The Judgment Seat of Christ

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

The White Throne Judgment is for the unsaved. Each will be judged according to their deeds and will receive various degrees of punishment.

This judgment is for believers when Christ returns prior to the 1000-year millennium.

Hebrews 9:28 NKJV

so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

2 Corinthians 5:9–11 NKJV

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 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. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

The Judgment Seat of Christ is about faithful stewardship.

All that we have belongs to God—our time, talent, treasure, and truth.

Illustration: Suppose you had a rich uncle who left you two million dollars if you agreed to the following conditions:

You must spend the money in one week.

You must spend it on tangible assets (no stocks, bonds, insurance, etc.).

You must keep all your assets at your house.

What if you knew that you house would burn down in the future?

What would you invest in? Gold, silver, precious stones.

Believers will receive various degrees of rewards for deeds they have done in the body, whether good or bad. Good and bad describe the quality of their work.

1 Corinthians 3:10–15 NKJV

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. 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. If anyone’s work which he has built on it 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.

Foolish believers will experience the terror of the LORD when they realize they have squandered their stewardship of time, talent, treasure, and truth.

There is a fire coming!

1 Corinthians 3:9–15 NKJV

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 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. 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. If anyone’s work which he has built on it 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.

It will take place at the Judgment Seat of Christ! All that we have done will be tested by fire. That which is gold, silver, and precious stone will survive. That which is wood, hay, and stubble will be burned.

There will be no way to recover what we have lost after we die.

There will be no opportunities to reinvest after we die.

There are no opportunities for rewards after we die

How we live before God in heaven is forever determined by how we live before God in this life.

Ready or not, here He comes!

Matthew 24:45–51 (NKJV) “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

J. Hudson Taylor (British missionary to China and founder of China Inland Mission) wrote: “I saw further that all through the New Testament the coming of the Lord was the strongest motive for consecration and service, and the greatest comfort in trial and affliction. I learned too that the period of His return for people was not revealed, the important thing being to be ready for Him as to be able, whenever He might appear, to give account of one’s stewardship with joy, and not with grief.”

Martin Luther (Living in Light of Eternity by Stacy & Paula Rinehart): “Four centuries ago, Martin Luther said that on his calendar there were but two days: “Today” and “That Day.” He recognized that all the days of his earthly existence were preparation for that momentous day when he would stand before God in eternity and give account for his life.”

Live in the Fear of the Lord

The Day of Christ’s coming is at hand. It will be a day when all believers will stand before Him to give account.

Every work and motive of the heart will be passed through the fire.

Are we building with wood, hay, and stubble or with gold, silver, and precious stones?

Will we hear the Master say on that Day, “Well done, good and faithful servant”?

God has given us plenty of forewarning so that we might be prepared.

The fear of the LORD can keep us prepared for Christ’s Second Coming.

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