|
|
THE BEMA SEAT OF CHRIST
THE BEMA SEAT OF CHRIST
[Bob Wilkin, 'Bad at the Bema?: The Nature of Our Evaluation at the
Judgment Seat of Christ.', Audio Tape #SFW1, 2001 Grace Evangelical
Society with commentary notes by biblestudymanuals.net = [BSM]:
INTRODUCTION
God makes some pretty amazing promises in the bible. For example, we're
told 'Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more',
(Hebrews 10:17). And again, in Colossians chapter 2, we're told that He
has forgiven us all, ALL trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting
of requirement that was against us, and He's nailed it to the cross. So
we have forgiveness, we have total forgiveness of sins. And it's
certainly one of the most blessed doctrines in the entire bible. And I
think one of the reasons that's so... isn't it true that the more we
grow in our Christian experience, the more we realize how far we still
have to go? In fact the more we grow, don't we realize, more and more
how sinful we are? And we gain an appreciation for the holiness of God
the more we grow in Christ. It's wonderful to realize that He remembers
our sins no more, and He separates our sins as far as the East from the
West. It's wonderful to realize that we are perfected in God's sight,
(Hebrews chapter 10).
But, BUT many Christians, unfortunately draw a conclusion from this
which I feel is very much unwarranted. They draw the conclusion since
all our sins have been forgiven, that means our sins cannot possibly be
considered at the judgment of Christians known as the Judgment Seat of
Christ. Or in Greek the word [for] Judgment Seat is Bema. I'm here to
suggest, even though this isn't a popular topic that the bad deeds of
believers will be considered at the Bema Seat of Christ. We might all
prefer that that wouldn't be the case, but if it is true, don't we want
to know it now? If it is true, we ought to know it now so that we won't
end up ashamed of ourselves at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Now I have three major points today. The first two will not prove the
case. The first two will merely show that forgiveness does not exclude
accountability. The third point is where I try to show directly from
Scripture that we have the accountability of all of our deeds good or
bad.
FORGIVENESS DOES NOT EXCLUDE ACCOUNTABILITY
So first of all, forgiveness doesn't exclude accountability....
According to 1 John 1:9, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'
Well, wait a minute, didn't Hebrews 10 say that He's forgotten ALL of
our sins? Well, that's true in a positional sense [i.e., we are viewed
as forgiven unto eternal life & viewed as already in heaven, (Eph
2:6)], but in terms of our fellowship with God and our experience, we
must confess our sins in order to have fellowship forgiveness. So...
our positional forgiveness does not exclude the need for fellowship
forgiveness. Also under this point that forgiveness doesn't exclude
accountability is [that eternally] forgiven people experience God's
judgment here and now. I mean we could go to many verses, but how about
1 Cor 11:30? Paul's talking about the Lord's Supper and he says because
some of them were getting drunk at the Lord's Supper and excluding
others from having anything to eat, and they had a very flippant
attitude toward the Lord's Supper - 'For this reason many are weak and
sick among you and many sleep.' And the word for sleep is the Greek
verb 'koimao' which is used of the death of believers in the New
Testament. It's a figurative reference, obviously he doesn't mean they
are taking a siesta. These people have died as a result of abusing the
Lord's Supper. Clearly there's accountability even though there is
positional [i.e., eternal] forgiveness.
So this doesn't prove the point [that our sins are judged at the Bema],
but all it shows is the fact that... [having] total forgiveness does
not mean I can sin with impunity now. There are consequences now. The
Holy Spirit points out my sins now. I'm to confess my sins now.
CONFESSION OF SINS DOESN'T EXCLUDE ACCOUNTABILITY NOW
Confession of sins doesn't exclude accountability now. David was a man
after God's own heart and yet he committed adultery and murder. And
prior to his confession of the sins, he did not receive [fellowship]
forgiveness from God. You'll remember in 2 Samuel chapter 12 that
Nathan confronts him and says 'you're the man.' And he [David]
acknowledges his sin, he receives forgiveness from God, but guess what?
