The Judgment seat of Christ
2 Corinthians 5:9-10 · Bob Eckel · Jun 18, 2017
2 Corinthians (2017), No. 23
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/492660107640

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

We're in 2nd Corinthians. Alright, so verse 9. Therefore we make it our aim whether present or absent to be well-pleasing to him. So I think therefore, what's it there for? Very good. This class is right up the snuff here this morning. Alright, what's it there for? Let's look at 2nd Corinthians 5, 6 through 8. So, verse 6.

Therefore, we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. And we are confident and willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. You know, that's something we all kind of think about often, don't we?

Present in the body, absent from the Lord, absent from the body, present with the Lord. Anyway, the latter is true, the first is not. Alright, so that's kind of the confidence and atmospheric confidence in which verse 9 is preceded. Therefore we make it our aim whether present or absent to be well-pleasing to Him. We make it our aim or labor, present indicative. That means now and that means factual. It's not more about being well-pleasing to God. How are you doing at that? And so what's this labor? Well, whether present or absent, it's to be well-pleasing to Him. So that's the task before us. And in the flesh, this is a tiresome process and totally unworthy.

So we've got to put this in context in terms of, and we're going to get into this in much more detail in verse 10, in terms of works versus grace. So keep in mind that God's not calling us to live a law here, but in the spirit it begins with rest. Let's turn to Hebrews chapter 4, Hebrews 4, 1 through 10.

Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest. And any of you should seem to come short of this. For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day, and this while he did rest the seventh day from all his works, And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest, seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief. Again, he limits a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so being a time, as it is said, if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterwards have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into this rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God has ceased from his.

Bob, in verse 8 I have Joshua and you said Jesus. Yeah, I have Jesus in my translation. It's their mutual derivative. Right, same can be interpreted either way. So it relates to the Old Testament where in fact works was the law. To conclude Romans, to conclude Hebrews 4, 1, 3, 10, the whole message here is is Paul well stated in Philippians 1, for me to live is Christ and die is gain. So living in the new nature really is kind of what we're going to be talking about a little bit more when it comes to the judgment seat of Christ. All right, so let's go ahead.

Romans 12, 1, 2, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. So presenting our bodies to God, we're not robots. But by faith, that life can be lived out within us. So presenting ourselves well-pleasing to God, how are you doing at that in the power of the flesh?

It doesn't quite make it. I think it really is an important verse that precedes the verse to follow. Every commentator appears to put pressure on us here. How are you doing? You've got your good list and your bad list. You get those good things checked off and those bad things you confess and move on. Anyway, it's amazing to me.

And I turn to Tim LaHaye, who's in the Prophets when we get to verse 10. And he claims that there are two positions on verse 10 that you can take. And basically, he concludes it's really we're accountable for our works. So keep that in mind as we proceed here.

And how easy it is to apply the law to this. If we have this anger that we have to live up to, why, in fact, do we need a cross? Why can't you just be saved by works and by God's grace? All right. So then, how is this accomplished? Well, Clause 129, to this end, I also labor, same labor, striving according to his working which works in me mightily. So who's working? It's His. And how does He work in us? By the Spirit. But what's that contingent on? Our faith. Very simple.

God's principle of faith existed from the garden on. And so that's really the basis by which our acceptance for salvation and ultimately our presentation before the throne of grace ultimately takes place. Verse 10, 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 they're good or bad. And I contend that this verse may be the most important and perhaps misunderstood verse that's given in the church. Any discussion about that statement? No, but I've sure wondered about it a long time. Glad you're working with it.

And I would assure you that most, if not all, commentators, except for a few, really claim that this is a works to be examined day in and day out, that ultimately when we hit the judgment seat, we're going to be guilty of all those false thoughts, those false views of things we didn't do. Boy, that's true. We've got a lot of work to do, everybody. At least I do. For we must appear, it's going to happen. Like it or not, leave absent from the body, present with the Lord. This is something to look forward to. So what's this judgment seat? And I'm going to start with how and end with how to a large extent. His teaching here was absolutely exemplary. This is 2004.

