Have you been to a mall, or hospital or a park and you´re trying to figure out how to go to a certain point because you are lost and you are ashamed to ask so you go to that huge map that shows you the lay-out of the entire floor and you try to pinpoint where you are. It is obviously important to know first where you are in trying to find out where you´re going.
Based on the eschatological timeline that we are following, we know the chronological arrangements of the end time events which start from the Rapture, followed by simultaneous events that will happen here on Earth and in Heaven. Then Christ will return to Earth the Second Time and of course, you see the rest of the events unfold as well.
The Bema or Judgement Seat of Christ is perhaps one of the most misunderstood end-time events especially by Christians. The mere mention of Bema strikes fear among believers. It seems to some of us, Bema is thought of as something unpleasant although necessary before we can experience Heaven and be with our Lord. Even after becoming Christians, we still sin. Anyone here who stops sinning after receiving Jesus in their lives? No one, right? We are still in the flesh and we still sin. The Apostle Paul said “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do."
Realizing that one day, our deeds will be exposed and that we shall give an account of everything that we have done here on Earth – it gives us fear, and anxiety and dread! We´re excited to receive our glorified bodies during the Rapture, we look forward to going to Heaven where there is no pain and suffering and we want to walk on that streets of gold but sometimes we ask the Lord, can we just skip Bema Judgement? If Jesus already paid for our sins and we have been redeemed, why do we have to be judged? Can´t we just go straight to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, after all -- who doesn´t love a wedding feast? Who doesn’t love to eat without worrying about cholesterol?
Our objective in this lesson is to understand what the Bible has to say about the Bema, the Judgement Seat of Christ.
Is it something that should cast fear and worry to each one of us or is it an event that we should all look forward to and by understanding this event, we shall even be more encouraged to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord while we are here on Earth?
An important Biblical reference for this principle is the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16. We learned from this story that after these two men died, they already went to two different places: a place of comfort for Lazarus, it´s called in the Bible as Abraham´s bosom, sometimes it´s called paradise, or heaven. The Rich Man ended up in a place of torment and between those two places was a great divide or chasm.
We learned two important truths in this story:
First, one cannot cross from the place of comfort to the place of torment, and vice versa, and --
Second, once you die there is no more coming back to the land of the living.
Isaiah 40:8 says that “the grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” Let us read first from the letter of Paul to the Romans, Chapter 14 verses 10 to 12:
Now let us read from 2nd Corinthians, Chapter 5, verses 9 to 11:
It´s very clear that the Apostle Paul was referring to the believers when he said we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.
The Apostle Paul was quite familiar with the Bema seat. This is where he was brought before Gallio, who was the proconsul of Achaia at the Bema seat in Acts 18:12, so it was used by a judge.
In the city of Corinth, a stone platform was constructed to support the Bema seat or the judgment seat for the local officials. The seat was used to give out awards to athletes of the ancient Isthmian or Olympic games. The contestants, usually runners, would compete for the prize under the careful scrutiny of judges who would make sure that every rule of the contest was obeyed and also to determine the winners and the finishers-- and then to give out the appropriate rewards.
The Bema or Judgement Seat of Christ is different from the Great White Throne (G.W.T.) judgement. It is very important not to confuse the Bema judgement with the Great White Throne judgment as mentioned in Revelation 20:11-15.
It makes sense that Bema Judgement happens after the believers have been raptured, after we have been translated and glorified. Once we get to that point, there is no checking-in station like a USA border crossing where our passports are asked or how much we´re bringing in. There is no waiting at the huge gate where St. Peter with his rooster looks at his logbook like a guest book in a fancy restaurant and if you are not listed there, he´ll point you to an elevator that only goes downward. It doesn’t work that way. When a believer dies, he is absent from the body and present with the Lord. During Rapture, our souls reunite with our glorified bodies and then we face the Lord in His Bema Judgement.