If you've ever studied 2 Samuel - the second half of 2 Samuel is a
series of disasters for King David. He loses his son, he has a son
that's trying to take the kingdom away from him, then he loses Absolom,
and on and on and on. Did he have forgiveness? Yes. Did that eliminate
accountability. No. And we can find many other examples. Let's say
you're a believer and you go out and you rob a bank. And as you're
leaving the bank, you sincerely confess your sin. 'Lord, I am sorry I
stole this money. In fact, I'm going to take it back in there and give
it back to them.' So you take it back in and they arrest you. And they
take you to the police station. Well, is there elimination of
accountability? No. If you commit armed robbery, even if you take the
money back, even if you confess your sins; you're going to probably end
up in Huntsville [prison inTexas]. And so what we need to realize is
that confession of sins doesn't exclude accountability in this life.
THERE IS NO PROMISE THAT CONFESSED SINS WILL NEVER BE CONSIDERED AT THE BEMA
Secondly, there's no promise... that confessed sins will never be
considered at the Bema. There is no promise [in Scripture] that if I
confess my sins then they're going to be hidden at the Judgment Seat of
Christ. Now it's hard to prove a negative. I can't really prove this
point to you, but I think I can give you some evidence to this..
We know Scripture doesn't contradict itself and... I've looked at all
the texts that are... brought forward [i.e., are purported] to say if
we confess our sins they won't come up at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
I can't find a one [that actually does say this]...
[BSM]
On the other hand, at the judgment seat of Christ it does indicate that
the works of a believer are reviewed and those portions that are deemed
"gold, silver, precious stones," will be rewardable. And those portions
that are deemed "hay, wood, straw" will not be rewardable. There will
be no second punishment for sins that were committed in the temporal
life in view; especially since the individuals will be in their perfect
resurrection bodies. It would be ludicrous if believers will receive a
second punishment for the same sins they committed in their temporal
lives.
[Wilkin, cont.]
But it's my conviction that there is not a single verse anywhere in the
Old or New Testament that says that if we confess our sins they will
not be considered at the Judgment Seat of Christ. If there is no such
promise, that ought to give us pause, shouldn't it?
[BSM]
The believer's sins will be considered at the Judgment Seat of Christ
which purpose is to give out rewards for faithful service to God during
their temporal lives. The believer's actions that are sinful will be
considered, not for a second punishment, but for disqualifying a
believer for receiving rewards during those times when he was not
faithful because he was committing those sins or for those times when
he was not being faithful in some manner. Consider the action of a
believer as he was being faithful and unfaithful here and there: those
moments in that action that were faithful will be rewardable, and those
moments in that action that were unfaithful will not be rewardable.
[Wilkin, cont.]
While these first two points don't prove the case, they simply show that forgiveness of sins does not exclude accountability.
[BSM]
But only to determine what part of each action is rewardable behavior
and what part of that action is not rewardable. Some things that one
does might be acceptable for reward, while other things within that
action might not be acceptable, BUT NOT FOR A SECOND PUNISHMENT
[Wilkin, cont.]
THE SEVEN CATEGORIES OF SCRIPTURAL ARGUMENTS THAT PROVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SINS AT THE BEMA SEAT
PREVIEW OF THE SEVEN CATEGORIES
Now I want to bring some direct Scriptural arguments [to you], and I have... seven...
First of all, the bible says that everything which is done is going to
be revealed. All the hidden things are going to be revealed.
[BSM]
But there are different reasons for this revelation. At the Judgment
Seat of Christ the reason is to determine what actions are rewardable
and which are not. There is no second punishment in view here.
So this does NOT prove accountability for sins at the Bema Seat except
that sins may rule out the reception of eternal rewards for particular
circumstances in accordance with the sovereignty of God.
[Wilkin, cont.]
Secondly, the bible says that there will be negative emotions and consequences at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
[BSM]
Due to sinful behavior disqualifying one from not receiving certain
rewards, but those are the only consequences. Punishment or
chastisement are not in view in the Judgment Seat of Christ.
[Wilkin, cont.]
