Friday, July 30, 2010

“Good or Bad” (2 Cor 5)

Judgment Day Is To Be Prepared For

“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 has done, whether it be good or bad” (vs10).

The Lord Jesus bids us to be reconciled to Him upon the basis of the blood that He has shed. He died for the elect, redeeming us to God and paying the penalty. And, He stands, by preachers, bidding ALL who hear to repent, to believe on Him (Acts 3:26). Be saved on His terms.  He isn’t stingy, nor is He merely calling His elect, but He wept over Jerusalem, and by preachers yearning and pleading, He bids you to be reconciled, whosoever you are, no matter what you’ve done - (2 Cor 5:20-21) “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him“.

Reconciliation is by God in Christ putting away sins. He punished the Son so that sins are gone. Upon this basis, receive NEWNESS of life freely. Receive the COMMISSION to live for Him because He died, and you died, in His cross - “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;  and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,   that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (vs14-19)

Heaven is SURE, and we desire it, longing for Him and relief. We desire to labor and suffer no more, to be in paradise - “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,  if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.  For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life” (vs1-4).   This SURE hope keeps us diligent; it doesn’t make us slothful, even as Noah’s promise of salvation CAUSED him to build the ark, rather than excused disobedience. He didn’t say, “God will save” and then not build. But, assured of salvation, he labored, in spite of falls, thorns, and hardships, and he built that which saved him - “Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.  So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.  For we walk by faith, not by sight.  We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.  Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” (vs5-9)

Believers are ASSURED of everlasting life, and then we labor by assurance to make our calling and election sure. As ASSURED for heaven, we expect power to do good works.  We don’t have salvation saying, “I’m saved to live as I see fit”, but we have salvation saying, “I’m saved to please Him and be found pleasing to His greatness”.

We know the Judgment is true, so we PERSUADE men. We are not merely laying out facts, like the elect will hear, but we will not be disturbed.  Instead, we PERSUADE men with our own character, sincerity, and proof, preaching Christ to the wretched and the saved who both must be judged - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.   For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.   For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.   For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died“ (vs10-14).

Christ didn’t die to take away sins only; He died to make you live in newness, as forgiven, as a reconciler of others.  If you’ve obtained mercy, then make your election sure by STRETCHING out Christ to others, living by faith. 

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Heshimu Colar, Pastor

Heshimu Colar, Pastor
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