What Good Is Bible Prophecy?

In the middle of a conversation about his church and his ministry, a pastor shared with me that he thought that Bible prophecy was not all that relevant to the present day needs of his people and so he stayed away from it in his preaching. He went on to explain that biblical prophecy tends to be “sensational” and, when all is said and done, to be quite confusing to people.

This pastor was one that seemed to have a high view of the scriptures and one that sincerely wanted his people to mature in their walk with Christ. From our conversation it was clear that he wanted his people to be helped in their struggle with the world, flesh and the devil. With that in mind I asked him if he had thought about how Christ and the Apostles employed biblical prophecy in helping believers grow spiritually, suggesting that Jesus and the NT writers sprinkled future events liberally in their teaching. Bible prophecy was used by them to change the way people thought and lived; that the basic purpose of prophecy is to change the way we all live in the present. To his credit, he indicated that he really needed to rethink his view of biblical prophecy.

Here are some of those truths that show us the great value of biblical prophecy and why the prophetic element is found interwoven everywhere in the Bible. Biblical prophecy is not only “relevant” to our lives today but it provides a biblical mindset found in those who pleased God. (See Hebrews 11:9-16).

#1 – Biblical prophecy understood and embraced gives needed help in our struggle against sin. Serious believers are very aware of the “sin that so easily entangles us” (Heb. 12:1) and wish for victory over sin. When we keep future events fresh in our thinking, that we are going to see Christ and appear before His judgment seat, we are apt to not allow sin to take up residence in our lives. We can say “no” to sin much easier. This was the point the Apostle John made.

“And now little children abide in Him (keep in fellowship), so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming...And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 2:28; 3:3)

It is when we cease thinking that Jesus could appear at any moment and bring to pass the end times as described in the Bible, that we get careless in the way we live. Remember Jesus’ powerful statement that it is the evil slave who says “my Lord delays his coming” (Matt. 24:48). The believer’s struggle against sin will never stop in this life, but that believer is fortified in the inner person by the truths of what may soon take place.

#2 – Biblical prophecy provides a framework for the believer to prioritize life better and to make better decisions. If we knew that the ABC company was going to go out of business in six months we likely wouldn’t take a job with them. Bob and Mary would probably not have bought an old house and spent the last year remodeling it, if they had known it was going to burn to the ground the day after they finished their project. Bible prophecy can play such a life changing role today. When believers become convinced of the truthfulness of these prophetic portions dealing with our accountability and reward and end time events, they will prioritize life differently. They most likely will make better decisions and order their lives in a much more biblical way. The reality of future things sheds significant light on the important issues of life and gives us a framework for evaluating what is most important. Those who live with an awareness of what lies ahead in the plan of God think differently regarding the use of their time, money and resources. The goals and purposes of life are altered by a conviction about future realities. Again, note the Apostle Peter’s exhortation when he says “what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” in view of future events (2 Peter 3:11). Understanding and believing what biblical prophecy declares makes an impact on the way we do life now. The Apostle Paul made it clear (as in 1 Cor. 9) that he said “no” to himself and ordered his life differently than many others because he had an eye on the glory that was ahead for believers.

(3) BIBLICAL PROPHECY PROVIDES A VALUABLE MINDSET IN TIMES OF TRIAL AND TEMPTATION.

The fact that believers are faced with some burdensome and painful trials in this life is not a new revelation. We know that God has not exempted believers from the sudden death of a loved one or the arrival of a debilitating disease or the appearance of great financial loss. And even if such “major tragedies” do not enter the believer’s life, the child of God still experiences scores of “minor” pressures, griefs, disappointments and setbacks. James, and others, observed that believers can respond well or they can respond poorly to these painful times in life. In order for trials to be successfully endured, James says that the believer must possess God’s wisdom, which is seeing life from God’s perspective. An integral part of God’s perspective is the future that lies ahead. This is how Jesus faced the trial of His crucifixion. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:2). Jesus looked beyond those six hours on the cross to that time in His glorious kingdom when He would be with those that He would redeem and restore. The believer who is focused on this world will likely not do well in trials when things go terribly wrong in this world. Without a working knowledge of things to come, he will have to fall back on the “stiff upper lip” approach or to wishful thinking. The truth is that our best life is not now. But the believer who anticipates the glorious age to come will be better positioned to deal well with the pain and disappointments that accompany trials in this world. After speaking about the universality of trials and the need for God’s wisdom, James references the future (James 1:12). The “crown of life”, also mentioned in Revelation 2:10, does seem to focus on the future reward given to the believer who loves the Lord so much that he does not resent what the Lord has allowed into his life. An incentive for enduring in trials is the understanding that there is future reward for the enduring believer.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12)

As James’ letter comes to a close, it returns to the matter of the trials of life and the need to patiently endure like Job and the prophets of old. And here James again appeals to the future to give strength to his friends.

“Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord....You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.” (James 5:7-9)

What believers need in times of trial and difficulty is not positive thinking, but prophetic thinking!

So, does Bible prophecy do us any good? One cannot but answer “yes, yes, yes” when the scriptures are carefully read. These are but three truths we want to observe about the importance of prophecy. Next month we want to continue with this subject which is so vital to the church today and so helpful to believers who live in the world system.

Pondering Payday: Some Summary Thoughts, Part 2

It has been accurately said that the Christian life is more like a marathon than a 100 meter sprint. Actually it seems that it is more like a marathon with an obstacle course added! But as hard and as difficult as the Christian life can often be in this unrighteous world, when we remember the finish line we are encouraged to keep on keeping on. When we are finally with the Savior that will make it all worthwhile. Seeing Him in His majestic glory will be an unbelievable moment for all of us. And making our appearance before Him at His Judgment Seat will be an amazing and enlightening moment for sure.

In our last study we began the process of summarizing some of the main points that were made over the past months in this series of studies. Six points were shared in the last study and six more will be shared in this one.

#7 – Failures in life, when repented of, do not eliminate the possibility of significant reward at the Judgment Seat.

What serious believer is there who is not chagrined by some past sin and failure in his or her life. But the believer is to take heart by looking at men who sinned (like David and Peter) and yet will be rewarded greatly. Since all believers have experienced failure in their lives, we are not to become despondent and give up. Repentance of the sin, followed by living diligently for the Lord Jesus, can bring about great reward. As long as we are alive on this earth, the promise in the Scriptures of entering His rest (reward) remains (Heb. 4:1).

#8 – The Judgment Seat of Christ is a necessary event.

Because of the nature of God and because all creatures are accountable to Him, judgment is mandatory. All creature, angels or men, must give an account for how they have or have not adhered to the moral law of God. This is also true of believers. While believers are redeemed individuals they too face judgment. As the Apostle Peter clearly puts it, judgment must begin “with the household of God” (1 Peter 4:17) and then proceed to everyone else. It must be clear to all of creation that the Lord is just and righteous as well as being loving and good. How one has lived cannot be overlooked or swept under the heavenly carpet. The Judgment Seat is that particular judgment where believers from the church age give an account for their lives.

#9 – The relationship at the Judgment Seat of sin, grace, mercy and justice is not fully comprehensible to us.

From the teachings of the Lord Jesus and the Apostles, it is apparent that sin will impact the events of the Judgment Seat. It is also clear that the justice of the Lord will be blended together with His mercy (the withholding of deserved punishment) along with His grace (the giving of unmerited favor). Only the Lord, as He deals with His children, will righteously put together the perfect mix of these various elements. It is somewhat of a mystery to us how these will be blended together, along with other matters such as how the length of a person life will be factored in (the believer who has known Christ for 80 years versus the one who was saved on his death bed). The complexity of these things is clearly above the pay grade of we mere mortals. But definitely not that of the righteous judge of the earth.

#10 – The Lord is generous and desires to greatly reward His children.

We know that the Lord delights in giving good gifts to His children, as that is part of His nature. He is not stingy nor is He reluctant to give generously to believers. He does not have a limited supply of rewards that need to be rationed out to His people. That which limits His generosity is not His nature but rather the unfaithfulness of believers. Even the trials of life are designed to make it possible for Him to reward His children in a greater way. He is the creator of all good and perfect gifts (James 1:17) and it is His desire to lavish these upon His own children.

#11 – Believers need to carefully evaluate their lives “today” to see if they are truly trusting and obeying.

This emphasis upon “today” being the appropriate time for laboring and evaluating is an emphasis of the book of Hebrews. Believers really cannot afford to live in a condition of spiritual delusion, nor can they afford to put off to a future day serious reflection about their own walk with Christ. It is important to immediately face these critical matters and seek the insight of the Holy Spirit in coming to understand where we really are spiritually. It is vital to decide to live fully and completely for the Lord Jesus now, and then to daily build on that decision in the power and guidance of the Spirit.

