The Judgment Seat of Christ: Groundwork

One of the most important, if not the most important event in the future of every believer is an event referred to in the Bible as “the judgment seat of Christ.”  The actual phrase is used only twice in scripture (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10).  A detailed description of the event is found in 1 Corinthians 3.  And as we will see as we study this topic in a series of posts throughout the coming weeks, there are many passages that deal with the various aspects of this final judgment for believers. 

Before we jump into the scripture in search of truth regarding the day when our works as Christians will be judged by the Lord, it is necessary to lay some groundwork. 

Spiritually Fat

A little personal testimony by way of introduction.  Since I married Lauren almost 6 years ago (Proverbs 18:22), I’ve put on about 20 pounds...roughly 10 pounds during each of Lauren’s pregnancies.  She gained a lot more than I did during those 9 month periods, but the difference was that she would lose the weight she had gained after the babies were born.

What has happened to me – and I know many can identify with this – is that there came a time after I got married when I stopped eating like a single Bible college student (out of necessity), and I started eating like a married man whose wife can cook (for pleasure and enjoyment).

Now, I realize (and am being kindly reminded by my wife) that I need to do something about my physical condition before it gets out of hand and becomes a lot harder to reverse, because being physically fat is – let’s say this nicely – really not desirable or beneficial in any way.

Spiritually speaking, though, it’s a different situation.  None of us really want our bodies to be fat.  But there are some Bible verses that indicate it’d actually be a good thing for our souls to be fat. 

The Great Digression

A little bit of history to set the backdrop.  When God gave His law to the nation of Israel – which the nation agreed to keep (Exodus 19:8; 24:3-7; Deuteronomy 5:27) – the consequences for obedience and disobedience to that law were clearly laid out.  Obedience would result in the blessings of safety, peace, and prosperity.  Disobedience would result in famine, sickness, oppression, war, and eventual removal from the land of promise (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). 

As you know, the history of Israel is one of disobedience, rebellion, and idolatry.  And what God said would happen, did.  In 2 Kings 17 (about 722 BC), the ten northern tribes of Israel were carried into captivity by the Assyrians. 

The chapter not only records the final deportation, it summarizes the reasons why it came to this.  And it is a very marked digression.  Sadly, it’s also one that looks mighty familiar.  Let’s take a look…

The Law of Approbation

Joshua 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

The Scofield Study Bible offers this brief, insightful note: “The law of appropriation. God gives, but we must take.”  Is that not the truth?  The land was theirs.  God had given it to them.  The victory was theirs.  God had already promised it to them.  The battle was the Lord’s.  He had said that He would fight for them (Deuteronomy 1:3; 3:22; 20:4).  But they still had to go out to the battlefield and fight.  They still had to engage the enemy and claim the victory God had given.

Consider these applications of this simple truth:

Broad Plates

In Numbers 16, Korah (a Levite) and Dathan and Abiram (from the tribe of Reuben) led a company of 250 Levites in an uprising against Moses’ leadership and Aaron’s priesthood.  “Wherefore lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord (v. 3)?”  These Levites had a position in the Lord’s service but were not content with the position they were given.

(Explanation: God selected Aaron and his descendants to fill the office of the priesthood.  Aaron was a Levite.  Thus, all the priests were Levites.  The Levitical priesthood of Hebrews 7:11 is that of Aaron’s descendants.  But not all the Levites were priests.  There were many families besides Aaron’s in the tribe of Levi. These Levites were selected by God and separated by God for the service of the tabernacle and the service of the priests.  But they did not offer sacrifices or perform the other priestly duties.  This is what angered the group in Numbers 16.)

The test that was to determine whether Moses and Aaron had lifted themselves up above the congregation of the Lord (the charge of vv. 3, 13) or if it was the Lord who had done so involved Korah, the 250 Levites, and Aaron all taking censers, with fire and incense, and standing before the door of the tabernacle.  It is unclear to me what the purpose of the censers was or how the determination was expected to be made, but when the Lord appears, He makes His selection very clear, saying to Moses and Aaron in verse 21, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment,” and in verse 24, “Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

You’re probably familiar with what happens next.

Biblical Prayer

You simply have to listen to this sermon.  Honestly one of the best I think I have ever heard.

http://www.jameswknox.net/media/20120607_E6_ephesians6/20120816_E6_Biblical%20Prayer%204.mp3

God Does Not Hate You

Deuteronomy 1:27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 

What an amazing statement.  What a twisted mentality.  Basically, they were saying…

“God delivered us from Egypt because He hated us…”

“God delivered us from Egypt so He could destroy our lives…”

Nothing could have been further from the truth.  The Lord redeemed His people from Egypt because He loved them (Deuteronomy 7:8).  The Lord brought His people out of Egypt so He could bring them into a land of blessing (Numbers 24:1). 

But their unbelief and their lusts had so clouded their minds that they soon forgot all of that and came to the absurd conclusion that God hated them.