Bema Judgment
Two most important judgments in the future: Great White Throne Judgment and Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema).
I. The Meaning of Bema Judgment.
Bema = a Greek word translated in English as “judgment seat.”
At the large Greek Olympic was an elevated seat that the competitors would assemble before to receive their rewards and crowns.
II. The Evidence of the Bema Judgment.
Rom. 14:10-12 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. 11 For it is written:“As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
1 Cor. 3:9 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field (agriculture metaphor), you are God’s building (architecture metaphor). 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (the “Rock”). 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, (what are you building your life upon?) 13 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. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him (lost man). For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
2 Cor. 5:9 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 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.
Gal. 6:7
Col. 3:24,25
III. The Purpose of the Bema Judgment
A. What the Purpose of the Bema is not.
1. Not to determine if going to heaven or not.
2. Not to punish you for sins committed either before or after saved.
3. Not purgatory.
Our salvation is based on grace = Eph. 2:8,9
But Eph. 2:10 affirms that works done after salv. are important to God.
B. What the purpose of the Bema is.
1 Cor. 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
We will give an account as stewards of our Lord.
a. In the past, God dealt with us as sinners.
b. In the present, God deals with us as sons.
c. In the future, He will deal with us at the bema as stewards.
What happens at the judgment seat can have permanent consequences.
There are degrees of punishment in hell and degrees of reward in heaven.
IV. The Time of the Bema.
Between the Rapture and 2nd Return of Christ.
V. How Will We Be Judged?
A. Fairly
B. Thoroughly
Laid bare
Stripped of every outward façade of respectability
Openly revealed in the full reality of one’s character
All hypocrisies and concealments
All our secrets, intimate sins of thought and deed
Opened to the scrutiny of Christ
All false accusations leveled against you will be brought to light.
Cruelty, gossip, and misunderstandings will be cleared up.
All “he said, she said” arguments will cease.
Nothing but facts, nothing but the truth.
If you need vindication, you will have it.
If you need to be shown your error, you will have that too.
No time will be needed to gather evidence.
No jurors will be selected to hear the arguments
We will not dispute the outcome.
We will not disagree with Christ, because we will know He is right.
C. Impartially: Romans 2:11
No special advantages are given to the wealthy.
Those who counted on perks and power in this life find themselves stripped of every crutch.
Every trappings of man will fade into insignificance in the presence of the
One who discerns the “thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
Pastors and missionaries will not be given preferential treatment.
In fact, those who teach the Word of God will be judged by “a stricter judgment” (Jas. 3:1)
He will inspect the rubies as well as the rubble.
The color of our skin, the size of our income, and our fame or lack of it will suddenly be irrelevant.
D. Individually
E. Graciously
God will not be venting anger.
Jesus will not be angry, but disappointed.
VI. What will be judged at the Bema.
1 Cor. 3:9-15 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 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. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
A. Those indestructible and worthy objects: gold, silver, and precious stones
1. How we treat others.
Heb. 6:10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Matt. 10:41,42 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
2. How we exercise our authority over others.
Heb. 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.
Jas. 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
3. How we employ our God-given abilities.
1 Cor. 12:4, 11 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
1 Pet. 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
4. How we use our money.
1 Tim. 6:17-19 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Give our tithes.
Give offerings to church, missions, needy.
Spend our money on daily.
In what we invest.
5. How we spend our time.
Eph. 5:15,16 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
6. How much we suffer for Jesus
Mt. 5:11,12 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven
Mk. 10:29,30 “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
Rom. 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
2 Cor. 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
Fired from a job because of faith in Christ.
Ostracized from company perks.
Bypassed in the pay scale because of your convictions.
Youth enduring rejection, jokes, and humility.
7. How we run that particular race which God has chosen for us.
Phil 2:14-16 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
8. How effectively we control the old nature.
1 Cor. 9:24-27 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
9. How many souls we witness to and win to Christ.
10. How we react to temptation.
11. How much the doctrine of the rapture means to us.
12. How faithful we are to the Word of God and the flock of God.
B. Those destructible and worthless objects: wood, hay and stubble
What the fire cannot purify, it destroys, and what the fire cannot destroy, it purifies.
Moses was willing to sacrifice riches to gain crowns in Heaven.
Heb. 11:25-26 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
Earl Radmacher says that “the person I am becoming today, is preparing me for the person I shall be for all of eternity.”
Only in this life can we impact our eternity.
VI. The Results of the Bema Judgment.
A. Some will receive rewards. 1 Cor. 3:14 If anyone’s work which he has built
on it endures, he will receive a reward.
Note the following five crowns:
1. Incorruptible Crowns = 1 Cor. 9:24-27 = master the old nature =
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
2. Crowns of Rejoicing = 1 Thess. 2:19,20 = given to soul-winners
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
3. Crown of Life = Rev. 2:10 = endure temptation
To Smyrna: 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
4. Crown of Righteousness = 2 Tim. 4:8 = love the rapture =
8 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.
5. Crown of Glory = 1 Pet. 5:2-4 = faithful preachers and teachers =
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
B. Some will suffer loss. 1 Cor. 3:15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss
Can a person lose their rewards in heaven through carnality on earth?
2 Jn. 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
Rev. 3:11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
“I’ll be content to sit in the back row in heaven!”
Our eternal rewards are to be able to better honor Jesus.
Such an attitude shows a shameful lack of desire to honor Christ.
They that profess to be content with a “little shack in heaven” are usually the wants who want a much bigger one on earth.
We should be all that we can be on earth so that we can be all that we could be in heaven.
VII. Living in the Light of the Judgment
A. This life is the training for the next.
B. Every day we live is either a loss or a gain so far as our future judgment is concerned.
C. Rewards are not based on results of size of ministry.
D. Rewards are not based on the length of our time of service, but based on our loyalty to Christ with the time, talents and treasures that were at our disposal.
There was a man who was trudging through a blistering desert. He was faint with thirst, and to his delight he came across a well with a pump. Next to the pump sat a small jug of water with a sign, “Please use this water to prime the pump. The well is deep so you will have enough water for yourself and your containers. Please fill the jug for the next traveler.”
Should the man play it safe and drink the jug of water, assured that his parched lips would at least get some relief? Or should he take the risk of pouring the water down the pump in hopes of getting all he would need?
You could spend your reward here, or be primed for heaven.
