Will our work follow us ? (Revelation 14:13)

Glory be to God

Will our work follow us ?

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”    Revelation 14:13

When God created man, although they were naked at the beginning of creation, they were covered by the glory of God so that they were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25). But when they have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) they knew that they were naked (Genesis 3:7). Therefore, all humans are shaped in iniquity and born in sin (Psalm 51:5) appear naked in this world. In this way a person who lives naked in sin should not want to be naked in life but should desire to be clothed (2 Corinthians 5:2). God made coats of skins for the man and clothed them instead they wanted to cover their nakedness by sewing fig leaves together and made themselves aprons in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:7,21) Similarly, a person who repents and is baptized receives remission of sins (Acts 2:38) thereby join with Jesus and have put on Christ which is clothed by God (Galatians 3:27)

But a person who does not desire to come to Jesus to be clothed lives naked or live in sin, and it happens for them to die in their sin (John 8:21). Thus, they come into the world naked and leave the world naked (Job 1:21). When a person is shaped in iniquity and born in sin (Psalm 51:5) when he lives in transgressions and sins and dies in sins (Ephesians 2:1), they not only return naked, but they also carry nothing in their hands as a result of their labour (Ecclesiastes 5:15-16).Their entire life’s labor is in vain and they are unable to bring anything worthy of reward before God. They grow weary in their futile labors because they have lived without knowing Jesus, the way to the city, to God (John 14:6). Moreover, those who are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) are brought as dead at the great white throne judgment at the end of time. Since their names are not found in the book of life, they are judged according to their wrong unfruitful deeds, as written in the books, and are cast into hell, the second death, which is the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

A person who dies in the Lord is said to be blessed since their good works, worthy of reward, follow them (Revelation 14:13). Because a person who has joined with Christ in baptism and put on Christ, serves the Lord Christ, doing all their works wholeheartedly, as to the Lord, knowing that the Lord will give them the reward of inheritance (Colossians 3:23-24). Therefore, such people will always abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that their labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). Therefore, to the first group when judgment came according to their wrong unfruitful works but to this group they have received their reward according to their good deeds (Revelation 22:12).

When we carefully study those who are clothed by putting on Jesus, we see a distinction there too. One group comes to Jesus and listens to Jesus words and does them. Another group comes to Jesus though listens to his words but does not do according to His word (Matthew 7:24-27). Although they come before God as God’s people and hear the words of God, they do not do them.Though they show much love with their mouths, their hearts goeth after covetousness (Ezekiel 33:31). Although they honour with their lips, they have set their hearts far away. Because they obey the precept of men that which they were taught or those they are accustomed to according to their traditions (Isaiah 29:13). They do not obey the teachings that are the words of Jesus with their hearts (Romans 6:17). In short, they are divided into two: those who obey the word of God and those who do not obey it. When our Good Shepherd Jesus sits on the throne of His glory, He separates them into two distinct groups, so that we can see the difference between those who serve God and those who do not serve Him (Malachi 3:18). Although they lived as one flock and one shepherd by listening to the voice of Jesus (John 10:16) they are separated into obedient sheep and disobedient goats (Matthew 25:31-46).Those who keep the works of Jesus unto the end which He commanded receive power like Jesus (Revelation 2:26-27) and inherit the kingdom of God (Matthew 25:34). The people of Israelites by abhorring they rejected the God's word, which is manna, during their journey through the wilderness to Canaan (Numbers 21:5) by saying, they do not need it, instead they asked for the material goodness and blessings by saying it is enough for them (Numbers 11:4-6). These Israelites were destroyed by God in the fire of His anger with a great plague (Numbers 11:33). Likewise, those on His left hand will be cast into the eternal fire that kindle with fire (Matthew 25:41). If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the goodness of the kingdom of God. However, if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword of the word (Isaiah 1:19-20) and will go to hell, to eternal destruction.

Further if we look at the first group mentioned above who hear and obey Jesus’ words and inherit the kingdom of God, we will see two different experiences among them. When we look at first Corinthians chapter three we see the wise, who hear and do the words of Jesus and build upon the rock (Matthew 7:24) and those who build only on the foundation of Christ. Some of them build with special and lasting materials such as gold, silver, and precious stones, while others build on the same foundation with cheap and perishable materials such as wood, grass, and straw (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). If we consider our Christian life, God has loved us as precious (Isaiah 43:4) and redeemed us with the precious blood of Jesus (1 Peter 1:19) to give us a precious redemption (Psalm 49:9). God, who wants us to live preciously throughout our lives, has waited for the precious fruit in us (James 5:7), and our death becomes precious to Him (Psalm 116:15). In order for us to be precious and unique God has given us a foundation stone, a tried stone and a precious cornerstone, which is Jesus Christ (Isaiah 28:16). The God who gave us precious faith so that we who believe in Jesus would not run away but stand firm (2 Peter 1:1) has also given us precious and exceedingly great promises so that we can become partakers in divine experiences (2 Peter 1:4). A superior and a excellent life we ought to have in us according to it. Moreover, we have been given the precious test of faith so that we may be as precious as gold (1 Peter 1:7). Thereby we become good by loving God and obeying His commandments (John 14:21) so that we will receive the crown of life (James 1:12). In short, those who live according to the word of God and their works will abide by those that do its excellent works, so that at the coming of the Lord they will be worthy of reward (Revelation 22:12), so that it will happen for them to receive a full reward (Ruth 2:12)

But another group builds on the foundation of Jesus Christ with cheap and perishable wood, grass, and straw. Such people make Jesus (Luke 23:11) and God’s commandments (Leviticus 22:9) insignificant in their lives, and they do not live up to the excellence of God’s Word, making their lives insignificant and worthless. Their works will be burned up and they will suffer loss. But they will not go to hell but will be saved (1 Corinthians 3:15). In other words, the one who teaches and lives in such a way by making God’s Word insignificant is seen as the least in the kingdom of God. But the one who teaches as it is and practices God’s commandments in the same way will be great in the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:19). When we appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the account of our good and bad deeds (2 Corinthians 5:10), may we be rewarded according to our good deeds. May we live according to the Word, desiring to receive the best that God has in store for us so that we become good servants (Hebrews 11:40). May we be worthy of glory by being patient in good works (Romans 2:7). May the Lord God help all of us and prepare us.