2 Corinthians 5:9-10 - The Judgment Seat of Christ

“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.” I know I have said it before, but I feel I need to emphasize and say it again. I come to the book of Revelation with a very literal point of view. In contrast to those who want to spiritualize the contents of the book, I believe that it should be taken literally. Today we are looking specifically at one of the events that we read about in the New Testament as the “Judgment Seat of Christ.” (Romans 14:10 & 2 Corinthians 5:10) I believe this event will take place in heaven at some time during the seven year tribulation. This judgment is for all the believers of the church age. This judgment is not to make them accountable for their sins, but it is designed to determine what kind of service or works they did on earth as a Christian. It must be emphasized that all our sins have already been judged by God on the Cross of Jesus Christ when He was crucified and died. For the believer, all our sins are “under the blood”, and have been removed from us “as far as the east is from the west”, and forever forgotten by God. The Judgment Seat of Christ will be a time when every work we did will be tested as to what kind it was. We read about this in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15. “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.” I need to make it very clear! We do not and cannot work our way to heaven! Salvation is by God’s grace alone and not by our works or anything else that we do! “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9) We cannot work our way to heaven, but we will give an account of our works when we get there at this “Judgment Seat of Christ”.  There are some very interesting aspects as to how our works will be tested and why they need to be tested. And what are the results the works that fail the test, or the actual rewards of those that pass the test. Over the next several days we will see the importance of this judgement as it applies to each of us! For sure we will face the Judge one day and we will “all give an account of ourselves to God.” (Romans 14:12) Some of us will be rewarded and others of us “will be ashamed”. “And now, 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) Are you prepared for this judgment? God bless!