We have a very simple question to ask: Is your heart right with God? As you think about your answer to this most important of all questions, we’d like you to consider these observations:

1) You might as well be honest about this, because “if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things” (1 John 3:20). So then, if you have never obeyed the gospel, or if you are unfaithful in your service as a Christian, you ought to own up to the reality of your dangerous spiritual condition — after all, you can’t hide these things from God.

2) Judgment is as certain as life itself. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).

3) In light of these facts, perhaps you should begin right now thinking about a good excuse that you can use on the judgment day. A few favorites will surely be: “I was too busy”, “I didn’t feel well”, “I had family obligations”, “My work demanded so much of my’ time”, “The people at church were unfriendly”, “I didn’t like the preacher, or the elders, or the teachers, or….” Feel free to pick one of these, or perhaps you can come up with one of your own that seems more appropriate to your own particular situation.

4) We must warn you, however, that the excuse you choose, no matter how good it seems, will not be good enough. (Read Matthew 7:21-23 and 25:31-46) The truth of the matter is that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

5) So our best advice then is to get right with God. It is ultimately important, and excuses just won’t get the job done – not now, and certainly not in judgment.

– by Greg Gwin