Third, there are warnings not to sin in light of the coming Judgment Seat of Christ.
[BSM]
Again: lest you be disqualified to receive a number of rewards, not to
be punished a second time at that Judgment if you are a believer who is
then in his resurrection body.
[Wilkin, cont.]
Fourth, we have in Scripture, many examples of the sins of believers which are recorded forever in the Scriptures.
[BSM]
Whether or not our sins are recorded forever in the Scriptures - even
into eternity future????? - nevertheless the context of the Judgment
Seat of Christ is relative to qualifying to receive eternal rewards or
not. There indeed may be shame at the Judgment Seat of Christ and that
indeed may be difficult even shame, but all tears / shame / etc. will
be wiped away when the Millennial Rule is over and eternity begins.
[Wilkin, cont.]
Fifth, the word Bema or Judgment Seat, does not mean an academy awards
banquet where we are giving out a lot of trophies. It means Judgment
Seat - that's why it's translated 'Judgment Seat'.
[BSM]
Check the dictionay and the context of the passage. Judgment here means
to judge WHO GETS A REWARD AND WHO DOES NOT!!!!!! How about the
judgment in Hollywood every year relative to who gets an academy reward
and who does not!!!!!!!! If someone feels bad because they did not get
an academy award, well that's not going to be a personal condemnation,
just a personal regret. It all depends upon context.
[Wilkin, cont.]
Sixth, according to 2 Corinthians 5:10 we're going to be recompensed
for the deeds done in the body whether or good or bad. And the Greek
word for bad there... means bad [even evil].
[BSM]
"For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, so that
each one may be recompensed (may receive, YLT and many other
translations) ;
The Greek word is "komisetai" meaning "may receive" and translated
"recompensed" in the NASB which means get paid. It does not mean you
get condemned / punished if in your resurrection body your previous
behavior all told or in part here and there fell short of the
Righteousness of God and did not qualify for being rewarded - and you
suffered loss because your behavior did not match up - a second loss in
your resurrection body after you suffered discipline from God for the
same thing in your temporal life: that's payment for sins committed
twice!!!! Is God going to do that???? If there is no cause for being
recompensed, then YOU DON'T GET PAID and you very well might suffer the
loss. If you did nothing of value, then you don't get paid - you don't
get rewarded. And you may thereby suffer loss because you did not get
paid because you did not deserve to get paid. You deeds did not match
up with the Righteousness of God via the grace of God.
[Wilkin, cont.]
Seven, in Galatians 6:7, Paul says, 'Do not be deceived, God is not
mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he also will reap.' If that
doesn't mean that there are consequences for our bad deeds in this
life, then there is some problem with the sowing and reaping
principle....
[BSM]
If a farmer does not plant seed the consequences are that he won't have
a crop to harvest. It was a bad thing for him not to plant seed, and
the consequence was that he did not receive a crop to harvest. And the
believer who has certain times of no faithfulness than he gets
disciplined / punished in this life without receiving any temporal
blessing. And he is not rewarded in the next for something he did that
was not faithful. That's fair. But there is no second punishment while
the believer is in his perfect resurrection body at the Judgment Seat
of Christ.
[Wilkin, cont.]
ALL THINGS WILL BE REVEALED
In First Corinthians 4, the first 5 verses, Paul talks about the coming
Judgment. And at the end of it he says, 'Therefore judge nothing before
the time until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the hidden
things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the heart. Then each ones
praise will come from God.'
Now notice he's going to bring to light the hidden things of darkness.
[This] doesn't sound like good deeds to me. And He's going to reveal
the counsels of the heart. So there is going to be a comprehensive
judgment. Also in Luke chapter 8 verses 16, 17 & 18, the Lord says,
'No one when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it
under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see
the light.'
[Notice this]:
(v. 17) 'For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.
(v. 18) Therefore take heed how you hear for he whoever has to him more
will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have
will be taken from him.'
