2 Corinthians 5:10-11

DISCOURSE: 2019
THE IMPROVEMENT TO BE MADE OF THE DOCTRINE OF A FUTURE JUDGMENT

2 Corinthians 5:10. We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that erery 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.

TIME is generally thought to be of little use, except as it may be employed in amusements or in the prosecution of worldly business; but its value, as it stands connected with eternity, exceeds all calculation. The manner in which every hour is spent is recorded in heaven; every moment, as it were, increases our eternal happiness or misery. This consideration made the Apostle solicitous to redeem time himself, and to improve it for the good of others: “We knowing therefore,” &c.

I. The Apostle’s account of the day of judgment—

“Christ” is the person who shall judge the world—
[He who stood at Pilate’s bar is exalted for this purpose [Note: Acts 17:31.]. Our Lord himself plainly and repeatedly affirmed it [Note: John 5:22; John 5:27.]

He will erect his “tribunal” in a solemn and public manner—
[Daniel spake of this in very exalted terms [Note: Daniel 7:9.]. Our Lord also has declared it [Note: Matthew 25:31.]

Before this “we must all appear”—
[All who have ever existed from the beginning to the end of the world shall stand at his bar [Note: Revelation 20:12.]. None shall be able to elude or to withstand the summons [Note: John 5:28.]

All that we have done in the body will then be made manifest—
[The secrets of every heart shall be disclosed [Note: Ecclesiastes 12:14.]. The mask will be taken from the face of the hypocrite: the tears and sighings of the contrite will be declared before all [Note: 1 Corinthians 4:5.]

Then shall every one receive according to his doings, “whether they be good or bad”—
[The seeming inequalities of the Divine government will then be rectified: the godly will not then be any more condemned, or the wicked be justified. They who from faith and love have obeyed God shall be rewarded: they who have been disobedient and unbelieving shall be punished [Note: Romans 2:5.]

The rewards and punishments shall be respectively proportioned to the good or evil that has been done—
[They who have greatly improved their talents will be greatly rewarded [Note: Luke 19:17; Luke 19:24.]: they whose sins have been peculiarly aggravated will be more severely punished [Note: Luke 12:47.]

A more important consideration than this cannot enter into the mind of man.

II.

The improvement which he made of it—

This subject is extremely awful even to the best of men—
[The most eminently pious are conscious of many defects. They know also the deceitfulness of their hearts. Hence not even St. Paul himself could fully rely on the verdict of his own conscience [Note: 1 Corinthians 4:4.]

But it is full of “terror” to the ungodly—
[To see him as their Judge, whose dying love they despised! To be confronted with all their accomplices in wickedness! To have the books of God’s remembrance opened! To have all their secret thoughts and desires exposed! To know that their doom is irrevocably fixed! To wait the dreadful sentence from the mouth of their Judge! To have nothing but an eternity of unmixed misery before them! What can be more terrible [Note: Revelation 6:14.]?]

Paul well “knew” this terror of the Lord. He therefore laboured “to persuade men”—
[He persuaded men to “flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold on eternal life:” he spared no pains to attain this object of his wishes [Note: Romans 15:19. 1 Corinthians 9:19.] — — — he regarded no sufferings if he might but prevail on some [Note: 2 Timothy 2:10; Acts 20:24.] — — —]

Application—

[We would improve this subject as the Apostle did. We know most assuredly these terrors of the Lord. We, on account of our office, are peculiarly interested in the events of that day [Note: Hebrews 13:17. If this subject were addressed to the Clergy, this thought should be amplified.]: we therefore would persuade you to repent, and believe the Gospel [Note: Mark 1:15.]: we would persuade you by every alarming or encouraging consideration. Consider the certainty of that day—the nearness of it—the greatness of the preparation necessary—and the consequence of dying unprepared. Consider the free remission, and the almighty assistance now offered you, and the blessedness of being prepared to meet your God. May we all lay these considerations to heart! May we at the last be found, not only almost, but altogether Christians!]