“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” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The second letter to the Corinthians was written to Christians, to born-again people, who will one day be with the Lord. And yet 2 Corinthians 5:10 speaks of a coming judgment, “For we must all,” it says, “appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” The apostle Paul specifically includes himself here, by saying, “we.” At first glance this appears to be a contradiction, especially when we call to mind the words of Jesus in John 5:24, where it says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” This is no contradiction, however; it merely means that there are various judgments. Paul mentions a completely different judgment in his letter to the believers in Corinth from that in John’s Gospel. We believers also will have to give account of our lives at a judgment. This is exclusively about our reward, however, and not condemnation for our sins. Our guilt is atoned for once and for all through the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, which He shed for us on Calvary’s cross. “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified…and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:14 & 17). Colossians 2:13-15 speaks of the fact that the Lord has blotted out our transgressions and triumphed over death. And in 2 Corinthians 2:14, it says, “Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ….” Where would the victory be if a Christian could ultimately still be lost? What kind of victory would that be if the almighty God, who did not spare His own Son, would let His chosen and redeemed children be snatched away again by Satan? That would not be a victory. We are victors already now, however, through Him, “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Our guilt is atoned for, once and for all; our sins will not be remembered. The “handwriting of ordinances” (Colossians 2:14), the list of our sins, has been blotted out, and not simply laid aside. There is nothing more that can accuse the redeemed children of God. We will never be judged in this connection, therefore, “He that believeth on him is not condemned…” (John 3:18).

What is the judgment before the judgment seat of Christ about? How are we to understand this? Every comparison falls short of the reality, of course, but I would like to compare it to an Oscar award ceremony. All those who are invited to this can participate as chosen and privileged guests, and they will not be ridiculed or rebuked. And many of them will be praised, awarded with Oscars, receive a bouquet of flowers, a kiss on the cheek, etc. But not everyone will win an Oscar. Many a person may be disappointed that they did not receive an Oscar, while this or that “starlet” did, but in the end they are all happy to be able to help themselves at the buffet, according to the motto, “Taking part is everything!” Ultimately everyone has a good time, even if with different joys and awards.

In 2 Corinthians 5:10, it says, “…that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” So it is about our works and what we have done with the gifts that were entrusted to us. What fruit have we, as God’s servants, produced; what seeds have we sown? These things will be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ, and we will receive the corresponding reward. A Christian is told to bring forth fruit, and not merely to be content with his or her salvation; to serve the Lord with good works and to give Him joy. This is our task, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). What are these good works? They are the deeds and words that serve to glorify the name of God, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Have we understood this correctly? Every word and every deed that serves to glorify and praise the name of God is a good work.

The thief on the cross did not have any opportunity to do good as a child of God, but his confession alone—“And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:41)—was a good work, because through this the name of the Lord Jesus was glorified. When I, as a preacher, proclaim the Word, and the congregation comes to the conclusion that I am a super speaker, then my sermon was certainly not a good work, because I apparently distracted them from the real issue, instead of pointing them to Him. If the congregation comes to the conclusion, “What a great God we have, what a wonderful Redeemer! Praise be to the Lord Jesus!”—then this sermon was a good work.

What is the aim of your work? Is it to please men, to draw attention to yourself, or is it to praise the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus? Each one of us has the responsibility of using the gifts entrusted to us for the glory of our great and almighty God. It is less about how much we have done, however, but with what devotion and faithfulness we have served Him.

“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). God does not expect any great, extraordinary or heroic deeds. He expects our sincere faithfulness—no more, but no less! One thing we need to remember is that the Lord knows our hearts. We cannot make any pretence before Him. How easy it is to say, “All for the Lord, all for the glory of God,” while our hearts speak a different language.

Before the judgment seat of Christ, we will not be judged according to our acting ability, but our sincere faithfulness. Everything that a Christian possesses in his life is a gift of God. The more that is entrusted to us, the more we will have to give account for. The measure is not whether we have made ourselves popular with men with our gifts, whether they esteem us and praise us, but whether we have put the gifts that are entrusted to us at the Lord’s disposal, with faithful and sincere hearts.

