JUDGING BY APPEARANCE

           Welcome to you once more, and glad to have you back again at Daily Bread to study the Word together. As we left off in our last study, Paul was talking about things that are temporal vs. things that are eternal, saying that the trials we face now will end, but we look forward to things that are forever.

Temporal vs. Eternal

Visible vs. Invisible

Mortal vs. Immortal

Corrupt vs. Incorruptible

Fleshly vs. Spiritual

Humanly speaking, Paul is explaining that as long as we’re in our mortal bodies, we will not be in the presence of the Lord, because He is spiritual, so we put off our bodies, in other words, we try and look at things spiritually whenever possible, in order to be present with Him.

For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ,
that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad.
 

          Here’s a little Daily Bread Crumb to go along with what you just read. The Buddhists and the Hindus have a word for this, which is “karma”. Our recent generations describe it with the phrase “what goes around, comes around.” Paul just straight up tells the TRUTH about it though, here and in Galatians 6:7, where he says, Whatever you sow, you will also reap. It’s judgment, friends, plain and simple.

JUDGING BY APPEARANCE LESSON WITH JUDGING BY APPEARANCE EXPLANATION

          Here’s a couple of things to ponder on while you think about this, and I never grow tired of mentioning this, Your sin will never outweigh God’s Grace. Now, here’s a question. Do we sometimes pay our debts for bad deeds during this life, before judgment day? We know that charity removes a multitude of sins, 1Peter 4:8 so are there other things that we go through that also erase bad deeds? Not punishments from God, but maybe unfortunate happenings that are beyond our control. What if you become the victim of something that had nothing to do with your own choices, does that count? What about sacrifice? What about suffering? Fasting? Prayer? Generosity? All these things are interesting things to think about. One thing is for certain. Repentance brings forgiveness, so don’t rely on misfortune to clean up your score card with God. Rely on His mercy and your Faith in Christ. The other things are works that do build good character, if you don’t do them out of obligation, but out of love.

As we return to Paul’s letter, remember that Paul is still discussing the accusations of people against him and Timothy, though he throws in some spiritual messages here and there.

Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord,
we persuade (convince) men of our worthiness;
but we are made evident to God;
and I trust also that our worthiness is obvious in your consciences too.
We don’t present our honor again to you,
but we give you reason to be thankful for us,
so that you have something to say to those who honor appearances,
and not the heart.
 

Well, from that last statement, now we can deduce that someone has criticized the appearance of Paul's Ministry or perhaps even Paul’s physical appearance. Don’t forget what God told Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7, The Lord sees not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. This all fits in real well with Paul’s message about the flesh, too, doesn’t it?

Now, if we’re crazy, we’re crazy about God,
or if we’re of sound mind, it is for your good.
For the love of Christ compels us,
because we see it like this,
that if Christ died for all, then everyone was dead,
and because He died for all,
those who live, from this point on,
shouldn’t live for themselves,
but for Him which died for them, and rose again.
So, from now on, we don’t know any man according to the flesh (in a human sense),
yes, though we have known Christ according to the flesh,
but now we no longer know Him in that way.

Therefore if any man is of Christ, he is a new creature,
old things are passed away;
and notice, all things are become new.
 

           That was a great definition that Paul just explained of being “born again” or “reborn.”

And all things are of God,
who has reconciled (made peace with) us to Himself by Jesus Christ,
and has given to us the ministry of peace,
That is to say, that God was in Christ, making peace with the world for Himself,
not counting their trespasses against them,
and has committed to us the Word of peace.
Now then we are ambassadors (representatives) for Christ,
as though God did beg you through us: we pray that you, in Christ's behalf,
be reconciled to (restored to harmony with) God.
For He has made Him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
 

          To understand this last verse better, I encourage you to read Isaiah, Chapter 53, especially Verses 6, 9 and 11. Our merciful Father, provided a scapegoat for us ... His most cherished thing in the universe ... His Son.