It's Your Life that Counts

Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. - Matthew 7:21

We celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ on Christmas. But is it really His birth we should celebrate or His life? What if the Master had been born, but then took the devil up on his offer to make the stones into bread, or to seize the rule of the kingdoms of the earth, or to do some fantastically publicized but self-glorifying deed? It is because the Lord spent His life doing the will of His Father and being a submissive servant all the way to His death that we can celebrate Him (Philippians 2:5-8).

It is the same with us. Our births, whether they be low or high are insignificant. Our appearances, whether good or bad, are meaningless. Neither money, nor prestige, nor race, nor position, has any import.

It’s our lives that count. Not our professional beliefs, nor our form of worship, nor the church we may attend. What counts, above all else, is how we live. Nothing we say with our lips can outweigh what we do with our lives. Nothing we claim to believe is nearly as important as what we actually act upon. Our lives must be characterized by integrity, sensitivity, unselfishness, a forgiving spirit and an indefatigable desire to obey and submit to God. True happiness is directly tied to doing what’s right and having a clear conscience.

The verses that follow today’s text reveal the dangers of self deception. On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized’ (Matthew 7:22-23)

What a tragedy to go through our lives being assiduously religious only to discover our deception! What a disaster to do all those good works only to find that because they were driven by the wrong motives they do not count! So if simply being religious, or doing great charitable works do not make our lives count, what does? Jesus answers that question in the very next verse.

Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock (Matthew 7:24). Obedience. That’s it. That’s what makes your life count. Simple obedience to the will of the Father and the teachings of the Christ. It’s not about what you or your family or friends, or your church or even I think. It’s about Jesus. You make your life submissive to him and your life will count.