And I was not able to get his handout going back into the Holly Hills library, but I was able to. to get two of his three lessons on 2 Corinthians 5.10. And I remember being in the class, in fact I was co-teaching with him with Jim Poole at the time, I think. And Hal's teaching here was just absolutely spectacular. And I would really encourage each and every one of you to go to the Hollywood Hills Bible Church website and download and listen to these tapes. Because I can't do justice to this like Hal did. And listening to him kind of brought tears to my eyes, missing him so much. He was such a great warrior of the faith.

So Howe points out that there are nine judgments, and he points out that there are three major judgments that are based on dispensational, not covenant theology. Now what's a dispensational? Period of time. Period of time, or an age. And let's take a look at that in more detail.

So the three judgments he points out, the three major judgments, is Matthew 24 and 25, and I'm going to summarize that here, and that's the judgment of the living nations. This is the signs of the end of the age, which is the tribulation, and his second coming. Parenthesis, those saved during the tribulation or during the mage, and this principle is based on faith that produce works. Now are these people saved during the tribulation period part of the in Christ body of Christ?

They're not. So they're going to be judged, and they're going to be judged based on legal principles. revelation where it almost sounds like they got their fists in the air. You'll judge them, won't you, Lord? We are the victims of all this evil. Alright, and by the way, this is based on faith that produced works, the same principles that existed for the nation of Israel. Alright, the second judgment is in Revelation. Remember, three major judgments.

We're going to look at the dispensational approach to this in a second. is for the unsaved at the Great White Throne. So everybody who shows up at the Great White Throne is all cast to eternal separation from God. And we'll not go into details there. But those are only unsaved that show up at the Great White Throne of Judgment. And that's based on faith and grace, or the absent thereof.

Acts 4.12, nor is there salvation in any other, for as no other name under which men are saved other than the Lord Jesus Christ. So these are people who enter into that great white throne judgment who are biblically unsaved.

And the third major judgment according to Hal's view of scripture is the verse we're on, and that's the judgment seat of Christ. based on faith and based on grace both. Based on faith, based on grace. Spelling could be corrected there. For by grace you've been saved through faith and not of yourselves, it's a gift of God. So the grace principle really shows up in our response to God's grace is faith. Same kind of principle that relates to all salvation going forward.

Now, covenant theology. And the way Hal taught this is that there are two judgments related to two covenants. The first is one of works and the other of grace. So works, according to the covenant theology, ended with the fall of Adam. So once Adam fell, ultimately we're in a principle of working our way to get God's approval.

And then the principle of grace is after the fall, ultimately includes both Israel and the church. And although the covenant theologian, he or she who's preaching this, or teaching this, or learning this, or applying this, has both of these principles apply. Now grace is still there, because I think covenant theologians would agree they're saved by grace. But they bring the works of Israel into the church. And so they don't adequately separate works and grace going forward.

Now, this is important in terms of how we view the judgment seat of Christ. Because if you have covenant theology, you're always works accountable. Now, that doesn't mean you're not going to be at the judgment seat of Christ. It simply means that all the works, good or bad, are going to be evaluated, which the scripture says they will. And we'll come to that and how to interpret that. Any thoughts about kind of where we're at right now on covenant theology? This relates to Israel not accepting the Lord Jesus Christ, meaning in terms of his life.

Therefore, all promises must be fulfilled and law is their rule of life. So the grace principle is good to get them saved, but it's insufficient at the judgment seat of Christ not to be accountable for existing sin or sins. Now, again, if you were going to sit down with another believer and you get into this theological discussion, I think you're going to probably have them lost out into outer space someplace.

But nevertheless, the principle of living the Christian life, that's why Margaret and I go here, is the principle of living the Christian life is Christ himself. We're saved by grace and that salvation is past, present, and future. And the principle of grace is beginning with a rest and a peace. And then we move forward by faith to have that life lived out in us.

Critically important and different from living under a legal principle. All right, so setting the stage for that, then let's look at the dispensational theology as Hal defines it. And I don't think any of us would argue with these dispensations. So let's look at them that relate to different ages of biblical history.

First is Adam and Eve. Were Adam and Eve righteous? No. What were they? Innocent. And because Adam lapsed on his responsibility, Eve went ahead and did the initial falling short of God's glory. So that's the first period or dispensation. Then the flood. Again, we're thinking of judgments. So what was the judgment for Adam? Go to work. And what was Eve's judgment? Pain and childbirth. And being subjected to her husband, right? Yes.