Notice how absolute the statements are here. He says, 'Nothing is
secret that will not be revealed' - NOTHING. Nor is there anything that
will not be made known and come to light. As far as I can tell there is
no wriggle room here. We can't say, 'Well, I'm a believer, all my sins
are forgiven, therefore, anything I do in this life that is a bad deed
- it's going to get a free pass. No, everything is going to be
considered.
[BSM]
Of course all things about our lives will indeed be revealed at the
Judgment Seat of Christ in heaven while we believers are in our
Resurrection Bodies. But there is only in view rewards or no rewards,
NOT some kind of additional punishment for all the bad things we did
while in our temporal bodies. That judgment has already been made and
received!!!! That is no where in the context of any passage on the
Judgment of believers in heaven that the purpose of the Judgment Seat
of Christ is additional punishment. Our lives will be revealed in that
Judgment and those things that are hay, wood, straw will be burned up,
lacking any value for the purpose of earning rewards. And there are
those things that are gold, silver, precious stones that the fire will
refine and we will earn rewards for those things. Often there will be
things that we do which are in parts of good value for which parts we
will be rewarded; and in the other parts of no good value and for which
we will not be rewarded. But there will be no further punishment for
those bad things we did while in our temporal bodies.
[Wilkin, cont.]
Now all seven of these points stand on their own. In other words, if
[one] point is true, I don't need any more evidence, right? If it's
true that he [Paul] says that nothing is hidden that won't be revealed
[then] end of story.
But let's say somehow I've misunderstood these passages and many others
like it. There are six more lines of argument that are also equally
strong....
[BSM]
No problem. The context is rewards or no rewards based on an evaluation
of ones behavior to see if there were moments of deserved behavior, not
punishment for undeserved behavior such as bad deeds
[Wilkin, cont.]
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES AT THE BEMA
The second one is negative consequences at the Bema or the Judgment
Seat. Now, if all the consequences at the Judgment Seat were positive,
then we could establish the idea that our bad deeds won't be considered.
[BSM]
Rewards will be awarded for gold, silver, precious stones type
behaviors whatever that specifically means with the implication of that
which is for faithful behavior - albeit no believer's contribution will
be perfect, i.e., without sin, (1 Jn 1, 9). Those parts of the
believer's contribution which are disqualified, characterized by God as
unacceptable behavior, i.e., hay, wood, straw as described in 1 Cor
3:11-15 will not qualify to receive rewards. These latter behaviors
might be described as bad deeds, albeit there is no punishment
stipulated for such bad behaviors at the time of the Judgment Seat of
Christ other than that such behavior is not going to be rewarded with
eternal rewards. It would seem that bad behaviors might be dealt with
during the believer's temporal life and not then have punishment meted
out to the believer while he was in his perfect resurrection body a
second time.
[Wilkin, cont.]
But if there are any negative consequences, it's my view that our bad
deeds must be considered. Because you cannot have negative consequences
resulting from good deeds. You may say, 'Well, wait a minute, maybe
they're just sins of omission.' Fine. Aren't those bad deeds? If we
have something which we are able to do and we're not doing [it]. [If]
we say, 'Be filled and be warm,' but we don't give the person what's
good for the body, is that not sin? And so, if there are negative
consequences at the Bema then there are going to be our bad deeds
considered at the Bema.
[BSM]
Negative consequences meaning not receiving rewards for bad deeds, or
for deeds that are not faithful will be not receiving rewards. Negative
consequences will evidently already have been meted out in the temporal
lives of believers. No need to mete out further punishment for
believers in resurrection bodies - as if they would be punished a
second time for the same thing.
[Wilkin, etc.]
Let me mention three negative consequences at the Bema. The first one
is shame at the Bema. There will be shame at the Bema. In First John
2:28 the Apostle John tells us, 'And now little children abide in Him
so that when He appears we may have confidence, (or boldness), and not
shrink back in shame at His coming.'
Two options: confidence, shame. Not all believers are going to have
boldness at the Bema. Some are going to have shame. Keep in mind he's
writing to little children, believers. Based on First John 2:12-14
there's no possibility that the readers are unregenerate people.
