Believers Judgement

 

 

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (ESV)

⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

 Devotion:

            Many Christians are under the false belief that there will be no judgement awaiting them when they get to heaven. However, as Paul makes clear in this passage that there will be a time of judgement even for Christians. The main difference between the judgement of Christians and the judgement of the rest of the world is that our salvation, our eternal destination, is not in question. We will be judged as Paul says here, by whether our deeds have been pleasing to the Lord or not. Some will receive a reward, some places in the New Testament refer to these as crowns. (see 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Peter 5:4, Revelation 2:10) We should all seek to live our lives to please God.

            First Corinthians goes into even more detail concerning the judgement that awaits Christians:

          ¹⁰ According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. ¹¹ For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³ each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

            Paul makes it clear that what we do with the life that God has given us matters both now and for all eternity. Sure, you can purchase the “fire insurance” of salvation and rely on that to get you into heaven, but as this makes clear “fire insurance” is all you will have. Those who are not hearers only, but doers of the word will receive so much more. It should be each Christians goal to lay up treasure in heaven that will last for eternity.

            How can we know if we are storing up treasure in heaven? Jesus in Matthew chapter 25 verses 34-36 give us a clue as to what God considers true riches: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came to me.”

 Let us pray that we will have riches in heaven: Father in heaven we come before you to ask you to guide us in the ways that lead to heavenly rewards. May our lives be pleasing in your sight. May we be a blessing both to those inside the church and the watching world outside. May what we do and who we become be worthy of heaven with you. Forgive us our sins and lead us heavenward each day. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.