Today’s 333 Devotional: “God’s Higher Standard of Judgment”

There’s a lot of talk about the church’s beginning, and about how the Holy Spirit fell, and how many miracles were done in the name of Jesus Christ, including the greatest miracle, salvation. But there’s one miracle that goes mostly overlooked, especially in the church of Laodicea, a church that was rich in goods, so much so that they said they didn’t need anything.

But in truth Jesus said they were “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” (Revelation 3:17)

But what was this miracle? It was giving to meet people’s needs.

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need … There were no needy persons among them. ” (Acts 2:44-45, 4:34a)

But what really hits home is that this is at the very heart of Jesus’ upcoming judgment.

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:34-36)

But to those who didn’t give, Jesus said, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41)

The reason for His judgment wasn’t because of any other sin, rather it’s because they didn’t reach out to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need.

Yes, it is by grace we are saved through faith, and not of works, but we will be judged by whether we did what was commanded.

The Apostle James tells us that what good is faith if it doesn’t produce the works that reveal our faith (James 2:14-17).