30 April 2013

What God Will Judge


The next stop in this study of the Judgment Seat of Christ is 1 Corinthians 3.  Here the phrase is not mentioned, but the event is described in greater detail.  This passage will form the basis for a deeper consideration of three points relating to this judgment:

1.  What God Will Judge
2.  How God Will Judge
3.  The Outcomes of this Judgment

11 April 2013

Accepted of Him -- Part 2


Lessons learned from 2 Corinthians 5 regarding the judgment seat of Christ:

1.     We know, we have absolute confidence that we are on our way to heaven (vv. 1, 6, 8).
2.     So we’re laboring, not to get saved, but to live acceptably before the one who saved us (v. 9).
3.     This will only be possible if we walk by faith, believing the word of God (v. 7).
4.     Whether or not our works were acceptable to God will be revealed at the judgment seat of Christ (v. 10), where we will be rewarded or suffer loss, accordingly.

One more point to make from this chapter.  The very next verse (11) says:

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

16 January 2013

Accepted of Him -- Part 1


2 Corinthians 5:10 contains the second direct New Testament mention of the judgment seat of Christ.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Here’s what we have in the verse:

1.  We MUST all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (cr. Hebrews 9:27).
2.  The reason – to be rewarded for our deeds (cr. Ezekiel 12:14; Jeremiah 17:10).
3.  The first word of the verse – and this is what we’d like to focus on – is For…  What that means is that the statements of verse 10 are made to explain or give the reason for something else that is stated in the chapter.

Let’s start all the way back in verse 1 to find out what that is.

08 January 2013

Giving Account to God -- Part 4


From Romans 14 and its cross references, we have garnered the following points, as they relate to the Judgment Seat of Christ:

I.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT
II.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF
III.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO GOD
IV.  GOD DOES NOT GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO US

Before we move on to the next New Testament passage on the Judgment Seat of Christ, there are three specific things for which the Bible says God will hold us accountable.  These are worthy of special mention:

A.  Our Influence
B.  Our Authority
C.  Our Words

29 December 2012

Bible Reading 2013


Heard from many who made good use of the Bible Reading Companion posted here about a year ago.  Hope it was a blessing to all who completed (or are about to complete) the program.  If you happened to keep track of the mistakes and/or keep an answer key, please let me know.

HERE is a copy of the Bible Reading and Scripture Memory Program I designed for the teenagers at THE BIBLE Baptist Church for 2013.  The reading program will take you through the Bible in a year.  Each day includes a reading from the Old Testament and the New Testament.  For each month, there is a set of about 6 scripture passages on a certain topic to be used in witnessing (all have sinned; Jesus died for sin; believe for salvation; etc.).

Feel free to print and/or distribute this, or put it to use in any way.  Just send me an email if you need help figuring out how to print it off, and I'll do my best to walk you through.

04 December 2012

Giving Account to God -- Part 3


Romans 14:10 is one of only two verses in scripture to specifically mention the judgment seat of Christ.  The passage's description of that judgment in verse 12 has led us to consider the following points:

I.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT
II.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF
III.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO GOD

There are two additional points that we should make along these lines.  In addition to the acknowledgement that we will all give an account TO GOD, there are some scriptures that direct us to the helpful realization that:

IV.  GOD DOES NOT GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO US

25 October 2012

Why We Do Not Celebrate Halloween

Prepared for distribution at THE BIBLE Baptist Church.  Posted here for your reading enjoyment and thoughtful consideration.


WHY WE DO NOT CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN

1.     While there is some difference of opinion as to the specific origins of the many Halloween traditions (jack-o-lanterns; costumes; trick-or-treating; bobbing for apples; association with ghosts, spirits, witchcraft, and death), it is undeniable and universally agreed that: