INTRODUCTION: Although all Christians have been saved by faith, Christ will still judge them for the “deeds [done] in the body…whether good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10). How well or poorly we do here might indeed determine our status in heaven for all eternity.
God is seeking a bride who can sit with Christ on His throne and rule forever. But in this life we are being tested to determine whether wer are worthy of such high honor. I believe that only those who hear “Well done, good and faithful servant!” will be given the highest privileges available. Many others will be given a rebuke from Christ and have “shame at His coming” (I John 2:28).
The person you are today will determine the rewards you will receive tomorrow. Those who are pleasing to Christ will be generously; those who are not pleasing to Him will receive negative consequences and a lesser reward. Your life here will impact your life there forever.
Join me on a journey today that will challenge your understanding of the judgment seat of Christ challenged, provoked and perhaps permanently changed. I am praying that no one who is hear during this service will ever see the experiences in life in quite the same way. Let’s start today preparing for that day when you and I will be alone with Christ; just reality and no pretense.
I. What will happen at the judgment seat of Christ? (v. 10)
A. We must all appear here after the rapture - 1. The word “appear” means to “to make manifest or
visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way; make actual and visible, realized; expose to view, make manifest, to show one’s self, appear.”
2. Wuest Expanded Translation says it this way, “…to be openly shown as to our true character….”
B. The evaluation of the believer’s works will include the works themselves, the quality with which they have been done, and the motivation of the heart -
1. What one does for God really does count. Malachi 3:16 speaks of a “book of remembrance” in which God keeps track of al that has been done for Him. Scripture promises specific rewards for differing works. Suffering insults, persecution, and false testimony for the sake of Christ and the cause of righteousness will bring great rewards in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12; Luke 6:21-22).
2. Luke 14:12-14 records Jesus’ instruction to reach out to the underprivileged. He includes this promise, “You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Although certain works are singled out in various passages, the implication is that God will reward believers for all their works that have eternal value or merit.
3. Believers will judged concerning these types of works:
a. Doctrines (Romans 2:14-16; Romans 14)
b. Conduct to others (Matthew 18; Romans 14)
c. Carnal, worldly and Selfish Un-Christlike traits that have continually produced bad fruit in their Christian” life failing to bring glory to God (Colossians 3;
Romans 1-2; 8:1-13; 14:1-23)
d. Words (Matthew 12:32-37; Romans 14)
e. Things that affect others: slander, quarrels, idle words, foolishness, inappropriate and carelessjoking, debts, broken promises, wrong dealings, etc. (Romans 1:29-32; 12:1-21; 14:1-23;I Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; Colossians 3; Ephesians 4:1-32; 5:1-33)
f. Things that affect themselves: neglected opportunities, talents wasted, loose living, lack of spirituality, etc. (Romans 2:14-16; Hebrews 2:1-4; Galatians 5:1-26; 6:1-10; Colossians 3)
g. Things that affect God: refusal to walk in the light, disobedience, rejection, failure to co-operate and yield to the Spirit, etc. (I Corinthians 12; Romans 12; Ephesians 4:1-32; 5:1-33)
2. The quality of the works -
a. Christ will test the genuineness or character of believer’s works. Paul wrote the fire of God’s judgment “will test the quality of man’s work” (I Corinthians 3:13). The imagery of gold, silver, and precious stones as opposed to wood, hay and stubble reveals that the quality of the works themselves will be tested.
b. What distinguishes one work from the other is its eternal value. Works that have no eternal significance do not merit eternal recognition. In Paul’s illustration, an adequate foundation, the quality of the materials, and the proper methods of building are the symbolic components for quality work for God.
