures are only ours temporarily.  It does not matter how we protect them, or how much we amass and store up, they will not last and they are not secure.  If our purpose for storing up treasures on earth is to prepare for our future benefit and enjoyment, then we ought to be smart enough to prepare for our eternal future.  The point of these verses is that we should not put our faith in money and things that are here on earth.  We are to use our time, talents, and treasure in kingdom building efforts, which have eternal implications.  Believers do not earn their salvation, but by their behavior they can earn heavenly rewards. (Matthew 5:12, 10:41 and 16:27, Luke 6:35, 1 Corinthians 3:8 and 3:14, and Revelation 22:12)  Where our treasure is, that is where our focus is also.  We should focus on that which is Christ-like and heavenly. (Philippians 4:8)  We need to store up treasures for ourselves in heaven.

Only What We Do For Christ Will Count

"... But each one should be careful how he builds.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."  1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul told the believers in Corinth that the work which they do will be judged.  Their work will pass through the fire with them on judgement day.  Only that which they did to the glory of God will pass through the fire, and for those things they will receive a heavenly reward.  But everything else that they did will be consumed by the fire and will count for nothing.

As the song goes, "Only what we do for Christ will last.  Only what we do for Him, will be counted at the end.  Only what we do for Christ will last."  When this life is over, and when we stand before Christ, we will all be judged. (Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10, and Revelation 20:12)  Each lost sinner will see their entire life presented before them, and all of the opportunities which they had to accept Christ, but they refused to.  They will then be condemned to spend eternity in hell. (Revelation 20:15)  Each saved sinner will have all of their life's work presented before them, and only that which gave God glory will be counted towards their rewards in heaven. (Matthew 16:27, 1 Corinthians 3:13-14, Philippians 4:3, Colossians 3:24, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 21:27, and Revelation 22:12)  When it is all said and done, only that which we do for Christ will be counted. 

Blessed For Passing The Test

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."  James 1:12 (NIV)

James, the half brother of Jesus who became one of the pillars of the early Church, recorded that The Lord God promised a crown of eternal life to those who love Him and who persevere when they undergo trials and tribulations.  Those who persevere will be blessed.

We will all have to endure temptations, trials, and tribulations, but those who maintain their their faithful walk with The Lord during these storms of life will be blessed.  These trials offer us the opportunity to exercise our faith, which in turn will make our faith stronger. (Romans 5:3-4 and James 1:2-3)  These trials and storms may require that we put on the whole armor of God in order to withstand them and to stand fast in our faith. (Ephesians 6:11-17)  The battle may not be ours to fight but we must stand and face the adversity, and not give in or give up our beliefs.  God has promised to bless us if we persevere and keep the faith, and He keeps His promises.

Rewarded For Being Persecuted For Doing Good

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  Matthew 5:10-12 (NIV)

According to the Apostle Matthew, in The Sermon on The Mount Jesus taught that those who were persecuted because of righteous behavior would be blessed and they would be granted access to heaven.  He also said that when they were physically or verbally abused, or lied on because of Him, that they should rejoice and be very glad, for they will be greatly rewarded in heaven.  Remember that Christ and the prophets were persecuted.

There are places in the world today where Christian behavior is not tolerated.  Some Christians are still being physically abused because of their belief, and others are verbally and emotionally abused.  Those who are ostracized, persecuted, or abused in any way for exhibiting Christ-like behavior will be blessed. (James 5:10-11 and 1 Peter 4:12-16)  We should not be surprised that the world hates us for being Christ-like, because the world hated Christ. (John 7:7, John 15:18, and 1 John 3:13)  While it is not pleasant to endure, we should delight in persecution and abuse for our belief in Christ, just as the Apostle Paul did, when we recognize that Christ suffered for us, He is always with us, and He will reward us for persevering through it. (2 Corinthians 12:10)  It is not easy to turn the other cheek, to patiently and humbly endure abuse and persecution, but that is what we are taught to do. (Matthew 5:39)  However, for doing so, we will be blessed and great will be our reward in heaven.  

Well Done Good And Faithful Servant

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share Your master's happiness!' "  Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

The Apostle Matthew recorded these words of Jesus, The Christ, as He was describing to His disciples what heaven would be like.  After giving an example likening the kingdom of heaven to the ten virgins, Jesus gave a second example likening the kingdom of heaven to the three servants, who were given a different number of talents by their master based upon their different abilities.  Afterwards, the three servants had to give and account of their stewardship.  This verse is the judgment received by the second servant, which is a repeat of the judgment of the first servant. (Matthew 25:21)  Being faithful and doing a good job with what we are given will please The Lord, and He will reward those who are faithful over the little that they were given.  

Today, we must be aware of the fact that there will come a day when each of us must give an account to The Lord for all that we thought, said, and did; and for all that we did with that which had been entrusted to us. (Matthew 12:36, Luke 16:2, and Romans 14:12)  As believers, we are saved and our sins have been forgiven.  We will be judged on our kingdom building efforts.  (Revelation 11:18 and Revelation 20:12-13)  We will be judged on our works, on what we did to give glory to The Lord.  Anything that we did which did not give Him glory, will be consumed by the fire which we must pass through. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)  For our good works, we shall receive a reward.  Some of us will receive one or more crowns. (2 Timothy 4:8 and 1 Peter 5:4)  There are mansions prepared for us. (John 14:2)  However, all rewards aside, on judgment day, first and foremost we want to hear The Lord say, "Well done, good and faithful servant ... enter into the joy of The Lord."