By What Standard Will We Be Judged?

Can we earn salvation?
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

What experience must we have to receive this free gift?
"Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' " John 3:3

To be born again means to receive the gift of Jesus' divine nature. (In the Scriptures, this nature is variously called life, power, seed, or spirit.) How can we receive this new nature?
"As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1:3, 4

Unless we are "eating" the Word of God, through Bible study and prayer, can we have Jesus' life (or nature) abiding in us?
"Then Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.' It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." John 6:53,63

When we are born again, what must happen to the sinful habits in our life?
"Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." Romans 6:4-6

What is sin?
"Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness." 1 John 3:4

How will God know that we have been born again? By what standard will He judge us on the day of judgment?
"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty." James 2:10-12

Will Jesus really judge us according to the things we have done while in our body?
"For 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

When Jesus gives us a new beginning (new birth) by imparting to us His Spirit (or nature), what does He write on our hearts?
" 'For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days,' says the LORD, 'I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.' " Hebrews 8:10

What motive should prompt us to keep God's law?
"If you love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15

Are God's commandments burdensome to those who are truly born again?
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith." 1 John 5:3, 4

Why will many who think they are born again be disappointed on the day of judgment?
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord,' have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' " Matthew 7:21-23

How does the Bible summarize the answer to our question, "By what standard will we be judged on the day of judgment"?
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13,14

Who will be admitted into heaven?
"Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14

Is it your desire to be among this group of people who have surrendered their sins and evil natures to Him (1 John 3:5) and allowed Him to write His laws on their hearts (Hebrews 8:10)? God's requirements are plain and unequivocal. We will be judged according to God's law, for our works show whether we have been born again (1 John 2:29). "Let no one deceive you" on this point (1 John 3:6, 7). He is "the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).
His standard is the same as it was in the Garden of Eden, at Sinai, and in Paul's day - it never changes. But just as His standard is forever the same, so is His mercy and love and power to save. He can change your heart. He can change your life (Hebrews 7:25). Do you desire Jesus to give you that new-birth experience, which involves a total, growing change of character, habits and thinking? "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." Hebrews 3:15. Today is the day of probation. Today is the day of salvation.