Berry Chapel Baptist Church

The Courts of Life We Will Face

By Pastor Steve Williams

Mitchell County

       We hear so much about our court systems today. The courts through out all the land are making decisions about people, their actions, their words, and the deals that they make. There are three courts of life which all  will face. There is the Court of Public Opinion, all of us have an opinion. There is the Court of Conscience, we all have a conscience. And lastly the Court of God, and we will all stand before God one day. So, none of these judgments should be taken lightly. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 ¹ Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. ²   Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. ³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. ⁴  For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. ⁵  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

The court of public opinion assembles daily in every city in the world. Sometimes they take up in the restaurant, street corner, telephone, barber shop, or beauty shop. There people will discuss us, judge us, condemn us or maybe even acquit us. This is a judgment that no one can escape. But while public opinion is important, don’t let it control you. It is not the Supreme Court or the final court you will stand before.

Next is the Court of conscience, this court never takes a recess, except perhaps when you and I are asleep. It is always in session. It condemns us, acquits us continually for our actions. A little boy asked his father “What is a conscience?” The father answered, “I don’t know, but when the phone rings, you pick it up.” A conscience is an emergency call from God, we best not neglect it.

Lastly there is the court of God This is the supreme court of life. What God thinks of us is substantially more important than what others think of us or even what we think about ourselves. His judgement will be final and without error. Understand Christ is gathering material for His final judgement now. We must seek His favor and approval above all else. It is His opinion of us that will matter eternally.

Pastor Steve Williams

Words of Wisdom:

• Judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement. Simon Bolivar
• You can’t judge an album by a single song; it’s like judging a book by only reading a single chapter. Trevor Rabin
• I know of no way of judging the future but by the past. Patrick Henry
• People in grief need someone to walk with them without judging them. Gail Sheehy

Something to Think About:    Why I Never Go to Church

I never go to church,” boasted a wandering member. “Perhaps you have noticed that pastor?”
“Yes, I have noticed that,” said the pastor.
“Well, the reason I don’t go is because there are so many hypocrites there.”
“Oh, don’t let that keep you away,” replied the pastor with a smile. “There’s always room for one more.”