Okay. So the flood, all destroyed but how many? Eight. Eight. So judgment, the flood judging the sin of all mankind except the chosen ones of God who survived the flood. Next judgment, the cross. What judgment took place at the cross? Sin. Sins were forgiven. All sins for all time for all men and women were taken care of at the cross. Once and for all.

And actually if you look at Hebrews 2.14, a verse that I turn to often, Satan's actually powerless according to the cross. In terms of the eternal view of where Satan's at. Now he's still powerful in the world system. And he can touch us off and on. But yet Satan's also been made powerless before God because of the cross.

So the cross judged sins, and the cross judged our sin nature. Romans 6, 3 and 4, crucified with him, buried with him, with baptism unto death, risen with him in newness of life. So the cross, probably the greatest judgment of all time in terms of past sins and future sins going forward.

Tribulation related, and we just related to that. The tribulation is going to be judging whom? When the tribulation comes, we're not talking about those people saved in the tribulation, who are those who in fact come to the Lord, or actually everyone is judged, either as believers or unbelievers, but the people who are saved during the tribulation is the Jewish remnant, and also some Gentiles will be saved during the tribulation. If you listen to the Left Behind series, which is a great view of the Tribulation period, it's just spectacular the way Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins have defined that whole period. So well done. But the Tribulation judges whom? Are there going to be any believers left behind during the Tribulation period? So the world system is being judged in the Tribulation. Some will be saved. But the judgment is on those who are not in the church and are raptured.

Then the judgment seat of Christ, that's what we're going to be dealing with in more detail in a moment. And that's before the second coming. Now, Hal points out here, and I think, should I judge what Hal? No. But accurately, we're not sure when this is. When's the judgment seat of Christ? It's presumably after the rapture. when the church is before, but we, it's not clear exactly. Roger, do you have, Randy, thoughts about, David, thoughts about when this is occurring? I don't think scripture is clear on exactly when the judgment seat of Christ occurs.

Now, is this the same as the Bema? It is. Good show. We're going to get there. So Hal wasn't able to define, but he doesn't feel scripture defines exactly when the judgment seat of Christ is, but we're all individually going to be judged. So just making sure we're on the same page. Bhima is not to prove guilt, but for reward. We're getting there. Okay. Tom's looked ahead on the handout here. Okay. Okay.

So the nations will be judged after his return. Satan, the beast and the false prophet will be judged. And the great white throne judgment we've already turned to is one of the three major judgments that Hal identified. And finally, the final purging of the earth. So if you will, these are nine dispensations, all of which have judgments connected to them.

And again, how deserves the credit for this interpretation, right? Judgements related to these time periods. The definition of dispensation is more complicated than what we've said so far, but that's okay. I'm just being particular. Don't worry about it. Dispensations can, I think, be described differently, but these are various periods in which judgments will occur. This is a great list of judgments. There's no argument on that.

Alright, Judgment C, BEMA. Now the BEMA was I guess the platform where in fact there were rewards given and or there were punitive conclusions made of activities related to the world system. So there's only one other text that really relates the church to this term. I mean, this term, beam and judgment, is often used to judge a behavior of some sort. I mean, there are lots of times that scripture beam is used. But in terms of the church and us being at the judgment seat, there's only one other verse which really is applicable, or set of verses.

So let's turn to Romans 14, 11 through 23. And that'll be important to kind of look at that. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

And let us not therefore judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall to his brother's way. I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself, but to him that esteems anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walk thou not charitably, and destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ had died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of, for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that is in these things serves Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. for meat destroying not the work of God. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for that man who eats with offense. And it is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak. Do you have faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemns not himself and that thing which he allows, and he that doubts is damned that he eat, because he eats not of faith, for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

All right, so I guess the question comes up in these verses, what's this all about anyway? This section where in fact you're being judged for your stumbling your brother or your behavior. What's it related to? Well, first of all, it's a direct quote from Isaiah 45, 23.

