JUDGMENT # 3 THE JUDGMENT OF BELIEVERS 2ND COR.5: 10 8-9-08
Let me give the names of these 7 judgments again:
THE SEVEN JUDGMENTS ARE:
#1-{the judgment of sin,} this took place on the cross of Christ.
-#2- {self-judgment of our daily sins}, after we’re saved.
The other 5 judgments are after the rapture of the Church.
#3- {the judgment seat of Christ}, where all that are saved will be judged for our stewardship, our works after we were saved and thus rewarded accordingly, this is after the rapture of the Church}-
And #4-{-the judgment of Israel, Jacobs Trouble, Jer. 30:7, “name-Gen.32:28--35:10” and this has to do with the Tribulation period. The Tribulation is “Jacobs trouble”. But it will affect all the earth.
-#5-{the judgment of the nations}, this takes place after Christ returns and has defeated His enemies at Armageddon, at the end of the 7 year Tribulation, “Rev.19:” but just prier of Him setting up His Kingdom, the 1000 year reign of Christ.
-#6-the judgment of the fallen angels}-
And #7 is of coarse, {the White Throne judgment}, this is when all the lost souls are brought out of hell and judged according to their wickedness, and according to the degree of their wickedness be tormented in the lake of fire, there are not any saved people judged at this judgment, these are all lost.
Listen as I read today’s text found in 2ND COR.5: 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.
The judgment seat of believers may not be a very happy occasion for most of us, I’m sure all of us will wish we had lived a more consecrated life for Jesus at this solemn time.
When we find ourselves before Him and He looks at our lives in His record book of our deeds, it will be too late to change any thing that we may have done or things that we didn’t do.
I believe that what we do for Him now, at this present time, on this side of the rapture will have a big bearing on what He will allow us to do for Him yonder in His Kingdom as we rule and reign with Him.
In one of His parables He say’s. Matthew 25: 23 Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:
Listen; today as we’re still on this side of the rapture, right now, at this present time, we’re making our own wedding garment, did you know that?
Rev. 19: 7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.** 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
The righteousness of saints means, according to the concordance, {equitable deeds} that is “our works, our stewardship” after we’re saved.
Some people may have the idea that, “ we’ll I’m saved so that’s the end of that, some may have the idea that since their now saved, that all that remains is that some where are another they’ll just be floating around in the clouds twanging on a harp are something or another.
That’s why it is so important to be in a good Bible believing, preaching and teaching Church, in order to hear these important truths. If your not hearing these wonderful truths your wasting your precious time, we need to become grounded in these things.
Our sins have been judged at the cross and will not be brought up again, #1- Rom. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, at the judgment seat of Christ our works or service will be judged.
Rom.14:10 12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
1 John 2:28 "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming"
Paul exhorted the Philippian believers in Phil. 2:12-13 "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure"
Let me point out here again that we’re not saved, nor to we keep our selves saved by doing good works, instead we do good works because we are saved, listen as I read Eph. 2:8-10 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.***
Our "works" will come under the inspection from Him whose eyes are "as a flame of fire" Rev. 1:14 14His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire. Nothing is hid from His piercing eyes.
The judge will be the Lord Jesus Himself. John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son."
If our deeds, our stewardship, that is, what we do after we’re saved are not works that are honoring to and lifting Him up, then such deeds are counted as "wood, hay and stubble" these works will not stand the fire of judgment.
If what we do are pointing others to Him as we honor Him and tell others about Him, these deeds are referred to as "gold,silver and precious stones", these are works that will stand the fire of judgment as we’re being judged for our stewardship.
st Cor. 3: 11-15 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man’s work shall be made manifest:** for the day {judgment day of the saints} shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
We may very well deceive other people as to our true character, but not Him. To be manifested is to be revealed in our true character.
We see here two types of builders and two kinds of materials are mentioned. The spiritual believer will build with gold, silver, and precious stones; the worldly believer will build with wood, hay, and stubble.
The gold, silver, and precious stones are a product of creation; wood, hay, and stubble are a result of natural growth.
Gold, silver, and precious stones, are the results of the Spirit of God working through the believer’s life, while wood, hay, and stubble represent the fleshly works of the old nature.
All works produced through self-confidence, and self-conceit will be examined at the judgment seat only to be found to be wood hay or stubble.
The worldly builder will find his works destroyed by fire, yet he himself will be saved, "yet so as by fire" 1 Cor. 3:15, much the same way as a builder whose building was consumed by a fire, he would escape with personal safety, but with the loss of his work.
Lets remember that if a person were not saved he wouldn’t be at "the judgment seat of Christ " #3 to begin with.
The bible speaks of five crowns that will be awarded the believer whose life has been faithful to the Lord. These five crowns are:
(1) The Crown of Life or "Martyr’s Crown" (Js. 1:12; Rev. 2:10). The believer must love the Lord even more than his own life and be faithful unto death if he is to receive the crown of life. "During the coming Great Tribulation many will receive the crown of life because they will be slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they hold (Rev. 6:9-11)."
(2) The Crown of Glory or "Pastor’s Crown" (1 Pet. 5:2-4). This is for the pastor who feeds his flock and does not lord it over "God’s heritage." He is an example to others and not in the ministry for profit or financial gain, filthy lucre.
(3) The Crown of Rejoicing or "Soul Winner’s Crown" (1 Thess. 2:19, 20; Phil. 4:1). This crown is given to those who win souls for the Lord. The winning of souls is the very heart beat of the Lord Jesus, and is every Christian’s responsibility.
(4) The Crown of Righteousness for those who "love His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8). This is the crown for those who are looking for the "blessed hope," the return of the Lord for His own at the Rapture.
(5) The Incorruptible Crown or "Victor’s Crown" (1 Cor. 9:25-27). This is the crown for those who practice self-control over their impulses and desires.
Paul was careful to keep his body in subjection, 1 Cor. 9:27 "lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" . Paul was not afraid that he might lose his salvation, but that he might be "disqualified for the crown"
Paul is thinking of rewards that would be given at the judgment seat of Christ.
Judgment #1- "the judgment of sin" took place on the cross of Calvary as He paid from damning sin of unbelief, it is not going to happen again.
Judgment #2- is "self judgment of ourselves", and to confess our sins after we’re saved, in order to not have to be judged and chastened by our heavenly Father, we’re to daily exercise the judgment of ourselves. Keep our record clean, our prayer channel opened.
Judgment #3- is after the rapture of the Church, there "we will be judged for our works", what we did for Him and why we did it, and we’ll be rewarded accordingly.
