We don’t like to think about the judgment seat of God, but it is a reality of God’s word. God will reward our obedience but will also hold us accountable for those times we refused to obey and chose a path we knew was wrong. And we know from God’s word that all of us will be “without excuse” (Romans 1:20) for our sins.

Thankfully, we can also know that those who are in Christ will stand in our flaws as the forgiven children of God.

It’s comforting to consider our forgiveness in Jesus Christ, but it’s important to remember that our forgiveness doesn’t erase our accountability. Why can God hold us accountable for every sin? Micah gives that answer by saying, “He has told you, O man, what is good.” The sins we will be accountable for are those we commit knowing that the choice was wrong.

Adam and Eve sinned when they ate from the tree because God had warned them they were not to do that. King David sinned with Bathsheba because his actions broke most, if not all, of the commandments he had learned from God’s word. 

If you are like me, you have more than one Bible and access to God’s word through technology, sermons, and many other means. We will stand before God “without excuse” because he has made certain we would “know what is good.” 

What is the opposite of living willfully ignorant or antagonistic to God’s word? It is to live with justice in our treatment of others. It is to love others with the mercy and kindness of God. Finally, it is accomplished by walking humbly submitted to God as our King.

God has told us who he is. God has given us his Son and his Spirit so that we could live unburdened by sin. He will hold us accountable for those moments we didn’t allow him to author our choices and strengthen us to choose his righteous will. God’s priorities are wisdom. We will be accountable to God for the times we chose to be less than we could have been. He has shown us what is good. Let’s choose to follow our King.