The judgement seat of Christ: (5:10): This is an important truth that every one must understand that what happens when a believer dies. For Paul says: “we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” Let us look at a few other verses viz.
- We must all appear before Him. It is not some of us but all of us.
- For we will all stand before God’s judgement seat (Rom. 14:10).
- “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement” (Heb.10:27). We can say that before we enter the final state of glory with our resurrected bodies on the New Earth, we will stand before Christ as Judge.
- “For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done”(Matt. 16:27).
- “Behold I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Rev.22:12).
Like a court scene, the deeds done in the body are the evidence in this courtroom. We must remember that Paul and other authors are writing to believers. As per NT, our deeds will reveal the measure of our reward in the age to come. Our Salvation is by God’s grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation is not through our works or our merit. God gave us the salvation as a free gift. But here the judgment of believers will not only be the public declaration of the measure of our reward in the kingdom of God according to our deeds, but will also be the public declaration of our salvation, our entering into the kingdom according to our deeds. Our deeds will be the public evidence brought forth in Christ’s courtroom to demonstrate that our faith is real. And our deeds will be the public evidence brought forth to demonstrate the varying measures of our obedience of faith. In other words, salvation is by faith, and rewards are by faith, but the evidence of invisible faith in the judgment hall of Christ will be a transformed life. Our deeds are not the basis of our salvation, they are the evidence of our salvation. They are not foundation, they are demonstration. Paul says in (1 Cor.3:8) “He who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labour and in (Eph. 6:8) “Whatever good thing each one does, this he or she will receive back from the Lord.” Ex: The parable of talents.
The ministry of reconciliation: (5:11-21):
Paul was quoting the verse (5:10) and continuing the thought. The believers will be judged in a view of all their works for the purpose of rewards. In view of His judgement we need to be careful. Paul was asking the believers to have this attitude:
- Behold the Christ’s judgement seat: (5:11): All Christians must give their account of what they have done after their salvation experience. This itself is a fearful sight where all our failures, unfaithfulness and disobediences and our stubborn attitudes in the light of the ministry is unveiled. This is definitely a fearful sight. Paul was so scared to look at that scene where Christ is seated on the judgement seat (Matt. 25:32, Rom. 2:6), but he is reminding the believers of this scene and requesting the Corinthians to act.
- Persuade: (5:11b – 12b): If God is going to judge the believers, what would happen to unbelievers. When we stand before the Lord, there is no respect of persons who are rich or poor or educated or uneducated or anything of their background. Christ has commanded us to spread the Gospel to all nations, and we must be obedient. Someone asked the Duke of Wellington what he thought of foreign missions, and his reply was, “What are your marching orders?” A believer can prepare for the judgement seat of Christ by being obedient to His call and service. In all ways we must persuade people to follow Christ.
- Convince because we are convinced: (5:12b-13): People take pride in possessions and their assets in this world. Some people are preaching in order to earn money. But Paul was beseeching the believers to take pride in the opportunity to minister to people with the message of the Christ. If people call us mad, never mind, they have already called Jesus mad. If they had called Paul mad or the other ministers mad, it is for your good and for the glory of God so that makes it worthwhile.
Ex: When Dwight L. Moody was ministering at his large Sunday School and church in Chicago, people often called him “Crazy Moody.” In the eyes of the unsaved world, Moody was “crazy” to have given up a successful business career to become a Sunday School worker and evangelist. But time has proved his decision to be a wise one. Today, we don’t know the names of the people who laughed at him but we do know the name of D.L. Moody who is regarded as one of the greatest evangelist of America.