Post #62 Your Sins Are Forgiven Part III

Posted and E-mailed Jan 25-26, 2007

We all know what “YOURS SINS ARE FROGIVEN” means. However, just like here on earth when you make a mistake and everyone forgives you, they DON’T pay you for those mistakes. In fact, in many cases they recover the COST of that mistake (prison, traffic ticket, fine, court awarded settlements, pay deductions …).

Luckily, GOD is fair and just so HE DOESN’T charge us for our sins. On the other hand, HE DOESN’T reward us for them either. You ONLY get ETERNAL REWARDS for the GOOD DEEDS that you did here on earth. HE DOEN’T reward you for the times that you sinned. So in effect your sins are MISSED opportunities to earn extra eternal rewards.

Christ tried to teach us how to earn ETERNAL REWARDS throughout his life by his examples. He was always helping others. He gave up everything and did WHATEVER GOD asked him to do while he was here on earth. At the Last Supper he even told us we have to be SERVANTS to each other as he washed the feet of his apostles. He also told us that the LAST SHALL BE FIRST AND THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST.

So there is a COST associated with EVERY SIN you make even if it’s been forgiven because you missed out on a chance to add to your ETERNAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT. Thus you WON’T have as many riches or maybe no riches at all in the next life because you DIDN’T put enough effort into serving others.

This concept is talked about over and over again in the bible but humans have a tendency to look for earthly treasures and blessing from GOD rather than worrying about ETERNAL TREASURES in the next life. So we BANK on Christ’s words “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN“ and overlook his teachings on serving others.

If you’re having a problem BELIEVING this concept, I suggest you read LUKE 16:19-31 Christ’s story about “THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.” In that story, the rich man WOULDN’T help Lazarus here on earth. Thus he missed his chance to make deposits into his ETERNAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT. So in the next life, he had nothing and had to beg for help from Lazarus. Unfortunately, Lazarus was NOT allowed to help the rich man who became a poor man in the next life.

In addition to that story, you should read Christ’s teachings related to JUDGMENT DAY. In MATTHEW 25:31-46, Christ told everyone that Christ the king will judge everyone. He will separate the SHEEP from the GOATS. The SHEEP will be REWARDED for all the times they FEED THE HUNGRY; CLOTHED THE NAKED; GAVE A DRINK TO THE THIRSTY; TOOK CARE OF THE SICK; AND/OR GAVE SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS. On the other hand, the GOATS were told that they DIDN’T do those things. They DIDN’T make deposits into their ETERNAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT so they would be sent off to ETERNAL PUNISHMENT but the SHEEP would go on to ETERNAL LIFE.

Christ’s parable of the net (MATTHEW 13:47-50) is also very similar to the one I just talked about. In stead of talking about SHEEP and GOATS, Christ talks about GOOD FISH (tender, healthy, shinny, ….) and WORTHLESS FISH (sick, dying, smelly,…). The GOOD FISH are the ones the angles called GOOD PEOPLE and the WORTHLESS FISH are the ones the angles called EVIL PEOPLE. The EVEIL PEOPLE will be thrown into a fiery furnace where they will cry and gnash there teeth.

The choice is yours. Be a follower of Christ and help everyone every chance you get or be a follower of the devil like scrooge and the RICH MAN in Christ’s parable. You have to wonder if GOD had a hand in writing the CHRISTMAS CAROLE STORY. It seems to complement Christ’s teachings so perfectly. GOD has to be looking down on mankind and asking HIMSLEF, “What more can I do to convince these people to treat our neighbor like they want to be treated if the roles were reversed? Instead of following Christ’s examples they live by his promise for forgiveness.” You can’t BELIEVE some of Christ’s teachings and ignore others. It’s a PACKAGE DEAL. GOD didn’t give us any others. HE gave us the LAW (HIS WORD). So start proving to the world that you’re a FOLOWER OF CHRIST by your example. Scrooge changed you can too.