Originally posted: 2/08/2021
…Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things, (11:9).
The Preacher is beginning to wrap up his discourse on the futility of misplaced hope in pursuing the deceitful promise of a return from the temporal pleasures of life. And with that at the forefront (for truly that has been the forefront since the opening of Ecclesiastes), he now turns his attention to offer wisdom and counsel on the best way we can live this life.
- We are to make the most of this life in order to please Him Who Will Bring Us to Judgment as we:
- invest our resources, time, and effort wisely (11:1-2);
- make our plans based on what we know of God, not speculations of our own imaginations (11:4-5);
- do not succumb to idleness but work diligently in very opportunity (11:6);
- find joy in the present through an eternal perspective (11:8);
- enjoy His gifts, but do not waste our youth and strength on the foolish pleasures of this world (11:9-10).
And in reality, making the most of our time is prudent; as we remember, even the fool when applying the principles of God’s wisdom will benefit.
But more importantly than making the most of our temporary time on earth is to live with eternity in view; for He Will Bring Judgment to all, for all things.
Consider Him Who Will Bring Us to Judgment
Every human born will be Brought to Judgment.
And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27).
Jesus Christ was given that we could be saved from the wrath of His Judgment that we, in our sin, have earned.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Romans 6:23).
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil,” (John 3:16-19).
God Will Bring Judgment to all, and He begins with His household first.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17).
And God, in His holy justice, Will Bring Judgment to the unrighteous who have rejected His Word in their heart.
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation, (Romans 10:8-10).
then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, (2 Peter 2:9).
It is when we place our faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that we are justified by His blood and spared the wrath of Holy God’s Judgment.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him, (Romans 5:9).
But, what we do with the time He allows us in this temporary life, will be brought into account. And in reality, every bit of that begins in our heart.
Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the hearts, (Proverbs 21:12).
God Will Bring to Judgment our heart, whether self-defiling or God-honoring; for every thought, attitude, inclination, word, and deed flows from our heart.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it, (Proverbs 4:23 NIV).
“But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 These are the things which defile the man…” (Matthew 15:18-19).
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy… (1 Peter 3:15 ESV).
- Whether self-defiling or God-honoring, He Will Bring to Judgment all our thoughts.
- “You have heard that it was said, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that whoever looks at a woman and cherishes lustful thoughts has already in his heart become guilty with regard to her,” (Matthew 5:27-28 WNT).
- Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things, (Philippians 4:8).
- Whether self-defiling or God-honoring, He Will Bring to Judgment all our attitudes.
- Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Assuredly, he will not be unpunished, (Proverbs 16:5). - So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you, (Colossians 3:12-13).
- Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
- Whether self-defiling or God-honoring, He Will Bring to Judgment all our inclinations.
- “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’ 24 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward,” (Jeremiah 7:23-24).
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight., (Proverbs 3:5-6).
- Whether self-defiling or God-honoring, He Will Bring to Judgment all our words.
- “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment,” (Matthew 12:36).
- “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart,” (Luke 6:45).
- Whether self-defiling or God-honoring, He Will Bring to Judgment all our deeds.
- Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these… (Galatians 5:19-21).
- “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets,” (Matthew 7:12).
How do we respond to Him Who Will Bring Us to Judgment?
A definite time for self-examination:
Have I placed my faith in Christ, and know that my sin has been judged at the cross? (If you have any doubt, ask the Lord to reveal your heart, for this is the most critical matter in all of life.)
If we have trusted Christ for our salvation, we know it is critical to guard our hearts; for everything we do flows from it; and everything we do, He Will Bring to Judgment.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it, (Proverbs 4:23 NIV).
The best way we can guard our hearts is through humbly seeking His Judgment daily through time with Him in His Word.
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do, (Hebrews 4:12).
Let us remember that nothing can be hidden from Him anyway. Let us come to His Word in humility as we trust that He Will Bring to Judgment all our thoughts, attitudes, inclinations, words, and deeds by the transforming power of His Holy Spirit and Holy Word, so that we would live all of this life to worship Him with all that we are.
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect, (Romans 12:1-2).
Oh, that we would guard our hearts to make the most of our time, that we would run the race well as we keep the faith in confident expectation of the crown of righteousness we will one day be awarded by Him Who Will Bring Us to Judgment.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing, (2 Timothy 4:7-8).