[BSM]
Indeed there will most likely be shame at the Bema when the believer's
unfaithful works are shown - even moments during which he did faithful
/ rewardable things and then rewards would not be forthcoming for those
unfaithul moments, reducing the quality of the reward. But those parts
of the believers' works which are faithful will be rewardable, albeit
perhaps because of the accompanying unfaithful deeds the rewards will
not be so great as expected.
[Wilkin, cont.]
Secondly, there will be disapproval at the Bema..... From 2 Timothy
2:15 'Approved workmen are not ashamed.' The word approved is the word,
'dokimos'. The word disapproved is the same word with an 'a' on the
front which reverses it, 'adokimos'.... For example, in 1 Cor 9:27, the
Apostle Paul says, 'But I discipline my body and bring it into
subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become
'adokimos', dissapproved'. Well, if there is disapproval among
believers, well that's a negative consequence. And in fact, we know
from Luke chapter 19 with the parable of the minas, that while the
first servant hears, 'well done', and the second servant hears, 'you
also rule over five cities,' the third servant is rebuked and called a
wicked, worthless servant. There will be rebuke and disapproval at the
Judgment Seat of Christ. Third, and I have already touched on this.
There will be rebuke. And the rebuke would be for example, the third
servant in the parable of the minas in Luke chapter 19. In fact, in
verses 22 & 23, the Lord says, '''Out of your own mouth I will
judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man,
collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. Why
then did you not put my money in the bank that at my coming I might
have collected it with interest?'''
And then the Lord takes the mina from him, gives it to the one who has
10. And there's rebuke here. There's loss of rewards. This person is
not going to be ruling with the Lord Jesus Christ in contrast to the
other servant. Now I must admit that some people take a look at the
parable of the minas and say that the third servant represents an
unbeliever; because they say, 'Look his mina is taken away from him,
and he's not ruling.' Well, the problem with this view, and there are
many, is the first two people are at the Judgment Seat of Christ and
what's an unbeliever doing at the Judgment Seat of Christ? Secondly,
these are all called servants of God. They're all entrusted with the
stewardship. Unbelievers are not given spiritual gifts. They're not
entrusted with any sort of stewardship. And third when you look at Luke
19, it begins with talking about enemies of the Lord Jesus who don't
want Him to rule over them. Clearly, a reference to the Jewish people -
like Jn 1:11: 'He came to His own, and His own received Him not.'
And then it says, He brought ten of His servants, obviously not in that
group [that rejected Him]. And He gave them all a sum of money. And one
of those ten wastes it - buries it - doesn't bring any return. Well, in
Luke 19:27 when the parable is over, the Lord says, 'but bring here
these enemies of Mine who don't wish Me to rule over them and slay them
here in My presence.' Clearly, the third servant is distinguished from
the ones who are slain who do not get into the Kingdom of God. So....
the third servant is a believer in Jesus Christ. He is a servant of
God, but he is one who has not used his abilities as he should and he
receives rebuke from the Lord Jesus Christ. So the idea that there will
be shame, the idea of disapproval, the idea of rebuke all suggest
negative consequences at the Bema which can only come if our bad deeds
are indeed part of the consideration.
[BSM]
There may indeed be disapproval among believers, but what would be the
purpose - which is not stipulated in Scripture - to have such
disapproval be expressed by believers in their resurrection bodies at
the Judgment Seat of Christ toward one another when others' failings
are revealed to everyone - including their own - not a good way to
begin eternity. Certainly all believers will fall short of the
Righteousness of Christ in everything they do - everything that is
revealed at that Judgment - even those things which are rewardable. But
keep in mind that that Judgment's purpose is to mete out rewards, not
punishment; albeit there will be revealed our many shortcomings and
perhaps to our shame. Yet there will be in our resurrection bodies a
sober realization of those shortcomings many of which will have been
refined unto perfection by the grace of God. So I don't see that the
context of the Judgment Seat of Christ will include rebuke for past
sins in our mortal lives and then a reward for faithful service.
[Wilkin, cont.]
