Introduction

The sinner knows when he has sinned. Yet, when there is no immediate consequence, no visible judgment, and often no confrontation, he may simply shrug his shoulders and say, “So what?” Soon the conviction fades, the heart grows harder, and the sin is forgotten—at least in his own mind. God, however, never overlooks sin. What man forgets, God remembers until it is either forgiven through repentance and faith or judged in His perfect righteousness. We must remember, judgment delayed is not judgment denied.

Should this also be true of the believer? Surely the saint, having received the truth of God’s Word, should possess a greater understanding of sin, holiness, and divine judgment (Sin, Christ and Salvation). Yet even Christians can drift from intimate fellowship with God. As love for Christ cools and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit diminishes, the seriousness of sin can become blurred. Some begin to assume that because God’s judgment is not immediate, He is unconcerned with what is considered to be “small” sins. Scripture teaches otherwise. God is patient, merciful, and longsuffering but He never winks at sin. His grace is never a license for disobedience.

The Roman Catholic Church distinguishes between sins that lead to death and sins that do not, referring to them as mortal and venial sins. Likewise, the Bible speaks of “sin leading to death” and “sin not leading to death” (1 John 5:16–17). Scripture also warns of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—the sin that will not be forgiven. While Christians may differ in their understanding of these passages, every believer should approach them with reverence, humility and a sincere desire to know what God has revealed through His Word.

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.” 1 John 5:16-17

Salvation is entirely the gift of God’s grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ alone. We cannot earn it by our own efforts. I continuously repeat this in my papers because we easily forget when we are faced with a situation where we want to “Do something for God”. Yet genuine salvation produces a transformed life. Sanctification is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, who conforms believers to the image of Christ as they walk in faithful obedience to God’s Word. Obedience does not purchase salvation; it is the evidence that saving faith is alive and active. If we ever feel that we “Want to do something for God”, we must obey Him.

How, then, are we to prepare for eternity? Are we living with confidence born of faithful obedience, or do we expect to enter heaven merely by “the skin of our teeth”? What does the Bible teach about God’s judgment of believers? Is there both an earthly discipline and a heavenly judgment? What are the rewards promised to those who faithfully serve Christ, and how should these truths shape the way we live today?

Those who deliberately pursue sin, worldly pleasure, and earthly power ultimately serve another master. Scripture calls Satan “the ruler of this world” because this present world system remains under Satan’s’ influence. He demonstrated this when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, offering Jesus the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship. Jesus rejected the temptation completely, choosing perfect obedience to the Father. Though Christ has decisively defeated Satan through His death and resurrection, each person must choose whom they will serve. Victory over sin comes only through union with Christ. As we abide in Him, walk by the Spirit, and persevere in faithful obedience, we continue the race set before us until the day we are welcomed into His glorious presence.

In the pages that follow, we will examine those questions presented above through the light of Scripture. Together we will explore the seriousness of sin, the holiness of God, the necessity of repentance, the purpose of divine discipline, the reality of judgment, and the eternal rewards promised to those who remain faithful to Jesus Christ.

God’s Divine Order

Whether we recognize it or not, God has established a divine order over all creation. We were created in His image and likeness, – He was not created in ours. God is not like us. He does not think as we think, reason as we reason, or respond as we would respond. His wisdom is perfect, His purposes are eternal, and His ways are far above our own.

Because of this, we should not become discouraged when our prayers are not answered according to our expectations, when circumstances seem out of order, or when certain passages of Scripture appear contrary to what we desire. God’s order remains unchanged, and His Word is eternally true whether we fully understand it or not. What appears to contradict His promises is often the result of our limited perspective and incomplete understanding—not a failure of God’s faithfulness.

Our responsibility is not to question His order but to continue trusting Him, obeying His Word, and submitting ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit. As our understanding grows, we learn to see life through God’s perspective rather than through our own.