And doesn't this appear to relate to Israel, not the church? But no, in terms of application to the church, it relates to our behavior, one with the other, that's in the body. Even though judgment is used here in terms of judging the offending one another in the body, there's no hint that this relates to a works-related judgment that's ultimately going to occur at the judgment seat of Christ. Again, it's Old Testament kind of assessing behavior within the body of Christ that has really nothing to do with, I think, our eternal judgment of the judgment seat of Christ. So I think this section is used because the same term Bema is used here would not be applicable to anything other than our performance within the body today. So I don't think that the use of the term here relates to the fact that we're going to be judged at the judgment seat of Christ based on that behavior.

And according to Howe, these believers were not walking in love, righteousness, peace, joy, serving Christ. They weren't really carrying out an activity that was well-pleasing to God and edifying each other in faith, i.e. good works. Therefore, the omission of good works is characterized as works that are really worthless works. In other words, you're not doing this, and so therefore these works have no long-term lasting value, but Paul's challenging the body to have that nature that we have in Christ Jesus to be played out in the brethren. There's nothing here that relates to eternal judgment for not doing something. Or, in fact, if you're doing something that's wrong, it's worthless, it has no value. And that's different than, I think, what we're going to be dealing with at the judgment seat of Christ.

So back to what BEAM is, literally it's a race platform which could be utilized as a tribune for orations or awards or in fact it could be used ultimately to identify wrongdoing also. And that's the term in the Greek that was applied perhaps related to government and or athletic events. So, the verses that relate to Tribune, there are a number of them there, and there are verses that relate to rewards. In fact, I think, let's turn to 1 Corinthians 3, because I think that does have some relevance to what we're talking about today. Okay, it says there, that he that plants and he that waters are one.

And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For where labor is together with God, and you're God's husbandry and you're God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds upon it. But let every man take heed how he builds upon it. For other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest.

For the day shall declare it, Because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. And if any man's work abide which he hath built upon, he shall receive a reward. And if any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

So what's this loss? Reward? What's that? The loss would be worthless. Worthless. All the temporary things we do. Yeah, worthless. So is God going to be punitive in nature for these things that were worthless? Nope, just cathartic. They're just not going to be accounted for, right? Right.

So I think these things that we do that are wrong, or we fall short, or they're omissions in our life in terms of what the Lord would be having us do, they're going to be dismissed. That doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit doesn't work in us day in and day out to really manifest the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives. And when we fall short, we confess and we get back into fellowship and that life becomes inactivated by the Holy Spirit. But the wood, hay and stubble really relates to worthless acts or omission of those acts.

Randy? Something I learned, I don't know, probably two decades ago that kind of rocked my world on this is that the normative Christian life should be one of an abiding state. And when you understand works in light of an abiding state, it's his power and his strength, Ephesians 2.10, that he's got these works prepared for us. And I remember thinking I had to try so hard. I mean, I wanted to tie my shoes for Jesus in my own strength. I say that's not an exaggeration or a joke.

But when we look at it in light of God has prepared good works for us to do, like Ephesians 2.10 says, then this abiding state, which is supposed to be normative for the believer, allows us to look at this getting rid of things in 1st Corinthians. that are garbage, to be like, oh, thank goodness that's gone, rather than, oh no, here comes Judge. It's his power and his strength that's allowing that. That's right. And I think that only God can judge those things in terms of whether they're worthy of rewards. I think there's specific rewards for various types of behavior, but those aren't the kinds of things we work for. Kind of the things that are returned to us based on his judgment and our walk in him.

All right, good. Thanks, Randy. All right, so the purpose of the judgment seat of Christ must therefore be either a place of tribunal or tribune where the believer confesses his worthless works before God, or it's a place for rewards where his good works that were reformed in us are accounted for and ultimately appropriate laudations are provided.

So what do we do with Colossians 3, 23 to 25? Let's turn to Colossians 3, 23 to 25. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ.

But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong what he hath done, and there is no respect of persons. What do we do with verse 25 in terms of the idea that we're not at the judgment seat to really be dealing with our sins, confessing them and being somehow punished because of them. But he that does wrong shall receive for the wrong which he's done.

Well, Bob, can we talk about maybe just the present? Obviously, if a believer does something wrong, if you speed and you get a traffic ticket, and you were truly sped, you can't argue that, well, I didn't really speed. Yes, you can. It's a consequence. You get the consequence. In this life, you will get the consequences of your actions. So if we do say perfectly, but you'll still get the consequences of your actions. OK, so what if we if we receive based on doing wrong, what's that receipt could be receipt of nothing, right? There's no rewards for for there's no internal. Now we're talking eternally.

