Here Comes the Judge
2 Corinthians 5:6-12
Heaven is a free gift that cannot be earned or deserved. But when we get to heaven, we will be judged on the basis of the life we live after coming to Christ. Jesus Christ is returning to call His bride to be with Him in fulfillment of the promise that He made in John 14:2-3 when He said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” When Christ returns He will return as our Lord and our Redeemer. But when Christ returns, He also will being returning as our Judge. You and I need to understand the reality, the reason, and the result of standing before Christ and His judgment seat.
I. The Reality of the Judgment Seat of Christ
A. Judgment is a reality for all mankind
1. Hebrews 9:27 “…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
2. A Day of Judgment is a future reality for all men both unbeliever and believer
3. Donald Campbell worked down at the docks. One day, when they had a few spare minutes after unloading the coal from a boat, one of his fellow-workers informed him that he wasn't a Christian but a killjoy. To prove his point, the fellow, to the pleasure of the bystanders, proceeded to quote part of Ecclesiastes 11. 9—'Rejoice, 0 young man, in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee all the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes.' Soon their mirth vanished. Picking up a piece of chalk, Donald walked over to the blackboard (on which quantities were marked up) and wrote the last part of the verse: “but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.”—James Cordiner
4. Romans 2:7-16 tells us that God will Judge everyone through Jesus Christ.
5. Psalm 98:4-9 "Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity."
6. People get ready because, “Here comes the judge!”
B. The unsaved will appear before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment
1. Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV) “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
2. The Great White Throne Judgment is a trial for all people who have not experienced God’s grace and turned to Christ as Savior and Lord.
3. Every person who has lived upon earth and has refused to accept God's way to redemption from sin, will kneel before their Creator at this time, and acknowledge that He is God--that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:11)
4. The Great White Throne Judgment is the final judgment wherein all unbelievers in history are judged according to their works and cast into the lake of fire.
C. Christians will appear before Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
1. 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.”
2. Romans 14:10 “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”
3. Note the words “we” and “all”. The writer of Romans and 2 Corinthians is addressing believers when he says “all”.
4. Jesus Christ is returning and All Christians will stand before Christ as judge. "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." Not just unbelievers, but "we." And not some of us, but "all of us."
II. The Reason for the Judgment Seat of Christ
A. Bema (judgment seat) in secular usage had four meanings:
1. One’s stride, or manner of walking (which reveals character).
2. A platform for a public official (cf. Acts 25:6, 10, 17).
3. A “rewards platform” in sporting contests
4. The place where litigants stood for trial. Paul repeatedly stressed this meaning; Acts 25:10, Romans 14:12. - Walk Thru the Bible
B. Not a criminal prosecution of our sins.
1. John 5:24 ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
2. Romans 8:1” There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
3. Believers will not be judged for sin at the judgment seat of Christ. Every sin of every believer was judged at the Cross.
4. 1 Peter 2:24 He “…Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness...”
C. An examination of how we have lived our lives after having been redeemed.
D. 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.”
E. This judgment is an accounting, a reconciliation, a judgment of our works, our actions, and the reality of our faith. It is recompense for what one has done.
F. Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
G. Romans 14:12 (NASB) “...each one of us will give an account of himself to God.”
H. Daniel Webster said, “The greatest thought that has ever entered my mind is that one day I will have to stand before a holy God and give an account of my life.” - copied
I. This judgment is an assaying of our lives.
J. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13 “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.”
K. The works that you do and the motive for the works that you be put through the refiner’s fire.
III. The Result of the Judgment Seat of Christ
A. 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.”
B. 1 Corinthians 3:14-15 “If anyone’s work which he has built on endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
C. After spending months writing his book The French Revolution, Thomas Carlyle took his manuscript to his friend John Stuart Mill for his comments. Mill passed the manuscript on to a lady named Mrs. Chapman, who read it by the fireplace on the evening of March 5, 1834. Before she went to bed that night she laid the manuscript on the mantel. Early the next morning the servant girl came to clean the room and to start the fire in the fireplace. Not knowing what the papers were, the servant used the manuscript as fuel to kindle the fire. The work of months was burned up in a matter of seconds. Some Christians spend their entire lives on earth building with wood, hay, and straw. At the judgment seat of Christ, many people’s work will go up in flames. They will be admitted into heaven, but will be saved “as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15). (Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p. 85)
D. Jeremiah 17:10 "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."
E. Eddie Rasnake says that “Many Christians operate from an erroneous idea that the only thing that really matters about heaven is if you get to go there or not. In reality, we will not all hold an equal station in heaven. Some will go to heaven empty handed, while others will enter into eternity with reward that has accumulated from their days on earth. We don’t want to simply squeak in the gate, but we ought to want to hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter … into the joy of thy lord” (Mt 25:23). (Following God- Using Your Spiritual Gifts)
F. 2 Corinthians 5:9 (ESV) “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.”
G. Jon Courson reminds us that “rewards will determine your capacity to enjoy eternity. They will determine what you do in the next zillion years. While I know that just being in heaven will be glory beyond words, I also know that when Paul came back from being caught up into heaven, his purpose in life was to win the prize. Having seen the reality of heaven, he knew nothing else mattered. Jesus said the same thing when He said, “Seek first the kingdom” (Mt 6:33-note). “Take my word for it,” Paul would say to you and me today: “Your house, your car, your hobbies, trinkets and toys will all burn. They will not matter ultimately. What does matter is the bema seat, the judgment seat—where you will stand before Jesus and be rewarded.” – copied
H. Revelation 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
I. Get Ready – here comes the Judge!
