Exam Time!
2 Corinthians 5:5-11a
Finals in school can be a time of high anxiety for most students. They can literally turn your stomach into knots. When I was in school, exam week was always a time of cramming. Someone wrote this parody about the mad rush to get ready:
And it came to pass,
Early in the morning toward the last day of the semester
There arose a great multitude smiting the books and wailing,
And there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth
For the Day of Judgment was at hand.
And they were sore afraid for they had left undone
Those things which they ought to have done.
And they had done those things which they ought not to have done.
But those who had prepared never had to scramble, they had no reason for any anxiety, they were ready for the final exam. As Christians there is a final exam that you and I must take. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” Daniel Webster said, “My greatest thought is my accountability to God.” It is sad to say that most Christians go through life giving little or no thought to this future day of examination.
Are you ready for exam time?
I. The Participants in the Examination
A. The Judgment Seat of Christ is reserved for the judgment of Christians only.
B. The unsaved will not be there. There is another judgment awaiting them. If a person is unsaved and dies without having repented of his or her sin and having received Christ as their Lord and Savior, he or she will be judged at the Great White Throne judgment as described in the closing chapters of the book of Revelation.
C. Revelation 20:11-15 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
D. Born again believers in Christ Jesus.are the subjects whose lives will be examined.
E. This is not an examination of your credentials for admission into heaven. The Judgment Seat of Christ does not determine salvation. That matter is settled the minute a repentant sinner realizing his need for a savior receives the work that Jesus Christ did on his behalf.
F. John 5:24 “Truly, truly I say to you that the one who hears my word and who believes the one who sent me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
G. “The Judgment seat is meant for us professing Christians, real and imperfect Christians; and it tells us that there are degrees in that future blessedness proportioned to present faithfulness.” - Alexander Maclaren, 1826-1910
H. 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we” [that is to say we believers] “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.”
II. The Questions that will be asked at the Examination
A. As we have said the purpose of the judgment seat of Christ is not to examine our credentials for entering heaven. Its purpose is to examine each believer’s entire life as a believer on earth, to reward you for what you’ve done for Jesus since you were saved.
B. 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
C. 1 Corinthians 3:11-14 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work remains which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”
D. It is interesting that one commentator has written, “The idea is that there will be a summing up and estimation of the total pattern of a believer’s life.”
E. Note the words “of what sort it is” –
• HCSB – The fire will test the quality of each one’s work.
• Phillips – The fire will prove the nature of each man’s work.
• AMP - The fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work
F. A W Tozer said “Before the judgment seat of Christ my service will not be judged by how much I have done but by how much of me there is in it.”
G. The most shattering thought I’d ever had is my personal accountability to God one day. We are not going to be judged just because of what we’ve done, we’re going to be judged for why we did it! Not for the action, for the motive. What motivated your giving? Why? What is the motive behind it? He doesn’t just take your sins, He takes your self. He takes the government of your life. - Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994), The Judgment Seat of Christ
H. The judgment seat of Christ is not a place or time for punishment for sins. For the believer their sins were already judged on the cross. Jesus took the cross in your place. And if you will come and identify yourself with Jesus Christ, God in His infinite love and mercy will wipe out your sins. The believer escapes judgment because Jesus has already taken the judgment for him or her on the cross of Calvary.
I. 1 Peter 2: 24 “Who [Jesus] his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
J. Psalms 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
K. The focus of the examination before Christ seated on the judgment seat will not be on every foolish or sinful thing we have ever done. This is a time to examine of the pattern of a believer’s life.
L. Understand that although the judgment seat of Christ is not about our eternal destiny, it is immensely important as it has eternal consequences. It will not determine where we will spend eternity but it will determine how we will spend eternity.
M. Revelation 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
N. This judgment is a place where rewards will be given, or lost, depending on how one has conducted his life for the Lord.
O. “At the same time, while we won’t be condemned for our sins, our present lives do affect what will happen at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Here’s how:
• Sin and indifference in this life rob us of our present desire for serving the Lord. That in turn means a loss of rewards, because we will not have used our time to His glory. That is why Paul exhorts us to "be careful how [we] walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of [our] time, because the days are evil" (Eph 5:15, 16-notes; 16).
• Sin and indifference result in a loss of power in our lives because sin grieves the Holy Spirit.
• Sin and indifference cause us to pass up opportunities for service, which we would otherwise perform and be rewarded for.
• The greatest consequence of unfaithfulness here on earth is that it disappoints Christ. 1John 2:28 says, "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." That is a sobering thought—we could be ashamed as we stand before the Lord. At the same time, it should encourage us with the prospect of receiving His lavish rewards if we serve Him faithfully during our time here on earth.” – John McArthur, What is the purpose of the Judgment Seat of Christ?
III. The Results of the Examination
A. 1 Corinthians 3:14 “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward...”
B. Accolade or Commendation from Christ
• Matthew 25:21 “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
C. The Bible mentions five specific rewards or crowns.
• Imperishable Crown? –
- 1 Corinthians.9:24-27 - for living a holy and disciplined scriptural life, exercising self-control in order to live for and serve the Lord.
- Faithfully finishing the race
• Crown of Life
- James 1:12; Mark 8:35 - for patience in enduring testing and overcoming temptaion.
• Soul-winner’s crown
- 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 20 - for delight in witnessing.
• Crown of righteousness
- 2 Timothy 4:5-8 - for looking for and loving His appearing.
- Living in expectation of His imminent return
• Crown of glory?
- 1 Peter 5:2-4 for being faithful, obedient in shepherding
D. Loss of Rewards at the Bema.
• 1 Corinthians 3:13-15: “each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.”
• If Jesus burns up our works, our service, the sum and substance of how one lived one will suffer loss of reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. One will lose reward because we served with poor building materials. If the works do not survive the test of fire, then one will actually suffer loss - suffer for the loss of what one could have received but did not because he or she wasted his or her time on earth.
• On Leonard Ravenhill’s tombstone is inscribed, “Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?”
E. Shamed before the throne
• 1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”
• Shamed as one gives account of every word they have spoken.- Matthew 12:36
• Shamed as one gives account of the life they have lived – 1 Timothy 5:24Shamed as one gives account of their stewardship. -1 Corinthians 4:2
• Shamed as one gives account of our witnessing – Ezekiel 3:18 (adapted)
• Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”
Conclusion: The examination to take place at the Judgment Seat of Christ one day will be a reality. It is a time appointed by God. For some it will be a time of commendation; for others a time of shame. Let me ask you – If that great day were to occur today would you be ready? Are you looking forward to the examination of your life as a believer by the King of Kings or are you dreading that day? Are you living in preparation for this great day or are you living simply for today?