But in terms of the behavior and the body that we read in Romans 14, there's clearly a consequence of stumbling your brother, right? I mean, the judgment that's put on a believer for stumbling their brother really is something that relates to our fellowship and our exhorting one another in the faith. But here, the receipt that we get of doing wrong is that the cross can't be revisited, right? And you've got to believe that ultimately if we're really concerned about bad works, wrong works, or wrong doings, then we're living a paralyzed life. It really puts us in chains. Well, that's a wonderful message that we're free from that. We don't have to. Christ paid for it. He wants us to acknowledge our sin, but it's been paid for. So there's the verse that we just dealt with and read.

And really, I think it's important to be consistent in your interpretation. Now, the covenant theologian, he would suggest that we're at left field someplace, that ultimately we are accountable for all this. But I would say that then the cross becomes worthless in terms of what was accomplished there. So that each one may receive the things done in the body. That's in verse 10. So this is continuing verse 10 now.

Notice here that we may be in a position of receiving. Notice may be. What do we make of that? The equivocal nature of we may be in a position of receiving. Well, subjunctive tense means maybe, maybe not, possibly, but not certainly. How do we interpret that? Well, there may be some things that we think we get rewarded for and we won't.

We're talking about the difference between sin that you confess and sin that is unto physical death. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one of us may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. May receive. Yeah, Randy.

The subjunctive tense is about the theoretical. If you're not abiding, you're going to do things in the flesh, and you're going to do things in the body, and so there is a potentiality there. So the subjunctive isn't something that is set in stone. It's not...

Well, yeah. Maybe you will and maybe you won't. You may actually do it. I mean, that's what he's saying. You may do that. But you may not. But this relates to that we may receive the things done in the body. That would relate to how God's going to be dealing with this, wouldn't it? Well, it depends on what you do in the body. And that's the thing. Whether good or bad. So the fact that we may receive it, does it relate to our life when we show up at the judgment seat or does it relate to how God's dealing with it?

Doesn't it relate to our faith, basically? Did we trust God for whatever particular thing? If we trusted Him, then I would say we'd get rewarded for it. If we didn't trust Him, if it wasn't on faith, then we won't get rewarded for it. We could say, abiding is another good term. Did we abide in the Lord? But how are you doing, do you consciously kind of each and every day and each and every minute of every day think whether you're abiding or not? Often.

I find the Holy Spirit convicts me when I'm not and draws my attention to it. So are you constantly questioning, gee, is that old nature, is that new nature and kind of oscillating between the two and kind of living the life like that? The way I look at it, and we've had this discussion before because I don't know that we're on the same page, The way I perceive it is that when you're an infant in Christ, sanctification is progressive over time. When you're you in Christ, you think about each step in the walk. You think, am I abiding? Am I not abiding?

And your awareness of it is very, I'm going to put it muscularly, you have a sense of balance. But as you mature, those things, it becomes normative to the point where hopefully we would describe it as being the life of Christ. What's the purpose of the Spirit in each and every one of us? To reveal the Lord Jesus Christ, isn't it? And so I think we're all more conscious when we're not revealing that life because the Spirit lets us know about that.

But when we're walking by faith, that's not something I need to think about or work on. I mean, the abiding is really a life that walks forward without us giving notice of the fact we take credit for living that life, right? I think we walk by faith and that's a walk that really is not one we use as a metric to our performance. You okay with that? Okay, because we get no merit for giving ourselves credit by walking by faith.

But the Holy Spirit, his purpose in each and every one of us is to reveal Christ within us. Now, the Holy Spirit brings people to salvation or I'm saved. It's true of all of us, right? And that's a whole different topic on how the Holy Spirit, you know, we still have to respond by faith, but we're talking about the walk now in Christ, doing things that are good and bad. So the idea that we're going to receive a result of this really is subjunctive. We're not sure. So what that ultimate way of God dealing with this is, at the judgment seat of Christ, is uncertain.

But things, I think, that have happened in our life that are good, meaning when we walk in faith and glorify him, that's where awards and rewards follow. So according to what he has done, whether it's good or bad. So what has been done is factual. This is indicative tense. It's a fact. What has been done, we can't perverse.