#12 – All toil, suffering and sacrifice will be more than worth it when we see our Lord Jesus.

As we noted at the beginning of this study, being a faithful follower of Jesus in this present evil world is not at all easy. It requires all diligence (to quote Peter), alertness and sobriety. Being “in” the world but not “of” the world is the requirement (note John 17:11-16). Christians are seen as aliens, strangers and those who citizenship is in heaven (Heb. 11:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:11). All of this makes the task of being a faithful child of God a difficult one since Satan who is seen as the god of this world is actively opposed to such living.

The believer has impressive resources in the Scriptures, the Spirit and the saints. There is little doubt that when we see the Lord Jesus, any and all suffering and sacrifice will be immediately seen as worth it. In the words of that faithful, diligent man, the Apostle Paul....

“the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)

“momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Or to put it in less inspired terms but ones that are still accurate: “only one life, it will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”

May this coming payday be one that we eagerly look forward to!

(A fuller study of this subject can be found in Dr. Benware’s book, “The Believer’s Payday” and can be found at Paulbenware.com)

Pondering Payday: Some Summary Thoughts, Part 1

Words have failed each of us at one time or another: as we try and express how we feel about a situation, or in trying to describe something like a majestic sunset. When we talk of the great payday for believers, the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ, and the awesomeness of that event and the amazing consequences of that event, words are extremely inadequate. The words of the Apostle Paul probably cover the matter for us when he says,

Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. (1 Cor. 2:9)

And while our words surely cannot adequately describe this significant event, we have used many words over the past months in an attempt to discuss fully this great day for believers. It would seem helpful, at this point, to make sure certain key points will be fixed in our thinking. We offer these twelve truths (six this time and six next time) that relate to “payday” for our continued contemplation.

#1 – The original purposes of God related to fellowship and rulership will be restored in the future kingdom of God.

The future kingdom of God (Rev. 20-22) is best understood by looking at God’s original intentions in the creation account (Gen. 1-3). The restoration of fellowship through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross is fairly well understood by most believers, but the restoration of rulership through the Son of Man is often overlooked. Rulership in the coming kingdom is a matter of focus at the Judgment Seat of Christ and beyond. Servants who endure in this life will rule in the next one. (2 Tim. 2:11-13). This emphasis on ruling and reigning with Christ is a theme found in the N.T. and is an issue that will be featured at the Judgment Seat.

#2 – Salvation is a free gift of God that once received cannot be lost, but rewards can be lost.

The New Testament distinction between rewards that are earned by good works and salvation, which is a gift from God with no human works involved, is one that must be maintained. Salvation is always viewed as a gift freely given by God based on the cross. This salvation is guarded and made secure by all three persons of the Godhead. Man does not earn salvation, nor can he lose it. Believers may, however, lose reward depending on whether their works are “good or bad.”

#3 – Sin does not effect our position as children of God but it can affect our present fellowship as well as our future rewarding.

All sin was fully paid for on the cross by the Lord Jesus. His work of redemption was absolutely complete. This includes sins we may commit today or in the future. While our sins as believers will not remove us from our position as God’s children, we are aware that they do have consequences. These sins, if not confessed, will not only hurt present fellowship, but they will also impact rewarding at the Judgment Seat. So it is unwise and unbiblical to say that since Christ paid for all of our sins, they will not affect what transpires at the Judgment Seat.

#4 – Rewards are presented as a legitimate and a primary motivation for living the Christian life, but are not the only motivation.

Too many Christians view rewards negatively, suggesting that they are a poor motivation for serving Christ. It is vital to remember that rewards are presented by Jesus and the Apostles as an important motivation for Christian living. The Apostle Paul informs us that he was motivated by rewards, by the fear of God, by a love for Christ and by the real needs of people. It is improper to suggest that rewards are an inferior motivation. If so, then Jesus and the Apostles got it wrong.

 #5 – The criteria used at the Judgment Seat consists of the standard of Scripture, our faithfulness and our motivation.

