2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

JUDGMENT; ONLY ONE

For we must all ... This means everybody who ever lived, or ever yet shall live, upon this earth. It is absolutely astounding that brilliant men would try to limit this to "All Christians." Hillyer declared this to mean "all Christians, no unbelievers."[13] The same opinion was voiced by Clines, "All Christians, not all men."[14] Inasmuch as the New Testament knows and mentions only one judgment, there can be no reconciliation of that truth with any opinion limiting the judgment scene in this verse to Christians only. The problem does not lie in what Paul taught here, but in the theory of justification by "faith only"; of which, as Tasker said, "Some commentators stress the seeming inconsistency between the doctrine of justification by faith alone and the doctrine of 2 Corinthians 5:10 that Christians no less than non-Christians will be finally judged by their actions."[15] The blunt truth is that verse 10 is not merely "inconsistent" with the theory of justification by "faith alone"; it is a dogmatic contradiction of it.

As Plumptre said:

It would have seemed almost impossible, but for the perverse ingenuity of the system-builders of theology, to evade the force of this unqualified assertion of the working of the universal law of retribution. No formula of justification by faith, or imputed righteousness, or pardon sealed in the blood of Christ, or priestly absolution, is permitted by St. Paul to mingle with his expectations of that great day, as revealing the secrets of men's hearts, awarding to each man according to his works![16]

Thus, it was for the clever and ingenious purpose of supporting the "faith only" theory of justification, that scholars have tried to make the judgment scene in 2 Corinthians 5:10 something different from the general judgment. However, attention is called to the following:

THE JUDGMENT DAY

The judgment seat of Christ ... In this phrase, the apostle followed the invariable pattern of the New Testament in referring to the judgment day in the singular. Not even once in the New Testament is there any reference to more than one judgment. Note:

Jesus said, "They shall give an account in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).

The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation (Matthew 12:41).

The queen of the south shall rise up in judgment with this generation (Matthew 12:42).

Whosoever shall say, "Thou fool" shall be in danger of the judgment (Matthew 5:22).

It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you (Luke 10:14).

More tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, etc. (Matthew 10:15).

God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world by that man whom he hath appointed (Acts 17:31).

We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God (Romans 14:10).

It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this, judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

From this it is crystal clear that the foolish notion of a succession of judgment days is nowhere to be found in the word of God, despite the fact of its being advocated in the notes to the Scofield Bible! There is no reason whatever to believe that "the judgment seat of Christ" which Paul mentioned in this verse is any different from the one he mentioned in Romans 14:10. The Gospel of John likewise supports the concept of one judgment day (see my Commentary on John, pp. 149-50; also my Commentary on Matthew, pp. 408-411).

Thus, we may be absolutely certain that every man, including every Christian, shall in the last analysis be judged according to his deeds, whether good or bad. There will be no such thing in the judgment as a man of vile deeds being entered into heaven on the basis that "Well, after all, he was a believer!" This cornerstone of Protestant heresy is effectively blasted by Paul's stern words in this passage.

In this connection, however, it is appropriate to add that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7); but this promise is for them that "walk in the light." Even the most deplorable sins can be forgiven, and will be forgiven them that continue "in Christ," as believing, baptized Christians, striving to do the will of the Lord, and visibly associated with his kingdom in the present world; nor is it alleged that they could ever achieve or merit redemption as being due to their success in living as God directed; but the whole premise of eternal salvation includes the conscious, serious EFFORT of the twice-born to live the new life which was bestowed upon them. "Faith" is no magic device for avoiding this eternal truth.

The whole thrust of this verse is that people who do not live right shall perish eternally. It is not expected that this truth could ever be popular.

[13] Norman Hillyer, op. cit., p. 1080.

[14] David J. A. Clines, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 426.

[15] R. V. G. Tasker, The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1958), p. 83.

[16] E. H. Plumptre, Ellicott's Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), Vol. VII, p. 380.