The Judgment Seat of Christ

Revelation 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.””

The wife in this passage is the true church, those who were and are being saved from the Day of Pentecost until the Rapture.

This subject is not talked about much today in the church, and I think it is a shame. Heaven is not going to be the same for all Christians, and everyone is not going to receive the same rewards for service on earth. Heaven will not be like travel sports today where everyone receives the same thing.

One of these days in the future, the church will be presented to the Lord Jesus Christ as His bride.

Today, those of us in the true church are not worthy to be the bride of Christ, but we will be made ready in the future as we will be presented to Him blameless and pure.

All saved during the Church Age will be made pure at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Now, there will be some sorrow at the JSOC just as at a graduation ceremony, but the overwhelming emotion at the JSOC will be joy at seeing Jesus and at the joy of what we accomplished.

You might think that you have not had much of a Christian influence in this life, but at the JSOC, you will discover that you did.

1. The Certainty of Eternal Rewards.

Even though He was not specifically addressing the church, Jesus introduced the concept of eternal rewards.

Matthew 6:20–21 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 10:42 “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.””

Christians are going to be rewarded, but what are the rewards based upon?

2 Corinthians 5:10 “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 good or bad.”

The rewards are based on our works. Rewards are based on works, salvation is not based on works. Salvation is based on grace.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Once you are saved, there is an expectation to serve placed on you by Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:20 “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

If you are bought, are you free to do what you want, or are you expected to do what your buyer demands?

Your works will be judged according to what the Master expects.

Paul, Peter, and John all addressed the JSOC, and the certainty of a Christian’s works being judged.

Those 3 wrote 20 of the 27 books of the New Testament, and they make countless references to Christians being judged for their works. Christians will not be judged for sin because a Christian’s sins were judged at Calvary, and you better believe the Lord Jesus Christ knows the opportunities that He has given you, and you will be judged for what you did in those opportunities.

Romans 14:12 “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”

2. Earning Rewards.

All Christians are given eternal life because of their faith.

Titus 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

Eternal rewards are wages earned by doing good works.

2 John 8 “Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.”

Colossians 3:23–24 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

So, how do we earn rewards?

A. Enduring Trials.

James 1:2 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,”

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

The word translated temptation means the trials of life.

The trials of life that come our way are to be endured; temptations are to be resisted.

Whatever the trials are that you face, you can endure them through the Holy Spirit, but Satan will take those trials and tempt us in them making them more difficult to endure.

Endure trials and tribulations and resist temptation. That is the formula for a rewarding life.

Sometimes, we think that all trials and tribulations come from Satan, but we never need to lose sight of the fact that it was God who allowed Satan to do what he did to Job.

The trials and tribulations we face are designed to bring growth in our Christian walk. Why does God use trials and tribulations to grow us in our Christian walk? I DO NOT KNOW!!!

Trials, and none of us like them, are opportunities for us to learn to depend and rely more upon God. To us, those trials seem unnecessary, but God knows us, and He knows that without trials and tribulations, we would never be concerned with God.

We will be rewarded for how we endure trials, or we will suffer loss of rewards for not enduring trials.

B. Diligently Seeking God.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

“Diligently seek” is in the present tense. We seek God when we walk in faith. I think Enoch is the perfect example.

Genesis 5:24 “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”

While walking on earth, Enoch was diligently seeking God, and God rewarded him. When we walk with the type of faith Enoch had, and we diligently study God’s Word, we will be rewarded.

God will reward believers who seek after Him. Nonbelievers never seek God because they cannot please God apart from the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. Only the true believer can diligently seek Him, and if you do, you will be rewarded.

C. Perseverance.

Revelation 2:26–27 “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father;”

The overcomers refer to believers in Christ. It is a description of all of us. It is the result of our identification with Christ.

Look closely at verse 26.

“He who overcomes and keeps My works”

Keeping my works refers to obedience.

Our works belong to Jesus Christ, and no matter how evil the times get, we are to represent Him. There are Christian who face terrible persecution in this world. When facing that persecution, that Christian is to represent Jesus Christ.

