The Judgment Seat of Christ

2Cor 5:9-10

Morning Meditation 2/13/16

Paul said, “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

The word “accepted” in verse nine means “well pleasing or acceptable.” Paul recognized his accountability to Christ. The words “We labour” (philotimeomai) means “to be actuated by love of honour.” It is a present middle indicative verb. The present tense means that in the present tense of the believers life he is to be continually motivated by love in his labor for the Lord. The middle voice means that he will be benefitted by the action. God blesses us here for this and will also at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

The words “present or absent” speak of two places. Here on this earth and in heaven in His presence. If we are well pleasing here we will be well pleasing there. Our labor of love accumulates to be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ and if we have truly pleased Him here, the outcome of this Judgment will please Him there.

Paul says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” The words “For we must all appear” means that every Christian will stand in this judgment. It is a judgement for rewards not a judicial judgment. We can suffer loss or be rewarded at this judgment but not be condemned. Paul’s use of the first person plural pronoun “we” includes himself and every Christian. The word “appear” (phaneroo) means “to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way.” It is an aorist passive infinitive. The aorist tense means that at that point of time (the Judgment Seat of Christ) we will appear. The passive voice mean that we are there by his summons. This is not something we have a choice in. The way a lot of professing Christians live today they would like to skip this event. The passive voice meant that they do not have a choice. We will show up there right on schedule because Christ is the one who brings us there.

I can’t stress this too much. This is not a judgment of the believer personally. Jesus stood his judgment for him. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus...” It is a judgment of his works. The outcome of this judgment is rewards or the loss of rewards (1Cor 3:15). I rejoice daily for the grace of God that set me free from sin at Christ’s expense. Hallelujah! What a Saviour! And what a great salvation! But in the midst of my camp meeting spell I am sobered by the fact that I will give an account of my labor of love for Him and my submission to His Lordship after I am saved.

The words “judgment seat of Christ” (bema) is the translation of a word that is normally used of the judge of a game who also placed a wreath on the head of the winner. Jesus is watching how we run the race (Heb 12:1-2). The wonderful thing about it is that, while we are running a race, we are not in competition with one another. We can all be winners. If fact, competition with one another will hinder the race. The race we are running has to do with motive as well as many other things. If our motive is do something for Christ a little better that someone else, or, to do a little more than someone else, that is our motive. That motive is a fleshly motive and receives its own reward here. It is not a labor of love that will be rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ. A lot of people are going to be surprised at this judgment.

I can just hear some of the preachers of our day speaking up at this judgment and saying, “Lord, aren’t you going to give that man a crown? I told him if he would build a big church or win a lot of souls he would get a big crown here.” I can also hear Jesus say, “You are not the judge. You are also going to be surprised when your time comes.” I also know how that big preacher is going to answer. “Yes Sir.”

The words “to receive the things done in his body” give a further hint of the focus of this judgment. The words “to receive” (komizo) mean “to carry away, bear off.” We often say of death, “You can’t carry anything with you.” Well, those who are rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ will carry something away win them. It is an aorist middle subjunctive verb. The aorist tense speaks of the point of time when this believer receive the things that result from his faithful labor of love. The subjunctive mood means that it is possible for every one of us. We choose to serve or not to serve. If you want to spend eternity with ashes (1Cor 3:15) instead of a crown and what goes with it, it is a choice you make. Esau is not the only one who sold his spiritual birthright for a mess of pottage.

The words “done in his body” focus on the temple of our body. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Even though God rejects the flesh (our old sin nature) our bodies are neutral and should be dedicated to Jesus. We do not go in spirit to the mission field. We have to go in the body that He gave us. God wants us to be holy in body as well as in Spirit. A lot of people would not go to a dance in a church building but they would think nothing of taking the temple of God (their body) to one. A lot of professing Christians think nothing of the filthy movie they went to see in a cinema last week. But they would vote to fire the preacher if he showed the same movie in the HOUSE OF GOD next Sunday night. We need to realize that our bodies are temples of God. The idea that we are not and will not be accountable at the judgment seat of Christ for the things that we allow in our body is snuffed in this verse. We are not considering Paul’s opinion here. This is the Word of God.

The words “whether it be good or bad” means that the labor of love will be rewarded and the bad will be penalized. I do not know what all is involved in the “bad.” But I do know he uses the word “bad.” And the words “may receive the things done in his body” refers to the “bad” as well as the “good.” We can rule out a Baptist purgatory! Paul does not go beyond this to threaten unfaithful saints. So we must not.

We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. God help us to labor so that we please Him where here or there.

May God bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Earl White