WARNINGS NOT TO SIN BECAUSE THE BEMA IS COMING
Now there's a third evidence... and it's also independent. That is that
there are warnings not to sin because the Bema is coming. You're all
aware of Romans 14:10-12. That's where we're told by Paul, 'But why do
you judge your brother, or why do you show contempt for your brother
for we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ?' That's the
majority of manuscripts. Other manuscripts read, 'the Judgment Seat of
God.' In either case, we are clearly talking about the Judgment Seat of
Jesus Christ. Now, the interesting point is, that he is saying, 'Don't
show contempt for your brother because we're going to appear at the
Judgment Seat of Christ.' James picks up the same theme in James
chapter 5... They've been grumbling and he says in James 5:9, 'Do not
grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be judged.' Well, now
all believers are going to be judged... in fact, some translations say
condemn ['lest you be condemned']. The translation should be something
like, 'Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be found
at fault. Behold the Judge is standing at the door.'
Now I know we think of Jesus as our Savior, and He is; and we think of
Him as our Lord, and He is; but do we think of Him as our Judge?
According to James 5:9, He's the Judge and He's standing at the door.
That is, the door of history, and He's about to open it. The Rapture's
going to occur at any moment. And when it does, we're going to be held
accountable for grumbling against other brothers and sisters in Christ.
So I would suggest that these warnings not to sin in light of the Bema
suggests that bad deeds will be considered at the Judgment Seat of
Christ.
[BSM]
Rewards will be awarded for gold, silver, precious stones type
behaviors whatever that specifically means with the implication of that
which is for faithful behavior - albeit no believer's contribution will
be perfect, i.e., without sin, (1 Jn 1, 9). Those parts of the
believer's contribution which are disqualified, characterized by God as
unacceptable behavior, i.e., hay, wood, straw as described in 1 Cor
3:11-15 will not qualify to receive rewards. These latter behaviors
might be described as bad deeds, albeit there is no punishment
stipulated for such bad behaviors at the time of the Judgment Seat of
Christ other than that such behavior is not going to be rewarded with
eternal rewards. It would seem that bad behaviors might be dealt with
during the believer's temporal life and not then have punishment meted
out to the believer while he was in his perfect resurrection body a
second time.
[Wilkin, cont.]
BAD DEEDS RECORDED IN SCRIPTURE ARE A PERMANENT RECORD WHICH WILL
CERTAINLY BE PART OF THE JUDGMENT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO COMMITTED
THOSE BAD DEEDS
Fourth, is the idea that believers' bad deed are recorded in
Scripture.... Think for example in Acts 5 of Ananias and Saphira. They
concoct a plan to sell some land, bring part of the money before the
elders, and then to say they've given the whole sum of money. So
Ananias lies and.... consequences fall.. he dies. Then Saphira comes in
and repeats the same lie and she dies. It seems to me that it's
inconceivable that at their judgment that will not be part of their
consideration of what happens for them. Or think about David with his
sin with Bathsheba and with killing her husband Uriah. Certainly, it
seems to me, since those things are recorded in Scripture, that part of
the permanent record of something that we will be studying forever,
that it's going to be part of David's Judgment. Or Nadab and Abihu
offering up strange fire in Leviticus chapter 10 and they become toast.
Seems to me that's going to be a significant part of their judgment.
After all it terminated their lives prematurely at the beginning of the
Mosaic Covenant just like Ananias and Saphire had their lives
terminated at the beginning of the Church Age - both as an example to
the flock.
[BSM]
Rewards will be awarded for gold, silver, precious stones type
behaviors whatever that specifically means with the implication of that
which is for faithful behavior - albeit no believer's contribution will
be perfect, i.e., without sin, (1 Jn 1, 9). Those parts of the
believer's contribution which are disqualified, characterized by God as
unacceptable behavior, i.e., hay, wood, straw as described in 1 Cor
3:11-15 will not qualify to receive rewards. These latter behaviors
might be described as bad deeds, albeit there is no punishment
stipulated for such bad behaviors at the time of the Judgment Seat of
Christ other than that such behavior is not going to be rewarded with
eternal rewards. It would seem that bad behaviors might be dealt with
during the believer's temporal life and not then have punishment meted
out to the believer while he was in his perfect resurrection body a
second time.