Our concept of Bema also supports pre-tribulation rapture in such a way that when Jesus comes back during the Second Coming as described in Revelation 19:18 with His bride, she is seen already rewarded and her reward is described as fine linen.
It also makes sense that the believers who were raptured and were taken to heaven which tells us that Bema judgement happens “up there.”
Unbelievers will never go near the gates of heaven. Remember that unbelievers have not been resurrected at this point and they shall face their final judgement after the end of the Millennial reign of Christ and it´s called the Great White Throne judgement.
Our second lesson point –
A person who faces Jesus Christ during Bema judgement has already been saved. If he is not, he has no place up there in heaven and in front of the Righteous Judge.
Now, there is a school of thought that during this Bema judgment, God is going to punish believers for all the sins they did after they were saved or after they have received Jesus in their lives. They say that when you got saved, your sins are forgiven up until that time. But at the Bema, all the sins you committed since you've been saved are going to be displayed on a wide screen for everyone to see. It's going to be like in a movie house with reclining seats and giant digital screen with IMAX sound, real 3-D, THX, Dolby, or , and here comes our first believer. Look at all the crazy things he did, let us show his lustful thoughts, let us replay the recorded lies he said after he got born again.
If Bema judgement is like that, it´s a horrifying thought! If you think about it, we wouldn't want to go to heaven anymore. If this is true, if Jesus´ blood does not cover our sins -- past, present, future -- then it only tells us that the cross is inadequate .
Hebrews 8:12 he says, "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE!"
And of course, our favorite verse 1st John 1:9 – “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us ours sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
The Bema Judgement Seat of Christ is a time of rejoicing! The Academy Awards will probably look peanuts compared to Bema Judgement on that day. You know what I imagine – I imagine that in heaven there will be some sort of a super grand ballroom, much grander that the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. There´s this loud voice, and somebody will announce the name of each believer.
For example, Ladies and Gentlemen, our next crown goes to Brother Cesar, he preached and taught the Word of God in WCCC Maple Ridge even if his nose was bleeding. The Lord Jesus Christ presents to him the CROWN of GLORY! Isn´t that something that we should eagerly look forward to?
Our third lesson point –
The Bible assures us in Romans 8:1 that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” This supports the idea that at the Bema Judgement we won't be condemned for our sins. However, listen to this… our present lives do affect what will happen at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Our present lives will be miserable because of sin and disobedience and lot of Christians miss a lot of opportunities in life because of this.
The Heavenly Crowns
The Bible talks about future rewards in a form of certain crowns that God has in store for us in heaven. There are five heavenly crowns mentioned in the New Testament that will be awarded to believers.
The Greek word translated “crown” is stephanos which means “a badge of royalty, a prize in the public games or a symbol of honour.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
We can spend Sunday after Sunday talking about end times, and judgement and Rapture and the glorious appearing of Christ --- but if we don´t live a Spirit-filled life here on Earth… we´ll missed those rewards that God has prepared for us even before we were born.
Jesus said that we must store treasures in heaven, things with eternal value, things that we can bring with us to heaven… which by the way, are not things but Godly virtues such as love, compassion, service, mercy, faithfulness and so many others.
Jesus is not only a Savior. If we make Him a true Lord of our lives here on Earth, He will also be a Great Rewarder in the end.
Prayer:
Wherever you are, whatever you situation you may be -- you need the love of Jesus in your life. Please say this prayer sincerely from your heart:
Father God, I confess all my sins to you today. Please forgive me. Today, I open my heart to your Son Jesus Christ. I accept Him in my life as my Saviour and as my Lord. May the Holy Spirit come to my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen.
The above article is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at WCCC Maple Ridge during its Sunday service on October 22, 2017
I apologise if there are grammatical and spelling errors.
I also apologise if I have missed acknowledging or making proper references to my sources, if any, as it is purely unintentional.
If you are looking for a church in British Columbia, Canada please visit our website at:
www.wordchristiancommunity.com
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