2 Coríntios 5
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Coríntios 5:10
Vernon McGee commenting on the phrase "their deeds follow with them" (Rev 14:13+) writes that God does not save anyone for his works, but He does reward us for our works. Our works are like tin cans tied to a dog’s tail; we cannot get away from them. They will follow us to the bema seat of Christ. In the next chapter of First Corinthians Paul explained that Christ will judge even the motives for our work… Therefore do not go on passing judgment (present imperative + negative = stop doing this implying the Corinthians were judging and manifesting a critical spirit, a very negative influence of a church! In context leave the judgment to Christ, the only Righteous Judge, the only Judge who can even judge the motives of the heart! see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light (With His eyes like a flame of fire - Rev 1:14, 2:18, cp 1Co 3:13 "each man's work will become evident [phaneros = clearly and easily able to be known]") the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God. (1Co 4:5+, cp Heb 4:13NLT+) Comment: In context Paul is referring to himself and others as "servants of Christ… stewards of the mysteries of God" (1Co 4:1) but the principle applies to every believer. In Paul's day stewards were the managers or administrators of large estates and so naturally it was "required of stewards that one be found trustworthy (reliable, faithful see study of pistos)" (1Co 4:2) And so when the Master of the "estate" ("the mysteries of God") returns, He will examine our lives as His servants and stewards as to whether or not we were faithful to fulfill His will in our works. In so doing, not only will our "external" works be scrutinized, but our "internal" motives will also be weighed. The great news which should prompt every believer to look forward to the day of the Judgment Seat of Christ is that every believer ("each man's praise") will receive praise from God. This sure word of prophecy should encourage us to forget what lies behind, to redeem the days God has allotted each of us (Ep 5:16+) and henceforth to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus! (Php 3:13+, Php 3:14+, cp Ps 90:12+) Adoniram Judson said it this way (Read short biography of his incredible life lived as a sacrifice to God in the line of Romans 12:1+)... A life once spent is irrevocable. It will remain to be contemplated through eternity. The same may be said of each day. When it is once past, it is gone forever. All the marks which we put upon it, it will exhibit forever. Each day will not only be a witness of our conduct, but will affect our everlasting destiny. How shall we then wish to see each day marked with usefulness?! It is too late to mend the days that are past. The future is in our power. Let us, then, each morning, resolve to send the day into eternity in such a garb as we shall wish it to wear forever. And at night let us reflect that one more day is irrevocably gone, indelibly marked. (E. Judson, The Life of Adoniram Judson (Anson, Randolph & Company, 1883, pp. 13-15) CRITERIA USED TO ASSESS ETERNAL REWARDS What will be taken into account in the assessment of a believer's eternal rewards? (Adapted from the booklet Just Before Heaven: The Judgment Seat of Christ) (1) Our testimony for Christ (Php 2:16+) (2) Our suffering for Christ (1Pe 4:13+, Mt 5:10, 11, 12+, Lk 6:22, 23) (3) Our faithfulness to Christ (Lk 12:42, 43, Rev 2:10+, Rev 3:11+) (4) Our service for Christ (1Co 3:8, He 6:10+), (5) Our generosity for Christ (2Co 9:6, 1Ti 6:17, 18, 19, Mt 6:19, 20, 21+, Lk 6:38) 6) Our use of time for Christ (Eph 5:15, 16+, Col 4:5+) 7) Our exercise of spiritual gifts (Mt 25:14-28, 1Pe 4:10+) 8) Our self-discipline for Christ (1Co 9:24, 25+) 9) Our leading souls to Christ (1Th 2:19+) 10) Our love for the appearing of Christ (2Ti 4:8+) Comment: Love for His appearing will cause us to live for His appearing! 11) Our measure of judgment (Mt 7:2+, cp Jas 5:9) (see related note re Bema Seat in Ro 14) 12) Our sowing - whether to the flesh or Spirit (Gal 6:7, 8, 9, 10) Another list of factors that will affect the believer's reward (some overlap with previous list): (1) We will judged for our thoughts (He 4:12+, He 4:13+, Lk 12:2, 3), words ("every idle ["non-working"] word" Mt 12:36, 37), deeds (Mt 16:27, Rev 22:12+, Ro 2:6, 7, 2Co 5:10), and even our motives (1Cor 4:2, 3, 4, 5). (2) Persevering faith will be rewarded (Heb 11:6+) (3) Only that which is done by abiding in Jesus our "Vine" is of any eternal value (Jn 15:5 - Such works are initiated by His Spirit, empowered by His Spirit and bring glory to Him. Apart from Him they amount to nothing - "Nothing means nothing—like a zero with the rim knocked off!") (4) Obedience to God's Word will be greatly rewarded. Psalm 19:11 says Moreover, by them (God's Words - see Ps 19:7, 8, 9, 10notes) Thy servant is warned. In keeping them there is great reward. In a similar truth Paul alludes to the great gain of a godly life, a life of Spirit enabled obedience… bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1Ti 4:8+) (5) Closely related to (4) is the truth that God will reward our lives based on the purity of our walk as indicated by passages like 1Cor 9:25, 2Ti 2:21+, 1Jn 2:28, 3:3+, et al. (6) Believers will be rewarded for supporting the work of other ministries and missionaries as implied by Mt 10:40, 41, 42. (7) How we judge others will affect how Jesus judges us (Mt 7:1, 2+, Jas 2:13, Mt 5:7+; see note below on why Bema is discussed in Romans 14.). May God grant us the necessary grace and power to demonstrate mercy instead of judgmental spirit. Amen (8) Our ministry in the lives of other saints will be rewarded (1Th 2:19, 20+). Clearly sowing seed and/or reaping the harvest of a soul (or souls) will be rewarded. In other words there will be a reward not just for the evangelist who harvests" souls, but for those who sow seed (Ps 126:6+) and those who "water" the seed, for all are equally dependent on God (cp Ps 127:1+) Who alone can bring forth fruit (1Co 3:6, 7, 8, cp 2Ti 2:6+) The upshot is that those who sow, or water, or reap may have a part, but the praise belongs only to God. (9) Teachers of God's Word will be judged more stringently (Woe is me!)