The Judgement Seat Of Christ
Before we really get into this wonderful subject, I would like to look at two expressions that are used in the Word of God, and which are often confused and misunderstood. They are:
The Day Of Christ, and
The Day Of The Lord.
What do we understand by these two expressions? Are they the same? Or are they different? What do they mean?
Without going into great detail, let me simply say that the ‘Day of Christ’ refers to His Coming for the Church, and the ‘Day of the Lord’ is His Coming to earth. For the believer the judgement of our sin took place at Calvary, so we can welcome the ‘Day of Christ’ because we shall see our wonderful Lord Jesus. The ‘Day of the Lord’ is the time when He returns to judge the world, and that will be a righteous judgement. If we understand this difference, then we will understand more of what the Lord would say to us through His Word.
In this study we are only looking at what will happen for those who are believers after the return of the Lord for His Church – the beginning of the ‘Day of Christ’. So, what will happen?
I think the first thing for us to see is
WE WILL BE CHANGED
I John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He shall be revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. [MKJV]
Philippians 3:20-21 Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
I Corinthians 15: 52-53 For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
WE SHALL BE JUDGED
The thought of being judged brings fear to many people, so I thought it would be good to see what the dictionary says about this word!
JUDGE:
1 to form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of assumed truths
2a to sit in judgement on; try
2b to decide the result of (a competition or contest); act as a judge in
3 to determine or pronounce after enquiry and deliberation
5 to form an estimate or evaluation of <~ the distance>
6 to hold as an opinion; infer, think
1 to form a judgement or opinion
2 to act as a judge
In the legal senses one judges a case, judges a prisoner guilty; one judges an accused person, and adjudges (i.e. awards) legal costs. In the more general senses one judges something to be true; one judges a flower show or beauty competition, and judges (i.e. estimates) time, distance, temperature, etc.
[Penguin Hutchinson Reference Library Copyright (c) 1996 Helicon Publishing and Penguin Books Ltd]
We need to bear in mind that correct judgement can only be for good, and can bring rewards, as in prizes or certificates being presented on completion of some task. If as the result of correct judgement we are judged to be below a given standard, that also can be good, for it will give us a sense of purpose.
“The result of the judgement will be, not where we will spend eternity, but how – in what position of honour” {John Boyd – ‘Treasury of Bible Doctrine’}.
With that in mind let us now look at the thought of
WE SHALL BE JUDGED
Retrospectively
II Corinthians 5:10 For we must all of us appear before Christ’s judgement-seat in our true characters, in order that each may then receive an award for his actions in this life, in accordance with what he has done, whether it be good or whether it be worthless.
Wey]
Impartially
I Peter 1:17 And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to the work of each one, pass the time of your earthly residence in fear. [MKJV]
Fairly
Revelation 22:12 See, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man the outcome of his works. [BBE]
12 "I am coming quickly; and My reward is with Me, that I may requite every man in accordance with what his conduct has been. [WEY]
I Corinthians 4:5 Form no premature judgements, but wait until the Lord returns. He will both bring to light the secrets of darkness and will openly disclose the motives that have been in people’s hearts; and then the praise which each man deserves will come to him from God. [WEY]
Proportionately
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. [NIV]
I Corinthians 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. [KJ21]
II Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. [NIV]
TEACHING OF THE PARABLES
Do we understand what Parables are, and why the Lord gave them?
A ‘Parable’ is a simple story told to illustrate a particular point, usually just one point. It has a spiritual application, generally at a very practical level.
Matthew 25:1 "Then will the Kingdom of the Heavens be found to be like . . .
14–30 . . . it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents {A talent was worth several hundred pounds.} of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. `Master,’ he said, `you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 "The man with the two talents also came. `Master,’ he said, `you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. `Master,’ he said, `I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 "His master replied, `You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "`Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:14-30 NIV)
Luke 19:11 – 26 11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. {A mina was about three months’ wages.} `Put this money to work,’ he said, `until I come back.’ 14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, `We don’t want this man to be our king.’ 15 "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. 16 "The first one came and said, `Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ 17 "`Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. `Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ 18 "The second came and said, `Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ 19 "His master answered, `You take charge of five cities.’ 20 "Then another servant came and said, `Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 "His master replied, `I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ 24 "Then he said to those standing by, `Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ 25 "`Sir,’ they said, `he already has ten!’ 26 "He replied, `I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. (Luke 19:11-26 NIV)
In both these accounts there is a special teaching concerning ‘stewardship’. The Lord has given every one of His people something to use for Him, and on that day when we stand before Him we will be asked to account for how we used what was given to us. We will also be rewarded according to how we used our ‘talent’; we will touch on ‘rewards’ later in this study. What has the Lord given to you? We cannot simple say ‘I don’t know’, so if we are not sure, we can ask the One who gives the ‘talents’ to make it clear to us. We need to know what the Lord has given, and how we can best use it for the Lord. It is not for us to look at what the Lord has given to others, because we do not all have the same ability. The Lord knows what we are best suited to use for Him. It is obvious that if we all did the same thing there would be many things not done! We also need to understand that what might seem important to us, might not be so important in God’s sight, and the apparently unimportant thing to us, may be of great importance to the Lord! Let’s learn to trust His judgement.
We shall now look at ‘Crowns’ as a reward.
CROWNS
Crowns were worn sometimes to represent honour and power. They were worn at marriages, and at feasts and public festivals. The crown was, among the Romans and Greeks, a symbol of victory and reward. The crown or wreath worn by the victors in the Olympic games was made of leaves of the wild olive; in the Pythian games, of laurel; in the Nemean games, of parsley; and in the Isthmian games, of the pine. The Romans bestowed the "civic crown", made of the leaves of the oak, on him who saved the life of a citizen. In opposition to all these fading crowns the apostles speak of the incorruptible crown, the crown of life
THE CROWN OF LIFE
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
[Life: the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the Christ]
Revelation 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Hebrews 7:16 uses the same word in a special way ‘one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life’.)
THE CROWN OF GLORY
1Peter 5:4. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (Glory: the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Saviour’s return from heaven).
1Peter 1:4. an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-- kept in heaven for you,
THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
II Timothy 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, (righteousness: the condition acceptable to God) which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
AN ETERNAL CROWN
I Corinthians 9:25 And every man who takes part in the sports has self-control in all things. Now they do it to get a crown which is of this world, but we for an eternal crown. [BBE]
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. [AV]
In the light of what we have seen, and the imminence of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church, I would like to leave you with a challenge from the Apostle John.
A CHALLENGE
I John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. [RSV]
The thought of meeting the Lord, and wishing we had more time to get ready is one that we should consider. If Jesus came at this exact moment, would we really welcome Him, or would we wish we had adjusted our lives in some way? Perhaps we should ask the Holy Spirit to show us what needs to be put right in our lives so that when we meet the Lord, we shall be glad, and shall be rewarded for what we have done in this present life.
A scripture that has always encouraged me to be ready for the coming of the Lord is Revelation 4:10&11, where we see the elders around the throne placing their crowns at the feet of Jesus.
CASTING OUR CROWN AT JESUS FEET
Revelation 4:10&11 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
I would like to be able to share with them in giving something to the Lord, as a token of my appreciation for what He has done for me.