(1) Works will be judged to be either good or bad. Good (agathos) meaning “being "good" in its character or constitution, is beneficial in its effect; as being morally honorable, pleasing to God”. As defined by God, good works are designated by gold, silver, and precious stones. They are produced by a believer who is walking in fellowship with God and who is controlled by the Spirit. Good works are also called “the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:11). The power to produce good works comes directly from God, not from within man (Philippians 2:13)
(2) bad (phaulos) meaning “worthless externally, cowardly; hurtful, harmful; thinking, feeling, acting troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, ruinous. Bad deeds are worthless in the sight of God. These could be called dead works or works done for this worldly system and it’s praise. The danger of producing works of this kind is that the believer’s labor is in vain (I Corinthians 15:58), empty (I Timothy 6:20; II Timothy 2:16), and worthless (Galatians 4:19; Titus 3:9; James 1:26). Bad works do not measure up to the standard and therefore are characterized as wood, hay and stubble – commodities of little worth or durability. These deeds are produced in the energy of the flesh, apart from the power of the Spirit. Bad works also spring from wrong motives.
3. The motivation for doing good works -
a. The motivation for our works will also be revealed at the judgment seat of Christ. Jesus said, “There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops” Luke 12:2-3). Purpose gives birth to behavior. The purpose or motivation of the heart validates or invalidates the actions of one’s life.
b. An example from the sermon on the Mount will illustrate this principle of motivation.
(1) Jesus said what appear to be two contradictory statements. On the one hand, He exhorted believers to let their lives shine as lights in order to be seen by others who, in turn, will glorify the Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
(2) On the other hand, Jesus taught that activities such as prayer, offerings for the poor, and fasting should be done in secret to be seen by God alone and not before others lest one lose his reward in heaven (Matthew 6:1-21).
(3) Believers do not lose eternal rewards when other people see their good works, but they lose rewards when they do their works so that others might see them. I Corinthians 4:5 says that the hidden counsels of the heart will be exposed. What Jesus thinks about our works is more important than what anyone else thinks. Revelation 2:23 reminds us that God searches both minds and hearts in order to determine our reward.
C. What will the measuring standard of judgment be for our rewards?
1. The quality of our relationship with Christ – Jesus is the foundation stone of all that we do as Christians –
(1) We should serve Christ like we are building something precious and valuable because He is the foundation – I Corinthians 3:12.
(2) We should serve Christ like we are in an athletic race where are determined, directed (focused on Christ) and disciplined to make to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus – I Corinthians 9:24-27.
(3) We should serve Christ with heartfelt desire to please because we will receive our reward from and from men – Colossians 3:24.
(4) We should serve Christ like we are making a wise investment of lives in His kingdom with intention, and purpose with goal of accomplishing His will – Luke 16:1-14.
(5) We should serve Christ being faithful manage and be a steward of the gifts and talents He has placed in our lives – I Corinthians 4:2.
(6) We should serve Christ like we are in boxing match attempting with punch to defeat our enemy and win the fight – I Corinthians 9:24-27; II Timothy 4:7.
(7) We should serve Christ as someone who marches behind a victorious General after having gained a great victory and we are celebrating in His return – II Corinthians 2:14-17.
2. A healthy fear of God, eternity and eternal judgment is foundational if we are to appreciate the value of His judgment in our lives -
a. Being without a firm foundation in the truth of eternal judgment and punishment prevents us from building a proper and healthy life in Christ. It would be compared to attempting to advance your education without basic
tools acquired in elementary school, such as the ability to read.
b. Why is this so? Attaining and maintaining a good understanding of eternal judgment and punishment firmly plants and keeps the fear of the Lord in our hearts. The fear of God keeps us continually aware that nothing can be hidden from Him, even the most secret things, and we know nothing will escape His judgment – and His judgment is just.
c. Those who lack this foundation will surely slip over to the fear of man, and we will ultimately serve whom we fear. If we fear God, we will obey Him even under pressure; if we fear man, we will yield to man, especially under pressure, and drift toward what benefits our own pleasures or fleshly desires. To yield to the flesh will ultimately lead to serious consequences. So if we lack a conscious understanding of eternal judgment and punishment, we will lack a certain measure of the fear of the Lord, for the judgments of Christ are in indeed one aspect of the fear of the Lord.