Have you been given the gift of speaking? Then do not use it to entertain your audience, but proclaim the risen Lord Jesus Christ! Have you been given the gift of writing? Then do not write lengthy philosophical articles which are to no avail, but write for the Lord! Have you the gift of giving? Then do not throw your money away but give it to the Lord. Have you the gift of serving? Then do not serve secular organizations—“Let the dead bury their dead!”—but serve the Lord! Have you the gift of working with your hands? Then do not build a house on the sand, but on the Rock which is Jesus! There is surely no church or mission that is not glad of help, whatever form it takes. Many capacities in us Christians lie idle because we have become lazy and we have no courage to serve. And so Christians slumber with their gifts. We can no longer speak of hibernation, but of an all year round sleep! Just imagine, if every child of God were to put his or her gifts utterly and completely in the service of the Lord, what an enormous amount of energy that would produce on earth! Instead of this, however, the churches are scratching each other’s eyes out! We only see what divides us, and waste time and energy on useless fights instead of putting the Lord Jesus in the center of our activities together.

In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, it says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.”

The foundation of the Christian is Jesus Christ. This foundation is laid by the grace of God. It is a gift. Let us compare this with a house. The foundation is the same for all Christians. Every Christian begins to build a house on this foundation. This is our works. Now the important question arises: will the house be able to withstand the tests that lie ahead of it? Storms, hailstones, or even fire? The person whose work will stand, which has been built on the foundation of Christ, will receive a reward, “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward” (1 Corinthians 3:14, cf. 2 Timothy 4:8). The one whose works will be burned, however, will suffer loss (verse 15), but the foundation itself will remain unharmed. This means that the salvation that is built on the foundation will not be lost, “He himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire” (verse 15). Think again of the Oscar awards. The invitation is there, irrevocable, and the person who receives it will be there at the ceremony. Perhaps he has been nominated for an Oscar, but he does not receive one. This does not mean that he will be thrown out of the auditorium, however, or laughed at. We must be careful when we make such comparisons, that we do not think all too humanly. With all these things regarding the future, we must be clear that we are speaking of things which surpass our powers of imagination, and all our reasoning will result in ad absurdum. Humanly speaking, such a person could think, “To be there is not bad, better than not being invited, but why go for the Oscar? The main thing is to be saved!” Another thinks, “How terrible it must be before the judgment seat of Christ, to see what a reward I could have had and how little I actually received.” I do not know how it will be before the judgment seat of Christ, but we should be conscious of the fact that this judgment is not about punishment but about rewards, and yet simultaneously we must think how ashamed we will be if it is revealed that we have grieved the Lord. “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). Somebody once said, “Whoever exaggerates the sad aspect of the judgment seat of Christ makes heaven to be hell. Whoever neglects the sad aspect of the judgment seat of Christ, however, underestimates the significance of faithfulness.”

How can we receive a reward before the judgment seat of Christ? Even the apostles concerned themselves with the question, who would be the greatest, and who would be allowed to sit at the right and left hand of the Lord (Matthew 20:20ff. and Mark 9:33ff.). Man is and remains a selfish and egoistic being. We not only see this in the disciples, but also in ourselves. We often talk about doing things “for the Lord,” and yet we seek our own glory, recognition, praise and a reward. This is why our fear of man is often greater than the fear of God.

Why do you want to go to heaven? Some want to go to heaven so that they do not have to go to hell. Others want to go to heaven because they expect to find their deceased partner there. And others want to go to heaven to receive an “Oscar.” Each of these three motives is highly selfish. Is there anyone who says, “I want to go to heaven to serve my great God and Savior”? I want to go to heaven to thank Him”? The greatest reward for us may be that we are saved, have eternal life and will see God face to face. This is all promised us through faith in the risen Son of God, and nobody can take it from us. We will be there at the “Oscars” ceremony, and our “admission ticket” is the shed blood of the Lord Jesus! The reward, however, which is at stake before the judgment seat of Christ, is symbolized in the Bible by crowns (James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4 and Revelation 3:11).

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

As in a race, we should also use all our strength for the Lord’s business. Not for a reward from man or our own praise; that would be a corruptible crown. No, in our battle it is about an incorruptible crown, and for this it is truly worth being well prepared and employing all our gifts with great motivation to serve the Lord and to carry out our task. Here on earth it is about being prepared to serve, and this will surely not go unrewarded. What did the Lord Jesus say to His disciples? “…Whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:43-44).

