2nd Corinthians 5:1-17 "Reconciliation and Standing Before the Judgement Seat"

This last Sunday I chose to go through the scripture verse by verse commenting along the way.  The video is a little less 'tight' than normal as Stephanie Kuhlers was filling in for Gail in running the camera.  That just means you get to see more of the beautiful woodwork in the Church and not as much of my ugly mug... not a bad trade-off for those watching.

I won't expand upon every section of the scripture here, I'll leave that for any that wish to watch the video to discover.  I will expand slightly upon the words found at verse 10: 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. 

We really don't like to think about standing before God in judgment, and I suspect that none too few Christians believe that by proclaiming Christ as their Savior that they've managed to skip that part of the process.  But, the reality as expressed by Paul here in this verse is clear... we ALL stand before Christ in judgment.  The other reality is that we'll all be found wanting, we'll all come up short, we'll all feel that over-whelming all-consuming guilt of having betrayed an all-loving, all-forgiving God.  But, the good news... the Gospel... tells us that at some point that will all pass away and grace will abound.  I can't tell you how long the duration of that sense of dread will be, it most likely will only be momentary and fleeting... but, it may well at that moment feel like all eternity.

Praise God, that through Christ we though failing and fallen... are risen and restored.  Reconciliation, it's what God wishes for us all... for us all to be restored and reconciled to Him.

Praise God indeed...

In His Glory,
Roy

2 Corinthians 5:1-17 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
5 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling— 3 if indeed, when we have taken it off[a] we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always confident; even though 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 do have confidence, 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 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.

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;[b] even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,[c] we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Footnotes:
a) 2 Corinthians 5:3 Other ancient authorities read put it on
b) 2 Corinthians 5:16 Gk according to the flesh

c) 2 Corinthians 5:16 Gk according to the flesh