I'm going to be honest, as I usually am....Maybe I should say, "I'm going to be transparent." I am highly distracted this morning by the play that we are doing this weekend at FBCCanton. I'd greatly appreciate your prayers to the Lord Jesus that He will receive the glory from our efforts this weekend.
You remember Honors Day from school, right? For some, it was a very happy day. Those kids knew they had done well, and they looked forward to that day with great anticipation. Others dreaded Honors Day. They knew that if they received a single certificate of award, they would be lucky. There is going to be an Honors Day in Heaven for all those who believe in Jesus Christ. And, no Christian will be "thrown out" or leave empty-handed.
Ok, so...the Bema seat. What a strange name, right? This is the more unusual name for what is also called in scripture "The Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 5:10). (See also Romans 14:10-12.)
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil.
2 Cor. 5:10
Picture this:
You are at the Olympic Games. It is time to present the medals to those who ran one of the long-distance races. The winners step up on a dais; their names are called along with the degree to which they placed. A medal is hung around each winner's neck. There is thunderous applause!
Paul, writing in Greek TO Greeks, used this well-known analogy to explain the Bema seat of Christ. Bema means "tribunal for rewards." You see, Greek, like the English language, renders "judge" or "judgment" in two different ways. One way is for commendation and the other is for condemnation. (We typically think of the latter, don't we?)
At any rate, the Bema judgment seat is a "rewards seat". It is not a judgment seat where Christ tells some Christians that they are consigned to Hell. At the very least, all true believers in Jesus Christ (not just those who call themselves by that name - - - see Matthew 10:32 and Matthew 7:21) will be with Him in Heaven forever. This is the baseline reward, but it is also the greatest of them all.
John 5:24 - - the words of Jesus - - -
“I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.
(See also 1 John 2:2).However, fire will be present at this judgment seat, and our "works" (those actions we took, those choices we made after accepting Jesus Christ as Savior) will be evaluated. Our eternal rewards will be given by our Savior based on our faithfulness to Him after our salvation. In the Bible, fire is often used to characterize purification, holiness and/or judgment. For example, when Jesus Christ is described in His glorified body, by the apostle John (see Revelation 1:14), Christ's eyes are as a flame of fire. You may also be familiar with God using fire to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins. "Your God is a consuming fire..." (Deuteronomy 4:24)
In a similar manner, our "good works" of service to Jesus will "pass through the fire". Those that are made of inferior materials (that is, done out of selfish motivation) will "burn up." Those are described as "wood, hay and stubble". Those that pass through the judgment fire and remain ("gold, silver, precious stones") will add to our heavenly reward. See 1 Corinthians 3:10, 12, 13 - -
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 . . . Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and fire will try each one's work, of what sort it is.
Seems like we'd better give serious attention to how we are "building the house", doesn't it? The apostle John in 1 John 2:28 and also in 2 John 8 exhorts us to live in a manner that will keep us from being ashamed at the Bema seat.
And now little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we have worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
And Jesus issues a similar warning in Revelation 3:11.Well, let's go on. What will these rewards look like, be like? In various places in scripture they are pictured as "crowns", "fine, white linen garments" or "positions of authority". Let's take these one-by-one.
1. They are described by Paul as "crowns" in his 2nd letter to his young protege, Timothy:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, 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.
2 Timothy 4:7
(There is that "running the race" metaphor again!) Paul also expounds on this in 1 Cor. 9:4-27, which we looked at a couple days ago. James, the half-brother of Jesus and leader of the Christian Church of Jerusalem, was martyred for his faith in Christ. He speaks of these crowns in James 1:12. Peter also speaks of crowns in 1 Peter 5:4.2. In the book of Revelation (19:7-8), the apostle John describes the Church after it has been through the Bema seat judgment. The saints are dressed in white linen, which symbolizes their rewards, "their righteous acts".
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear."
(See also Revelation 3:4-5 for a similar passage.)3. And, finally, we have the words of Jesus in His parable of the "talents", Luke 19:17-19, where He seems to indicate that our rewards will be in the form of differing levels of authority or service throughout eternity.
17 And the king said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’ 18 Then the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 So the king said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’
You know, on Honors Day at school, it was "all about me". But, on that great judgment day, it is going to be "all about Him". The Bible tells us that the 24 elders who surround God's throne, constantly worshipping Him, cast their crowns before Him in holy adoration (Revelation 4:10). It makes sense that we will do the same. HE is our greatest reward, and our "good works", those "love backs" we do for Him here? Well, they are just ways to thank Him, praise Him, love Him until we get the amazing privilege to see Him, face to face.
Let's have our own personal time of prayer as we adore Him this morning!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-0EgzOWkvc
Source:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_144.cfm
http://www.gotquestions.org/judgment-seat-Christ.html
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