Would the Corinthians have stood before God shaking in their boots if the Lord came right after Paul's letter?
No. Paul says that if the Lord had come within a day or two after the Corinthians received his letter, they would have stood before Him blameless, not shaking in their boots over their failures. Their standing rested on grace, not on their own blameless conduct.
Les explains that the Corinthians were people with many failures and weaknesses, yet the testimony of Christ was confirmed in them, so that they came behind in no gift as they waited for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says the Lord would also confirm them unto the end, that they might be blameless. If the Lord had come within a day or two after they received this letter, would they have stood before God shaking in their boots because of all their failures? No. Paul says they would stand before Him blameless. They were not blameless in themselves, so the only basis God could do that is grace. Les connects this to the eternal security of the true believer, recalling a caller from Oklahoma who was upset that he alluded to that teaching and asked how he could do that.
Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
More Questions
Would the Corinthians have stood before God blameless if Jesus had returned right after they received Paul's letter?
Paul teaches that if the Lord had come within a day or two after the Corinthians received this letter, they would have stood before God blameless, even though they were not actually blameless.
How could the Corinthians stand blameless before God despite their failures?
Even though the Corinthians had many failures and weaknesses and were not practically blameless, they would stand before God blameless if the Lord returned right then, and the basis for this is grace, not their own behavior.