We are not left in the dark as to the standard of evaluation that the Lord will use. The Word of God is central to this evaluation, because in it is revealed the will of God that a believer is to follow. Obedience to the commands and principles of the Word is at the core of our evaluation. Faithfulness is another key criterion, as each believer will be evaluated by what was given to him by the Master. The issue is being faithful, not being famous. Our motivations will also be part of our evaluation. The question will be why we did what we did as we lived for and served the Lord Jesus.

#6 – Believers who live carnally and selfishly have something to be concerned about.

The Judgment Seat is an event where faithful servants are rewarded by the King. But it is also a place where the unfaithful child of God will be confronted by the Master. Not everyone will hear “well done, good servant.” Unfortunately, some will hear “you worthless slave.” Believers who live in self-indulgence and who have not taken seriously living for and serving Jesus Christ face significant loss at the Judgment Seat. Furthermore, the Scriptures inform us that their time at the Judgment Seat will likely be one of shame and grief. Also, there will be ramifications of this in the future kingdom of God. These believers may presently wish to ignore this issue in their lives now but they will not be able to do so in the future.

As we conclude these summary thoughts, we again should reinforce the central truth of the New Testament that our future rewards and status are largely determined by our present living. Whether it is something we deem minor like “the cup of cold water” given to someone in need or that which is seen as highly important like sharing the gospel or teaching the Word, the Lord Jesus is well aware of what we do or don’t do. It should be our goal to live well for Him all the time, avoid the darkness of this world system and be diligent to “abide” (remain in fellowship) with Him. A great day is coming.

Six more summary thoughts will be given next time. (A copy of Dr. Benware’s book, “The Believers Payday” is available at Paulbenware.com.)

Payday is Coming - Sin, Grace, and Reward: A Case Study

Our subject these past months has been on the Judgment Seat of Christ, an event which is yet future. No one has yet appeared there and had the experience of receiving or of losing reward. It is precisely because future things have not yet taken place yet that causes us some uncertainties. When speaking of this future event, it seems strange, therefore, to talk about a “case study.” This would be impossible if it were not for the fact that in the Scriptures the Lord gives us a small amount of information about the future of several individuals. By looking at these men who have lived their lives and then at some Scriptures that point to their futures, we can pick up some ideas about the coming payday. We must not allow Satan to paralyze us in our service for Christ by our past sins and failures. There remains for every believer today to receive from Jesus the commendation of “well done, good servant”, as well as the rich rewards He has for such believers.

Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ
Peter was a regenerate man who was first a disciple of John the Baptist prior to following the Lord Jesus Christ. About half way through Jesus’ earthly ministry, Peter was selected from the large pool of disciples to be an apostle of Christ and this brought to him many wonderful privileges and responsibilities. Peter did indeed give up everything to following Christ (Matt. 19:27). However, inspite of his many privileges and opportunities, and even his devotion to Jesus, he still experienced sin and failure.


Peter’s Sins and Failures

Undoubtedly the most infamous time of failure and sin in Peter’s life occurred at the time of the arrest and trials of Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter (along with others) failed to watch and pray and support the Lord in His time of trouble. Peter was among those who fled when the Roman soldiers and Jewish temple police arrested Jesus. A little later that evening, Peter went so far as to deny having any relationship with Jesus. His denials were accompanied by cursing and swearing. And this came from one who just hours before had forcefully declared unswerving loyalty to the Lord.

The Scriptures record some other negatives about Peter. He misused his tongue when he rebuked the Lord (Matt. 16:23) and when he was involved in self-promotion involving his place in Messiah’s kingdom (Luke 22:24). In fact, on a number of occasions his pride and arrogance were seen (Luke 9:46). And then, there was the time when his fear of men caused him to demonstrate a terrible hypocrisy which nearly split the church at Antioch (Gal. 2:11-14). These sins of hypocrisy and divisiveness could have had lasting effects on the entire church if it had not been for the faithful rebuke by the Apostle Paul.

Peter was guilty of pride, hypocrisy, divisiveness, disloyalty to Christ, multiple misuses of the tongue, fearing men and who knows what else could be added to this list. Could such a man receive great reward at the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ?

Peter’s Repentance
After his string of failures that culminated in his denials of Christ, Peter went out and “wept bitterly.” (Matt. 26:75). While tears are not conclusive evidence of genuine repentance, in Peter’s case they do reflect a broken-hearted man and a repentance that was real. Jesus had said earlier that Peter would fail but that he would “turn again” (Luke 22:32) which is an accurate picture of repentance. And furthermore, Jesus’ response to Peter after His resurrection shows that Peter’s repentance was indeed genuine. (Luke 24:34; John 21:15-19). Peter was truly repentant and his actions generally in the Book of Acts reveal this as well.

