Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
What is the most significant accountability moment you have ever experienced? We’ve probably all had times when we’ve been called to give account of our actions, right? Was that a terrifying experience for you? But have you ever been invited to an event where you were going to be honored and celebrated for your accomplishments?
Oh my, what a difference between those two appearances for accountability. Did you know the Bible calls us to prepare for BOTH those experiences in the future? Let’s take a closer look today.
We’re with the apostle Paul as he’s writing 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and yesterday, we looked at this powerful statement from Paul in verse 9: “So we make it our goal to please God, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” (2 Cor. 5:9) Paul is writing to and about Christians.
He’s declaring that for those of us who understand the price God paid, so we could be redeemed from our sin bondage and forgiven of our sin; and then given the Holy Spirit to live within us, powerfully guiding us for God honoring living… well of course a priority for us should be to honor God with every aspect of our lives, every day, right?
Why? As a continual expression of THANKS to Jesus for all He did for our salvation! And that priority should be both while alive here on earth and later when alive in heaven after our death and resurrection.
So, Paul’s next words follow in logical progression: “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.” (2 Cor. 5:10) Who is “WE” in this verse? And WHY will ‘we’ appear before the Judgment seat of Christ?
Paul is writing to the Christians in Corinth, but what the Holy Spirit led Paul to write is applicable by the Holy Spirit to ALL Christians, of ALL time, in all places, right? So, this verse is talking about an accountability opportunity for ALL Christians, before “the judgment seat of Jesus Christ”.
This event is very different from the Great White Throne Judgment courtroom scene in Revelation 20:11-15 when all those from all-time who NEVER experienced God’s sin forgiveness, will be standing in judgment before King and Holy Judge Jesus Christ.
This matter of giving an account before God is found in many places in the Bible, including Matt. 16:27, and Romans 14:12, and 1 Cor. 3:11-15. But this 2 Corinthians 5:10 judgment seat of Christ is specifically for all Christians. WHY? Because from the moment of our salvation by God from our sin bondage, God considers us a ‘new creation in Christ, the old is gone and the new has come’ (2 Cor. 5:17)
Therefore, in this 2 Cor. 5:10 day of reckoning before Jesus our Savior, Christians will each be giving account for how we lived our new, sin forgiven, Spirit indwelt life which Jesus earned for us through His death and resurrection.
In that moment we’ll each give account regarding how we handled the privilege Jesus earned for us that we had of the Holy Spirit of God living within us as the Counselor Jesus promised. (John 14:16,17,26)
But what types of things will Christians be giving account FOR at this ‘judgment seat of Christ’? Oh my friends, we’ll give an accounting TO King Jesus Christ for our stewardship of EVERYTHING… from the moment we became a ‘new creation in Christ’, because our old life is under the blood of Christ, forgiven, and our ‘new creation life’ is God ordained for His glory in EVERY aspect of our lives!
Face to face with Jesus, he and each of us will discuss HIS evaluation, of OUR stewardship of EVERYTHING God gave to us as a ‘new creation Christian’. What do I mean by “everything” given to us from God, for which we’ll be held accountable? Well, how about these specific God given things:
*First… Every moment of our God given TIME (Ps. 31:15; James 4:13-17);
* and… All our God given talents and spiritual gifts (Ex. 35:30-36:1; 1 Cor.12:4-7);
* and… All our God given finances which God wants to guide us in using for the accomplishment of His purposes (1 Tim. 6:6-10; Prov. 3:5-9);
* and… Every opportunity God placed before us to make a difference in our world (Eph. 5:15,16);
* and finally… Every problem or painful situation we had encountered (James 1:2) in which God wanted to grow us up into maturity.
Do you see my friends that this 2 Corinthians 5:10 judgment seat appearance before King Jesus will be an accounting based on how well or poorly, we handled the daily opportunity God gave us as ‘new creations in Christ’ to live what Paul declared in that previous verse 9 “So we make it our goal to please God, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” Oh my friends, does that excite you or frighten you?
The other day I had the privilege of participating in a Celebration of the life of a recently ‘departed’ Christian man who had lived 2 Corinthians 5:9 so well that about 400 people gathered, including his 38 living direct descendants! Oh, he wasn’t a perfect man, but we all knew that Brian daily, to the best of his ability, fully engaged in living 2 Cor. 5:9 to the fullest! As he stands before King Jesus on that day of his accounting, I believe the celebration of His ‘new creation in Christ’ life will be far greater than what we experienced a few days ago.
Pause. What will that 2 Corinthians 5:10 appearing at the “Bema judgment seat of Christ” be for YOU and ME, my friends? That question is worth serious consideration every day for the remainder of our lives, do you agree?
The ‘lessons learned’ reflection notes at the link below will be very helpful for pondering all the important truths we’ve discussed today, and a wonderful worship song will draw you to Jesus. And I’ll be here ready to continue with you tomorrow…
Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:10.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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