And when we show up at the judgment seat of Christ, I don't think we're going to go. I mean, I think if you use covenant theology and play it out into the judgment seat of Christ, you're going to go to this judgment seat of Christ kind of afraid, aren't you? You're going before God, and you're kind of nervous. Is God going to be dealing with all the shortcomings?

I don't think so. If that's true, then the cross was ineffective. but ineffective in terms of our day-to-day work. So what works are good and bad? Well, bad can be translated as worthless. I mean, Howe points that out. When I went to actually the Greek dictionaries, I looked up bad in terms of the way it's interpreted. I never found worthless, but Howe said it could be worthless. But I think interpreting it appropriately here, we could interpret it as worthless. Anyway, I'm not being critical of Howe.

I just couldn't find a definition to exemplify that. Well, Bob, I wonder, you know, when we make the comparison is that we pointed out that You know, we're being rewarded for things that we exercise faith in. Faith and trust in the Lord. Well, you could not exercise faith and trust and it wouldn't be a bad thing. You just didn't do it. You didn't trust the Lord to maybe speak to a brother about something or a sister or millions of things that we do. So when you neglect to do it, it doesn't mean mercy.

It's bad in the sense of being... Harmful. Harmful or evil. Harmful or evil. It might be, you know... You just, you didn't do what you, you missed out. I like that point. You missed out an opportunity that the Lord had for you, you just, you didn't do it. And we all, I mean I feel many times I have done that and I, you know, I missed out. I could have done something but I didn't. And you, you know, you confess that, you grieve over that, but you go on.

But think of how many thousands of things are in our lives like that. Are you keeping a list of all those kind of bad things? I mean, maybe some people do. And if you're really true to covenant theology, you're keeping a track of all these things. They're on your prayer list to confess. And I mean, boy, how paralyzing that must be. Because what it's doing is it's asking the flesh to do something it can never do.

Are sins and motives involved here? Bad things? Not only sins themselves as we would describe the sin, but motives too, right? If sins, which ones have not been forgiven? We're thinking the sins before this judgment seat of Christ. Let's see, Lord, you paid for 80% of these, but these other 20% weren't quite accounted for.

I mean, see, the criticism of this position on the judgment seat of Christ is it's let go, let God. What's wrong with that theology? There's no faith involved. There's no faith involved in let go, let God. I don't let go, let God. I believe what God has revealed, that the Holy Spirit empowers me to reflect that nature, to bring Christ central in my life.

Is that an intellectual process? I think, Randy, it can be at times, but I think we can't intellectually deal with it. How many times have you been stressed by something in your lives and you've tried to intellectually put scripture to that and defeat what that stress is? Well, the intellectual capability doesn't defeat that stress. It's a life that shows up by faith. It has to take a step back and rest in this experience by faith and allowing the Lord to work through it. Intellectually you can't rest in anything. You can try to talk yourself into it, but that's not rest.

Alright, so sins, motives are all going to be dealt with there if in fact we have to be accountable for them. Now remember, those sins and motives are dismissed and considered worthless. But that's different than showing up with a guilt trip and being punished for these things that we ultimately have done or didn't do. Has not the sin nature also been crucified?

In Hebrews 8.12, interesting, I was reading The Hungry Heart this morning, and I kind of put this verse in right before I came. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their lawless deeds. Sorry, I didn't get rid of the FN.

That relates to a text in Jeremiah. And I will remember them no more. Now, you can say this is, talk about ages in Old Testament in Israel. This is Jeremiah, and he's talking about the millennial kingdom. But nevertheless, the Lord has that in the New Testament to remind us that that principle is there for the Jewish Hebrews, the book written to the Hebrews, and it's there for us. So, you know, again, it's just one example of the cross being definitive. The cross is not going to recur to take care of these sins and motives we show up at the judgment seat with. I think that, and I know Burns taught this too, that the judgment seat of Christ is a positive experience.

You're being rewarded. The things that you didn't accomplish are not in view there. They're worthless, so what? They wouldn't be considered. So I think that's, you know, Hal's methodically going through that, but the bottom line we went to is that judgment is a positive thing for the believer, something to look forward to, because you're going to be rewarded. And you'd probably be amazed, in a sense, that I was rewarded for that. I'd never realized that.

