8月29日

標　　題：審判席

經　　節：因為我們眾人必要在基督台前顯露出來，叫各人按著本身所行的，或善或惡受報。（哥林多後書五章10節）

基督徒行事背後有許多動機。其中一個動機是，覺悟到自己有一天會站在基督審判寶座前，為自己的一生交帳。雖然另一種較舒服的看法是，相信基督徒不會面對關於地上作為的任何詢問，就被迎進天堂，但聖經上不是這樣說的。

保羅告誡我們，在末日的審判時，每個基督徒將為自己一生的所作所為，交代得一清二楚。這件可預見的事令保羅很害怕，激勵他在所做的每一件事情上，要努力討神的喜悅（哥林多後書五：9∼11）。保羅知道，自己在地上的日子有可能不理會聖靈輕微的聲音，然而，到那交帳的日子，他必須解釋自己為甚麼不聽從神的指示。保羅從不草率地假設，神會因著他為神國所立的功勞，而寬容他所犯的罪。他瞭解，多給誰就向誰多取的道理（路加福音十二：48）。

神並沒有強逼我們遵行祂的旨意。我們對祂的回應方式，祂會要求我們交代清楚。基督徒因為耶穌的犧牲而罪得赦免，我們不被定罪。但是，因為神是絕對公義的，我們會被召喚，交代自己的所作所為。基督徒的生活有極大的自由，然而，對神與對自己周遭人的關係，我們有責任交代清楚。我們由保羅身上學習到，為自己的行為負責是健康的，它激勵我們積極地討神歡喜。

The Judgment Seat

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. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

There are many motivations in the Christian’s life. One is our awareness that one day we will give an account of our lives to Christ, as He sits in judgment upon humanity. It is much more comforting to believe that Christians will be ushered into heaven with no questions asked about our faithfulness upon earth, but that is not what Scripture says will happen.

Paul cautioned that in the final day of judgment every Christian will give an account for his or her actions. This expectation terrified Paul and motivated him to strive to please God in everything he did (2 Cor. 5:9–11). Paul knew that although he might ignore the Spirit’s quiet voice during His life on earth, a time of accounting would come when he would have to explain why he had rejected God’s instructions. Paul never carelessly assumed that, because of all he had done for God’s kingdom, God would overlook his sin. Instead, he understood that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48).

God does not force His will upon us. He will ask us to answer for the way we responded to Him. Christians have been pardoned by the sacrifice of Jesus. We are not condemned. But because God is absolutely just, we will be called on to give an account of our actions. The Christian life gives a tremendous freedom, but it also brings a pervasive sense of our accountability to God and to others. We can learn from Paul that accountability is healthy; it gives us a powerful motivation to please God.