[Wilkin, cont.]
THE WORD 'BEMA' REFERS TO JUDGMENT SEAT = A JUDGMENT NOT LIMITED TO AWARDS
The word 'Bema' refers to Judgment Seat. I know that a lot of
Christians have the idea that Bema means something like the Academy
Awards Presentation and we're all up for best supporting actor... and
we've all got a chance. There are number of references to the Bema...
The term Bema means Judgment Seat.
What about Jesus appearing before Pilate's Bema? Well, Pilate wasn't
giving Him any awards. Pilate kept trying to avoid condemning Him to
death. But ultimately, Pilate caved in under pressure. didn't he? And
at his Bema He condemned the Lord Jesus Christ to death. Paul appeared
before the judgment seat of a man named Gallio in Acts chapter 18
because the Jewish people were saying he was preaching contrary to
Judaism. And Gallio's answer was, 'No, seems to me, this is an internal
dispute you're having. That this Jesus is a Jew and this religion is an
offshoot of Judaism, or it's a natural progression from Judaism.' But
when Paul appeared before his Bema or his judgment seat, it was not to
get an award. It was to be judged. Remember later, Paul appeared before
Caesar and he said he wanted to go to Caesar's Bema or Caesar's
Judgment Seat. So there's no room in Scripture as I see it for the
argument that a judgment seat means merely giving out of awards. Based
on the other uses in Scripture, it includes a judgment which can have
negative consequences.
[BSM]
Rewards will be awarded for gold, silver, precious stones type
behaviors whatever that specifically means with the implication of that
which is for faithful behavior - albeit no believer's contribution will
be perfect, i.e., without sin, (1 Jn 1, 9). Those parts of the
believer's contribution which are disqualified, characterized by God as
unacceptable behavior, i.e., hay, wood, straw as described in 1 Cor
3:11-15 will not qualify to receive rewards. These latter behaviors
might be described as bad deeds, albeit there is no punishment
stipulated for such bad behaviors at the time of the Judgment Seat of
Christ other than that such behavior is not going to be rewarded with
eternal rewards. It would seem that bad behaviors might be dealt with
during the believer's temporal life and not then have punishment meted
out to the believer while he was in his perfect resurrection body a
second time.
[Wilkin, cont.]
BAD DEEDS AT THE BEMA ARE IN VIEW IN 2 COR 5:10
There's a sixth thing... mentioned earlier 2 Cor 5:10: That the bad
deeds of believers will be recompensed at the Bema. Now I know this
one's controversial. You've probably heard 2 Cor 5:10 taught
differently... In 2 Cor 5:10, the Apostle Paul says, 'We must all
appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ (That's the Bema of Christ)
'that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to
what he has done whether good or bad.' Now obviously if the word 'bad'
here means 'bad'... let's assume for the moment that maybe it's not a
good translation.... Maybe it really means something like 'good or
worthless' or something, or 'good and not profitable' or something. But
if it really does mean 'bad', then the story's over, right? Because the
bad deeds of believers will be considered at the Bema. It says so right
here in one of only two passages that specifically mentions the
Judgment Seat of Christ. So the question is, does this word 'bad' mean
'bad' or something else? Well, there are many people that suggest that
the Greek word here... is a word 'falon' or 'falos' in the nominative.
And that 'falon' means something like worthless. It's maybe a good deed
done with the wrong motives or something which was morally neutral but
not a bad deed - just a worthless deed. Well, I have some problems with
that. I have two major problems. The first problem is the Greek word
here is probably not 'falos' but a word that clearly means bad, 'kakos'
or in the accusative, 'kakon'. It's supported by the majority of
manuscripts. That's why if you read the King James or the New King
James you're going to see clearly 'whether good or bad.' And it's also
supported by some of the critical manuscripts like ß and P46. However
even if we assume that 'falon' is the correct reading here, it still
should be translated bad... because every time that 'falos' is opposite
the Greek word for good 'agathos'.... it is always translated either
'bad' or 'evil' in every major translation.... the opposite of good is
going to be bad.... And so either way, all of our deeds, good or bad
are going to be considered. And some believers, their judgment is going
to be that their life has not been lived in a manner that warrants the
Lord's approval, His praise.