Peter’s Reward
In response to Peter’s questions about rewards (Matt. 19:28), the Lord promised that the Twelve (including Peter) would sit on twelve thrones in Messiah’s kingdom and would rule over the twelve tribes. In that section, Jesus is referring to the time of His return to earth when He will fulfill the Davidic covenant and rule on David’s throne. It is then that the Apostle Peter will rule alongside of King Jesus.

Peter will have ruling authority over one of Israel’s tribes in Messiah Jesus’ kingdom and will no doubt receive the Lord’s commendation of “well done, good servant.” The Lord Jesus also told Peter (Luke 22:30) that he would eat and drink with the King at His table, which is a picture of close fellowship.

We learn a vital lesson from Peter’s life that even with much failure there can be much reward. Sin and failure does not rule out the possibility of significant reward. The key was Peter’s heartfelt repentance for his sin and his following through to serve Christ faithfully. His various sins and failures did not automatically put him in the category of the “worthless slave” (Luke 19:22).

Peter’s Example for Us
So believer, even if embarrassing failure is true of you, crying out to the Lord Jesus in repentance not only cleanses from sin but frees you to faithfully and energetically serve Him. And in that there is great reward. We all can easily think of sin and failure that has been true in our lives. Peter’s example for us is that we can still faithfully serve the Savior and experience great reward in that future day.

Some Problems About 'Payday"

#1 – What about those servants who are cast into outer darkness?

There are several places where the Lord Jesus spoke ominously about the fate of unfaithful servants. He said that these servants would be “cut in pieces” and go to a place where there would “weeping” and the “gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:48-51). He further declared that the worthless slave would be cast “into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:24-30). Serious statements, to be sure!

There have been some scholars, who believe in the eternal security of the believer in Christ, who also hold that these evil servants are Christians who will suffer the fate of being excluded from the Messianic kingdom. They argue that these unfaithful Christians will pay dearly for their sinful living for that thousand year period. They will experience some pretty terrible times. But is this the only possible explanation for those of us who hold to the eternal security of the believer? I think not.

In interpreting these words of the Lord Jesus there are several key interpretive points that we must be aware of. First, these two references are both found in Jesus’ “Olivet Discourse”, His great prophetic teaching. A key observation is that this discourse was addressing Israel and not the church. The disciples had asked Jesus questions related to Israel’s future and that is what Jesus is answering. Aside from the one statement in Matthew 16 (“I will build My church”), there has been no teaching on the church. The disciples really would have known nothing about the church and so their questions were not about the church. It is essential that we understand the word “you” in the Olivet Discourse. The word “you”, beginning in Matthew 23:33, is referring to Israel. Sometimes the “you” is Israel represented by the religious leaders of Jesus’ day; sometimes it is Israel as represented by apostles; and other times it is “you” (Israel) represented by a past generation or by a future generation. But in each case “you” is looking at the nation of Israel.

A second key interpretive point has to do with the uniqueness of the nation of Israel. Israel is the only nation in the history of nations that is in a covenant relationship with God. No one else can make that claim. All Israelites are part of the Abrahamic Covenant and the covenants that flow from that key biblical covenant (Romans 9:1-5). Believing Israelites and unbelieving Israelites are included as parties to the Abrahamic Covenant. So even if an Israelite was an unbeliever, he would still be a “covenant man”, as strange as that might sound to us. Remember, Israel is unique.

Third, it must be remembered that Israel is said to be a “servant of the Lord.” Isaiah developed this idea of the “servant of the Lord” which, of course, reached its climax in the Messiah as the great “servant.” But the nation of Israel was also viewed as the “servant of the Lord” (e.g. Isaiah 41:8-10; 42:18-22). And it is clear from the Isaiah 42 passage that even in unbelief and unrighteousness they were seen as the “servant of the Lord.” So believing Israelites and unbelieving Israelites were “servants.”

Fourth, in coming to the words of the Lord Jesus we must understand that He is talking to Israel and that within Israel (“servants”) there are both believers and unbelievers.

The servants who are cast into outer darkness, as well as experiencing some other terrible things, were unbelievers. They were never saved people. They were Israelites who were unsaved, but uniquely they were related by Covenant to the Lord. So we conclude that these are not Christians in the church who either lose their salvation or lose participation in the Messianic kingdom of Jesus. The context is about Israel.

