Pastor’s Thoughts – 10/11/2026

Superficial Christianity can be seen all around us. Often those who emphasize a form of faith without true conversion do not see from Scripture the declarations of the inner working of God which is necessary to bring about regeneration. Many in this manner of thinking seek to have the best of this world and security for heaven. They put little or no emphasis either on the change brought about and necessary by a new birth, or how it affects the person’s very nature (Eph. 2:2-3). I often quote 2 Corinthians 5:17; “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things are passed away, behold all things are new.” The idea of, “all things new” means the old self no longer rules the life, and the new self has a radical change in attitude in relation to serving God. Paul directly claims this new attitude of service to God will be for all who belong to Christ using the plural, “we” in reference to all in Christ. He says in the same context, 2 Corinthians 5:9; “Therefore, we also have as our ambition to be pleasing to Him.” This supports the change that takes place when the person is renewed or regenerated by God, and taken from spiritual death to spiritual life. Their old attitude was to please themselves, and now they have an ambition to please their Master.

Our new ambition in Christ includes the reality that Christ Himself will judge His own for how our time is spent in service to Him. This is seen in our same context of desire to be pleasing; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). This verse has confused many Christians. It is simply stating that we are by degrees accountable to our Savior for how we conduct our new life given to us in Christ. The idea of appearing before the judgment seat of Christ is terrifying for we have all fallen short of His standards. What do we therefore as Christians make of this statement? After all, we are told elsewhere that our sins will no longer be remembered, and that they are separated from us as far as the east is from the west. Paul says in Romans 8:1, “There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.”

The “for” of verse 10 connects the verse to all that Paul has said and provides our context for understanding. We know that we are not saved by our works, but by His grace and therefore we, in Christ, will not be judged for condemnation, but instead for commendation. We will not be judged as sinners, but for our time as His servants. This judgment seat is called Bema in Greek and is reference to a raised platform. He says, “We must all appear.” That shows the comprehensiveness and the inevitability of this event by also adding the phrase “each one” so that there will be no exceptions. The “we” is addressed to Christians. This is not to be confused with the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20. That judgment is for the unsaved only.

The judgment of which Paul addresses is for those in Christ. It is personal, positive, and of course serious. It is the most important event of judgment for every Christian. This life is a testing field for us. Rom. 14:12, speaking of the same event, says we must give an account, and John 5:22 reiterates that it is before Christ Himself. Our sins are not part of this judgment and cannot be made manifest for Christ has done a perfect work of payment for our sins. The somewhat misleading issue is the word which is referring to deeds that is translated, “bad.” This word in the Greek is phaulos. The word most often used for bad in reference to sin or moral evil is poneros. Phaulos is a word more directly meaning worthless. It is used in 2 Corinthians 5:10 for a contrast with those things which have value before God as compared to those things done in the body, even in the name of Christ, with no value before God.

The clearest defining of God’s evaluation of His redeemed in the day of judgment is detailed for us in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. We see our life in Christ with reference to deeds and actions for Him is pictured as either wood, hay, or straw in contrast to gold, silver, and precious stones. The latter are valuable as well as permanent to survive and be exonerated in judgment. The former things, “wood, hay, and straw” are worthless and shown as combustible when judged by the fire of God’s omniscience. 1 Corinthians 4:5 addresses the role of our motives in all actions related to our service. Christ knows our weakness, and our inabilities. His judgment will be perfect. But we should be about ensuring that our actions flow from a heart aligned with God’s will knowing that love for God and others is the right and the ultimate motive (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). God, through Paul, is letting us know that the person in Christ must be found living not only with righteous intentions, but with motives from a heart in love with God and His truth. It is no wonder that Paul would say, “Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise” Eph. 5:15. Indeed, keeping the reality of Christ’s judgment of His own as a priority should motivate us in growing in our knowledge of Him, and His purposes for us so that we may hear, “Well done good and faithful servant.”