For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. -2 Corinthians 5:10
Every week there seems to be a new “awards” program on television, honoring celebrities, actors, or personalities in the entertainment world. Every sporting event leads to some kind of championship in which trophies are awarded. Many executives receive bonuses at the end of the year, some of which have recently created disparaging headlines.
None of those rewards or honors has any eternal value; but the Bible talks about awards that are eternal, crowns to be given out at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The apostle Paul discussed this in Romans 14, saying we should get along with our brothers and sisters and not condemn those who have different opinions on non-essential matters, for “we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” In 2 Corinthians 5, he warned us to please God and to persuade men, “for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.”
We may not fully understand the nature of the “rewards” and “crowns” that God promises to His servants, but the knowledge of the coming Judgment Seat of Christ should propel us to faithful service today.
Our eternal destination is the consequence of what we believe on earth. Our eternal compensation is the consequence of how we behave on earth. –Bruce Wilkinson