Christ will reward those who are faithful and keep His works.

Now, this is very important. There is a very specific reward for those who persevere.

2 Timothy 2:12 “If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”

If we persevere, we receive the reward of reigning with Christ in His Messianic Kingdom.

Not all of us will “reign” during the Millennium, but those who persevere will.

D. Faithful in Ministry.

1 Peter 5:1–4 “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you,

but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”

This is primarily referring to the pastor. The pastor who is faithful in “shepherding” the flock will receive the crown of life. Pastors who do not faithfully shepherd the flock will suffer loss of rewards.

E. Longing for Christ’s Appearing.

2 Timothy 4:8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Did you know that you will be rewarded for daily longing for Christ’s return?

In the New Testament, it is obviously taught that actively looking for Christ’s return will motivate us to good works.

1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”

1 John 4:17 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”

Longing for Christ’s return will motivate us to be like Christ in this world.

Now, I have said that looking for Christ’s return should make a difference in how we live, and this is clearly what John says.

Whether you want to believe it or not, looking for Christ’s return will cause you to act more like Christ, and I think that is why so many Christians try to downplay or disregard Christ’s return. They, in their hearts, know that Christ could return any minute because that is one of the things the Holy Spirit tells us.

John 16:8 “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”

Actively look for and living our lives in anticipation of Christ’s return will be rewarded. If you do not do that, you will suffer the loss of rewards, and as John said, I want all that I can get.

2 John 8 “Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.”

F. Leading Others to Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?”

Each person you lead to the Lord will, at the JSOC, be your crown of joy and rejoicing.

If you have led someone to the Lord, you will be rewarded. If you have not, you will suffer loss of that reward.

Now, we are to, in general, share the gospel, but I believe God gives us specific people for us to share the gospel with, and I believe that if you do not share the gospel with that person, you will suffer loss of rewards.

Believe it or not, there is that certain person that only you can reach for the Lord. This becomes the question.

Have you ever led someone to the Lord? Why not? Are you sharing the gospel? The One who paid a price for you expects you to share the gospel.

Now, I am running out of time, so let me list a couple of more works that either we will be rewarded for, or we will suffer loss of rewards for.

Stewardship (Spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities)

Benevolence

1 Timothy 6:17–19 “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Mark 9:41 “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan shows us an example of the kinds of benevolent acts that we will be rewarded by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ministering to the saints (Brothers and sisters in Christ in the local fellowship)

3. Types of Rewards.

A. Crowns.

Crowns are rewards for the works believers have done. They are not giving because of salvation.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 9:25 “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”

1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?”

2 Timothy 4:8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Those are just a few examples. Crowns are rewards for works not for salvation.

B. Reigning with Christ.

2 Timothy 2:12 “If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”

Revelation 20:4 “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image,

and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

Some believers will reign with Christ. A significant purpose for the church age is to prepare a body of believers that will help to rule and reign in Christ’s kingdom. Some believers will be rewarded with that responsibility but not all believers.

Church Age believers found faithful at the JSOC will have positions of responsibility, service, and authority.

How is that going to look? I DO NOT KNOW.

Won’t some Christians be jealous because they are not reigning with Christ? NO!!!

Revelation 21:4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.””

C. Praise from God.

Can you imagine receiving praise from God?

1 Corinthians 4:5 “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”

How great will that be? Well, some of us in this sanctuary may receive that rewards; some of us may not.

All believers of the Church Age from Pentecost to Rapture will appear before the JSOC. That reality should have a direct and lasting impact on Christians.

That reality should motivate us in Christ to do those things which will be rewarded.

That does not mean doing those things to be rewarded. It means doing those things for Christ to honor Christ.

If you are motivated to do something just to receive a reward, I have some bad news for you. Instead of receiving a reward, you will suffer loss.

The reality of the JSOC should produce a desire within us to be obedient.

Matthew 6:19–21 ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

If our focus is on Jesus Christ, we will do those things which cause treasures to pile up in heaven, and those treasures will be rewarded at the JSOC.