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| Bema Seat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Jesus was describing a specific series of events in every believer future that will alter our experience of eternity:� He will come again, He will bring rewards, and His rewards will given to "each according to his works". | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."- Matt 16:27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Since Jesus hasn't come yet we can conclude that even the disciples are still waiting for this event to happen. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Surprised? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The (Real) timeline of your eternity* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jesus explained that our eternal life has a clear and knowable timeline and that most of our life happens after our physical death. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LIFE- You are created in the image of God for a life of purpose. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Between your birth and your death you live on earth as a body, soul and spirit.� (John 3:6; 4:23-24; 1 Thess 5:23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DEATH- You die physically, but not spiritually | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Just as birth is a brief entry death is a brief exit.�� But since you are more than an organic matter, your life as a soul spirit continues.� There is no reincarnation or soul sleep.� Jesus said that after death your soul is either with God in heaven or apart from God in Hell.� (Luke 23:43, 2 Cor 5:8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DESTINATION- You reach your final destination after death, which is determined by what you believed on earth. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your eternal destination is decided by whether you believed in Jesus while you were still alive.� (John 3:16-18)� In all His teaching Jeus identified only 2 possible locations for the afterlife: heaven or hell.� (John 14:2; Matt 23:33)� Both last forever. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RESURRECTION- You receive a resurrected body. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In eternity every person will experience bodily resurrection (John 5:28-29)� Our new bodies will be immortal-they can never again experience death. (1 Cor 15:12-and on)� Those resurrected to heaven Jesus "will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body" (Phil 3:21) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| REPAYMENT- You receive your reward or your retribution for eternity based on what you did on earth. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your eternal location is based on your belief, your repayment is based on your behavior.� Beleivers will be judged at the bema seat and unbelievers the great white throne. (John 5:22; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:11-15)� The outcome will determine your degree of reward in heaven or torment in hell. (Matt 11:21-22;23:14) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| . | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ETERNITY- You will live forever in the presence or absence of God. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jesus taught that eternal existence awaits everyone.� It is a reality that some will go to everlasting punishment and other to eternal life in heaven.� (Matt 25:46) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This timeline is one that all mankind will experience from Noah, to Moses, to Peter to your great grandfather.� Things like the rapture, the second coming, the tribulation, and the Kingdomwere left off because not all will experience all those events.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The timeline clearly shows cause and effect at work.� You'll notice that your life today directly impacts your life after you die.� It is much more than a belief in Jesus which determines your stay, but your behavior which determines the fun or compensation.� But the duration of all stays and levels of fun is the same.� Forever. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I was once led to believe that my actions had very little to do with anything and that heaven for me ids the same for heaven for the next guy no matter how many good things either of us do.� I was led wrong. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There are two camps usually.� The camp that believes what you believe is all that matter and our works mean nothing.� And the other camp that believes or beliefs matter little but our works are weighed heavily.� Usually the two camps look down on each other and miss the big picture. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your belief or disbelief in Jesus is huge, your good or bad behavior is huge. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If your actions today have the potential to radically affect your eternity, wouldn't that dramatically change how you think about your life?� How you think about God?� What you choose to do a minute from now? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jesus wants you to know that the positive consequences of your actions and beliefs today can change your eternity in astounding and wonderful ways- and He doesn't want you to waste another minute thinking otherwise. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 -----------------------------------------------------------> | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The dot stands for your whole life here on earth.� For most of that is seventy years.� The line represents your life after death in eternity.� Jesus teachings show us that everything that happens inside our dot determines everything that happens on the line.� Even a small choice in the dot can result in a corresponding consequence on the line of never ending proportions. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If this truly is sinking in you are thinking things like. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If this is true this changes everything for me!"� or "I can't believe I have been thinking and planning for my future without planning or thinking about my real future." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Are you living for the dot or the line? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son."- John 5:22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paul, thinking ahead to his own awards ceremony wrote: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| -2 Tim 4:8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Do you look forward to meeting your Savior in person? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This is a picture of what you will experience when you stand before Jesus to receive His repayment for what you did in your life on earth.� Remember everyone will give an account, and everyone will receive compensation from God based on his works.� When the apostle Paul wrote to churches, he referred to a judgment at the BEMA of Jesus.� The apostle John wrote about a judgment at a great white throne. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Are they the same thing?� We will see.� How will Jesus evaluate what we did for Him?� What could we gain or lose?� And how will we respond? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No one wrote more about that day than Paul.� Paul had been living in Corinth for several months, spreading the good news about Jesus Christ to the Greeks, when trouble hit.� His enemies dragged him into court and charged him with "persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law" (Acts 18:13)� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scholars say that a raised marble platform still visible today in the ruins of Corinth is the exact place where the provincial magistrate sat to hear Paul?s case.� That platform was called the BEMA which is Greek for judgment seat.� It is the same name used for the place where officials sat at athletic contests.� The BEMA represented authority, justice, and reward. (John 19:13, Acts 25:10-12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At Paul's hearing the guy on the BEMA was named Gallio.� When it came to Paul's turn to defend himself Gallio stopped the proceedings.� He had already decided no crime had occurred.� Paul was free to go.� Considering all the crud Paul went through this incident at the BEMA was merely a blip.� Or was it? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 years later, Paul sent a letter back to the church of Corinth.� In it he talked about another BEMA, this one in heaven.� He told them that every follower of Jesus would have an appointment there one day: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'For we must all appear before the judgment seat (bema) of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. " 2 Cor 5:10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notice two important phrases here: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When Paul writes "that each one may receive" he is clearly indicating a reward or repayment. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When he says "things done in the body" he is restricting the reward to things you did while you were alive on earth.� And as you know the BEMA takes place in heaven after you die. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paul knew the church in Corinth would get it.� They could look out their window and see the BEMA in there town.� It would remind them that all will face the BEMA, we will stand alone, and our judge will be Jesus Christ himself. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Two years later Paul mentions the BEMA again.� He is writing to the Christians in Rome: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We shall stand before the judgment seat (BEMA) of Christ?Each of us shall give account for himself to God." - Romans 14:10, 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What did Paul mean by give an account?� Well to help out there is another visual description of our judgment found in 1 Corinthians 3.� In it, Paul pictures not a platform seat but a building, which represents our works, undergoing a test by fire: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "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." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Cor 3:12-13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SO the first purpose of the BEMA is to show.� Notice the key words- become clear, declare, and revealed.� At a time of accounting after Jesus comes, all that we have done for God will be plainly and completely apparent. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The second purpose of the BEMA is to test our works: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "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." - 1 Cor 3:13-15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notice your sin isn't on display here, your works are.� You aren't being tested here, your works are.� Your beliefs are not being tested here, your works are.� Your destination in eternity isn't being tested here, your works are. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This is the difference between the Great White Throne Judgment and the BEMA.� The Great White Throne talks of displaying deeds good and bad.� Sin and good works.� It talks about the scriptures and the Good news of Christ being explained and then finding their names missing in the book of life meet the second death by being thrown into the lake of fire.� (Rev 20:11-15)� We can be assured that believers skip the Great White Throne because of what is says earlier in that passage: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They (believers) came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.� This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the 1,000 years ended.)� Blessed and holy are the those who share in the first resurrection.� For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him a thousand years." -Revelation 20:4b-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| So the Great White Throne is for unbelievers after the millennium.� The BEMA is for believers.� Your sin is not on display and you have already been declared saved if you arrive at the BEMA. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the BEMA what you did with your life will endure like gold, silver, and precious stones in a fire.� Or it will burn up like straw not a trace with remain, no matter how sensible, enjoyable, or even religious these activities might have seemed when you were alive. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This might help us grasp it.� Picture two followers of Jesus standing in heaven at the BEMA.� One is a high-ranking church leader, the other a street vendor.� First one and then the other stand alone for judgment.� Each turn sees every work he did piled on the altar.� Then the pile is tested by fire. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Who of these two will step into eternity with the most reward? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The answer to that is, before the fire at the BEMA we can?t possibly know!� Until then only God knows what any person's work for Him is worth.� That is why Paul encouraged Christians to "judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes"Then each one's praise will come from God.? (1 Cor 4:5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Only after the BEMA?s fore will we know how a person's life added up.� The fire will make the truth obvious to all.� And when we see it we will completely agree with the judgment of Jesus and the reward or loss that follows. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By now you may be wondering what would cause a work to burn either like straw or endure like gold?� The fire would need to test not only what we did, but also how and why we did it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jesus said that genuine good behavior always begins in the heart (Luke 6:43-45) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Look at these three tests- all from Jesus teachings- as the gold standard to help you evaluate whether the work you do for God will endure: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Test of Relationship.� Jesus said apart from him you can do nothing and cannot bear much fruit.� (John 15:5) The closer your life was to God the more enduring fruit you will have bared.� In revelation Jesus tells the church at Ephesus that have done many good works for Him but they had lost their first love.� ( Rev 2:2,4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Test of Motive.� Jesus said, "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them.� Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven." (Matt 6:1)� Meaning things you do for a pat on the back, gets you at a pat on the back.� Things you do completely for God you get His reward which is far greater.� Our motive should be to serve God and bring Him glory.� Even ordinary actions like eating and drinking can bring glory to God. (1 Cor 10:31)� On the other hand, our most "religious" actions are worthless if our motive is to build up our ego?s and repuations. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Test of Love.�True good works are always focused on sincerely trying to improve the well-being of another.� Jesus said, "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." (Luke 6:35)� And don't forget what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:3: "Though I bestow all my good deeds to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| So while it's important to remember that everything we do for God will be judged at the BEMA, we don't need to be anxious that a work will fail the test of the BEMA because of something we have never heard about.� Jesus will bring no new criterion to the BEMA that hasn't been clearly revealed in scripture and empowered us to meet by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:2-4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What a minute...rewind...suffer loss in heaven? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The tested-by-fire commercial of the BEMA in 1 COR 3 ends with a very sobering prospect: "If anyone's work is burned he will suffer loss, by he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."(v15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When we stand before the BEMA seat in Heaven after we die, we may suffer loss.� What a startling thought!� It is very clear that you can do a work and not get the reward.� A person can be a devoted follower of Christ his or her life and have very few rewards in heaven, because either, they were not as close to God as suspected, they worked for earthly fame, or the had not love.� That is why John warns us: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward."- (2John 1:8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| And pleaded | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Little children, abide in Him, that when he appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." (1 John 2:28) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| But the main purpose at the BEMA is gain not loss.� And we should not dread the loss for "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Rev 21:4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The best part is that no matter what happens at the BEMA Jesus will not love you anymore or any less than before that meeting.� No more and no less than when he died for you so you could be with Him.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There is however one reward that even the lowest of saved sinners will receive.� We will see the face of God and in a moment understand all that He has done for us and through us.� Our overwhelming response will be to cry out in thanks and praise to Him.� At that moment we will want to give Him everything we have just received as a reward.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| But guess what?� Jesus wants you to keep it all.� His plan is for you to enjoy and make good use of your rewards for the rest of eternity.� The popular assumption that we will all cast our crowns before Christ is based on a well-intentioned misreading of Revelation 4:10-11.� There we see a specific group of elders worshipping God by casting their crowns at His feet.� But the context does not represent all believers.� Will you, like those awestruck worshippers want to respond unreservedly to God once you see His amazing power and love?� Absolutely!� But the rewards and repayments from Jesus are not momentary rewards but eternal rewards. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Graph and information taken from the book A Life God Rewards by Bruce Wilkinson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||