Category: What do you think?

The coming test of our work

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JEFF TURNER

Most Christians enjoy praise, good marks, or a prize that comes after effort. The work matters as much as the reward. Yet many today want the reward without the testing. For Christians, Scripture says a test is ahead, and it cannot be avoided.

Paul writes that every believer will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. This moment raises concern for some, but it is not about punishment. Jesus promised that those who belong to him will not face condemnation. This coming review has a different purpose. It is an examination of what believers have done with their lives.

The Bible illustrates this by using materials. Some works are like gold, silver, and precious stones. These stand for actions that have lasting value and serve God’s purposes. Other efforts are compared to wood, hay, and straw. These are not sinful acts. They are simply things that do not last, have little value, and can be replaced. Much of daily life can fall into this second group.

At the judgment seat of Christ, the worthless work will pass away, and the lasting work will remain.

Forgiveness that shapes daily faith

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JEFF TURNER

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus gives guidance on prayer. Near the end of that prayer, he asks God to forgive our debts in the same way we forgive others. At first glance, this can sound like God’s forgiveness depends on our actions. The meaning is practical and close to daily life.

The point is not about losing salvation. When a person trusts in Christ, their sins are forgiven. That does not get taken back. Instead, I believe this teaching is about our personal growth in faith after salvation. Am I wrong? A Christian’s sins are ALREADY FORGIVEN. When we accepted Jesus’ redemption, he knew every sin we had committed as well as sins we would commit in the future.

When someone refuses to forgive, that choice is a sin. This does not cancel salvation, but it does damage their walk with God. It creates a break in closeness. The person steps away from the place where God gives guidance, help, and steady blessing. They weaken themselves and may come under God’s correction.

Unforgiveness is a serious issue that many overlook. Holding onto it blocks the ongoing sense of God’s forgiveness in daily life.

Work and care in the Christian life

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JEFF TURNER

The Bible has a lot to say about work and helping others. In 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul writes that anyone who refuses to work should not eat. This is a direct statement that applies to people who are able to work but choose not to.

Paul also tells Timothy that a man who does not provide for himself and his family is worse than someone who does not believe in God. Doesn’t this show how important work is in the Christian faith? When God cursed the ground after Adam sinned, he said that people would earn their food through hard work and sweat. This was part of the original design for human life.

However, the Bible recognizes that not everyone can work. Children need care and cannot provide for themselves. Women who look after children need support. Widows and orphans cannot always work. People who are sick or disabled may not be able to earn money. Scripture calls those who are able-bodied and working to take care of these people who truly cannot work.

The problem comes when people who can work decide they do not want to work. Some people want to receive money without working and believe others should give them what they earned. This goes against what the Bible teaches. Those who have been blessed with resources should help people in genuine need, but everyone who is able must work. The Bible presents work as something good and honorable, not something to avoid.

Entering the Kingdom Takes Resolve

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JEFF TURNER

People may imagine heaven as calm and untouched by conflict. Yet the Bible gives a different picture. In Matthew 11:12, Jesus says the kingdom of heaven faces violence, and people take hold of it with force. This does not mean heaven is attacked in a physical way. It points to the hard and demanding choice a person must make to enter God’s kingdom.

Following Jesus is not something that happens by accident or comfort. It is not a simple path that fits easily into everyday life. Jesus explained that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and walk in His way. That choice brings deep change. It means turning away from a life centered on self.

The Bible describes how a person must give up control over personal desires, plans, and goals. It speaks of letting go of possessions, ambition, and even close ties when they stand in the way of obedience to Christ. This kind of turning is painful because it goes against human pride and self-rule.

Real repentance involves force against one’s own will and sin. Those who enter the kingdom do so by breaking from their old life and placing themselves fully under Christ’s authority.

Remorse is not the same as repentance

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JEFF TURNER

I suppose that when people think about real repentance, Judas Iscariot is not often named. Yet the Gospel of Matthew tells us that after Jesus was judged, Judas felt deep regret. He took the thirty silver coins back to the religious leaders. This shows both a feeling and an action that many people connect with repentance.

But doesn’t this story go further? The Bible does not say that Judas turned back to God for forgiveness. I read that he felt sorrow over what happened. He did not have a change of heart that leads to salvation. Feeling bad is not the same as repentance that brings new life.

Judas did not see himself as a sinner who needed mercy. His sadness came from regret, not faith. He had followed Jesus for the wrong reasons from the start. He wanted wealth, influence, and a high place in what he hoped would be a new kingdom. His choices were driven by greed. Because of this, Jesus once said that one of His followers was like an enemy.

Repentance often includes sorrow, but it does not stop there. It leads a person back to God. Judas never returned to Jesus. Instead, he ended his own life. His actions show that regret alone is not enough.