An athlete—to return to Paul’s example—will not get drunk before a race and fill his belly. He will be moderate and stick to a healthy diet. Why do we not do this too? Moderation means laying aside unnecessary and burdening “junk food”—renouncing the sins which keep us from living a sanctified life, and instead feeding on healthy spiritual food. What is healthy food for a Christian? Not energy bars and drinks, but the Word of God and the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Paul knew that we need to renounce all worldly things in order to gain an incorruptible crown, to receive the whole reward, and to stand one day in privileged service for the Lord, “…lest…when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Paul had no fear concerning his salvation. He had assurance of salvation, an assurance that every Christian should have. He was not afraid for the salvation of his soul, but he knew of the fact of the reward that he could lose. And so every child of God is warned, not to fear losing his salvation, but of losing the reward, “Let no man beguile you of your reward” (Colossians 2:18). The reward has nothing to do with salvation. “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (2 John 8). We can, therefore, lose some of the reward, but here again, it is not about salvation. “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Revelation 3:11). This crown also belongs to the reward and not salvation.

Paul also had his battles, just like each one of us, but he was able to say, “But I discipline my body, and bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9:27, NKJV). How was Paul able to do this? Through the power of the Holy Spirit. He was continually united with the Lord in prayer and in his service for Him. And so it was possible that his body did not rule him, but he ruled over it. The more you pray, the more you read in the Bible, and in this way let the Lord speak to you, the less time you will have for silly and immoral thoughts. The Holy Spirit wants to change you. He wants to change you into the image of the Lord Jesus. The question is whether you give the Holy Spirit the necessary space and time. Salvation has been given us. We cannot give the Lord anything for it, because salvation cannot be earned (Hebrews 10:18). The only thing we owe the Savior and can bring Him is a life of devotion and complete faithfulness, and also to bring Him our bodies as a living, holy and acceptable sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). This devotion, this complete giving of ourselves to Him, will surely not go unrewarded.

What is the reward at the judgment seat of Christ? “And whatever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons” (Colossians 3:23-25). All for the Lord! The sooner you pursue this goal, the greater your reward will be.

Even if we do not know exactly how life in the presence of God will be, I believe we can say that at least one important part will be worship and service. “I want to go to heaven to serve my great God and Savior….” Yes, I believe that ultimately it will come down to this. Could it be that our reward lies in the degree of our service? Not, “The greater my reward, the less I will have to serve,” but exactly the other way round: “The greater my reward, the more I may serve my Lord and Savior.” Many may think now, “Serve? I don’t want to go to heaven to serve. I’d rather play the harp!” Just a moment, however! We read in Revelation 22:3, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him.” Who are the servants of God and the Lamb? The redeemed who will one day be with the Lord! Consequently the highest fulfillment, the greatest reward, lies in service for the Redeemer. This service in eternity will have nothing to do with service or even slavery as we know it, however. We are called servants on the one hand, but we are also called priests and kings, brothers and friends of Jesus, and God’s children and heirs. It says in Revelation 21:7, for instance, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” It even says that we shall reign with Him. According to Revelation 22:5, the servants who serve God will “reign for ever and ever.” This reigning is also service, for we are not reigning for ourselves but for the Lord and with the Lord.

Notice that Revelation 22:4 speaks of the fact that we shall see His face, and His name will be on our foreheads. His name, His holy name, will be on our foreheads. This means: we are His property. Nothing can separate us from the love and presence of God and the Lamb. We are His forever and ever. What a privilege it is to be able to serve in the direct present of the holy and almighty Creator, of which it says in Revelation 21, “The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them…and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain…” (verses 3-4). To be in favor with the holy and almighty Creator God, to belong to His inner circle, to be continually in the presence of the Redeemer—is that not a goal worth striving for? We can truly speak of a privileged service which Paul strove after and which will be the cause for overwhelming joy. It will be a service of complete fulfillment, without care and want—in the literal sense, a heavenly service. Even if we cannot truly fathom this with our limited understanding, there will be nothing better, and we will not have experienced anything better, than to live in the direct presence of God, to serve Him and to be able to worship Him. We can only begin to describe what we will one day experience in the presence of God, what it will mean to reign with Him, to be His children and His heirs, and simultaneously to serve Him.

The fact that every believer will one day stand before God and give account for his life should encourage us to be faithful and to ask ourselves how our works, our words and deeds, will one day be judged in eternity. Not the eulogy at our funeral should be our hymn of praise, but God’s words before the judgment seat of Christ, when our Lord and Savior judges our works. One thing is sure: our joy will surpass all, because we will have eternal life, see the Lord face to face, and enter into indescribable glory. That will be our reason for joy and worship. “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). But with all our justified joy, let us encourage one another to serve the Lord with all our hearts and to be faithful stewards, “…so that we are not ashamed at his coming.” Praise the Lord for His love and faithfulness which He shows us. And we also want to be faithful, out of love for the One who first loved us, who is faithful, and who gave everything for us (1 John 4:9-11, 14-16 & 19).                 

(MR1011/470)