2 Corinthians 5:9-10
9 So whether we are at home in the body 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.
In the larger context of chapter 5, which discusses our souls being “clothed” with the “earthly tent” of our physical bodies, Paul’s instruction about living “at home in the body or away” takes on a significant spiritual meaning. Indeed, everything we do with our bodies while we have them is done in God’s sight, and we will need to account for why we have done these things.
“But wait,” you might ask. “When one accepts Christ, isn’t his/her sin cleansed away? Why do I have to ‘account’ for sin when Jesus’ sacrifice is supposed to cover it?”
This very same question was uppermost in my mind, too, until I studied more about holy living while on earth (which is what this passage concerns). Before Jesus, the only way to get to Heaven was to follow Mosaic Law, laid down in the first five books of the Old Testament (also known as the Pentateuch). Through following the Law, you would become righteous enough in God’s sight to be accepted into Heaven.
Problem? Nobody could follow the Law all the time–thus, nobody could really be righteous enough to go to Heaven. Thus, why God bridged the impossible gap between Him and humanity with His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus’ sinless life, blameless death on the cross, and glorious resurrection stood in for us; when we accept that His sacrifice was meant for us, our sins become covered by the grace of that wondrous act.
Accepting that grace, however, is not carte blanche for us to sin all we want. Once we become Christian, we do not have to live holy for our own redemption, but we DO have a responsibility to live holy as a good representative of Christianity. That is what Paul is discussing in this part of 2 Corinthians: living holy so that we represent God well while we’re here on Earth. We may no longer follow Mosaic Law for the purpose of being worthy to go to Heaven, but we need to make sure our words and deeds point the way back to God.
Think about it this way: if all Christians behaved like the secular world, why would anybody want to learn about the faith? If there is no visible difference between the people of the Christian church and the people of other beliefs (or of no beliefs), no one will be interested enough to find out about God. It’s our responsibility as Christians to live a Christlike life, to glorify God and to show others the way as well.