45 But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
The end result doesn’t sound too good for the faithless does it? There will be a day of reckoning for every person who has ever lived. For the non-believer we are told in Scripture:
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev 20:11-15 (NIV)
Those who belong to Christ, the redeemed by His precious blood, will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive their reward (or perhaps lack of it!):
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Cor 5:10 (NIV)
This is why Paul prefaces the verse with:
9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 2 Cor 5:8-9 (NIV)
As we have said before, it matters how we live. Paul again states in Ephesians:
15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Eph 5:15-17 (NIV)
I love how the Bible Knowledge Commentary expounds on the above verses:
“Believers then, are to walk (live) carefully, so as to be wise or skillful and thus please the Lord. The manner for this careful, precise walk is making the right use of every opportunity (cf. Col. 4:5), and the reason for this careful walk is that the days are evil. Many are walking in sin, and since the time is short believers must make full use of their time to help turn them from darkness to light. This necessitates wise conduct.
Paul gives us further insight regarding our works being tested by fire:
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Cor 3:10-15 (NIV)
While salvation is secure for the believer in Christ through His redemptive work for us on the cross, I wonder if the servant in our verse for today thought that he too belonged to the Master. The mindset of a verbal ascension sans actions or deeds or a changed life or any manifestation of fruit the Bible states is not saving faith. One that simply espouses faith yet has no evidence of faith quite frankly just qualifies one to be a demon! Demons even espoused with emotion! James tells us:
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. James 2:18-19 (NIV)
Unfortunately, this way of thinking has crept into our churches giving many a false sense of security. A believer in Christ will manifest a changed life – not a perfect life, but a changed life. Certainly to believe in Christ is far more than just a verbal assent. As James also tells us:
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. James 2:14-18 (NIV)
Lord, may we always conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, pleasing Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with power according to His glorious might so that we may have great endurance, patience and joy.