was a 1966 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and a former pastor of 28 years. 1 Cor. While, for Gods own purposes, Satan has been allowed to continue his nefarious schemes, Scripture speaks of three sure events regarding the activity of Satan and his demonic forces: his binding during the millennium, his short release, and his final incarceration in the Lake of Fire. Paul shows us in Romans that all categories of peoplethe good, the bad, and the uglyare really in the same boat and on their way to eternal separation from God. 1:4; 4:25). Since the Savior has died for the sin of the world (1 John 2:2), the ultimate issue is the sin of unbelief or rejection of Christ. The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. It is called white because it will be the supreme and undimmed display of the perfect righteousness and justice of God to all mankind. These passages: (2) God does not judge us for our sin in the sense of making us pay the penalty for that sin. They were assembling themselves with other believers and partaking of the Lords supper, but they were out of fellowship with the Lord and were controlled by the sinful nature, the flesh, rather than by the Holy Spirit. Why? Charles Lee Feingberg [Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1968], p. 29). 2 Corinthians 5:21: He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 20:35b-38). 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers eye. Is Divorce And Remarriage After Abuse, Neglect, Financial, Or Emotional Issues Okay? 12:2; Isa. The refusal to accept the truth destroys the power to discriminate between truth and error.1. These could refer to special blessing of rewards to those believers who overcomer special trials and tests rather than a general promise to all believers. Rom. Part of this removal occurs through the Tribulation judgments themselves (Rev. These and only these are accepted by God and will spend eternity with Him (cf. If It Is During The Millennium How Will There Not Be Pain And Tears When The Devil Is Released To Deceive The Nations? 5:11), and of works of the Law (Rom. Bring to light is photizo, to bring to light, make visible. Disclose is phaneroo, to manifest, reveal. The issue should be extremely clear from these two verses: The Lord will evaluate the quality and nature of every persons work. An interesting and important passage to this study is Acts 24:15-16because in this passage Paul implicitly made reference to two judgments which are closely related. Or, to put it another way, it is a record of those who have not rejected Gods plan of salvation and have responded to Christ in faith; for these their faith is reckoned for righteousness and their sins have not been imputed to them (Rom. The negative effects involve the following: (1) The loss suffered in 1 Corinthians 3:15 refers to the loss of rewards, not salvation as the verse goes on to make clear. The resurrection program and the thus the reward of Old Testament saints occurs after the tribulation, after church age saints are already seen in heaven and rewarded and returning with the Lord to judge the earth (cf. 3:9). The subject receives the action, that is, he is made to feel shame. As the Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep, Jesus said, I have come that they (all mankind) may have life, and have it abundantly, a life with meaning and purpose. What becomes the issue for us today? (b) It is also a special crown given for faithfulness in running the race and exercising self-control in order to serve the Lord and finish the race. It means to remain in Him from the standpoint of drawing on His life as the source of ours and then to obey Him out of that relationship of dependence. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 3:7, 10-12). 25:21; Lk. (1) The first book opened will probably be the Scripture, the Word of God, which contains the revelation of Gods holy character, the moral law, the declaration of mans sinfulness, and Gods plan of salvation through faith in Christ. 27:19; John 19:13), its use in the epistles by Paul, because of his many allusions to the Greek athletic contests, is more in keeping with its original use among the Greeks. 24:41). 5:3; Rev. 32:3-4). Now, the word "judge" in its various forms (judgeth, judging, judgment, judges, The following verses demonstrate the basic principle of the complete and finished nature of Christs work: Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. How then do we receive Gods Son that we may have the eternal life God has promised us? According to Romans 1:18-32, when men turn away from the knowledge of God revealed so vividly in creation, God, as an expression of His holy wrath, turns men over to their own devices and foolish imaginations. A number of things occur at this time. See answer (1) Best Answer. Is it sin, good works, or just what? This is a serious matter with consequences both for time and eternity since the failure to do so leads not only to the loss of rewards, but the judgment of Gods discipline of His believing children as a loving Father and as the Vine Dresser who must prune the vine for production (Heb. Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. These are: (1) The Promise of Crowns. Do not judge so that you will not be judged. Unfortunately, this condition had continued because some of these believers had failed to examine their hearts and judge their sin by honest confession followed by a commitment to deal with it in the power of the Spirit (11:28, 31). They emphasize the importance and necessity of faithful living today but reject any thought of forensic punishment at the Bema. When we fail to deal with our sinful ways through honest confession, we grieve the Spirits person and quench His power in our lives. Some people are troubled by the doctrine of rewards because this seems to suggest merit instead of grace, and because, it is pointed out, we should only serve the Lord out of love and for Gods glory. Though ones primary focus might be on the future judgments, this study will also cover the judgments of the past and the present because they are related and form a part of the total picture revealed in Scripture. Because Scripture declares all men to be sinful. Thank you for giving me eternal life through faith in your Son. They may include galaxies of the universe. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. He said to the judges, Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and, the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 3:1-13; Tit. John F. Walvoord, editor, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1974, p. 282. To love His appearing is to live in the light of it. Sin always has its consequences and the Doctrine of the Judgments calls our attention to both the reality and nature of the consequences of sin. Here each unbelievers eternal destiny is declared and determined with ample proof and reason. As mentioned above, this is not only contrary to the finished work of Christ who once and for all paid the penalty for our sins, but it is contrary to the teaching of 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11. 9-11). And now little children. John is writing to believers. Not only did Christ die for our sin as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), but He died to break the reign of sin in the lives of those who put their trust in Him as their Savior. As the victorious Grecian athlete appeared before the Bema to receive his perishable award, so the Christian will appear before Christs Bema to receive his imperishable award. (4) That dispensing of rewards is in view is also evident from the Greek words in 2 Corinthians 5:10 translated good (agathosvaluable like good fruit) and bad (phaulosunacceptable like rotten or spoiled fruit). He said to the judges, Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord who is with you when you render judgment. All believers will live in the millennium and in eternity with the Lord. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The same thing happens in the life of believers, but God brings discipline to stop the process. He will, likewise, be without guilt because he has been declared righteous. 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of mens hearts; and then each mans praise will come to him from God. But how? (4) Loss of Opportunities. Those judged are the dead, great and small, those who had no part in the first resurrection (Rev. Without the abiding life, the life of faith and obedience to the Savior, we can do nothing (John 15:1-7). In other words, when we fail to honestly judge sin in our lives it spills over in one area after another. The dead, great and small emphasizes that no one is exempt. God can therefore find no cause for accusing the Christian judicially any more than He can find cause for accusing Jesus Christ. This indication is also clear that it does occur in the new heavens and earth which are not created until after this event (cf. The question of sin in regard to Gods justice has been forever satisfied in the mind of God by the all-sufficient sacrifice of His Son. 1:6; Col. 2:10; Heb. This would mean that the finest of Christians could be sorrowful throughout eternity. 16 In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. Hoyt has a good summary of what this passage is talking about and involves: The Bible suggests that there will be shame at the judgment seat of Christ to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the measure of unfaithfulness of each individual believer. It is great because it is the final judgment and puts an end to all judgment for all time. Also, Matthew 25:21, 23 and Luke 19:17-19 show us our rewards consist of authority over either many things or many cities. Now these facts will become evident to each individual and proven without question. 3:10-15 with 9:24-27). 11:2-3; 13:5; 12;6; Dan. But these were not the only consequences of failing to judge sin in their lives. 1) Judgment seat of Christ = believers only. (3) A time of trouble or distress (Daniel 12:1). There were also divisions and factions and the focus on personalities rather than the Savior. (8) The Many Crowns or Diadems (Rev. (1) Daniel, who wrote concerning the termination of Gods program for Israel in chapter 9, places the resurrection of the righteous in Israel as occurring after a time of distress such as never occurred Clearly this is the Tribulation, Daniels Seventieth Week, or the time of Jacobs Distress mentioned by Jeremiah (Jer. 2 One man has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. the word - judge - appears 191 times. 5:9f; 1 John 2:28; 1 Thess. A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment. But those who are not killed by these judgments will be gathered, judged, and the rebels removed with only believers going into the millennial kingdom. (14) It is a time of unprecedented evangelism (Rev. Such would be inconsistent with the finished work of Christ on the cross because He totally paid the penalty for our sins. 6-19). It contrasts our crowns with the temporal and temporary treasure of this life. The order is: At the end of the Tribulation, the Lord Jesus will return personally to earth (Zech. 28:11-19; Rev. 2:5). 