There are two myths (among many!) in our culture that are corrected in 2 Corinthians 5. The first is that God is only described as the judge of humanity in the Old Testament. The second is that Jesus Christ is a ­happy-­go-­lucky, “I don’t care about sin” kind of ­guy—­almost like a smiling cartoon hippie.

Both of these myths are false representations. God is a judge, and His Son, Jesus Christ, will eventually judge the world in two main categories. First, Jesus will judge each person for how he or she has responded to His gifts of forgiveness and ­salvation—­with acceptance or rejection. ­Second—­and believers in Christ often forget ­this—­Jesus will judge how we have lived after being saved. This second kind of judgment is intended not to see if we have earned salvation (which is impossible) but to determine whether each of us has used the life God has given us to love Him and others and share Christ with the world.

Paul leaves us with this important line in 2 Corinthians 5:9-10: “So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” God has never ceased being a judge, and what we do does matter because we will each give an account before Jesus Christ one day for how we have lived.