But how many times have you been in a conversation with other believers and this judgment seat across, they're fearful about this. I mean, not that we have all the final answers here about how the Lord's going to deal with those worthless things up there, but that's not an atmosphere that we should carry. to the judgment seat of Christ. We should be uplifted and joyful and look to him for his grace in terms of whatever is going to happen there at the judgment seat. This is not an opportunity to bring fear to the table.

The idea there, as it's graphically stated, is you're not the one that's getting burned up and you're not part of it. What's wooden, hay and stubble gets destroyed. So that's worthless stuff. It has no bearing. It's not silver, gold and precious stones. Gary?

So the emphasis could be on punishment, and God doesn't punish in a church agency discipline. But I would contend that the covenant theology takes that atmosphere to the judgment seat. And I want to try to uplift you, and I hope that this is scriptural. And I wish Hal could be here rather than me to deliver this more confidently. And he took three weeks to do this for us.

But anyway, I think we can't go forward with the idea that the things that we've done that fall short We're going to be additionally punished because of those. Yes, those things are going to be accounted for, but not in terms of anything that we should be fearful of. And these verses, the buzzer went off, so we won't look at those. But John 2, 28, 1 John 2 says we're going to be ashamed of these things we do. Ashamed where? When? I think we can be ashamed in this earthly walk when we fall short of God's glory.

We confess, get back in fellowship, but those things still, as Roger pointed out, there's a consequence. So when we fall short, no matter whether it's positive, negative, or whatever, avoidance, there's a consequence to that. But before the judgment seat of Christ, the only consequence would be to be considered worthless. So what's the foundation for all works?

1 Corinthians 3.10, according to the grace of God, which was given to me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another builds on it, but let each one take heed how he builds on it.

And I would say, remember, it's he that works mightily within us, Colossians 3.29. And by faith, that work continues. And we'll let him be the judge as to what work has been worthy and what is worthless or not accountable for. So what are good works?

Ephesians 1.10, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him.

So the fullness of times could relate to the judgment seat. And he's going to bring things together that are in Christ. Now that's lifting this a little bit out of context, but I think it fits with a theme that we're trying to develop here. It's the things that are in Christ. which are in heaven and which are on earth that are in him that ultimately are going to be brought to the attention of the Lord in the fullness of times. So to conclude, and I humbly present this to you, therefore, I think what we've tried to cover in piecemeal ways today is the judgment seat is not revisiting our sins or motives, but rewarding us for all that he has done in us by our faith.

And all of us will be satisfied. I mean, I think in terms of thinking about heavenly rewards, these are not white, blue, and red ribbons, right? And Randy's going to get a white one. I get a black one. But we're all there. But I mean, the point is, we're all going to be satisfied.

And Mike Doyle said this many times. The more we know him here, that I may know him, the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, The more we know him here, the closer we may be there, but everybody's going to be content and happy. And I like that kind of a paraphrase of maybe interpreting what this judgment seat's all about. So other thoughts?

Yeah, Tom. This will be short. No, we're fine. Someday Jesus will call my name. My work is done. All right. Did all of us hear that? Most of it. Hopefully we got it recorded so you can listen to it again sometime. Other thoughts today? Well, I'm always amazed, you know, that I think we talked about earlier the passage in that Randy talked about in Ephesians 2.10, that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus under good works. What's amazing is As we walk by faith in the works that he has planned for us, he gave us the works and then he rewards us for by faith doing the work. It seems, you know, just one of those remarks. You created that work. Too much intellect. I know. All you ask me to do is to walk by faith in that work and then you'll reward me for that.

It seems that shouldn't happen that way. I must have looked at 15 commentators on this verse. And there's only one that comes close to the theology that Hal has presented here previously and what I tried to represent here today, and that's Schaeffer. He's close, but he doesn't come out quite as definitively, but I think he would admit that the Judgment of Christ is to his glory and not in any way to revisit our shortcomings.

So that's good. Tom, close us in prayer, will you please? Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Father, for taking the time to listen to us from this portion of scripture about what's going to happen at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Thank you for making things clearer to the ministry of your service here. In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.