“You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.” Psalm 50:19–21 (ESV)

How often we unconsciously assume that God thinks as we do or should act according to our expectations. I hear it when people pray all the time. They unknowingly demand to hear from God. Yet God Himself rebukes this false assumption. He is holy, righteous, sovereign, and altogether different from mankind. His silence should never be mistaken for approval, nor should His patience be interpreted as agreement with our thinking. These things we do, consciously or unconsciously, will be judged!

“Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” Psalm 50:22–23 (ESV)

God has a unique and purposeful plan for every one of His children. While His Word provides the same path of salvation, righteousness, and holiness for all believers, the details of His calling and His dealings with each individual are distinct. He works personally with each of us according to His perfect wisdom and purpose.

Failing to recognize God’s divine order can bring unnecessary hardship and spiritual defeat. We should never assume that because God has acted in a certain way for another believer, He will work identically in our lives. His dealings with our brothers and sisters are not the standard by which we measure His work in us.

It is therefore unwise to say, “What God has done for them, He will surely do for me.” While God never changes in His character, faithfulness, or promises, He often accomplishes His purposes through different paths for different people. Comparing our journey with that of others can produce disappointment, confusion, and even unbelief if our eyes become fixed on people instead of on Christ.

God calls each believer to walk by faith, not by comparison. Our confidence must rest in His unchanging character, not in His methods with others. As we faithfully trust, obey, and submit to His leading, we can be certain that His perfect plan for our lives will accomplish exactly what He has ordained—for His glory and for our eternal good.

Winking and Other Fairy Tales

Many people say, “It was only a little white lie. It was no big deal.” Such thinking minimizes the seriousness of sin and diminishes the authority of God’s Word. When believers treat what God calls sin as insignificant, they can unintentionally encourage others to believe even greater deceptions. God does not “Wink” at sin.

“A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.” Proverbs 6:12-15 ESV

This mindset often leads people to conclude that God will overlook certain behaviors because of their personal circumstances. Some even convince themselves that what Scripture clearly identifies as sin is somehow acceptable in their particular situation. How often have we heard statements like, “Yes, we’re living together, but we’re in love. Isn’t God love? He understands our circumstances.” Behind such reasoning is the assumption that God makes exceptions to His holy standards based on human emotions or difficult situations.

Scripture teaches otherwise. God’s character is unchanging, and His standard of holiness does not shift with culture, feelings, or circumstances. While His mercy is abundant and His grace is freely offered through Jesus Christ to all who repent and believe, He never redefines sin to accommodate our desires.

Sins Leading to Death

The Apostle John makes a distinction between sins that do not lead to death and a sin that does lead to death. At first glance, this passage may seem difficult to understand, but when interpreted in light of the whole of Scripture, its meaning becomes clearer.

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.”
1 John 5:16–17 (ESV)

Scripture never contradicts itself, even when our limited understanding may make it appear so. Throughout the Bible we are taught that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and every sin separates us from God. If left unrepented, every sin ultimately leads to spiritual death.

So what did John mean by saying that some sins do not lead to death?

The answer is found in the context of the entire New Testament. John is not suggesting that some sins are harmless or insignificant. Rather, he is distinguishing ordinary sins—those for which repentance and forgiveness remain available—from one particular sin for which forgiveness is never promised: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus spoke plainly about this sin:

“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Matthew 12:31–32 (ESV)

This is the sin that leads to death because it represents a hardened, willful rejection of the Holy Spirit’s testimony concerning Christ. Such a heart refuses the very One who brings conviction, repentance, and salvation. Without repentance, there can be no forgiveness. One who ascribe the works of Jesus to Satan has committed such a sin.

The Question of Mortal and Venial Sins

Some Christian traditions, particularly the Catholic Church, distinguish between venial sins and mortal sins. Venial sins are viewed as less serious offenses, while mortal sins are considered grave enough to sever one’s relationship with God unless they are confessed and absolved.

According to this teaching, a sin is mortal only when three conditions are met:

1. The act involves grave or serious matter.
2. The person has full knowledge that the act is seriously sinful.
3. The person deliberately and willingly chooses to commit it.

