Yes. Some will be ashamed (1 John 2:28), and some will be full of joy. That is why, in 1 Thessalonians 2:19, Paul asks, "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?" What is going to bring you and me a great crown? He then answers, "Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" (v. 19). Paul was saying, "I'm going to present you, those I've won to Christ from Rome to Corinth, before the Lord, and that is going to be my joy." But think of the multitudes who will stand before the Lord empty handed. These are people who have been saved for years, but have no record of service, none whatsoever. They have never won a single soul to Christ.

There will be no scales at the Great Judgment Day at the end of the world whereby one is admitted to heaven if his good works outweigh the bad and vice versa. A person can be saved only by God's grace (unmerited favor), not through works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Second Timothy 1:9 states: "[God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace." However, there is a system of balances found in the Scriptures when it comes to rewards. Remember that one is neither saved nor kept by works. He is, however, to work because of the salvation he already possesses. Ephesians 2:10 gives clear evidence of this fact: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. The Christian's works following salvation will be weighed on God's scales and put through His judgmental fire. Thus, a system of addition and subtraction can be found at the judgment seat of Christ. The Bible also plainly states that a Christian can accumulate rewards while he is on earth, and then lose them before his death, or before the Rapture, by foolish living. The Bible is clear that a Christian cannot live in sin without suffering the consequences, not the loss of his salvation, but of his rewards.

Remember 1 Corinthians 3:15, "He shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." Now consider 2 John 8: "Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." Consider also Revelation 3:11: "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul says, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." The Greek word for castaway means disapproved or put on the shelf. Paul knew he could lose all his rewards for heroic service if he allowed his flesh to rule his life rather than the Holy Spirit. If this could happen to the man who had accumulated more spiritual points toward heavenly rewards than any servant of God, it can also happen to you and me.

Second Corinthians 11:23-26 lists Paul's service record: "In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep [clinging to life in the ocean]; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren." Paul could have lost all of his rewards had he allowed his flesh to control him instead of the Lord. But he didn't. Hear him again, just before he paid the supreme sacrifice (his life), in 2 Timothy 4:7-8: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day [the day of Christ's bema or judgment seat investigation]: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

What a contrast to some Christians who find it easier to lie in bed rather than go to God's house; who find it easier not to tithe, not to read the Bible, not to pray, not to win souls, not to live in the Spirit. Their reward will be nothing but ashes. Also to those who have allowed the flesh to take control of their lives, their rewards, earned through years of service, will have been lost because of a foolish unfulfilling habit, a beautiful, flirtatious face, or the desire to travel to heaven via worldly pathways.

I don't know all that will be brought to light at that day, but I do know that God will ask : Did you bring people into My kingdom? It is also the last thing Jesus commanded us to do: "Ye shall be witnesses unto me . . And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight" (Acts 1:8-9).