Brethren, once we get to the 'other side' it's NOT going to go well simply because we were born-again at some point in our lives. All Believers will end up at the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged for the good or bad works that we did. However, not all children of God are going to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (from the Lord) at their eternal judgment. If God's people want to be honored or rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ, they need to be found (by the Lord) to be faithful. And not only faithful, but faithful to God's written Word! This world is loaded with Church-goers who are very faithful...they're just not very biblically faithful. In the end...it's NOT how we started out in our new life in Christ that's going to earn a Believer kingdom rewards or honors. It's how we finish our Christian life which will determine that. Our initial faith in the Gospel of Christ didn't earn us or merit us any heavenly rewards. A Believer's initial faith in the Gospel of Christ keeps them out of hell. However, our faith in the Gospel of Christ is no guarantee that we'll hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant" at our judgment. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, Believers will be rewarded or unrewarded; honored or rebuked; praised or condemned based on how well their good works hold up against the judgment fire testing by the Lion of Judah!
These next verses show the eternal benefits of being found to be a faithful Believer...and the eternal consequences of being found to be an unfaithful Believer!
Matthew 24:45-51 ---- A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (There will be NO eternity spent in the "Joy of the Lord" for this carnal Believer!)
