>I don't believe in an afterlife (though many Jews do), so I'll be judged by my community, my descendants and history.
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>As for how well I'm doing, I can judge that based on how people respond to me. When they welcome my presence and involvement, it's a sign that I've made myself welcome by past behavior. If eyes roll when I show up for a committee meeting or the like, then maybe I'm not doing so well. When I hear regularly that my children are contributing to their respective communities, it's a sign I've done well in raising them. And so forth and so on.
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>I'll turn the question around. How can _you_ know how well you're doing along the way? Surely just trusting in Jesus isn't enough?
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>Tamar

Trusting in Jesus IS enough. As a matter of fact, trust in Jesus plus anything else amounts to a false religion. Someone once said if we aim to provide any of our righteousness, we are bound to provide all of it. I am trusting in Jesue alone and his work on the cross to satisfy God's requirement that every sin be punished.

I believe that Jesus' took the punishment I deserve when He was crucified. That satisfied God and my "slate is clean" so to speak. Now, I do still continue to sin. While this is not my desire, it does still happen and I still struggle with sin. However, all of my sin (past and future) were paid for by Jesus and is forgiven. Some will say that I have a license now to sin all I want - and maybe I do. However, I don't want to sin anymore. God has changed me and now I am no longer satisfied with sinning. It upsets me and its something I avoid whenever I can.

I am surrounded by many people who are willing to evaluate my actions and my life. If they see something that appears to be a sinful lifestyle, they will speak to me. If that doesn't work, they will speak to the Elders at my church who will counsel me. If that doesn't work, I will be asked to leave our church. There is a great deal of accountability in that - for which I am very appreciative.