[BSM]
Rewards will be awarded for gold, silver, precious stones type
behaviors whatever that specifically means with the implication of that
which is for faithful behavior - albeit no believer's contribution will
be perfect, i.e., without sin, (1 Jn 1, 9). Those parts of the
believer's contribution which are disqualified, characterized by God as
unacceptable behavior, i.e., hay, wood, straw as described in 1 Cor
3:11-15 will not qualify to receive rewards. These latter behaviors
might be described as bad deeds, albeit there is no punishment
stipulated for such bad behaviors at the time of the Judgment Seat of
Christ other than that such behavior is not going to be rewarded with
eternal rewards. It would seem that bad behaviors might be dealt with
during the believer's temporal life and not then have punishment meted
out to the believer while he was in his perfect resurrection body a
second time.
[Wilkin, cont.]
WHATEVER YOU SOW YOU REAP EVEN AT THE JUDGMENT AND THAT INCLUDES GOOD AND BAD DEEDS
Finally, the seventh point... is whatever we sew we reap.... Gal 6:7
says 'Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows
that he will also reap." .... If you sow bad deeds you get bad stuff.
If you sow good deeds you get good stuff. That's true now and it's true
at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Well, you may say, wait a minute, he's
just talking about here and now. Well, how come in Galatians 6:9 it
says, 'Let us not grow weary in doing good for in due time we shall
reap if we do not lose heart.' And in fact when we compare it with
Galatians 5:19-21 we know that there is going to be rulership for some
and inheriting the kingdom for some and not for others. And that the
one who sows to the Spirit is going to have a full experience of
everlasting life.
[BSM]
Rewards will be awarded for gold, silver, precious stones type
behaviors whatever that specifically means with the implication of that
which is for faithful behavior - albeit no believer's contribution will
be perfect, i.e., without sin, (1 Jn 1, 9). Those parts of the
believer's contribution which are disqualified, characterized by God as
unacceptable behavior, i.e., hay, wood, straw as described in 1 Cor
3:11-15 will not qualify to receive rewards. These latter behaviors
might be described as bad deeds, albeit there is no punishment
stipulated for such bad behaviors at the time of the Judgment Seat of
Christ other than that such behavior is not going to be rewarded with
eternal rewards. It would seem that bad behaviors might be dealt with
during the believer's temporal life and not then have punishment meted
out to the believer while he was in his perfect resurrection body a
second time.
[Wilkin, cont.]
CONCLUSION
I would suggest that all seven of these points strongly support and
prove the fact that our judgment, the Bema Seat of Christ will be
comprehensive. It's not going to be a judgment that leaves out all the
bad deeds we do and just has the good stuff left. But its going to
consider everything we've done - all the hidden things - all the things
we think we've hidden from God. We did it in secret, nobody here on
earth learned about it and we think, 'Oh good, I got away with that.'
No you did not get away with it in this life, and you won't get away
with it at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
[BSM]
Rewards will be awarded for gold, silver, precious stones type
behaviors whatever that specifically means with the implication of that
which is for faithful behavior - albeit no believer's contribution will
be perfect, i.e., without sin, (1 Jn 1, 9). Those parts of the
believer's contribution which are disqualified, characterized by God as
unacceptable behavior, i.e., hay, wood, straw as described in 1 Cor
3:11-15 will not qualify to receive rewards. These latter behaviors
might be described as bad deeds, albeit there is no punishment
stipulated for such bad behaviors at the time of the Judgment Seat of
Christ other than that such behavior is not going to be rewarded with
eternal rewards. It would seem that bad behaviors might be dealt with
during the believer's temporal life and not then have punishment meted
out to the believer while he was in his perfect resurrection body a
second time.