Derek wrote:
If that is the case, why did Jesus have to die at all?
Jesus conquered death. Had He not done so we would have no hope of the resurrection. He also showed us "the Way," that we should repent of our sins and shun that which is evil and seek after righteousness.
Perhaps this is old ground with us, but just for my memory's sake, do you not think that Christ died for our justification before God on judgement day?
Both justification and judgement are legal terms. Of course, I think that the bible is pretty clear that one aspect of His death was to accomplish our justification, so there must be some sense that the apparent tension between these two ideas (judgement according to works, justification by faith) can be reconciled.
I think as I stated in an earlier post, that they are reconciled by the fact that Christians
will "by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality..." and will "do good works", because that is what a Christian
is. Paul says that these will recieve eternal life. People who are "self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil" are not Christians. Even if a Christian has a weak walk and falls into these sins often, he will repent, and will keep getting back up and working at it. I don't think that God will punish these failures because of this, and this person will be covered by the blood of Christ.
As for our (Christians) sins, upon confession and repentence, we are forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness (1jn1:9) and may have "confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming". All of these things are part of being "in Christ", which is abiding in Him, and following Him. The bible says that He is "just" to forgive us our sins for this very reason. God has cleansed us, and will not bring up the sins that we have repented of at the judgement.
The unbeliever, at the judgement, is not covered by the blood of our Lord, having neglected to follow Him, and does not have the above option available to him as far as I can see. He is not justified, and is therefore condemned. He may be sorry, but as Sean stated,
of course they will be sorry, when standing before God. (I am not neccesarilly commenting on those that have not heard. I haven't worked all that out yet, but God is just, that I know).
God bless,