The first passage we will
study that specifically mentions the judgment seat of Christ is Romans 14:7-13.
Romans 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and
no man dieth to himself.
I always thought that this
verse was speaking to the influence my actions have on those around me. That’s a valid application of the statement
that doesn’t violate the text and is supported by other scriptures, but if you
examine the context (2 Peter 1:20), that’s not the meaning here. Verse 7 is defined by verse 8.
Romans 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the
Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or
die, we are the Lord's.
Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and
rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Look closely at that
verse. When Jesus died and rose again,
He became my Savior (1 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 4:15), and praise God for it, but
He had something more, something greater in mind – that he might be LORD… There
are many who want Jesus to be their Savior, and He’ll save whoever calls on His
name (Romans 10:13), but few are interested in having Jesus as their Lord.
In all honestly, the
reason I got saved is far different than the reason God saved me. I got saved for the same reason most saved
people did – I didn’t want to go to hell!
And because I’m saved, I’m not going to hell. Hallelujah!
But that’s not why God saved me.
Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) not
hell. God sent His Son to deliver us
from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4) not from hell’s flames. Jesus gave Himself for us to redeem us from
all iniquity (Titus 2:14) not spare us from the lake of fire.
Again, because I’m saved
from sin, I get to miss out on its eternal penalty, but that’s just one aspect
of the end result of my salvation; it’s not the purpose for which God saved
me. He saved me to be my Lord. He has every right to tell me what to
do. And I’m best off following Him.
Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother?
or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?
Jesus died to be your
Lord, not so you could be your brother’s Lord.
This sentiment is repeated in verse
13 Let us not therefore judge one
another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an
occasion to fall in his brother's way.
All this leads into the
heart of the passage…
Romans 14:10-11 … for we shall all stand before the
judgment seat of Christ. For it is
written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every
tongue shall confess to God.
So one day we’ll stand
before the Jesus died to be our Lord.
What does that mean? And what
will happen there?
Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give
account of himself to God.
We’ll break down that
statement in the next post.
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