Are We LABORING to Be ACCEPTED of HIM+ ? 2 Corinthians 5:9 ~ The JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST #2 ~ Pre-Passover Meditation 2020

Are we READY for the JUDGMENT SEAT of CHRIST?

Wherefore we labor,

that, whether present or absent,

we may be accepted of HIM+.

2 Corinthians 5:9

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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.

Knowing therefore the terror of The LORD, we persuade men;

but we are made manifest unto GOD; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

2 Corinthians 5:10-11

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But why dost thou judge thy brother?

or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? 

for we shall all stand  

before  The JUDGMENT SEAT of CHRIST.

For it is written, As I+ live, saith The LORD,

Every knee shall bow to ME+,

and every tongue shall confess to GOD.

So then every one of us

shall give account of himself to GOD.

Romans 14: 10-12

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“Scriptures Never Preached Upon” or  “Sermons Never Heard” might well provide the categories of this study.

The Apostle Paul’s audience was to CHRISTIANS, not to the unbaptized pagans. He was not writing to the worldly nor the unrepentant. No, the Apostle was writing to Christians; he was not writing to the unredeemed. 

Hear his opening statement to the Corinthians:

Paul, an apostle of JESUS CHRIST by the Will of GOD, and Timothy our brother, unto the Church of GOD which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: Grace be to you and peace from GOD our FATHER, and from The LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2 Corinthians 1:1-2

Likewise, hear  his opening statement to the Romans:

To all that be in Rome, Beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from GOD our FATHER, and The LORD JESUS CHRIST.  First, I thank my GOD through JESUS CHRIST for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:7-8

No rather, the Apostle was writing in both letters to the well-established  BODY of CHRIST in Corinth and in Rome. 

The Christians were repentant, baptized believers who had received the Gift of the HOLY SPIRIT , Acts 2:38, just like we have.  They emptied themselves of worldly, temporal pursuits and careers just like serious Christians do today. 

They were filled with Grace and Truth which only comes through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. 

But WHAT was the Apostle Paul admonishing these Christians TO DO?

The Apostle told them to LABOR

 that they might be ACCEPTED BY GOD.

Well now, did not The Apostle issue to both the Corinthians and the Roman Christians the GRACE of GOD in his opening statement ? Yes, he did; they were SAVED BY GRACE just like we have received the free gift of Salvation. 

HOWEVER,

we see that receiving GOD’S GRACE

does NOT excuse us from our LABOR  . . .

specifically,  that labor which is the type

that makes us ACCEPTED by GOD.

How can we ever be UN-acceptable unto GOD our FATHER ? 

Only those steeped in the various forms of “ easy believism” of the modern church age would ever ask that question ! 

Obviously, those churches who were under the authority and teaching of the Apostle Paul were starting to modernize, to back-slide, to lose the fervor of their first LOVE of CHRIST JESUS . 

They may have started to take for granted their position in the Body of CHRIST as believers, saved INDEED by Grace . . .  

but not excused from sowing to The SPIRIT

 by that same Saving Grace.

YES, we Followers of CHRIST JESUS must indeed APPEAR before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST to receive the judgments for what we have done while in our physical body . . . both good “sowings” and bad “sowings” that have been un-repented of. 

Individually, without our church or group to hide behind, we face HIM+ alone. To HIM+ ,  as we stand alone, we give an accountability of HOW we have used our Salvation and Deliverance. 

Yes,  repentance covers our waywardness and rebellion by the Blood of The LAMB+ ; repentance removes our sins far away from us. 

But of a truth,

HARDNESS of heart,

 a life lived MINUS the CONVICTION of SIN, 

will never lead us into a state of repentance.

Indeed, we will not even see the NEED for any further repentance.

If that is the case, GOD forbid, then the Judgment Seat of CHRIST is going to be a very frightening and a scathing experience for each Christian who seldom  feels the piercing Conviction of Sin for what he has done or what he has NOT done .

 

So, let us each one measure or judge, our Self:

When was the LAST TIME our heart has been broken with anguish and sorrow over our own sins and waywardness ? 

Over our own self-indulgences ? 

Over our own headstrong contrary-ness ~ i.e, going against what we knew  to be the right thing to do, from food to neglect of our quiet times to unforgiveness of heart ? 

How long has it been that we have BLESSED in our heart and before CHRIST , someone who has corrected us ?

How long has it been that we have been humble ENOUGH to receive a rebuke and reproof GRACIOUSLY from a well-meaning brother trying to pull us back from error and misuse, abuse, and perhaps unbelief of Scripture ? 

[ Not being persuaded by Scripture to obey is the stubborn, sinful state of apitheO , as in John 3:36. See the previous  post. ]

When was the LAST TIME we repented for barging ahead with our own, self-willed plans  . . . instead of awaiting His+ quiet, gentle counsel  TO RE-DIRECT us away from our beloved plans ? 

If we DO NOT ALLOW CHRIST JESUS to correct us and turn us from our self-pride, then what does Scripture say ?  

We become illegitimate sons.

Furthermore,  illegitimate sons are not recognized

by their father nor the family

and  have no part of the inheritance .

Again, these words are written to the Brethren, the baptized Followers of CHRIST JESUS, by the anointed writer to the Hebrews: 

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of The LORD, nor faint when thou art rebuked of HIM+:

For whom The LORD loveth HE+ chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom HE+ receiveth. If ye endure chastening, GOD dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers,

then are ye illegitimate children, and not SONS.

Hebrews 12:5-8

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Who among us Christians, then, are READY to give an account before The Judgment Seat of CHRIST ? 

LET US PRAY 

O LORD JESUS, I have not taken these Holy, GOD-breathed Warnings in Scripture to heart. 

I have lived a life of self-rule instead of CHRIST-rule in so many, many instances. 

I have done what I thought best, not what YOU+ have thought best .

In short, I have oftentimes ignored the SPIRIT’S conviction and gone my own way. 

My pride and self-indulgence  oftentimes have ruled my decisions and I have not kept then, at those times, the ways of The LORD. 

I repent of ignoring the gentle knocking on my heart of the conviction of The SPIRIT .  I repent of issuing a free pass unto my Self to sow to my flesh, my mind, my plans, and my interests.

I have come up short in yielding to The SPIRIT, neglecting to sow to Your+ Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, O CHRIST. 

Forgive me, O long-suffering SAVIOR+. 

Re-direct my ways, Precious REDEEMER+ CHRIST, and take not Your+ HOLY SPIRIT from me. I am sorry I have grieved HIM .

I empty my Self unto YOU+ right now and pray YOU+ will find this repentance and amendment of my ways acceptable to YOU+, my only LORD and ADVOCATE+ . Amen.