My aunt? Okay.
Let’s begin by reading a couple of Scriptures. If we can first turn to 2 Corinthians 5:10. We’ll be reading out of the NASB version. Keen, I’m going to give you a pretty good workout today.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body,
according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
And also turn to Romans 14:10-12.
For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
Now, don’t be confused here. In the first verse we read, it said that we would appear before Christ, and this one here says, “the judgment seat of God.” But we know in the Scripture that the Father has given all judgment into the hands of the Son. So really, these are the same.
Lord, as we come to Your Word, we do tremble. No man is capable of handling Thy Word correctly, aright. Lord, apart from Your Holy Spirit, it can’t be done.
So, Lord, we come now. We bow before Thee, trusting Your Holy Spirit to illuminate Your Word, to give us the grace to speak and to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Lord, we do commit this time into Your hands. We do pray and ask that there will be something of value that will come out of this time. We pray in Your name. Amen.
Well, I think it’s pretty clear what we want to do this morning. We do want to share on this subject of the judgment seat of Christ. Though we’ve considered this sometime in the past, we felt that, as we began a new year, it would be good to set this before us.
Our hope is that this will be the year our Lord will come back. And if that be true, we want to be prepared to meet Him. We don’t want to be caught unawares.
So we want to look at the subject this morning. When I consider the Scriptures, I can think of no more serious subject for the believer than this matter of the judgment seat of Christ.
You know, there we’re going to find that every thought, every word, every deed shall come under the scrutiny of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, the Scripture says His eyes are like a flame of fire, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews even says that there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
So specifically, our burden is that we’d be exhorted afresh in this subject, or this matter, of the judgment seat of Christ—bearing in mind that exhortation has two sides to it. There is a warning side, and there is an encouragement side.
I think I just came unglued. Maybe you can hear me anyway.
I’m afraid technology and I don’t get along well.
That feels pretty good—as good as it’ll feel for me.
So then again, just as a reminder, we’re going to be looking at several verses to consider this subject. But before we do that, we want to assume nothing and first define what the judgment seat of Christ is. Then, after that, we are going to share a few quotes from various brothers on this subject.
Now, before we define what the judgment seat of Christ is, we need to understand that the Scriptures teach of at least eight distinct, different judgments. We want to point out three of these now for the purpose of clarity on this subject. I’m going to reference Unger’s Bible Dictionary for these three that we’re going to point out.
Number one is the judgment of the cross.
The judgment of the cross: this is the judgment upon sin effected by Christ when He said, “It is finished.” That is John 19:30. It is the basis of the believer’s salvation when he believes.
Christ has borne the sinner’s guilt, and as a substitute for all on behalf of whom He died, sin has been judged. In the person of the divine Substitute, the one who believes on Christ has been hailed to court, sentenced to condemnation, and executed in the person of his Substitute.
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life,
and does not come into judgment,
but has passed out of death into life.—John 5:24
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
—Romans 8:1
Number two: the great white throne judgment. This last great assize comprehends the judgment of all the unsaved of the ages. He quotes Revelation 20:11-15.
The basis will be works, which evidently suggests differences and degrees of punishment. All who are not found in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire. This is called the second death, which means final and complete cutting off from God’s presence in a sin-cleansed universe.
And then the third judgment we wanted to look at is called the judgment of believers’ works.
This judgment concerns only Christians, and it is not a matter of judgment of sins, which have been judged at the cross and with which the believer will not be faced again. It involves the divine appraisal of the Christian’s works in service.
This will entail reward or loss of reward. That’s obviously referring to the judgment seat of Christ.
Now, as concerning the believer, we will not appear before the great white throne judgment, because we have received the benefit of the judgment of the cross. Our relationship before God has been established forever. Our sin has been judged upon another, even Christ, and we have received the gift of eternal life.
But within that relationship, which cannot be altered, we have a fellowship that is to be maintained. Included in that fellowship are our works and service, to which we are to be faithful.
The believer will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ for faithfulness to the work and service God has for each one of us. Heaven and hell will not be the issue at this judgment, as eternal life is the gift of God. This judgment has to do with reward according to faithfulness.
Now, before we define the judgment seat of Christ, we want to make a clear distinction between gift and reward—a clear distinction between the gift of eternal life and rewards received according to service, as revealed in the Scriptures.
Firstly, eternal life is given as the gift of God. It is purely by grace. There’s nothing—no amount of works—that we could do to gain eternal life. All the works we could produce from the flesh would be considered as filthy rags before God.
Now let’s look at a few verses, so that it won’t appear that I’m just talking off the top of my head.
Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
—Romans 3:24
As