"...As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:11b-12
Last week, the BBC told how the Brazilian beer company, Ambev, had been sued by one of its experienced beer tasters. The unnamed man said the company, by having him drink 16 to 25 glasses of beer a day (and giving him a free bottle at the end of his shift), had not done all it could to prevent his alcoholism. The company defended itself by saying that the man was an alcoholic when he was hired as a taster.
I now can share that Judge Jose Felipe Ledur has made his ruling. He has decreed the company needs to cough up $49,000 for the beer taster. Judge Ledur’s decision said that if the man wasn’t an alcoholic when he was hired, he is now, and the company is responsible. On the other hand, if the man already was an alcoholic, he should never have been hired. Either way, the judge thinks the company ought to pay.
In short, the man isn’t accountable for his condition.
It’s not likely that the Lord, when He returns on Judgment Day, is going to share that judge’s opinion about us. Indeed, in the book of Romans, St. Paul tells us, “each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Anyone who thinks upon his thoughts, words and actions, and what he will say when he has to make such an account must find the thought most disquieting. On our own, we are lost and condemned people. On our own, God has no choice but to condemn us to eternal punishment.
But thanks be to God, we are not on our own.
Those who believe in Jesus as their crucified and ever-living Savior know that they are not on their own.
He who fulfilled the law for us, turned down all of Satan’s temptations, and conquered death and the grave will not leave us or forsake us. Because Jesus is our sacrificial substitute, our living Lord, we will not be alone. Because of Him we are forgiven and have been saved.
On the day of accounting, Christians will have no fear because, “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2)
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I give thanks that because of you, I have no fear of my final accounting. I rejoice that because of your sacrifice, death, and resurrection, I have been saved. In all that I do, may my life reflect the joy of sins forgiven and salvation given. In Your name, Amen.
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 19-20 John 5:25-47
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