“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!'” (Revelation 14:13 ESV) [1]
The last phrase in this verse reminds me of the account of Jacob and Esau. Jacob stole Esau’s birthright then his blessing. He then left and went out on his own. After a while he wrestled with god. He then wanted to make up with Esau but knew Esau would be mad. He split his flocks into a number of smaller flocks and sent them ahead of him as the following Scripture tells us:
“He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, ‘You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, and you shall say, “Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.”‘ For he thought, ‘I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.'” (Genesis 32:19-20 ESV)
Jacob had the idea of bribing Esau but that wasn’t necessary. There are people who try to bribe God and get into heaven by their good deeds. As the verse above says, our deeds follow us, they do not go ahead of us like Jacob’s flocks. No amount of deeds can get us into heaven. When we meet Jesus Christ we will meet face to face, there will be nothing between us and Him. He then will either say, “Get away from me. I never knew you.” Or “Welcome my child.”
This does not mean we are not to do good deeds. We are to follow all of the commands of Jesus including loving one another and making disciples. The deeds that follow us will be tested:
“each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 ESV)
Your deeds will follow you in another way. They will have some effect here on earth while you are here and after you are gone. You may not know what effect you have had.
I once read of a missionary in the 1800’s that went from England to Africa to work with a tribe that had never had a missionary to visit. He was on fire and worked very hard with the tribe. After a year he had only led one boy to Jesus Christ. He was so despondent and depressed that when he went home on furlough he did not go back to Africa. He thought, “What is the use?” Many years later he had a chance to go back to that tribe. When he got there he saw a hut with a steeple on top. He met that boy who was now a young man and found out that that guy had led most of the tribe to Jesus Christ.
Be sure, your deeds will follow you.
By Dean W. Masters
homefurn@preferred.com
Owner of the Masters list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/masterslist/
Unedited redistribution approved
[1] The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. 2001. Standard Bible Society: Wheaton