II Corinthians 5:10-11 says “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.” (NASB)
d. Although this is a reference to the believer’s judgment and the Great White Throne Judgment of Sinners, Paul equates Christ’s judgment seat with the fear of the Lord. The point is, you cannot separate the fear of the Lord from judgment, and the fear of the Lord is the key to a healthy life. Hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah: “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure” (Isaiah 33:6, NIV). Holy fear is the key to God’s sure foundation.
e. When Christians build their life on a mindset and heart belief that can’t weather the storms of life, it is because they do not have their foundation built on the solid rock of the fear of the Lord. Listen to the sound advice of Jesus in Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall.” Those who have endured to the end withstood the storms because of their firm foundation. The fear of the Lord is that foundation; it provides stability for us. It is a storehouse of the riches of God; His salvation, wisdom and knowledge are hidden in it.
f. What is the fear of the Lord plainly -
(1) It is to honor, esteem, value, respect, and reverence Him above anything or anyone else.
(2) It is to love what He loves and hate what He hates.
(3) What is important to Him is important to us; what is not important to Him is not important to us.
(4) When we fear Him, we will tremble at His Word, which is to obey Him instantly – when it doesn’t make sense, when it hurts, when we don’t see the benefits – and we see it to completion. So yes, the manifestation of the fear of the Lord is obedience to His word, His ways and His laws.
(5) Wisdom is the knowledge and ability to make right choices at the opportune time. Those who make wrong choices under pressure lack wisdom, and wisdom’s source is the fear of the Lord.
(6) Scripture tells us that our lives can be compared to building houses; first comes the foundation, next we build the structure. We read, “Through wisdom a house is built” (Proverbs 24:3). If we are building our lives with the ability to make right choices, then we will build a healthy life that will be able to stand with confidence before the judgment seat. The very beginning or foundation of this wisdom is the fear of the Lord.
8. The fear of the Lord helps become successful in preparing for the judgment seat of Christ -
Listen to the reasoning of Paul in Philippians 2:12, which says, “Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).”
(1) We carry out and complete our salvation with reverential fear and trembling. This keeps us under the awareness that every though, word and deed will be made manifest at the Judgment.
(2) Having this consciousness keeps us humble, cautious, sober minded, tender, aware of temptations to disobey, and always keeping away from what may displease God.
II. How will we judged at the judgment of Christ?
A. First of all, Attendance is required. There is this similarity between the BEMA and the Great White Throne Judgment – attendance at one or the other is required. There can be exception, no special deferment. When God calls our name we will be there. We cannot hide, for God will find us, we cannot scheme to make ourselves look good, for God shall see us as we really are. We cannot excuse ourselves, for God knows us.
B. We will be judged fairly -
1. Christ knows us completely, loves us in spite of ourselves. We are judged by our Savior. He who died to save us, now stands to judge us. Because we are judged by One who loves us, we know that our judgment will be tempered with mercy. We’ll be judged by One who wishes us well rather than by one who is anxious to condemn us. The Christ of the throne is the Christ of the cross.
2. Our Savior is also our brother. He has invited us to join His family, we share the same Father, thus our names have been called for fellowship at the family table. This judge will be merciful and fair because His Father is our Father. This is family business. (John 20:17)
3. Even so, if we are unfaithful here on earth, the judgment could be severe. Christ often gives severe warnings to His redeemed Church. To the congregation at Ephesus, whom He loved, He said, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5). Our Savior and Brother will administer only that which right and just. But he will not wink at our disobedience. He does not play flavorites nor step aside when meticulous adjudication is called for.
4. We can be quite sure that we will be judged only for what we have done since our conversion to Christ. The apostle Paul expected to do well at the judgment seat of Christ even though he had persecuted the church, jailing Christian in his preconversion days. Yet this man who claimed he was the chief of sinners said just just before he died: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (II Timothy 4:6-8 NASB)
5. These are encouraging words for those who have a sinful or criminal record extending back to their preconversion days. The question to be answered at the judgment is how we have behaved as one of God’s sons. We’ll not be judged on what we did from the time of our first birth, but on what we did since our second birth. Rewards are based our faithfulness to opportunities presented to us since conversion.
