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SEPTEMBER 13
A nation powerful and treading down, pleased rather to be absent from the body and
Whose land the rivers divide— to be present with the Lord.
To the place of the name of the LORD of 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether
hosts, present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
To Mount Zion. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that each one may receive the
Psalm 106:32–39 things done in the body, according to what he
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32 They angered Him also at the waters of has done, whether good or bad. Knowing,
strife, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade
So that it went ill with Moses on men; but we are well known to God, and I also
account of them; trust are well known in your consciences.
Because they rebelled against His
33 12 For we do not commend ourselves again to
Spirit, you, but give you opportunity to boast on our
So that he spoke rashly with his lips. behalf, that you may have an answer for those
who boast in appearance and not in heart.
They did not destroy the peoples, 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God;
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Concerning whom the LORD had or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For
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commanded them, the love of Christ compels us, because we
But they mingled with the Gentiles judge thus: that if One died for all, then all
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And learned their works; died; and He died for all, that those who live
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They served their idols, should live no longer for themselves, but for
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Which became a snare to them. Him who died for them and rose again.
They even sacrificed their sons
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And their daughters to demons,
And shed innocent blood,
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The blood of their sons and daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of 5:10 This describes the believer’s deepest moti-
Canaan; vation and highest aim in pleasing God—the
And the land was polluted with blood. realization that every Christian is inevitably and
Thus they were defiled by their own
39 ultimately accountable to Him. the judgment
works, seat of Christ. “Judgment seat”metaphorically
And played the harlot by their own refers to the place where the Lord will sit to
deeds. evaluate believers’ lives for the purpose of giv-
ing them eternal rewards. It was an elevated
Proverbs 25:11–12 platform where victorious athletes (e.g., during
the Olympics) went to receive their crowns.The
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold term is also used in the New Testament to refer
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In settings of silver. to the place of judging, as when Jesus stood
Like an earring of gold and an before Pontius Pilate (Matt. 27:19; John 19:13),
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ornament of fine gold but here the reference is definitely from the ath-
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear. letic analogy. Corinth had such a platform
2 Corinthians 5:1–21 where both athletic rewards and legal justice
were dispensed (Acts 18:12–16), so the
For we know that if our earthly house, this Corinthians understood Paul’s reference. the
5 tent, is destroyed, we have a building from things done in the body. Actions which hap-
God, a house not made with hands, eternal in pened during the believer’s time of earthly
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the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly ministry. This does not include sins, since their
desiring to be clothed with our habitation judgment took place at the Cross (Eph 1:7).Paul
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which is from heaven, if indeed, having been was referring to all those activities believers do
clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we during their lifetimes,which relate to their eter-
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who are in this tent groan, being burdened, nal reward and praise from God. What
not because we want to be unclothed, but fur- Christians do in their temporal bodies will,in His
ther clothed, that mortality may be swallowed eyes, have an impact for eternity (1 Cor. 4:3–5;
up by life. Now He who has prepared us for Rom. 12:1,2: Rev. 22:12). whether good or bad.
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this very thing is God, who also has given us These Greek terms do not refer to moral good
the Spirit as a guarantee. and moral evil. Matters of sin have been com-
6 So we are always confident, knowing that pletely dealt with by the death of the Savior.
while we are at home in the body we are Rather, Paul was comparing worthwhile, eter-
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absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, nally valuable activities with useless ones.
not by sight. We are confident, yes, well
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