Back to: The End Times
The Judgment Seat of Christ
Let us begin by going to 1 Corinthians;
(1 Corinthians 3:6-15), I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 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.
Sometime during the tribulation period, the Judgment Seat of Christ will occur in heaven. This is not a judgment concerning one’s salvation. This is a judgment concerning one’s work and efforts that were done once that person became a Christian. Please do not take this judgment lightly.
Picture yourself before the One you claim to love more than anyone and anything. In that moment, your works are brought before Him and cast into a fire. When all the smoke is cleared, whatever is left will be the evidence of how much you truly did love Him.
As your works are cast into the fire, what will be evident is not only the quantity, but also the quality of your works;
(2 Corinthians 5:9-10), 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.
The motives behind our labor will be judged to reveal whether they were good or bad.
Stop here for a moment, and consider some possible examples of what might turn out to be gold, silver, or precious stones which survive fire, in comparison to wood, hay, and straw that do not.
It is our hope that all of us will stand before Jesus with joyful hearts, being able to say, “Lord, I love you so much and I am so thankful for You! Here is my proof!”
Some may try to discourage you by saying what profit is there in serving the Lord, like they did in the days of Malachi;
(Malachi 3:13-18), Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the Lord, “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’ ” Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name. “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.” Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.
When people say it does not pay to serve God, they DON’T know what they are talking about! God is going to richly reward those who love Him, serve Him, and sacrifice for Him in this lifetime.
What should we do when others try to discourage us from serving the Lord by saying, “What profit is it to serve God?”
Ask them if they know anyone that would reward a person who worked for them in a small period of time, by giving them total authority over New York City, Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston, San Diego, Chicago…etc.
GOD WILL DO THAT!
(Luke 19:11-19), Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come…’ “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities
There is not a bank or 401K stock portfolio in this world that will give you the kind of interest on your investment that the Lord will give you for serving Him;
(Matthew 19: 27-29), Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
I am not sure if we can even come close to begin to comprehend the “percentage” of the return that the Lord will give to those who faithfully serve Him. Our life is like one drop of water in the oceans of time. For the short moment we sacrifice in this life for God, He will reward us beyond our imagination and comprehension for all eternity! One thing for sure is when we see what God has given to us, it is going to be a most humbling experience!
(1 Corinthian 2:9), But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.
In addition to all this, the Lord Jesus has made us both kings and priests.
(Revelation 1: 4-6), “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
We will rule with Him throughout all eternity in His Kingdom!
(2 Timothy 2:12), If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him
(Romans 8:16-18), The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
In spite of all this glory, our primary motive for serving Jesus should always be because He is our first love! He is our meaning and purpose of life. And our service should flow out of an abundance of thankfulness for all He did for us on the cross of Calvary.
And let us remember these words, of an old favorite Hymn, that will echo throughout all eternity;
“Only one life, so soon it will pass. Only what’s done for Christ, will last”
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)