There are some today who, in their version of so-called Christianity, want to separate the triune God. They say that the God on the left side of the Bible (the Old Testament) is different from the God on the right side of the Bible (Jesus and the New Testament). These want to present Jesus as some sort of watered down, kinder and gentler version of the God of the Old Testament. Their version of Jesus, they say, doesn’t condemn or judge sin but wants to “get along” with sinners and let them work out their problems by themselves. Let me give you one quick bit of unsolicited advice. If you ever run into any of these people, don’t even give them the courtesy of listening to one word of their doctrine because it is straight out of the pits of hell. II John 10-11 says, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” We worship and serve one God who manifests, or reveals Himself in three distinct personalities – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. His triune nature is seen in Genesis 1:1 when the Scripture says, “In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth.” GOD is "elohim," meaning three strong ones. It is further revealed in Genesis 1:26 where God is recorded as saying, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . . ” (Who was He talking to? Himself.) The fact that the God of the Old Testament is the very same One as in the New Testament is found in what Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 and the angel told Joseph in Matthew 1:23: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” And to say that Jesus feels differently about sin than God did in the Old Testament is to err. Listen to John 2:13-15: “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables . . . ” And notice how He is described in Revelation 19:11-16: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD of LORDS.” In that same chapter look at what the angel says (vv. 17-18): “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.” Does that sound like the “Jesus” of many in today’s religious world? A Jesus who doesn’t mind sin? Now we come to our text where we are reminded 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 hehath done, whether it be good or bad.” There are those in the religious realm that believe a saved person can so sin that they will lose their salvation – that God will take it away, or “kick them out” of His family, etc. However, we know that our salvation does not depend upon us or our works but upon the finished work of Jesus. For that reason we know we are secure in Christ. We also know that we have liberty in Him. Listen to what Paul says in Galatians 5:1: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Most of the religious world understands neither the security nor the liberty of the believer. Because they preach salvation by works, they have little understanding of grace. Salvation has to be by one or the other – grace or works – but it cannot be by a combination of the two. Romans 11:6: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” And because we know the Bible to teach both security of the believer and liberty for the believer, we are often accused of continuing “in sin that grace may abound” (Romans 6:1). Unfortunately, the lives of some who profess Christ give credence to this accusation. But the eternal security of the believer and liberty in Christ are not given so we may “live as we want” after salvation (If this is your thinking, then you don't understand security.) Galatians 5:13 tells us that we are not to use liberty to serve the flesh. In I Corinthians. 8:9 we are told that we are not to allow our liberty in Christ is not to become a stumbling block to others (especially younger, spiritually weaker believers). Security and liberty, then, are based in Christ’s sacrifice (not man’s works) and are given so we may more freely and effectively serve our Lord. These verses offer at least three motives for serving God as He has commanded and for refusing to abuse the liberty and security God offers. They are:

  I. THE AWAITING REWARDS FOR THE SAVED -- VV. 9-10.

 II.  AN AWESOME RESPECT FOR OUR SOVEREIGN -- VV. 11-13.

III. AN AFFECTIONATE REGARD FOR SOULS -- VV. 14-15.