“ In 2 Corinthians it talks about how we all will be judged for the GOOD AND BAD stuff that we have done. However, "If Christ was sacrificed to erase our bad things (sin) then why are we still judged for it? Isn't it erased? :)”
In 2 Corinthians 5: 9-10:
For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Many Christians object to a commonly made cultural statement. Many people claim that “ALL roads lead to God.” When individuals make such claim, they articulate a belief that everyone can reach God on their own yet it doesn’t matter the path you take. They are proposing that a persons beliefs and actions ultimately have no consequence. They assert that it doesn’t matter whether you are Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, or atheist because they have no consequence. Regardless, they say, God will redeem everyone. While there are numerous flaws and falsehoods with this belief which I will not explore now, there is a grain of truth in the statements itself.
Nomatter what your age, size, gender, race, accomplishments or religion; every road leads to the throne of God. Every man will stand before God’s throne no matter what road they take. But how is that relevant to today’s question? If Christ was sacrificed to erase our bad things (sin) then why are we still judged for it? The Scripture is clear that God will judge everyone. In Romans, Paul explains that none is righteous not even one. Because we are unrighteous, we deserve the wrath of God. When Christ died, he died for our sins. Christ removed us, not from his judgment, but from the wrath of God and took our sin upon himself. This is called Justification. Justification is the act of God that we become legally righteous before God, taking on Christ’s righteousness. Christ is our advocate with the father. But wait: Paul is speaking to believers. Why would Christ judge members of “the body” if they are already redeemed? Is Christ judging his church based on works?
What Paul is speaking of, in context, is not the judgment for the wrath of God but a judgment based on how we have used the gifts and talents God has given to us. Paul is not saying we can lose our salvation. He just affirmed our salvation in verse 5. “He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” You might ask: A guarantee of what? The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of our salvation in Christ. Paul isn’t contradicting himself.
Rathar, Paul is saying something quite different to the Church at Corinth than works righteousness. He is saying that how we live in the flesh matters. The Corinthian church was not living in accord with God’s word. The Church was not looking very different from the world. That’s why in this same chapter Paul says “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” Paul was expressing to the Corinthians the importance of living a righteous life on earth through Christ’s power. Our actions matter to God.
(Matt. 24:44-51). Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.But if that evil servant says in his heart, "My master is delaying his coming," and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The church at Corinth missed the picture. We need to be ready for Christ to return and be a steward of our time, gifts and abilities. If I understand this passage, Paul is telling the Corinthians that our actions have consequences. We need to do good works and follow Christ’s example “that God prepared beforehand for us to do.” Good works don’t lead to salvation but they are a result of salvation and sanctification. Christ tells us in John " You will know them by their fruit." We ourselves need to understand that everything we do has a consequence in this world AND in the next.
Conclusion:
In Christ, we are a new creature. As new creature, we are called to bear fruit and be the salt and light of the earth. Believers will not be condemned for their sins but the body of Christ will be judged for how we have used our time and gifts. I pray that through his grace, Christ will be able to say to each of us "Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant." The Church will not be condemned for our sins because Christ has covered them but we will have to give an account of our stewardship of God's creation.
Thanks again for your question and may God continue to bless you!
Scott Alford