B. We will judged Thoroughly - 1. When Paul says we shall “appear” at the judgment seat of
Christ, he uses the greek phaneroo which means “to be made manifest.” The imagery is that we shall be “turned inside out; to be laid bare, stripped of every outward façade of respectability, and openly revealed in the full reality of one’s character. All of our hypocrisies and concealments, all our secrets and intimate/private thoughts and deeds that we thought no one knew about, will open to scrutiny of Christ.”
2. We will be judged “for the deeds done in the body,… whether good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10). The good deeds will be lovingly remembered. That cup of cold water given in the name of the Lord will not be forgotten. Those whom we helped who cannot repay us – such deeds will attract the attention of the judge.
3. That which is “bad,” worthless, will most assuredly be a negative counterbalance for that which is classified as “good.” Because Christ is omniscient, every single detail can be brought into the final verdict, with every motive and action accounted for in context. Everything hidden today will be relevant in that day.
4. We can judge a person’s behavior, but we cannot judge his motives. To know who is right and who is wrong we shall have to wait for God.
5. Just so, God has His vast information network. Everything we have done or said is known to Him. He can, if necessary, “download” the information at a moment’s notice. And whatever He chooses to reveal to us, whether it be little or much, we will not dispute the facts. We won’t need to ask for dates, times and places, for all such
details are known to Him.
6. If this seems fearful, remember that this judgment is also comforting. We’ve all had the experience of being criticized unfairly, even by our friends. When our motives are misinterpreted, when lies are spread by those who delight in our downfall, such experiences are difficult indeed.
7. At the Bema the false accusations leveled against you will be brought to light. Cruelty, gossip, and misunderstandings will be cleared up. The judgment will be as detailed as it has to be to satisfy justice. All the “he said” and “she said” arguments will cease. Here the specifics are finally revealed; nothing but facts, nothing but the truth – the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If you need vindication, you will have it; if you need to be shown that you were in error, you will have that too.
8. No time will be needed to gather evidence; no jurors will be selected to hear the arguments. Every detail has been known by Christ from the foundation of the world.
9. We will not dispute the outcome. We will not disagree with Christ, not because we are afraid to, but we will have no reason! If we have a question, it will be answered, but it is more likely that we will be speechless. We will see what He sees and know that His verdict is eminently just.
C. We will judged impartially - 1. When Paul outlined the principles by which God will judge
us, he assured his readers that “there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11). Indeed, the judgment of God is according to truth, that is, according to reality. No special advantages are given to the wealthy; those who counted on perks and power in this life find themselves stripped of every crutch, all forms of manipulation. Every trapping of man will fade into insignificance in the presence of the One who discerns the heart. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
2. Pastors and other leaders will not be given special treatment. Those who have given their lives to serve Christ, often at great personal sacrifice, might a greater reward, but they are judged by the same standard of faithfulness. In fact, those who teach the Word of God will be judged by “a stricter judgment” (James 3:1) because they were given greater responsibility. Every detail will be evaluated within its larger context.
3. Just so, Christ will walk through our lives that now will be without walls. He will inspect the rubies as well as the rubble. He will show us whatever might be relevant to the judgment at hand.
4. In the presence of Christ, our outer image will way to the reality of our inner character. The color of our skin, the size of our income, and our fame or lack of it will suddenly be irrelevant. This is one courtroom in which no one has an advantage. The Judge will determine what we did with what He gave us.
5. George Whitefield was a famous English preacher who had a profound ministry here in the United States during the first great awakening. His preaching assisted in bringing many to Christ. He said that the only epitaph he desired for his tombstone was
Here lies George Whitefield; What sort of man he was The great day will discover
6. Only the judgment seat of Christ will reveal the sort of man he really was. In the presence of Christ the opinions of men will be woefully irrelevant, whether critic or admirer. The divine verdict is the only one that matters.
D. We will be judged individually - 1. Romans 14:10-12 tells us “Why do you criticize and pass
judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. …And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God” (AMP)
2. You will give an account of yourself; I will give account of myself. We will not have to speak in behalf of someone else. So let us stop fault-finding about others; before
our own Master we will each stand or fall.
