“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.”—2 Corinthians 5:10
Did you know that Christians will be judged one day?
Don’t panic, this is not a judgment about whether or not we get into heaven. This is about the rewards you will receive.
Luke 14:14 says, “Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you” (NLT). And in Revelation 22:12, Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work (NKJV).
What exactly will be judged?
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “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.” The “bad” spoken of is not something that is ethically or morally evil. The word for “bad” means “evil of another kind.” Another way to translate it is “good-for-nothingness.” Worthlessness. The wasting of one’s time, energy, and life. Are you wasting your life on nothingness?
It’s like a coke that has lost its carbonation. Or a decaf, low-fat latte. Why bother?
The quality of every man’s work will be tested: “Take particular care in picking your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely” (1 Corinthians 3:12–15 MSG).
At the judgment seat of Christ, each of us will have to give an account of what we did with the life, gifts, and calling that God gave to us. So what are you not doing that you should be doing?
Let’s use the gifts, talents, and resources that God has given us to do His work while we still have the opportunity.
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Used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie, PO Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514.
