2 Corinthians 5:11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
One of Paul’s motives appears in this verse: fear of the Lord. When we appear before the judgment seat of Christ, we will have to give an account for what we have or have not done. This thought should shake us up some and cause us to up our game as followers. Fear of the Lord is a key idea in numerous places in the Bible. Fear comes from the awareness of God’s holiness and our sinfulness. This negative conviction should lead us to the positive result of honor and worship. When we come before God’s glory, the only result we can have is to fall down in worship.
As followers of Christ, we should live with this deep honor shown in being living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1-2). This position and motivation led Paul to the mission of persuading others by sharing the good news of Jesus. This was Paul’s call, and he did his best to carry it out. His motives were pure and he had no shame before God. He was confident that he would not be found naked or ashamed before the judgment seat of Christ because he had faithfully carried out the mission which Christ gave him.
Paul’s motives should have also been clear to the Corinthians. In this verse Paul returns to one of the key issues behind this letter: the accusation by the Corinthians that Paul was fickle, changed his mind, and did not keep his word. Paul counters this accusation by connecting his ministry to the high motivation of being pleasing to God. Paul is appealing to their conscience. He is helping them be aware of his motives while at the same time, helping them look at their own motives. He is challenging them to have the same kind of motive of being pleasing to God by staying true to the gospel.
This is a powerful model for us and calls us to listen carefully to God’s call upon our lives. It may not be like Paul’s call, but we will face the same judgment seat of Christ. Are we faithful to our calling?
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