! Little wonder that James warned… Jas 3:1 Let not many of you become (issued as a command!) teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment. (This verse is so self-evident, especially to teachers, that it needs no comment, but just needs to be solemnly pondered!) Below are other passages related to the "doctrine of rewards"… Mt 5:46+ (Context Mt 5:44, 45 = command to love our enemies! Not naturally possible! A call for dependence on Spirit wrought supernatural grace.) "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? Mt 6:1+ "Beware (present imperative = command emphasizing need to continually guard against see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. Mt 6:5+ "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. Mt 6:16+ "Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. Mt 6:19+ "Do not lay up (thesaurizo in the present imperative with a negative = stop something you are already doing! see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "But lay up (present imperative = make this the practice of your life for the rest of your life in Christ see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for (term of conclusion and/or term of explanation) where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (See John Piper's meditation on this passage = Life As a Vapor - goto page 23) (Ed: This passage begs the question "Where is your treasure today? Stock market, gold bars, etc or above, cp Col 3:2+?) Mt 10:41 "He who receives a prophet (one who speaks for God, not necessarily a "fore" teller but a "forth" teller) in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward (share in the reward God gives the prophet); and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 "And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones (including those of little standing in the eyes of most) even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward." Mt 24:46 "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing (speaks of faithfulness which issues in immediate, Spirit empowered obedience) when he comes. 47 "Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. Comment: Faithfulness is linked to fruitfulness. Compare also Parable of the Talents Mt 25:14-30 which emphasizes the rewards of faithful obedience and the tragedy of wasted opportunity. Note that Note that Mt 25:21 and Mt 25:23 are identical. The two servants receive the same reward, even though one had earned five talents, the other only two. The principle is that rewards are based on quality of work, not quantity, of work. The same commendation reflects the fact that both were equally faithful with what they had been entrusted. Mark 9:41 "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink (God notices the smallest of good deeds - not one will be missed or overlooked by our omniscient God!) because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. Comment: Henry
2 Coríntios 5:10
Vernon McGee comments on the testing of our works by fire (1Co 3:13): " I like to put it like this: there are going to be some people in heaven who will be there because their foundation is Christ but who will smell as if they had been bought at a fire sale! Everything they ever did will have gone up in smoke. They will not receive a reward for their works." (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson) Lehman Strauss: Many Christians who have labored humbly and prayerfully in the Spirit will be rewarded, but that which was done in the energy of the flesh and which is merely called “Christian work” will be consumed by the fire of purging. The story was told of a great fire in a city apartment house. The tenants had all been led to safety with the exception of one family on one of the upper floors. The mother, driven to frenzy by the terror that accompanied the flaming and smoke-filled room, leaped to safety into a fireman’s net. But it was discovered that, in her befogged and delirious mind, she completely forgot her children who perished in the flames. She was saved as by fire (1Co 3:15KJV), but she suffered great loss. (Future Judgment of the Believer) Eddie Rasnake uses his childhood experience of salvaging copper and brass from demolished buildings to illustrate the sifting of our deeds at the Bema seat to determine which are of eternal value. Rasnake writes: "We could pull out the electrical wires, and after burning the insulation off, we could sell the copper by the pound at the local scrap yard. They would also buy brass valves we reclaimed from the water pipes. The key to getting our money, though, was to remove all the steel and iron, because it wasn’t nearly as valuable as the copper and brass. When we brought our scrap metal to the buyer, he would dump out our pieces of metal and then run a magnet over the batch to make sure the copper was solid and not just copper plated steel. He tested the quality of our metal before we were given our reward. The Bible teaches us that this is the same thing that Jesus will do with a believer’s works. Knowing this ought to motivate us to be sure ours is the right kind of service." (Following God- Using Your Spiritual Gifts) John