Living in Light of Eternity (Part 1 of 2)

2 Corinthians 5:11–21

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you cause to boast about us so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearances and not about what is in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

Paul ended our context with the idea that we all will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. At some point, when this world ends, we will all have been raised from the dead and brought back to life. We will appear before Christ as King on His throne, and He will judge us.

You might wonder, if salvation means we escape judgment, why would believers appear before Christ's judgment seat? The judgment for believers is based on their actions—good or bad, sinful or righteous—but it is not a judgment unto punishment. Once raised with a new, sinless body, there is no discipline in eternity future. We experience eternity with God in the enjoyment of heaven.

So why judge Christians? Christians are judged by both the sins they commit and the good deeds they perform, unto rewards or lack thereof. Scripture speaks of treasures stored up in heaven—not monetary value, but rewards that give more opportunities to enjoy God eternally. Sin removes those rewards. In Revelation, seven churches are promised specific rewards if they overcome, often through repentance.

The judgment also exposes sinful deeds. No sin goes unnoticed or unexposed. This happens to the praise of God's glory, revealing what He saved us from and disciplined us for in this life.

This is serious for Christians: our deeds matter. The lives we live matter. Forgiveness does not mean we can live however we want. Christians must live in light of eternity, with the judgment seat in mind. It should give us pause. Moments of sin won't seem satisfying when giving account to Christ Himself.

Imagine explaining to Jesus, who died for your sins, why you still live in them. "Thank you for dying, but it didn't change me." We all appear before that seat. Christians ignoring it accumulate unsuitable actions. If we don't think our actions matter eternally, we won't live cautiously.

You can't let grace—God's undeserved involvement—excuse sin. Grace should stop sin. Every choice matters before the judgment seat. Grace gets us there; it makes actions matter for rewards or loss, to God's glory.

The Fear of the Lord

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. This connects to verse 10: we appear before the judgment seat; therefore, we fear. This fear produces cautious living, considering eternity, the judgment seat, and life with Christ forever. It makes us weigh decisions against our standing before Him.

This fear is reverence and caution, not terror. It causes us to consider: What if I stood before Christ explaining this? It leads to stopping before acting or even thinking sinfully, pondering eternal consequences.

We live in light of eternity by thinking of the judgment seat and comparing choices to Christ's teachings. What does this look like? Four things show how to live for a favorable standing.

1. Be Changed on the Inside

The fear of the Lord persuades and convinces us how to live. Scripture mentions fearing the Lord more than loving Him, as a doctrine that changes our hearts—the inner you: personality, thoughts, desires.

Change what you think and want in light of eternity and Scripture. Desire a godly spouse and be godly yourself. Men, view sisters in Christ as sacred daughters of God, guardians of their purity—not objects.

Consider godliness, commitments, goals—not just looks. Thoughts and desires are secret, evading accountability. But words reveal the heart. Nothing slips unintentionally; "I didn't mean to say that" avoids responsibility. Change the heart, and behavior follows.

2. Be Controlled by Christ

We can't change ourselves. The love of Christ controls us because we conclude: One died for all, so all died; He died that we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died and rose.

Be convinced of the gospel: Jesus died for us, and we died with Him. Our self-centered lives end; we live for His glory, making Him attractive.

This conviction lets Christ's love control—not robotically, but joyfully, enabling repentance and victory over sin. Outward boasters sin inwardly; heart-changed people deal with sin effectively.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Living by faith means being controlled by Christ's love, impressed daily by His sacrifice, compelled to newness of life. The ungrateful remain sinful; the grateful change joyfully.

3. Be Created Anew

Like the potter in Jeremiah 18 recreating marred clay, God recreates us ruined by sin into new vessels for His glory.

Verse 16–17: We regard no one according to the flesh. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed; the new has come.

We no longer see others (or Jesus) merely as natural, sinful humans. The natural man cannot please God.

Benefits: The past is gone. No one can charge God's elect; God justifies. The blood of Jesus declares us innocent. Satan cannot accuse us before God.

A More Enjoyable and Permanently Satisfying Life as a New Creation

You're a new creation. Nobody can criticize you for the sins that you used to do. You don't have to live in those sins anymore. You get to live in the newness of life. Every single one of us has a sinful past to compare our lives now with. Is there a difference between you now and the you who was a sinner?

Some of us may have grown up in a Christian home and believed upon Jesus Christ at a very early age. We might not even remember how sinful we used to be. But compare your life now to Jesus, how He lived, and what the Bible says a Christian is supposed to look like. Is there a similarity? Is there a difference between you and those around you who are not believers?

It's very much like 1 Peter 4:1-5:

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised that you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; for they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

God wants you to be holy. The time that has passed suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do—that's New Testament terminology for unbelievers. They live in sensuality, wanting things that smell good, taste good, physically feel good, sound good. Many prideful people are sensual because they like to hear good things about themselves.

Peter says that time has passed. We don't live the way unbelievers live, seeking to have our senses pleased with sinful desires and impulses: drunkenness, orgies—a Roman orgy involved eating to the point of vomiting to keep eating for a high, getting drunk, and unlawful sex. Drinking parties are gatherings solely for the purpose of drinking to feel good or forget problems. Lawless idolatry is making anything replace what we should find in God.

Unbelievers are surprised when you don't join them in this flood of debauchery—completely letting go of control—and they malign you. Peter says the same as Paul: you're a new creation. The time to live as an unbeliever is over. Now live for the will of God, not human passions. Unbelievers are stunned that you want to live for Jesus, for a crucified and risen Savior, prioritizing His joy, comfort, and will over their ways.

Be Conciliated with God

You need to be conciliated with God—another word for reconciled, being brought back together after a rift. If you're at odds with a friend, reconciliation deals with the issues, forgives, and resumes peace.

Paul begs Christians: be reconciled to God. Why tell a church this? Our private lives must match our public lives. What we say in our hearts, minds, and do behind closed doors must be Christian activities.

"Reconciled" is passive: be reconciled—it will happen to you if you change your heart, are controlled by Christ, and are a new creation. Your life should match what God says a Christian's life should be. Sin creates conflict with God. Before becoming a Christian, it's hostile—God will judge and send to eternal torment. As a Christian, it's like conflict with parents after wrongdoing: it needs reconciliation.

Sin issues arise because hearts haven't changed, aren't controlled by Christ's love, and aren't lived in light of eternity, fearing God. Be reconciled by changing hearts, living according to God's message: crack open the Scriptures, daily study, live in light of the gospel. Jesus saved us from sins that we might live as new creations, aligning lives daily with what God says.

That's the message of reconciliation: live as God says. Match private and public lives. If you're afraid to do something in church or in front of your grandmother, don't do it in your heart. Jesus said hating is murdering in the heart; lusting after a woman is committing adultery—even unmarried. It's not just outward appearances or boasting as a good Christian while harboring lust, anger, or hatred at home. You're a fornicator and murderer in the heart.

We are not our own; we are bought with a price. Live for God's will. Think highly of each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, or of the lost as needing salvation, care, compassion, and the gospel. Know Jesus died for them—and for you regularly—so Christ's love controls you, steering from destructive sins to a reward-producing life for God's pleasure and glory.

We don't live for ourselves; we've died and been crucified with Christ, raised with Him. Live as God says. Match private life with public profession of salvation. That's living in light of eternity.