21:4). (1) Christs judgment for sin, dying in the place of the sinner, bearing his sin and judgment on the cross as the sinners substitute. This judgment affected all of creation (Genesis 3:1718; Romans 8:2022). The Bible declares, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory (the perfect holiness) of God. In other words, our sin separates us from God who is perfect holiness (righteousness and justice) and who must therefore judge sinful man (Rom. 20:12b, 13b, 15a). The word throne is used more than 30 times in Revelation, but this throne, the great white one, is to be distinguished from all others as the most significant one of all. 19:12). Biblically, the word tribulation comes from the Greek word thlipsis which means affliction, distress. In the Bible it is used (1) in general of any kind of testing or affliction or distress which people experience throughout life, and especially of the church and her problems in this world (John 16:33; Rom. The number forty symbolizes a period of testing, trial or probation. 26:19).5. What follows below is a fuller explanation of both terms. As with all Christians, you need fellowship with other believers in a Bible teaching church, personal time daily in Gods Word and regularly with other believers in a Bible teaching setting during the week. Then all opposing powers against the Lord will be dealt with in judgment (Rev. The rebels of unbelief must be removed so that only believing Israel will enter into the kingdom (cf. It is a gift through faith, but He rewards us for good works. The basis of Satans judgment and final disposal is the finished work of Christ on the cross first anticipated in the protevangelium of Gen. 3:15. No amount of good living will get us to heaven or give us eternal life. For example, Moses lived forty years in Egypt and forty years in the desert. There the laurel wreath was placed on his head as a symbol of victory (cf. 2010-11-16 12:05:45. (Emphasis mine.). Dan. A Christian believes in a God they have never seen through faith. And no place was found for them, i.e., for heaven and earth. Some Bible teachers view the judgment seat as a place of intense sorrow, a place of terror, and a place where Christ display all the believers sins (or at least those unconfessed) before the entire resurrected and raptured church. 1:15). 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Isaiah 38:17 Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; It is Thou who hast kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, For Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back. 3:14-15). Compare also Romans 16:20; Ephesians 1:20-21; Colossians 2:14-15; Hebrews 2:14-17. (10) It is a time of extreme anti-Semitism (Rev. The following is a short presentation of the good news of how God has provided that men might know Him and experience eternal life. See Appendix C for an overview of the Tribulation. Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord;For He is coming to judge the earth. Emphasis is placed on the fact that each Christian must give an account of his life before the omniscient and holy Christ. (2) To destroy and remove unacceptable production portrayed in the symbols of wood, hay, and stubble. Note that the text says and the books (plural) were opened, and another book (singular) was opened, which is the Book of Life. We have two sets, the books and the book which is mentioned again in verse 15a. God is perfect righteousness. The graduates do not leave the auditorium weeping because they did not earn better grades. Since the church is gone, caught up to be with the Lord (1 Thess. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 24). Why is possession of Gods Son necessary to have eternal life? The Tribulation will witness Satans wrath and the persecutions of his man, the Beast (Rev. 5:10; cf. It is called great because of the awesome intensity and the degree of its importance. 2:12). We may have confidence. Confidence is parrhesia and means courage, boldness to speak. Point: Though none of us are perfect or ever will be, still, faithfulness to abide and obey the Lord will give confidence of rewards. Awards are handed out to every Christian. Undoubtedly, then, the Scripture will be used to demonstrate the clearness of the plan of God and that man is without excuse. Isaiah 44:22 I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud, And your sins like a heavy mist. 6:10-12; 1 Pet. 2:5). (1) Jacobs Trouble or distress (Jer. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 8:18-25). 9:20-21; 2 Thess. 2:7; 2:11, 17, 26. As to the immediate consequences, some were weak (feeble, a loss of energy), some were sick (probably chronic disease), and some were asleep (physical death, sin unto death) (11:30). So, the book of works will contain a record of all the unbelievers deeds, good and bad, to demonstrate the truth of Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fall (continually miss the mark) short of the glory (perfect holiness) of God. All fall short of Gods perfect righteousness and have therefore no basis upon which to stand accepted (justified) before a holy and just God. It is an awesome and solemn scene and one which should cause everyone to stop and think about the eternal implications of this future event. 7:6). 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