Daily Scripture Reading 2Corinthians 5:4-21
Many Christians have the mindset that since our sins are forgiven, when we go to heaven there will be no consequences for anything we have done on earth. This causes those Christians to be lax in learning and obeying the commands found in the Bible.
Today, we will read a verse that directly contradicts that belief, and reminds us of the importance of obeying Jesus in everything.
At the end of yesterday’s passage, we read that our earthly body is a temporary dwelling, which is decaying and moving toward death. As a Christian, we do not fear death because after life on earth we will have an eternal dwelling in heaven. We even look forward to death.
2Cor. 5:4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.
2Cor. 5:5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.
2Cor. 5:6 ¶ Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—
2Cor. 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—
2Cor. 5:8 we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
2Cor. 5:9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
2Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
The pronoun “we” includes all Christians. All Christians will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Notice the word “recompensed”. The point of the judgement is to recompense all Christians for their deeds. Note also the phrase “or bad”. It is not just our good deeds that will be recompensed. Our bad deeds will be recompensed as well.
Many Christians have the false mindset that since God is love and our sins are forgiven, when we go to heaven there will be no consequences for anything we have done on earth. This causes those Christians to be lax in learning and obeying the commands found in the Bible. When Paul wrote “whether good or bad” he clearly communicated that Christians will suffer consequences for our bad deeds here on earth.
One of the verses used to justify the outlook that Christians will not suffer consequences in heaven is Rev 21:4 which says there will be no more tears or sorrow. However, that verse is in reference to the new heaven and the new earth which is described in Rev 21. To the best of my knowledge, there is no verse that promises Christians will have no tears or sorrow in the time period between the rapture and the new heaven and new earth.
2Cor. 5:11 ¶ So then, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we have been made manifest to God; and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences.
Look at the phrase “knowing the fear of the Lord”. Many Christians erroneously believe the fear of the Lord is merely admiration for Jesus. That is not correct. Just as humans are afraid to jump off high cliffs or stick their hand in a fire because they know they will get injured, so too humans should be afraid to disobey God because there will be consequences for disobedience.
2Cor. 5:12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an opportunity to boast of us, so that you will have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
2Cor. 5:13 For if we are out of our mind, it is for God, or if we are of right mind, it is for you.
2Cor. 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died.
Look at the phrase “the love of Christ controls us”. A core component of Christianity is that Jesus is Lord. If Jesus is Lord, then we must obey Him. The Bible also tells us that those who love Jesus will obey Him. Thus, if we are true Christians and love Christ, then we will be controlled by the commands of Jesus.
2Cor. 5:15 And He died for all, so that they who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Humans are naturally oriented towards serving ourselves and doing what is best for us. However, Jesus died for us so that we would stop living for ourselves and serve Him instead.
2Cor. 5:16 ¶ Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
2Cor. 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
This verse means when anyone becomes a believer, he no longer serves himself and no longer values the things he valued prior to Christ because he has new goals and new priorities.
Some people misuse this verse in regards to the debate over divorce or remarriage. They claim that if a person divorced before he was saved, then he is a new creation and it is not adultery to get remarried. Think about the ramifications of that argument. That reasoning means that if a husband and wife, both of whom are not saved, would both become believers, then they would no longer be married because they are new creations. That is not the intent of this verse.
2Cor. 5:18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
2Cor. 5:19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their transgressions against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Salvation reconciles us to God, which means our transgressions are not counted against us so as to keep us out of heaven. That does not negate Paul’s statement in verse 10 that all believers will stand before Christ and be recompensed for every deed, both good and bad.
2Cor. 5:20 ¶ So then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as God is pleading through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2Cor. 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Does your church promulgate the mindset that as soon as the rapture takes place, everything for Christians will be wonderful and we will only experience rewards and happiness?
How should you change your attitude and behavior in light of Paul’s warning that all Christians will be recompensed for both good and bad deeds?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”