This idea seems self-evident, but it is something we need to remind ourselves often, "for the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works" (Matthew 16:27).
One point worth considering is that we are only responsible for our own actions and must not concern ourselves with the sins of another, unless we are required to by our relation to them (a parent, or someone whose job it is to give guidance in a particular situation). Even if we are unable to solve some problem, it is important that we take action to try and improve it, because "God, who sees in secret, shall reward us openly" (Matthew 6).
This reward, as far as I understand, is not really a "prize" or "payment", but rather the fruit that we bear. Sin leads to death; not as punishment, but as a natural consequence. In the same way, virtue naturally leads to life (Romans 6:21-23). Even before the Second Coming we will experience the fruit of our actions, either "fruit for death" or "fruit for God" (Romans 7:4-5).
Romans 6:21-23: What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 7:4-5: So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
I fully agree that our actions inevitably shape our lives. For instance, kindness often returns to us, while harsh words create conflict. This principle aligns with the biblical idea of "reaping what you sow." It emphasizes personal responsibility in spiritual growth. While God forgives sins, He doesn't remove the natural consequences of our choices. This isn't a harsh judgment but a spiritual law of cause and effect. In my experience, kindness towards people has always come back to me. For example, I could give my jacket to someone who was cold, order treats for someone who was sick, come over if someone was feeling bad, or give money if someone was short. In return, I receive deep respect, and life gives me gifts when I least expect them.
I agree with this quote and I can interpret it in two ways. When we talk about the consequences of a person's actions, we usually mean something negative. The evil we do is harmful, to ourselves, but it's even worse when it harms others. It's painful to see people suffer because of our bad actions, but this pain leads to remorse and redemption. But good deeds also have good consequences, which means that if a person tries to be kind, their life will be bright. In addition, we will face the consequences of our actions at the Last Judgment, when the fate of our souls will be decided. At this moment а person will regret all their unrepented sins, uncorrected mistakes, and the fact that they did not apologize in time. Perhaps, only at this moment a person fully realizes their sinfulness. Good deeds will lead us to Paradise, while evil deeds will keep us away. Баушова М.
This quote reminds me of the one from the New Testament: "Ye shall know them by their fruits", -- from the sermon of Jesus (Matthew 7:15-20), when He was speaking about the righteous. To my mind, we are already going through the consequences of our actions, we already have the fruits of our decisions and deeds that structure our life in all possible ways. To me, this isn't a prophecy about some future life or the afterlife, it's a law that is shaping the actual moment we're experiencing.
I understand the point of this quote in the following way: we should not live without any thought for the future or for the eternal consequences of our actions. It is easy to forget that we must be prepared for death, and we must remember that our earthly life can affect our life after death.
A similar idea can be found in 2 Corinthians 5:10: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." It is also echoed in Galatians 6:7-8: "A man reaps what he sows."
However, I believe this is not primarily about fearing punishment, but about understanding that we are active participants in our own salvation. Furthermore, I think that peace and joy are also the natural consequences of a life filled with God, faith, love. To sum up, the main idea is that taking responsibility transforms us from passive subjects into active creators of our lives.
