The Only Answer

Invitation songs are sometimes sung a bit mindlessly. After all, most congregations only know about a dozen well-enough to sing well, so those few songs get sung over and over again. As a result, our minds are often barely engaged, even though we know they should be.

However, in those songs there are some profound thoughts. One of the most profound–though it is written in very simple language-is found in the hymn “What Shall It Be?” Throughout that song, various forms of the question, “What will your answer be?” are asked.

But if our minds are not engaged as we sing, we may miss the fact that the question is answered, and that is done in a glorious way.

The third verse of that hymn contains the following lyrics:

Now is the time to prepare, my friend;

Make your soul spotless and free–

Washed in the blood of the crucified One,

He will your answer be.

Did you catch that last line? “He will your answer be” (emphasis added). How profound!

We are given glimpses of the Judgment Day in Scripture, but there is simply no way our minds can conceive of how grand that day will be. We cannot grasp the enormity of it, the grandeur of it, or the scale of it. Even the thought of actually standing before God should be enough to both cause us to be in awe and make our knees weak.

The Bible tells us that there will be a record of our lives that will be opened on that day. We will, as we often say, “give account” of our lives. But what will we say?

Some will try to be like those in Matthew 7 who started reading their resume: “Lord, did we not prophecy in Your name,” and so forth. I hope that there are some good works on my ledger, too, because we are created for such (Ephesians 2:10). However, no matter how many good works I may pile up, they are all stained by the sins I commit. “All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isaiah 65:6). Compared with the absolute holiness of God, all the good deeds I could ever do are not only imperfect, but they are stained.

So if I cannot rely on good deeds, what will I answer when I face the record of my life?

“Jesus.”

That’s the only right answer. If I have been washed in His blood through baptism (Romans 6:1-3), then it is as if His Name is written over my record, covering those sins from the very view of God!

Do I still need to do good works? Absolutely. I must do all I can to live a faithful life (Revelation 2:10). But I will never do that perfectly. For those times when I fail, the real question is whether or not the blood of Jesus is in my life, cleansing me of those times of uncleanness (1 John 1:7).

And when that day comes and I’m there before God, the only answer that will matter is “Jesus.” Not me or my spiritual resume. Jesus.

“He will your answer be.”

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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn