is nevertheless important to realize that I Cor. 3: deals not with initial salvation but with

subsequent service.

The passage we have quoted from II Cor. 5: 10 "For we must all appear before the

judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive" cannot be interpreted apart from its

context. The verse begins with "for" which links that he may be "accepted of Him".

Paul, equally with all the redeemed found his full acceptance in the Beloved, and this

entirely by grace. Service, once again, not salvation is in view in this passage. The terms

used by the Apostle in II Cor. 5: 9 refer to acceptableness in the sight of God and relate

to advice and walk. Where Gen. 5: 22, 24 says that Enoch "walked with God" the LXX

says he "pleased God", as in Heb. 11: 5, 6. Euarestos "accepted" or "well pleasing" is

connected with "reasonable service" (Rom. 12: 1), and with proving as by a separate

walk that is "that good, and acceptable and perfect" will of God. So in Rom. 14: 18;

Eph. 5: 10; Phil. 4: 18; Col. 3: 20; Titus 2: 9 and Heb. 13: 21, every occurrence is

related to practice and not to standing or salvation by grace. It may be that every believer

without exception, even "babes" in Christ will have to appear before this judgment seat,

but our understanding of the references examined above, compels us to say that if "all

believers" do appear there, they will appear not so much as those who are redeemed, but

as those, being redeemed, who have manifested the life that they possess in "service".