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17MARCH 2016BODY OF CHRIST NEWS The Judgement Seat Of ChristFor 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. 2 Corinthians 510 There will be a time when the Lord Jesus evalu- ates the works of those who are His people. The deeds which we have done on this earth will be examined. Possibly some of what we deemed good deeds will be seen to be more about us than about God. Some of what we thought insignificant or worthless may be highly valued of God. WHAT IS THIS JUDGMENT SEAT This reward- ing of believers in the church is commonly called the judgment seat of Christ or the bema-pro- nounced bay-mah. The Greek word bema is used by the apostle Paul to describe this judgment. In a judicial setting a bema was a seat or raised plat- form where a judge sat as he made his decision regarding a case as in the case of Pilate as he heard the accusation against Jesus. In a reward setting such as the Grecian games in Athens the arena contained a raised platform on which the president or umpire of the arena sat. From here he rewarded all the contestants and here he rewarded all win- ners. It was called the bema or reward seat. It was never used of a judicial bench. Thus associ- ated with this word are the ideas of prominence dignity authority honor and reward rather than the idea of justice and judgment. This then is actually a place of rewarding not punishing. WHEN WILL THIS JUDGMENT TAKE PLACE The fact that the Lord Jesus rewards His servants in connection with His coming indicates that the judgment seat of Christ will take place shortly after the rapture 1 Cor. 45 Rev. 2212. Christians who are alive at the time of the rapture will be caught up to meet the Lord Jesus and will at that moment receive their glorified bodies. Those Christians who have died since the church began at Pentecost will also be involved in the rapture having their physi- cal bodies raised from the dead and receive their resurrected glorified bodies 1 Cor. 155153. WHO WILL BE PRESENT AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST This judgment involves the same people who were involved in the rapture namely believers from the church age. In 1 Corinthians 310-45 passage it is clear those who have built on the foundation of Jesus Christ will be at the judg- ment seat. This clearly is a reference to church age believers. This would mean that unsaved people are not a part of this judgment and it also means that saints from the Old Testament will not participate. The bema of Christ is concerned only with believers. WHAT ARE THE BASES FOR THE EVALUATION AND REWARDING At the bema the believers works will be examined by the Lord Jesus to deter- mine if rewards will be given. First Corinthians 38 informs us that each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. In 1 Corinthians 31015 the apostle Paul uses the illustration of constructing a building. He informs believers that all have received a founda- tion on which to build. Verse 11 informs us that foundation which is given to the believer is none other than the Lord Jesus. The believer builds daily on that foundation and has a choice of building materials. The issue is not if believers will build but with what they will build. At the judgment seat their works will be tested by fire. Some of the build- ing materials are perishable wood hay and straw whereas others are not gold silver and costly stones. The works that please and honor God will not be burned up but will bring a reward. When the Lord Jesus evaluates the lives of believers at the judgment seat His evaluation will be based on several factors. First the extent our lives and ministry follow the Word of God. The Scriptures with their com- mands and principles will form the objective standard used by the Lord. He will not evaluate us on the basis of our experiences or tra- ditions but on His revealed truth. The study and application of Gods Word is a key to our rewarding. How seriously we have taken the Masters instructions will be an important factor in our rewarding. Second the extent we have been faithful stewards of all that He has entrusted to us. We have been given spiritual gifts natural abilities material resources training and opportunities for service. The Bible reminds us that it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy 1 Cor. 42. Believers must always remember that they are held accountable for what has been given to them not what has been given to another. Third our motives. The Lord is not interested only in what we do but also why we do it or do not do it. Those who live and serve with a desire to please and honor Christ will receive great reward. Those who live and serve motivated by self-promotion financial gain or some other improper goal will not receive rewards. The issue here is not to determine whether the one judged is a believer or not. The question of salvation is not being considered. The salvation given the believer in Christ has perfectly delivered him from all judgment Rom. 81 John 524 1 John 417. This whole program is related to the glorification of God through the manifestation of His righteousness in the believer. It is for the divine glory that every work done by man should appear as it really is before Him who is ordained by God the Judge of living and dead. The purpose of the bema is to make a public manifestation demonstration or revelation of the essential character and motives of the individual. The believers works are brought into judgment called the things done in his body 2 Cor. 510 in order that it may be determined whether they are good or bad. The idea is not one of good or bad in the sense of that which is ethically or morally evil but rather of its good-for-nothingness. This idea of worthlessness is the central view. Thus the judg- ment is not to determine what is ethically good or evil but rather that which is acceptable and that which is worthless. It is not the Lords purpose here to chasten His child for his sins but to reward his service for those things done in the name of the Lord. WHAT IS THE RESULT OF THE REWARDING AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST Some Christians spend their entire lives on earth building with wood hay and straw. At the judgment seat of Christ many peoples work will go up in flames. Although there may be the loss of reward the apostle Paul is clear that this will not involve the loss of salvation If any mans work is burned up he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as through fire 1 Cor. 315. It is Gods desire to reward His children but He will withhold reward from those who have lived sinful self-centered lives. Believers will not only be rewarded for the good in their lives at the bema but will have to face Jesus response to those things done which are worthless. The examination is not an exter- nal judgment based on outward observation but rather on a test that determines the inner charac- ter and motivation. The entire purpose of the trial by fire is to determine that which is destructible and that which is indestructible. The apostle has affirmed that there are two classes of building materials which the laborers together with God may use in building the edifice upon the founda- tion already laid. The gold silver costly stones are indestructible materials. These are the work of God which man only appropriates and uses. On the other hand the wood hay and stubble are destruc- tible materials. These are the work of men which man has produced by his own effort. The apostle is revealing the fact that the examination at the bema of Christ is to determine that which was done by God through the individual and that which the individual did in his own strength that which was done for the glory of God and that which was done for the glory of the flesh. It cannot be determined by outward observation into which class any work falls so that work must be put to test in order that its true character may be proved. On the basis of this test there will be two deci- sions. There will be loss of reward for that which is proven by the fire to be destructible. Things done in the strength and for the glory of the flesh regard- less of what the act might be will be disapproved. Paul expresses his fear of depending on the energy of the flesh rather than the empowerment of the Spirit in the light of this fact when he writes I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway 1 Cor. 927. When Paul uses the word castaway he is not expressing fear that he will lose his salvation but rather that which he has done shall be found to be good-for- nothing. We dont want our lives to be a waste we dont want to just scrape into heaven. But we want to live full and die empty. Let us surrender ourselves afresh to him today. Romans 121 exhorts us I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. Let us give Him our lives as living sacri- fices holy and pleasing to him. First John 228 cau- tions us And now little children abide in Him that when He appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Therefore let us so live our lives that we can stand before God on that great day-unashamed and receive our crowns. William T. Golson By Pastor William T. Golson SERMON Thus the judgment is not to determine what is ethically good or evil but rather that which is acceptable and that which is worthless. It is not the Lords purpose here to chasten His child for his sins but to reward his service for those things done in the name of the Lord.