The Judgment Seat of Christ

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The Judgment Seat of Christ

• Romans
• 1410-12

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Gray Area Choices
Romans 14 deals with the differences in the way
Christian live their lives
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The Question Is

• How should the reality that I will appear before
  God to be judged impact the way I live my life?

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Someone may ask

• If the eternal destination of everyone is set
  when a person dieswhat is the point of the
  judgment?

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Biblical Fact

• Final judgment is NOT to determine who is going
  to heaven and who is going to hell.

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Reason 1

• The purpose of Gods judgment is to display His
  Sovereignty, Justice, Grace, and glorious plan of
  redemption through His Son Jesus Christ to the
  entire world.

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Romans 1410

• But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost
  thou set at nought thy brother?
• for we shall all stand before the judgment seat
  of Christ.

Why does God have to judge us?
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As the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe,

• why cant everyone just get mercy?

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Gods Character

• Because God is holyHe must judge all that is
  unholy or He would no longer be holy.

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We could say

• Judgment is a necessary expression of Gods own
  character. Is the same true for you?

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Application

• but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye
  holy in all manner of conversation conduct

Does this holiness impact what you judge to be
acceptable?
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Universal Absolute Truth

• No one is exempt from appearing before The
  Sovereign One for judgment.

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Romans 1410

• But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost
  thou set at nought thy brother?
• for we shall all stand before the
• judgment seat of Christ.

bema
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Greek Bema

• The judgment seat was the tribunal bench in the
  Roman courtroom, where the governor sat while
  rendering judicial verdicts.

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Usage

• Bema isnt always a good judgment
• Pilate sentences Jesus from bema (Mt Jn)
• Herod sits on a bema (Acts 12)
• Sosthenes is beat at a bema (Acts 18)
• Caesar sits on a bema (Acts 25)
• Christ judges from bema (2 Cor 5)

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Hebrews 927

• And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but
  after this the judgment

Christians and unbelievers are both judged.
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Absolute Truth

• The gospel that made you righteous in Christ does
  NOT eliminate accountability for the way you live
  your life.

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Romans 1410b 12

• for we shall all stand before the judgment seat
  of Christ.
• So then every one of us shall give account of
  himself to God.

Jesus Promised
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Matthew 1627

• For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his
  Father with his angels and then he shall reward
  every man according to his works.

Reason Number 2
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Reason 2

• The next reason why we must all appear before the
  Judgment Seat of Christ is to reveal the degree
  of reward or the degree of punishment each of us
  will receive.
• See
• 2 Corinthians 510

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2 Corinthians 510

• 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.

Why?
Bad Evil (x40)
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Biblical Fact

• God judges in proportion to what truth He has
  revealed to you (Mt. 1124).

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Luke 1248

• But he that knew not, and did commit things
  worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few
  stripes.
• For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall
  be much required and to whom men have committed
  much, of him they will ask the more.

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Q What will be judged?

• Every persons deeds, words, and thoughts, will
  be judged whether good or evil.

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The Judgment Seat of Christ

• 1 Corinthians 31-3 12-15

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Matthew 1236

• But I say unto you, That every idle careless
  word that men shall speak, they shall give
  account thereof in the day of judgment.

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False Perception

• Christians are mistaken to think they can sin,
  confess that sin, and then never have a worry
  about giving an account for it again at the
  judgment.

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Luke 121-2

• In the mean time, when there were gathered
  together an innumerable multitude of people,
  insomuch that they trode one upon another, he
  began to say unto his disciples first of all,
  Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which
  is hypocrisy.
• For there is nothing covered, that shall not be
  revealed neither hid, that shall not be known.

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But SOMEONE says

• Doesnt the Bible teach that God forgets my sins
  when I confess them?

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Hebrews 812 and 1017

• For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
  and their sins and their iniquities will I
  remember no more.
• and their sins and iniquities will I remember no
  more.

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Max Lucado writes

• Then I remembered. I remember his words. And I
  will remember their sins no more.
• Wow! Now that is a remarkable promise.
• God doesnt just forgive, he forgets. He erases
  the board. He destroys the evidence. He burns the
  micro-film. He clears the computer. He doesnt
  remember my mistakes.

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Question

• Is Max Lucado right?
• Is that what the author of Hebrews meant?

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Answer

• No. Lucado is wrong. In Ps. 51, David confesses
  his sin with Bathshebabut according to Lucado
  God doesnt know what is in His own Word.

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Hosea 813

• They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine
  offerings, and eat it But the Lord accepteth
  them not
• Now will he remember their iniquity, and visit
  their sins They shall return to Egypt.

Does this mean He forgets something?
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Remember Defined

• 11. To bear in mind with intent to reward or
  punish. 3 John 10. Jer. 31.
• Noah Webster
• 1828

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Romans 81

• There is therefore now no condemnation to them
  which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the
  flesh, but after the Spirit.

Sin is forgiven! But accountability is not lost.
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Reason 3

• At each judgment, Christ assigns people a place
  to spend eternity either
• The New Heaven and New Earth
• Lake of Fire

or
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One Example

• At the judgment of the Sheep and Goats
• Sheep hear
• Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom
  prepared for you from the foundation of the
  Word.
• Goats hear
• Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
  prepared for the devil and his angels.

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Summary

• Sheep will give an account and may or may not
  receive reward but will not be condemned.
• Goats will bow the knee, give an account, learn
  of the degree of punishment they will receive,
  and be sent to hell.