Confused about something

[makerofmyheart]

Hi, I'm new here but I am confused about something and I was hoping someone could clarify it for me. I have been a Christian for many years, although mostly in and out of Church. I have found a great Church and plan on staying there permanently, I was also baptized there a couple months ago. I have believed that once you have repented for your sins that the blood of Jesus washes those sins away and they are forgotten. Also that God forgives all sin when we repent because we are born sinners. Then I have also heard that we will all have to face 'judgment day' where we will have to answer for our sins.

If they are wiped away when we repent and ask God for forgiveness, why then would we have to answer for them later. We know they were wrong, that is why we asked for forgiveness, right? Am I missing something?

I was reading the 'tattoo' thread and that's what made me think of this but I have had this question for awhile now as I hear the minister say it all the time. during his sermons.

Thank you and God Bless,
April

 

[Thaddaeus]

Let's just say that you are not the only one that is confused that is why we have so much confusion amongst Christians.
Heb 5:12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

 

[LynnJ]

Yes, there are some things that can confuse us, especially end-time events.

Romans 4:10-11 does say that "we will all stand before God's judgment seat . . . each of us will give an account of himself to God." But taken with other Scriptures, this passage becomes a little more clear. Consider 2 Corinthians 5:8-10, "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." For the righteous, rewards await as Apostle Paul mentions in 2 Timothy 4:7-8: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." But to the wicked, the Great White Throne Judgment and eternal punishment await, as described in Revelation 20:11-15: "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

As I read these Scriptures, it appears that the believers in Christ will be judged for rewards and the unbelievers will be judged for punishment.

 

[MahogonySnail]

Yes some just give half the story, about Jesus washing away our sins.
What they don't tell you is how our whole life is reviewed by God good and bad and possible consequences of that.
Some wrongly think this is a Gospel of works but it's not, it's called having our works tested, seeing if we are who we say we are. Did our works show our faith? Or was our faith just empty words.
It's nothing to be afraid of if we are a faithful Christian, but if we aren't faithful then we need to be a bit worried. Jesus also called us to try and be obedient and follow His commands.
If we read the teachings of Jesus it says that every word we speak is judged.

 

[LynnJ]

Not quite every word we speak--every careless word we speak, and Jesus was talking about it in the context of a good tree that bears good fruit, meaning if our inner person is good, then the words we speak will be good, but an evil man brings forth evil words:

"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

 

[MahogonySnail]

I would have thought it common sense that if we are judged by every idle word we speak ( isn't it idle, not careless? depends on the bible version I guess) , then our more important and worthy words we are judged for too?

 

[LynnJ]

I was not trying to nitpick, and I'm truly sorry if I came across in that manner. My intent was to go beyond common sense and what we think about the matter and show what the Word of God says so that the person who originally asked the question would have something solid to consider as she seeks answers to her questions.

 

[MahogonySnail]

I don't think you were nitpicking Lynn I think you are right , thanks for clarifying what words God is going to judge. My poor paraphrasing of Jesus's words were lacking clarity.

 

[LynnJ]

Sometimes Scriptures can be difficult to understand and it takes several of us to figure it out together. Or have we yet?
God bless you MahogonySnail, Thaddeus, and MakerofmyHeart.