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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Christians Shall Be Rewarded According to Their Works, #2
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. (II Corinthians 5:10)
The context of II Corinthians 5:10 reveals that Paul is not implying that if people make a profession of belief in Jesus they then have no more fear of the Judgment Seat. Rather, Paul is speaking to believers and exhorting them to live unto Him who died for them and rose again and not to receive the grace of God in vain, that is, not to receive the Divine grace and then live in unrighteousness and uncleanness (II Corinthians 5:15; 6:1; 7:1).
If the Christians of today had any idea of the terror of the Judgment Seat of Christ, if they had any concept of the humiliation, pain, and loss of reward facing them in the near future, the churches would be on their face in an agony of repentance and confession of sin.
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)
Where did we ever get the idea that Christians are not rewarded according to their works?
From Paul? Not at all, for Paul taught consistently that we shall reap what we sow.
To the "churches of Galatia" Paul wrote:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:7,8)
Paul follows this up by saying, "And let us not be weary in well doing [in behaving ourselves as Christians should]: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."
We Christians reap the good we sow, and also the evil we sow unless we confess our evil to God and turn away from it with His help.
The Apostle Paul never taught that Christians are not judged and rewarded according to their works, nor did Jesus nor John nor Peter nor James nor Jude nor the writer of the Book of Hebrews. This teaching is a Christian tradition. It is not found in the Scriptures. It is not of the Holy Spirit of God.
Many Christian people were quick to declare that speaking in tongues, which is scriptural and of the Holy Spirit of God, is of the devil. Yet they themselves have gone into error in their understanding of the grace of God, of the nature and purpose of the Christian redemption.
Speaking of Christians receiving the consequences of their behavior, what does Paul teach us concerning the Communion elements?
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (I Corinthians 11:28)
Examine himself in terms of what? In terms of his attitude and behavior as a believer, as a member of the Body of Christ.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation [judgment] to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (I Corinthians 11:29)
To be continued.