![]() But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In his previous letter to the Corinthians, Paul had already written the following (1 Corinthians 4:1-4): It took an incredibly courageous man to persevere in circumstances like that. Everywhere he preached, there were people accusing him of being a false prophet. The apostle Paul was constantly on trial. Sometimes it’s easy for good people to become persuaded that an innocent man is actually guilty. He said, “What we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience” (2 Corinthians 5:11). He was always mindful that it wasn’t his judgment that mattered, and it certainly wasn’t the judgment of his critics that mattered, it was the judgment of Christ that mattered. He reminded them over and over again, they could trust him he and his companions had not wronged, corrupted, or taken advantage of anyone (ibid.).īut Paul was never so bold or arrogant as to brag about himself. Throughout the letter, he urged the church, “Make room in your hearts for us” (2 Corinthians 7:2). He said that he and his companions were “ always of good courage,” that they walked “by faith, not by sight,” that they made it their “ aim to please ” (see 2 Corinthians 5:6-9). He told the Corinthians that his suffering actually proved he was a servant of Christ Jesus. His critics seem to have been saying that Paul’s suffering and persecution were evidence that he wasn’t really an apostle of Jesus. Throughout the book, Paul is defending his authority as an apostle against those in Corinth who were criticizing him. Most of us don’t consider that the theme of 2 Corinthians is Paul’s apostolic authority and ministry. Sadly, I’ve sat with plenty of dying Christians who’ve asked me, “Do you think I’ve been good enough to go to heaven?” I’m sure many preachers and teachers have used this verse to get people to act right, giving them the impression that on the Day of Judgment they will either be condemned or saved based on how much good they’ve done and how little sin they’ve committed. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” But if we are saved “by grace,” how can this be true? As a part of our “ Re-Examined Series,” let’s take a closer look at 2 Corinthians 5:10. A lot of people seem to believe that on the Day of Judgment, all of their good deeds will be weighed against all of their sins to see whether or not they have been good enough to be saved.
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