Who Are You Trying to Please?

Awaiting the New Body

5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Paul moves from teaching in chapter 4 about how we are inwardly being renewed day by day though our outward bodies are wasting away to the hope we have of a new body in heaven.   Until the Lord calls us to our eternal home, we have been given a deposit, a guarantee of our future inheritance, which is the Holy Spirit.  We might say the Holy Spirit is a downpayment on heaven.  Just like a downpayment on a house is a guarantee of the repayment of our loan to the lender, the Holy Spirit is the downpayment of God's promises to us.  But where this analogy breaks down is that while we may fail to pay our loan, God will never default on his promises.  

Paul says that he would even prefer to be in his eternal home.  When we listed all of the suffering Paul endured in yesterday's blog, we can see why Paul was so ready to meet Jesus in his heavenly home.  But Paul says even though we have the Holy Spirit, we must walk by faith and not by sight.  

As we wait for Jesus to return what are we to do?  Paul says quite simply we make it our goal to please him.  Our future inheritance in heaven is guaranteed but how are we going to live our lives in the meantime.  When I grew up it was my goal to please my parents.  It made them happy to think that I wanted to do this.  It showed my respect and love for them.  And the words that meant the most to me was when they said, "We are so proud of you."  In the same way we make it our goal to please our Heavenly Father!

Finally, Paul gives us a word about accountability.  He says we will all come before the "judgment seat of Chirst". We will receive a reward for the things we have done on earth whether good or bad.  Wait a minute, I thought we were saved by grace through faith not be works.  What is Paul talking about here?  

First of all it is important to say the bible uses two different words for judgment. 

"Greek, like English, uses the word "judge" in two senses. One sense in condemnation, while the other sense is the giving out of rewards. The Bible says unbelievers will be judged in the first sense - condemnation, while believers will be judged in the other sense - rewards." (Stewart)

A similar passage also appears in Romans, Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God (Romans 14:10).

Jesus all talks about this subject in Matthew.  "For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what He has done" (Matthew 16:27).

Also in the parable of the talents each person is given a differing amount of talents.  When the master of the house returned home, each person was asked to give an account of what they did with what they had been given. To the one who had earned more, more was given to them.  To the one who had done nothing with their talent, even what they had been given to them was taken from.

So what can we conclude?

1. Paul is not talking about judgment unto salvation in this passage.  The bible, both in the Old and New Testament, clearly and consistently affirms the righteous will be saved by faith alone not by works. (Ephesians 2:8)  If we could save ourselves by good works then Jesus did not need to die for us.

2. We are all given spiritual gifts to use to the build up the body of Christ. I.e. Teaching, Pastoring, Caring, Healing.  We are called to use our gifts in the power of the Holy Spirit, who gave us these gifts.  When we use our gifts spiritual fruit is borne that will last.  People come to Christ, believers are built up in Christ, and the church grow in obedience to the Great Commission.  

3. When we die and appear before Christ our faith will become sight.  No matter how much we have done or not done for God, we will see him face to face and it will be a glorious homecoming.  At that time the things we have done for the Lord will be revealed.  The deeds we have done for him in the power of the Holy Spirit will be revealed.  Why? The works we did with the goal to please him are obedient to the Great Commission.  As we lived our lives to please the Lord using our gifts we will hear the words from Jesus, "Well done good and faithful servant!"

Do you understand the difference between judgment for sin and judgment of things we have done with our lives?  Do you think your life is pleasing to God right now?  Why or why not?  How can you make it your goal to please Him? What are some of the gifts God has given you and how can you use them to build up the Church?  What are you doing that will make a difference for all of eternity.

Remember it is by grace you are saved and the rest of your life is a response to His grace in Christ. Living in gratitude to the Lord who saved us is living a life worthy of the heavenly calling we have been given!