While these distinctions have an established place within Catholic theology, Scripture consistently presents all sin as rebellion against God. Whether committed in thought, word, or deed, every sin violates God’s holy order and disrupts our fellowship with Him.

Jesus Himself expanded the understanding of sin beyond outward actions. He taught that sinful anger can be equivalent to murder in the heart, and lustful thoughts can amount to adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:21–22, 27–28). Sin, therefore, begins within before it is ever expressed outwardly.

The Bible does not encourage us to classify some sins as insignificant while treating others as truly dangerous. Instead, we are called to recognize every sin as a departure from God’s holiness and a violation of His divine order. As Paul reminds us:

“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:22–23 (ESV)

Every believer should take sin seriously—not because every failure places salvation beyond reach, but because every sin grieves the heart of God and hinders our fellowship with Him. At the same time, we rejoice in the assurance that those who confess and repent find abundant mercy through Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice is sufficient to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Below are a list of sins and how I perceive the world and church believe. Feel free to add to, take away from or adjust those you feel need attention. This list in subjective and is in no way complete. It is listed here only to bring attention to the fact judgment for all sin is coming either in this life or/and in the life to come,

Judgment

This is perhaps the most important section of this study. Scripture makes it unmistakably clear that every person will one day give an account before God. We will be judged for every deed, every word, and even the intentions of our hearts—whether they are good or evil. Some judgments occur during our earthly lives, while others await us after death. There is no escaping the righteous judgment of God.

Those who reject Christ and refuse to repent stand condemned already. The verdict has been rendered: guilty. Unless they turn to Jesus Christ in faith, their final punishment will be eternal separation from the presence of God.

Earthly Judgment

From the very beginning of Scripture, we see that God judges sin. Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought immediate consequences—not only upon themselves but upon all humanity. Their sin introduced death, suffering, and a curse upon the entire creation.

God’s judgment continued throughout history. In the days of Noah, the flood demonstrated His righteous response to the wickedness of mankind. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, we find numerous examples of God’s immediate intervention against sin.

In the New Testament, Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) were struck dead after lying to the Holy Spirit. Likewise, Herod Agrippa I accepted the worship and praise of men instead of giving glory to God. Scripture records:

“Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.” (Acts 12:23)

These are not isolated events. The Bible contains many other examples of God’s righteous judgment upon individuals and nations. Those who have spiritual discernment may also recognize that God’s hand of judgment is still evident in our own generation, although many dismiss such events as coincidence or refuse to acknowledge God’s sovereignty.

The Great White Throne Judgment

Following earthly life comes the final judgment. The Great White Throne Judgment is reserved for all who have rejected Jesus Christ. Here, every unbeliever will stand before God and be judged according to what is written in the books.

Many people believe that if their good deeds outweigh their bad, they will be accepted by God. Scripture teaches otherwise. Salvation has never been earned by human works but is received only through the grace of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Since these individuals rejected God’s provision of salvation, their own works cannot justify them. As a result, they will receive the eternal judgment their sins deserve.

The Great White Throne Judgment powerfully reminds us that our eternal destiny depends not upon our own righteousness but upon our relationship with Jesus Christ. Faith in Him and obedience to His Word are the only path to eternal life.

The Bema Seat of Christ

The Bema Seat Judgment is entirely different. It is reserved exclusively for believers in Jesus Christ. This is not a judgment to determine salvation, for that was settled at the cross. Rather, it is a judgment of a believer’s faithful service and works performed for Christ.

Every believer will stand before the Lord to give an account of how they used the gifts, opportunities, and resources entrusted to them. Those who have faithfully served Christ will receive eternal rewards and hear His commendation. Others, though genuinely saved, will discover that much of what they did was motivated by selfish ambition or lacked eternal value. The Apostle Paul describes this solemn moment:

“If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:15)

Works built upon Christ with sincere faith and obedience will endure like gold, silver, and precious stones. Works motivated by pride, selfishness, or worldly ambition will prove to be nothing more than wood, hay, and stubble and will be consumed.

