THE JUDGEMENT SEAT

For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

(2 CORINTHIANS 5:10)

THERE ARE MANY MOTIVATION IN THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE. One is our awareness  that one day we will give an account of our lives to Christ, as He sits in judgement  upon humanity. It is much more comforting to believe that Christ will be ushered into heaven with no question asked about our faithfulness upon earth, but that is no what Scripture says will happen.

Paul cautioned that in the final day of judgement, every Christian will give an account for his or her actions. This expectation terrified Paul and motivate him to strive to God  in everything he did (2Cor.5:9-11). Paul knew that although he might ignore the Spirit's quiet voice during His life on earth, a time of accounting  would come when he would to explain why he had rejected God's instructions. Paul never carelessly assumed that, because of all he had done for God's kingdom, God would overlook his sin. Instead, he understood that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke12:48).

God does not force His will upon us. He will ask us to answer for the way we responded to Him. Christians have been pardoned by the sacrifice of Jesus. We are not condemned. But because God  is absolutely just, we will be called on to give an account of our actions. The Christian life gives a tremendous freedom, but it also brings a pervasive sense of our accountantabiliy to God and to others. We can learn from Paul that accountantabiliy is healthy; it gives us a powerful motivation  to please God.