Based on Ecclesiastes 8:10-9:3 (New King James Version)
“Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity. Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God. There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun. When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night, then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it. For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.”
Today, most people only think about the here and now, and unfortunately, much of God’s people are also on the same path. Moreover, much of God’s people fall into bad doctrines, the ones that are subtly taught to please the masses for gain, because they are more focused in what they want here on earth than in eternity. There are a lot of lies that sound like the truth, because those that follow demonic doctrines use the Bible to justify the works of the flesh, vanities, in summary, different things that take to eternal death. And is it any wonder that it happens like that if Satan himself tried to tempt the very Son of God, the Word, with the Word of God (manipulated for evil, of course) to get Him to do things that don’t glorify God? That is why that the subtle distortion and ability to manipulate the Word of God is nothing more than the work of Satan through his slaves. And that is why we must always keep the end in mind, and a unique zeal for God’s Truth that can only be found in the fulness of the Scriptures, and not just in certain parts. There is something that is certain and inevitable, that each one of us will die, and everyone, without exception, will need to give an account for what we have done in this life, both the unbeliever as well as those of us that have come to Christ. This is one of the most irrefutable truths of the Word, and also one of the things that Satan has mostly disturbed the Truth within the Church, that we do not need to give an account. Each person will die someday, and each person will give an account for what they did in this body.
God made us with a purpose in mind since the beginning. Nothing has changed since the creation of man, and that is, that man (His creation) was made to serve Him. Like all things in this life and in eternity, that if something does not serve its purpose, if it does not fulfill its function, then it is discarded. God did not send His only begotten Son to the cross so that we could just belong to Him, but rather, to give us an opportunity to come back to the reason for our existence. If the Son and the Holy Spirit exist to do the will of the Father, then what is left for us? If we doubt this, let’s see what the Word says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. So then, anyone that teaches something else, that we don’t have to worry about anything more because we our saved by grace, is not listening to something that comes from God, but rather, from somewhere else. Through faith and His gift in Christ Jesus, He gives us the opportunity to do the good works that we were created for, the will of the Father.
The Word is very clear: we will give an account for everything. Everything that we do while being in the knowledge of Christ will either count in our favor or against us, depending on whether it is good or evil. This is what the Word says: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. If you doubt this because this is a passage in the Old Testament (like certain apostates propose), let’s see the following: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. This was inspired by the Holy Spirit and written to the Church. What we do after receiving Christ’s salvation counts, and it is an essential part of our way to salvation. This is also written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Galatians 6:7-8.
And this is also written, and it applies to all who profess to have faith in Christ: “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:1-6. So then, does it matter much then whether things go well or not for a person in this life? Not really, especially in comparison to what really matters: eternity and what God will say of us in the judgement. The question is: “Will our name continue to be written in the book of life after the judgement? Lord bless! John