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“We”

By Chris McCann
June 17, 2016

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

WE

The plural pronoun 'we' is used 14 times in the above passage. The 14th time, in verse 10 the statement is made that 'we' must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

The 13 times the plural pronoun 'we' is used leading up to verse 10 can all be shown to point exclusively to God's elect:

v.1 “we know....we have a building of God...” v.2 “we groan...desiring to be clothed... with our house...from heaven v.3 “we shall not be found naked” v.4 “we do groan...not that we be unclothed, but clothed upon...” v.6 “we are always confident, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord” v.7 “we walk by faith, and not by sight” v.8 “we are confident, and willing, to be absent from the body...” v.9 “we labor, that, we may be accepted of Him”

After reading the statements made in the above passage it’s obvious that the plural pronoun ‘we’ can only refer to God’s elect in each case. It is certain that the unsaved people of the world are NOT groaning and desiring that their earthly house (their body) be clothed from heaven (i.e. to die and go to heaven). And it is certain that the unsaved people of the world have no confidence in the biblical truths concerning life after death. And it is absolutely certain that none of the unsaved people of the world ‘walk by faith and not by sight.’

The fact is, that each and every statement made in verses 1 thru 9 apply exclusively to God’s elect. Which means that in all 13 instances that the plural pronoun ‘we’ is used in those verses it identifies only with God’s elect.

Therefore, we can conclude that verse 10’s reference to ‘we’ is also directed solely to God’s elect:

v.10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ...”

If you are an elect child of God, that’s exactly where you are right now, and since May 21, 2011. You are making an appearance before Christ’s judgment seat.

The elect will be judged (in a tableau) and drink of the cup of God’s wrath

Ecclesiastes 3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Matthew 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are

ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with:

Luke 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!