3. When we stand before Christ, we will, figuratively speaking, have to sing our own song. There will be no comparisons with others; no one to cover for us, no opportunity to point out that we have more to show than someone else.
4. This judgment will probably occur in the presence of others, including angels before whom Christ promised to confess that we are His (Luke 12:8). Recall in that parable of the talents, the slave who hid his talent was reprimanded and the king gave some important orders. “And he gave to the bystanders, “Take the mina away from him, and give it to the one who has ten minas” (Luke 19:24). Those who were present saw what happened and actually played a role in taking away from one slave and giving it to another. The judgment was public indeed.
5. If you find this terrifying, take comfort in the fact that it will not matter whether our friends are present or not. For one thing, we will all be together; no one will be in a position to gloat, nor will there be much opportunity to be surprised. There will be some good and bad in all of us.
6. More important, I’m convinced that when we look into the eyes of Christ, what others think will not matter.
7. In the presence of Christ, we will be oblivious to those who are around us. The expression on His face will tell it all. The judgment will be very “up close and personal,” but also public.
8. The point is that there would not be enough time for millions of encounters. We do not know how long each judgment will take; also, research will not be needed to get all the facts. Christ can cause our entire lives to be present to us in a moment of time. There will be no files to shuffle, no witnesses that must be called to confirm the data.
E. We will judged graciously - 1. The purpose of the judgment is not for God to vent His
pent-up anger at our carnality and selfishness. Nor is the purpose to give us another “next” time attitude. There is no “next time.” At issue is neither payment for our sins nor God’s desire to “even the score.”
2. The purpose of the judgment is to properly evaluate us, to grade us so that our position in the coming kingdom is made clear. This life is taken like a college-entrance exam that helps know where we will be slotted in the kingdom of the coming King. This judgment is no a declaration of gloom, but an assessment of merit and character, with the assignment of rewards to those who because of their
faithfulness deserve them and a loss or withholding of rewards in the case of those who do not deserve them.
3. Imagine a father who promises his son a ride in his airplane if only the lad will mow the lawn six weeks in a row. Six weeks later the boy’s record is one of failure: he mowed the lawn only three times, skipped two weeks, and the last time only partially completed the job. The test period is over, and the father tells the boy what he should already know: his dream of taking a flight above his town will not come to pass.
4. The father is not angry, but saddened by the boy’s lack of faithfulness. He does not formally punish his son for his negligence. He does, however, reprimand the son, and the boy must live with the consequences of his faithfulness. He must stand by while another boy in the neighborhood responds to the same challenge and is rewarded with a Saturday morning flight. What hurts most, however, is the look on his father’s face. All that is punishment enough. Christ will not be angry, but disappointed.
CONCLUSION: What if there are some Christians who do not get to rule with Christ, or are given lesser authority in the heavenly kingdom? They will not envy those above them. In fact, in heaven we shall so free of sin as that we will rejoice in the exaltation of others as though it was our own! We will not regret that others are above us, but we will regret that we did not serve the Savior to the best of our ability.
When we receive Christ we are graciously rewarded. And for those who are faithful there is the prospect of ruling with Him forever. That God should be so gracious to those who once were His enemies is the essence of the gospel. It is here that we encounter the mystery of God’s matchless grace.
Come with me to the cities of Rome, Egypt, France, New York and Chicago and look at their works of art, cathedrals, sculptures and monuments, pyramids, the splendor of the Palace of Versailles, the skyscrapers and exclusive shops as well as great literature.
Now compare these possessions with our eternal inheritance. The contrast is stark and gripping.
The curtain of this earthly drama will soon close, but it will open in eternity. What we encounter there will have been determined, to some degree, by the life we lived on this earth. Only in this life can we impact the kind of eternity we shall enjoy. For we are becoming today, the person we will be throughout all of eternity.
Revelation 22:12 tells us “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”
Even, so come, Lord Jesus!
