What's he judging the churches on?
What's he judging us on when we get to heaven?
Now look, I don't need to tell you,
I don't need to spend a whole sermon telling you that salvation's not of works,
because 90 some percent of the people who are here this morning are already saved,
and you already know that salvation's by faith,
and it's not of works lest any man should boast.
That's not what this sermon's about.
This isn't about salvation.
Salvation has nothing to do with works.
Salvation is by faith alone.
No works involved whatsoever with salvation.
But, after we're saved, God wants us to and commands us to commit our works unto the Lord.
And the Bible says in the famous verse,
for by grace are you saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.
In the next verse it says,
for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We're not saved by works, but we are saved unto works.
God saves us and then says, alright, now get to work.
It's just like my children don't have to work to become a part of my family.
They don't have to work in order to stay a part of the family,
but they still have to work in order to be well pleasing in the sight of their parents.
And so God commands us to do works.
This isn't about salvation, this is about sanctification.
This is about a lifetime of serving God.
The Bible says that we've been bought with a price.
Our salvation is free, it's paid for by Jesus,
but that we should glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are God's.
Look down at your Bible here and it continues.
He says in verse 8,
I know thy works, behold I have set before thee an open door,
and no man can shut it, for there hast a little strength,
and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Verse 15, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot,
I would thou work cold or hot.
How does God know whether you're cold or hot?
He looks at your works.
He says, well I know your works, that you're neither cold or hot.
How does he judge a Christian on how well they're doing?
How does he reward them?
How does he look at a church and determine whether that church is a good church,
or a bad church, a profitable church, or a worthless church?
He says over and over again, it's because I've looked at your works.
I know your works.
I'm going to reward you according to your works.
When you die, your works are what are going to follow you,
and we need to understand that works is something that God emphasizes in our Christian life,
that we need to work for the Lord.
He expects us to work and do something for him.