| The Judgment Seat of Christ. [message #14167] |
Sat, 28 September 2024 20:29  |
 Mark L
Messages: 852
Registered: October 2006
Location: Canada |
Senior Member |
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The Bema Seat of Christ.
11Cor. 5/10 All believers appear before the judgment (bema) seat of Christ.
The judgment seat of Christ is when believers will give an account of themselves to Christ. It is a time of examination and reward for each of us.
What I want to do here is emphasize one aspect of the judgment of the believer. That is a statement I've heard sometimes over the years on various christian forums. That being "when Jesus gets done with them". Or something similar. Its usually directed toward another confessing christian. Someone they believe is so terribly off base or morally debased or seriously defunct in their beliefs that it is going to require Jesus to have some very harsh words for them. They may even be correct. My issue though is the harsh words.
But first a few general notes on judgment.
The judgment of the devil and his kingdom.
The judgment of demons and evil angels etc is based on their strength, intelligence and capacity for evil. Because they are as evil as it is possible for that particular individual to be. Unlike humanity.
The judgment of the world.
They will judged for the deeds done in the flesh. The books were opened. Rev. 20/12 Everything they have ever done will be open and laid bare for all to see. Every thought. The influences on their life. Motives and understanding. Light they had. Their family background and generational curses. The nation and family they were part of. The devil in their life. Even their effect on the world. The shame of their sinful life laid out for all to see. Nowhere to hide. Not even in their own heart.
Sometimes I hear about someone forced into a really bad life through no fault of their own. How could God judge someone like that? My answer is its just the way their sinful life worked out for them. We have to remember there is a perfect judge. He is not only holy but righteous. In other words it not just his holiness requiring punishment but his righteousness requiring him to do it justly. Everyone will get exactly what they deserve.
The judgment of believers
This is the main point of what I want to say here "when Jesus gets done with them". I want to take issue with that oft repeated statement. To do that I want to contrast the kind of judgment we as believers will get with that of the unbelieving world.
Here is what I said about the judgment of unbelievers:
Everything they have ever done will be open and laid bare for all to see. Every thought. The influences on their life. Motives and understanding. Light they had. Their family background and generational curses. The nation and family they were part of. The devil in their life. Their effect on the world. The shame of their sinful life laid out for all to see. Nowhere to hide. Not even in their own heart.
I think we will experience much the same with one difference. That being it will not all be laid out for all to see. Here is what I think the judgment of a believer will consist of.
Let me start with something the Lord showed me in the spirit some time ago.
I saw a very influential christian minister standing in front of Jesus on the day the rewards were given out. Jesus was sitting in a simple armchair. No great throne. The man was weeping and crying with a terrible remorse. He saw clearly that he as christian minster did not take heed to the scriptures. He followed the supernatural. With the result that multitudes came through his meetings and picked up a deceiving spirit. Then in a time when discernment was absolutely critical it reached out its hand and covered their eyes. They followed a false prophet or false Christ or took the mark of the beast and walked right out of Jesus kingdom. It was his fault and he could see it clearly. He was weeping and crying with a terrible remorse.
I think on that day as we stand before Jesus we will see some of the significant issues of our life. Good or bad. Maybe he will make some comments on it. Praise for some perhaps some words of reproach for others. Allow us to see the results of our life and its effect on the world around us.
1 Cor 3/11-15 We all have to go through the fire. Its not a fire of punishment. Its a fire designed to burn up dead works. What Paul called wood hay and stubble. It will burn away everything that wasn't based on obedience faith and love. Jesus said many who are first will be last and the last first. I think many will go into it with great loads of spiritual work from their life and come out the other side with very little. (the first last) Others go in and come out with much of what they came in with. (the last first)
My point here is its not a harsh judge with stern angry words berating someone who didn't do well. For each of us he just sits quietly and allows us to see for ourselves the fruits of our life. I think it will be mainly a day of rejoicing.
So here are a few further thoughts on the subject
-Mercy triumphs over judgment. So if we want Jesus to be merciful to us we better be merciful to those around us. James 2/13
-The judgment we use to judge others is how he is going to judge us. Our own attitudes beliefs and opinions. Matt. 7/2
We will each get exactly what we deserve. He is a perfect judge. Not just smarter wiser greater and more powerful. But an infinite personality whose wisdom and intelligence and understanding is of a completely different order.
-Some have to go through more trial and tribulation in their life. Not because of their own actions but needful for the sake of the kingdom. I think that will be recognized when the person stands in front of Jesus. Paul would be a good eg of that. When he got saved the Lord was showing him how great things he had to endure. Acts 9/16
-He is going to wipe away all tears. All the rewards we could have had. Nothing is going to mar the perfectness of eternity. Rev. 21/4
-The former things are passed away and not remembered, I think probably all of us have those we cared about that didn't or won't enter into the kingdom with us. I can't imagine spending eternity with that knowledge in my heart. Someone I cared about is over there. Again nothing is going to mar the perfect peace of eternity. Is.65/17
I don't completely understand what hell will consist of. Its obviously punishment and for sure people getting what they deserve. There is one aspect to it that I think absolutely transcends all the rest. A true believer for whatever the reason walks out of Jesus kingdom. (and some do) I think the worst aspect of punishment for a person like that is the knowledge of salvation. They had salvation in their life or the knowledge of it. They could have and should be over there. They are forever cut off from the living God. All their family and friends are over there and the memory of him completely gone. They had it in their life and in their heart. It is entirely relevant that when Jesus said there would be wailing and gnashing of teeth he was speaking primarily of these people. Matt. 13/41-42 That knowledge is carried in their heart that they could be there through all the never ending ages of eternity. To me that would be the absolute worst part of eternal punishment.
[Updated on: Sat, 28 September 2024 20:39]
You can read
"Meanderings on Scripture by Mark
https://mlederman.substack.com/
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