apples and oranges

Apples are a tasty fruit and the old cliché, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” speaks of the healthful properties of apples. From the earliest times the apple has had a bad rap by being tagged as the fruit eaten in the Garden of Eden and thus represented sin. Oranges too are sweet and good to taste and the vitamin C it contains is necessary for our diets. But even with apples and oranges both being fruit and both being good they are very different. And that is the reason I have called this blog apples and oranges for I want to show the difference between 2 things sometimes misconstrued the same thing..

Some have questioned how I can reconcile believing that JESUS has saved me to the uttermost1 and that GOD will make me stand2 with the need urging me to discipline myself to draw near and learn of JESUS and do things GOD’s way so I may live on earth victoriously.

For one thing we don’t need to reconcile friends and for another we are talking apples and oranges. Now these are exciting but difficult topics and I only have time to give you a brief overview of these things. But I hope it is enough to show you GOD’s order and whet your appetite for further study.

apples … deal with sin. The free gift of Eternal life is just that free- JESUS reconciled me with GOD through HIS blood shed on the cross for the forgiveness of my sin. For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. JESUS did for me what I could not do for myself. When I accepted JESUS work on my behalf I was given the free gift of eternal life and was reconciled with GOD and became HIS child.

oranges … concerns our work on earth and earning rewards. The fruit of a living victorious life on earth comes only through hard work but it brings both GOD pleasure and earns rewards for us. We see this at the believer’s judgment. 4

But before we talk briefly about the judgments let me say that all believers are not disciples although all disciples are believers. All believers get apples –eternal life but only disciples get the bonus of oranges-rewards for work done.

Now there are many judgment seats in the Bible. It was at Pilate’s judgment seat that JESUS was condemned to die on the cross. In Matthew 25 we see JESUS sitting and separating the sheep from the goats… that judgment seat has to do with life on earth during the 1,000 year reign of Christ. But there are only 2 eternal judgment seats.

The 1st of these eternal judgment seats we find in I Corinthians 3:10-15. 4 It is for believers in JESUS who are alive at the Rapture and for those believers in JESUS who died before the Rapture I Thessalonians 4:13-18. 5

Somewhere between our lifting off the earth but before we enter into the highest heaven to go to the wedding feast of the lamb all believers in JESUS will go through a roaring fire and the fire will test our lives/ works/ relationships only that which survives the fire will be rewarded (Revelation tells us JESUS brings HIS reward with HIM). Some will go through the fire and receive a reward(oranges) others will go through the fire and everything will burn away but they themselves will be saved(apples) as out of a roaring fire. This is also spoken of in I John 2:28 where it talks about us being ashamed at HIS appearing. NOTE: All believers will get an apple- eternal salvation but only deciples who have disciplined themselves will get oranges.

The 2nd of the eternal judgment seats is called the White Throne Judgment where all who came to know JESUS after the rapture, and all Jews from the beginning of Abraham and all unbelievers who have ever lived will be judged. These will be judged out of the books. Anyone not found in the Lamb’s book of life (anyone who has not become a believer) will be cast into the lake of fire which is also called the 2nd death.

I hope this has helped you see the difference between apples and oranges and has whet you appetite to dig deeper…
Hugs
Sharon

apples
1- Hebrews 7:24but because JESUS lives forever, HE has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore HE is able to save completely/ forever those who come to God through HIM, because HE always lives to intercede for them.

Hebrews 10:12But when this priest (JESUS) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, HE sat down at the right hand of GOD. 13Since that time HE waits for HIS enemies to be made HIS footstool, 14because by one sacrifice HE has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
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2-Jude 24To HIM who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before HIS glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Romans 14:4Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the LORD is able to make him stand.
oranges
3-Colossians 1; 29To this end I labor, struggling with all HIS energy, which so powerfully works in me.

1Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to GOD because of all HE has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind HE will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship HIM. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let GOD transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know GOD’s will for you, which is good and acceptable and lacks nothing.
believer’s judgment
4-1 Corinthians 3:10By 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. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his 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. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Who will be at believer’s judgment
5-1 Thessalonians 4:13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.