THE PURPOSE FOR OUR MINISTRY:
In 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, the apostle Paul wrote: "We make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…"
Whether we realize it or not, whether we are prepared or not, each believer in Christ will stand before Him to be judged and to give an account of our lives (Romans 14:10-12). This judgment will involve not only an evaluation of our Christian lives but also the receiving of a just recompense for the things we have done (Hebrews 10:30). This judgment will not include a scrutiny of our deeds prior to our faith in Christ, but will be an examination of the things we have done since becoming a Christian. The outcome of this judgment may be positive or negative depending on the quality of our deeds—whether "good or bad." The Christian who understands this fact and, like Paul, makes it their aim to be found well pleasing to God, will receive "the reward of the inheritance" (Colossians 3:24). This reward consists of a share in Christ's inheritance in His future (but soon coming) Kingdom (Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 3:21). But for those Christians whose lives were not lived according to this truth and did not, therefore, order their lives in obedience to God's Word, this judgment will have a terrifying outcome. Note Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 5:11: "Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…" Paul understood that a Christian who lives a life that is not well pleasing to God will have reason to be terrified as they stand before Christ's judgment seat (see also Hebrews 10:30-31). This unprepared believer will have forfeited his participation in the Kingdom inheritance of Christ and as a result will experience the chastening of the Lord for the duration of the Kingdom age (Matthew 25:30). Our purpose is to proclaim this most neglected and forgotten truth of the Judgment Seat of Christ and to prepare Christians for that coming Day. It is our prayer that the Lord will use this ministry to that end.
[Note: The outcome of our examination at the Judgment Seat of Christ determines whether we will participate in Christ's one thousand year Kingdom. This judgment does not determine our eternal destiny. Eternal life in Christ is not based upon a Christian's work but is based upon the finished work of Christ alone and His righteousness freely imputed to the believer (Romans 4:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, a Christian's eternal life can never be forfeited for any reason (Romans 11:29).]
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