The Bema Seat should encourage every believer to live faithfully, serve wholeheartedly, and seek to glorify Christ in all things, knowing that our labor in the Lord is never in vain.

Today’s Preachers and Teachers

Much of today’s preaching sounds something like this: “God wants you to be happy, healthy, and successful. Therefore, anything that brings hardship, suffering, or difficulty cannot be from God.” But is that truly what Scripture teaches? Have we carefully read the whole counsel of God?

When we examine both the Old and New Testaments, we discover a very different pattern. God’s prophets, apostles, teachers, and faithful servants frequently endured rejection, persecution, suffering, poverty, imprisonment, and even death while faithfully carrying out His will. Their lives demonstrate that obedience to God often comes at a great personal cost. Even their own families rejected them – consider Jesus.

I have heard these kinds of messages for many years, and I continue to hear them today. I admit that I wrestle with them because they are appealing. They promise the very things my flesh naturally desires, making them easy to embrace. Yet our desires must always be tested against the truth of God’s Word rather than allowing our understanding of Scripture to be shaped by what we want to hear.

This is not to suggest that every preacher teaches this message. Many faithful ministers proclaim the whole counsel of God with integrity and humility. Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the attractive but deceptive teachings that sometimes find their way into the Church. Such messages are not new. The prophets of old warned that God’s people often preferred comforting lies over uncomfortable truth.

“An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?” — Jeremiah 5:30–31 (ESV)

The tragedy was not merely that false prophets existed, but that the people delighted in hearing them. They embraced messages that affirmed their desires while rejecting the truth that called them to repentance, holiness, and obedience.

Finis Jennings Dake offers this sobering observation regarding this passage:

“False teachings always lower the standards of righteous living, lighten the yoke of God’s laws, remove fear for the soul, sear the conscience, and take away responsibility to both God and man. At this point a person seems perfectly content with his new religion—but what of the end?” — Dake, God’s Plan for Man

The question remains just as relevant today as it was in Jeremiah’s day: Do we seek teachers who faithfully proclaim God’s truth, or those who simply tell us what we want to hear?

The gospel of Jesus Christ certainly offers joy, peace, hope, and eternal life. It also calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. Biblical preaching never separates God’s blessings from His call to holiness, repentance, faithful endurance, and complete surrender to His will.

Conclusion

Judgment is certain. For some, it will come sooner rather than later. Scripture reveals that, at times, sickness and even death may be instruments of God’s discipline and judgment in this present life, as well as reminders of the final judgment yet to come. While illness is not always the result of personal sin, neither should we dismiss the possibility that God may use physical affliction to correct, discipline, or awaken His people.

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” 1 Corinthians 11:27–30 (ESV)

The Lord also warned Israel of the consequences of persistent disobedience:

“But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all His commandments and His statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you… The LORD will strike you with wasting disease and with fever, inflammation and fiery heat, and with drought and with blight and with mildew. They shall pursue you until you perish.” Deuteronomy 28:14, 22 (ESV)

In the broadest biblical sense, every person lives under the consequences of the Fall. The curse that entered creation through Adam and Eve affects all humanity, touching every aspect of life—including sickness, suffering, and death. As Paul writes:

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12 (ESV)

The entrance of sin into the world brought corruption upon all creation. Disease, decay, and death are universal reminders that we live in a fallen world awaiting its complete redemption through Jesus Christ.

Yet each believer must also remember a personal truth: we will stand before God and give an account for every word, every deed, and every thought. Nothing is hidden from His sight. To live with this awareness is not to live in terror, but in reverent awe. This is the fear of the Lord—a holy reverence that produces wisdom, obedience, humility, and a life that seeks to please God.

Never lose sight of this reality: Judgment Delayed is not Judgment Denied.

May we live each day with hearts that are pure, consciences that are clean, and lives that honor the One before whom we will all stand.

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.‘ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
Revelation 22:20 (ESV)

Enough Said

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 ESV