June 14, 2018
Corinthians 5:6-10…“For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.” vs. 10
As followers of Jesus pick and choose their favorite passages of scripture, they often skip over verses like this one from Paul. Those who bask in the grace freely offered by God are troubled by intimations that there might one day be a time of judgment. The notion that there will be recompense for our good and evil actions seems to fly in the face of our trust in unconditional forgiveness. And yet, in our hearts there lingers a suspicion that Paul just might be right. After all, Jesus regularly spoke of accountability in his parables, and nowhere are we told that forgiveness wipes out the consequences of our words and deeds. What is notable here is that Paul encourages the Corinthians to approach their appearance before Christ with confidence. In fact, he says that they should look forward to their homecoming. His point is clear: it does make a difference how we behave on our journey! And that’s true regardless of what happens in the life to come. We can’t know what that day or reckoning will be like. It’s beyond what we can even imagine. But what we can do is use our time in the flesh for Spirit-powered goodness and bring joy to all we encounter.
Thought for the Day: What do I imagine my judgment will be like?
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