Judgement Seat Of Christ

APRIL 23, 2023 STUDY NOTES JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES SCRIPTURE Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. INTRODUCTION All Christians will stand before the future judgment known as the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom 14:10) Why? That we may receive the things done in our body, the life we lived upon earth (2 Cor 5:10) The good things done in our Christian life will be rewarded Christians will suffer loss for the bad, which means that which was useless or worthless Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Many Christians today do not want to look in the mirror of God’s Word to see themselves But they are quick to compare others with scripture, showing their failure as a Christian Criticizing the Christian life of others in an attempt to make their Christian life look better Paul has a question for us, “why do you judge your brother?” Why do “you” express such an unfavorable opinion of your “brother?” “You” too are a sinner saved by grace, just like the brother you are judging The strongest family relationship on this earth is the brotherhood of Christ, God’s family Realizing our brother and sister relationship should result in a patient and forgiving attitude Less likely to be impatient and critical of one another, and more loving and generous The word judge here has the thought of an unfavorable opinion of another person Attempting to take the position of the judge which results in a condemnation of that person God has not given the position of judge over others to the Christian, the “Judge” is the Lord One of the most common types of judging others is the judgment of their motives God has not given the Christian an all-knowing mind to judge the mind of others Christ is the “Omniscient One,” He knows “all” about “all,” He knows whether you are saved or not, Joh 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. Joh 2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, Joh 2:25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. Jesus does not need us to tell Him what He needs to know about the one we attempt to judge Listen to the testimony of the woman at the well, Joh 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? (Jesus knows “all” about “all”) Jesus knew the decision His disciples would make at the time of His trials and crucifixion, Joh 13:11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. (Listen to His words) Consider what Jesus said before you judge your brother, “you are not all clean” The reason Jesus has been appointed by God as “Judge,” is because He knows “all” about “all” Jesus will always make the right decision, Act 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, Jesus is the “Righteous Judge,” 2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (The righteous Judge will judge “all” in righteousness) Page 1 of 4 James warns “all” of us, Jas 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. We need to seriously consider two titles in this verse, brethren, and the Judge Christians must realize the many attempts of Satan to defeat the brotherhood of believers Satan has been successful in many local church memberships throughout America today Among Christians one against another is not of Christ, it is the work of Satan James says, “quit going after one another,” which he identifies as our spiritual family (Brethren) Then he warns us, “lest you be condemned,” pay attention to “you” James makes a strong point concerning “you,” condemned means to be declared guilty Which is a serious charge against a Christian, that is why James says, “behold” “Behold” is a highlighter to mark or underline what he says, “the Judge stands before the door” And the point is, we “all” will stand before the “Judge” Scripture is telling us to get ready to stand before the “Judge” We know who the Judge is, and we know that we will “all” stand before Him Scripture does not teach a general judgment where saved and lost are judged at the same time They face separate judgments which are not for the purpose of determining their eternal destiny The purpose of the future judgment is not to determine whether we are saved or lost But both saved and lost will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, 2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; The “quick” which means “living,” refers to those who are saved, those who are alive in Christ The “dead” are those who are spiritually dead, those without Christ in their life The lost will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment, Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. “All” Christians will stand before the “Judgment Seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10) We will not stand before Christ accountable for our sin nature that separated us from God That judgment took place at the cross of Jesus, 1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Through the cross of Jesus, we stand justified before God, 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: Only believers, those who are saved will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ We will not stand at the judgment seat of Christ to answer for unconfessed sins after we were saved The judgment of unconfessed sins is a present judgment known as “chastening” (Heb. 12:5-11) People usually define “chastening” as punishment, it must be understood as “instructive punishment” The original meaning was “the instruction of children,” to teach and educate the children It also has the meaning to educate through discipline and punishment Is also identified the “schoolmaster” who taught and disciplined the children The chastening hand of God is proof of His heart of love for His children, Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. “Chastening” is “of the Lord” and is discipline for the purpose of instructing and correcting His children The Judgment Seat of Christ has to do with our earthly Christian commitment to Christ What we are doing for Christ daily, 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. The context confirms “we” as referring to Christians, the previous verses can only apply to Christians 2Co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of Page 2 of 4 God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (Only for believers) 2Co 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (Only believers) 2Co 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. (Only believers are indwelt by the Spirit) 2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (Only believers) “We” each one, as an individual, one by one, but for sure “all,” and there will be no exceptions “All” Christians stand accountable before God for their thoughts, words, and deeds after they were saved Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (“Us” refers to the Christian) Which is not to be a discouraging thought but a motivating and exciting opportunity for a Christian What a privilege it is to live for Christ today, what an honor to stand before Him one day Many Christians think that the only important truth is to know that you will go to Heaven when you die But the truth is that not all who go to Heaven will share the same experience in Heaven Entrance into Heaven is only through the “New Birth,” Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. We will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ because we are saved and going to Heaven The purpose of appearing before the Judgment Seat of Christ is to receive the things done in the body Too often our focus on what we do today is based upon what we think it will do for us tomorrow Our focus on what we do today should be will this be of eternal value, will it last throughout eternity? That which will be determined at the Judgment Seat of Christ will be according to that we have done Paul encourages us to be involved daily in the work of the Lord, Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Sometimes we put forth an honest effort to do what we think we should do as a Christian And then it appears that it didn’t do any good, it looks like it was a useless effort Paul has a word for us, he tells us what not to do, “do not be weary in well doing” To “be weary” means to lose heart, to give up the fight, to throw in the towel “Well doing” identifies with the Lord’s Work, we do well when we minister for the Lord There is no higher quality of work than the Lord’s Work, which is always good to do Your life can do no better than when you do your best for the Lord When a work for the Lord is done, it is not the quantity that is most important It is the quality of work that matters, when it is done for the Lord through the Lord it will be good We want our family and friends to be able to say to us, that was well done, that was good But most important of all is to one day hear Jesus say, “well done,” Mat 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. The reward for a few years of faithful earthly things done well will be the joy of many eternal things Christians must keep a positive attitude toward the Lord’s Work and not grow tired of well doing, 2Th 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. Stop getting tired of being good, stop getting discouraged when you have done well for the Lord We will not always see immediate results from our good efforts Paul tells us that sometimes harvest time can be a long time coming But he assures us, “for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9) Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Our day of opportunity to do good for the Lord is today Page 3 of 4 The thought of this verse is not limited to doing good when we have the opportunity The thought is that Christians are to be looking for opportunities to do good We are to keep watching for those opportunities and then take advantage of them Are we taking advantage of those daily opportunities to do good? Did you have an opportunity to be kind to someone yesterday? Were you, kind, gracious, and merciful toward someone yesterday? Did you share the love of God with someone in some way yesterday? Did anyone see the faith that you have in God and God’s Word yesterday? We are accountable unto God for those opportunities of today to do good Good identifies with quality, the thought is that which is profitable, useful beneficial to others Christians will be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ for all good deeds done in the body There will be a loss of reward for the bad deeds done in the body The main point of bad is of no value, worthless, unimportant, good for nothing The things we do each day which are of no value for today and of no eternal value CONCLUSION The truth of the Judgment Seat of Christ should motivate us to live for Christ daily Paul has a word of motivation for us, Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Hebrews has good advice for us, Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Our “cloud of witnesses” are the heroes of faith described in Hebrews 11, they lived and died by faith One of the most important preparations for the Judgment Seat of Christ is most neglected by many today And God’s Word plainly states, don’t neglect it, Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Take every opportunity you can to meet with your brothers and sisters in Christ Come to church when your church family meets together When you stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ you will be glad you did Are you sincere about living for Jesus? Page 4 of 4