One of the Bible’s greatest truths is that when we turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith, God forgives our sins and gives us the gift of eternal life. We no longer need to fear death or Hell or judgment, because Christ endured them for us. As the Bible says, “He forgave us all our sins” (Colossians 2:13).

At the same time, the Bible tells us that some day each of us will stand before God. If we have denied Him and refused to follow Him, we will be judged for our unbelief. God will say, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). These are sobering words, and they should make every one of us stop and be sure of our commitment to Christ.

If we know Christ, however, our salvation is already assured. We’ll still stand before God – but not to be judged for our salvation. Instead, we will stand before God to be rewarded for our good deeds. The Bible says, “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” (2 Corinthians 5:10). These too are sobering words, reminding us that we are accountable to God for the way we live as believers.

Thank God for His love for you – a love so great that He sent His Son to die for you. Now, respond to His love by living for Him every day.