January 22, 2017
Pastor/ Teacher Roger J. Redmond
2 Corinthians 5:1-11
We all have witnessed the inauguration ceremony of the 45th President of our nation. You may not have viewed the ceremony but we all are a witness to it. What does inauguration mean: It is the official introduction into office, by suitable ceremony, certain leaders: opening ceremony, swearing in, installation, official unveiling, the official blessing. We see the ending of one presidency and the beginning of another presidency. One president's time of service has concluded and now it must face the test of time, truth and its effect on the life of mankind and obedience to the will of God. Also, it is the start of something new/different. The antonym for inauguration/inaugurate is a conclusion, wrapping up, winding down. As I viewed the ceremony, the inauguration, I thought of our life as a disciple of Christ and when stand before Him: will our life stand His test? Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. Cor. 3:13-14.
The Purpose for which we will stand before The LORD:
At the conclusion of our life here on earth we will stand before the Lord: but not to be saved. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" Roman 3:23. But rather He is the One who justifies us the sinner, Rom 3:26 -27 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
"What then does Paul have in mind here when he speaks of receiving good or evil according to what a person has done in the body? It is a recognition that God will evaluate the lives and ministries of his children and reward those who have acted faithfully, while those who have not will suffer the loss of any reward. In 1 Corinthians 3:10â€"15 Paul applies this to the work of those who found and build up churches. He says, ‘the Day will disclose it … and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved’ (vv. 13â€"15)."
Kruse, C. G. (1987). 2 Corinthians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 8, p. 117). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
There will be a time to come, when we are done with this Body, 2 Corinthians 5:.1-4
Our life will come under the evaluation of the LORD and with this fear, respect of the LORD we seek to convince people to live in light of Him. Ephesian 6:8, Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Col. 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
We are reminded of God's ownership 1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you, 1 Cor. 6:17-20
The New Body received is not the end but the beginning, " (1) To him, it will be a day of joy when he is done with this human body. He regards it as merely a tent, a temporary dwelling place, in which we stay until the day comes when it is dissolved and we enter into the real dwelling place of our souls."
"Paul is not looking for the freedom of a disembodied spirit; he is waiting for the day when God will give him a new body, a spiritual body, in which he will still be able, even in the heavenly places, to serve and to adore God."
Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Corinthians (3rd ed., pp. 242â€"243). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.
Somehow our view of heaven is distorted by our view of discipleship now. Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. We will receive a new body in which our service to Christ will be complete.
We possess the Holy Spirit now, 2 Cor. 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of the life to come. He is the foretaste of the life to come, if we despise not the purpose of our life now, 2 Cor. 5:6-8.
We are reminded to labor now and then our impending accountability, 2 Cor. 5:9-10 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 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.
"When an Athenian sat in judgment on a case, he was given two bronze discs. Each had a cylindrical axis. One axis was hollow, and that disc stood for condemnation; one was solid, and that disc stood for acquittal. On the bema, there stood two urns. One, of bronze, was called ‘the decisive urn’, for into it the judge dropped the disc which stood for his verdict. The other, of wood, was called ‘the inoperative urn’, for into it the judge dropped the disc which he desired to discard. So, at the end the jury dropped into the bronze urn either the disc that stood for acquittal or the one that stood for condemnation. To an onlooker, they looked exactly alike and none could tell the verdict the judges gave. Then the discs were counted and the verdict was given. In the same way, some day we shall await the verdict of God."
Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Corinthians (3rd ed., pp. 244â€"245). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.
Our life is the testing period for eternity. By the things we do now, we are in the process of making our life a blessing or wasting our life by indifference, slothfulness, and selfishness. What will it be? The choice is ours. Ephesians 5:1-10; 14-18. Would you fill your cup with your favorite drink and that cup tainted with a spoiled ingredient? Neither can you be filled with the Holy Spirit if you are full of that which is against God.
What we do in this life has a serious effect on others, 2Co 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;...." "terror" 2 Cor. 5:11, but being conscious of the need to fear the Lord. We persuade people to remember the scripture, 2Ti 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. This is a word of warning to the saved about the character of Christ, in that He will be just an faithful in holding us accountable for unbelief; as He is in rewarding us for our faithfulness. I t is something to be respected to fall into the hands of a living God, Heb. 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
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