#2 – Are rewards eternal or do they “evaporate” after some time?

There is some evidence that what takes place at Christ’s judgment seat will have eternal consequences. First, we should recall that when Jesus returns at His “Second Coming”, He will establish the eternal kingdom of God. (It has two distinct phases of the millennium and then that of eternity). The kingdom of God is eternal and this would suggest that the rewards will be eternal (since they are related to God’s kingdom). Second, the Apostle Paul specifically declared that his suffering for Christ in this life will produce “an eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17). In part, the present sufferings do not compare because the resulting rewards are eternal. Third, the writer of Hebrews seems to support the eternalness of rewards when he states: although the present heavens and earth will be “shaken”, the kingdom we receive will not be shaken (Heb. 12:25-29). The “shaking” refers to the destruction of the old heavens and earth, and he contrasts that with the truth that our kingdom will not be destroyed. Leading up to this statement, the writer has put forth great effort to encourage believers to be faithful and to endure because of the rewards in this coming kingdom. Fourth, there will be differences among people in the eternal phase of the kingdom of God. There will be kings of nations in the eternal phase of the future, forever kingdom of God (Rev. 21:24). The fact is that not everyone will be a king. So, while it is not possible to answer this question with absolutely certainty, it does seem that the scriptures point in the direction of the eternality of rewards.

#3 – Will my failures as a Christian make it impossible to receive rewards from the Lord?

This question was dealt with to some extent in a previous article. The answer is “no”. The scriptures (as in Heb. 4:1) hold out hope to us. So even if we have at times been unfaithful or even committed a really “big” sin, we can still be rewarded. King David is a clear example. David not only committed adultery with Bathsheba, but he was really a murderer as well. Also, David failed to some extent as a parent, and he had a temper, and he showed some amazing unbelief at times. Yet, in spite of all this, he confessed his sins. He came clean with the Lord and humbled himself before Him. As a result, Ezekiel 37:24-27 informs us that David will have an exalted place in the future kingdom.

Peter failed the Lord and denied he even knew Him. And yet, he repented and will sit on one of the twelve thrones in the Messianic kingdom (Matt. 19:28). Failure does not remove us from the possibility of receiving rich rewards.

So while we must never become casual about sin and unfaithfulness, we must not become depressed and hopelessly face the future because of sin. Repentance, coupled with forsaking of sin, makes great reward possible.

Payday is Coming: Rich Rewards and Great Grace

(A Study of Matthew 19:27-20:16)
Is serving the Lord Jesus Christ really worthwhile? Is it worth saying “no” to ourselves and giving up possessions, comfort and opportunities in order to follow Jesus? Most believers would immediately answer “yes” to such questions because to respond otherwise would be seen as an incredibly ungodly reaction.

The Apostle Peter essentially asked these questions of Jesus Himself after observing Jesus’ encounter with the “rich young ruler.” Jesus had told the rich young man to sell everything he had and to come and follow Him. Apparently the young ruler opted not to do this because we never hear from him again. However, Peter rightly noted that he and the other apostles had done that very thing. They had given up everything to come and follow the Lord Jesus. So, Peter wondered, since we have done this, what do we get out of it? A really good question. And Jesus seemed to think so. After all, if you are going to give your life to someone or something, then you really should know if it is worthwhile or not. (Now Peter’s attitude needed a little work which is the subject of the following parable in Matthew 20 is about).

The Matter of Rewards – Matthew 19:27-30
The fact is that Peter and the others had given up normal life and sacrificed a great deal to follow the Lord Jesus (19:27). Jesus reinforces (“truly”) His own previously given teaching on rewards and the world to come. The issue here is that of “following Him” (discipleship) and not that of salvation.

There is a coming “payday”, when Jesus returns, for believers where reward will be given. For the Twelve, their rewards included sitting on 12 thrones in the Messianic kingdom, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. For a thousand years they will reign alongside of King Jesus. On that day, their faithfulness and personal sacrifice will pay off in huge dividends. (I wonder what the rich young ruler will be thinking on that day!)

Jesus then (in 19:29) expanded the discussion beyond the Apostles to all believers who have sacrificed and served for “His names sake”. Nothing done by such individuals will be forgotten or overlooked. In fact, Jesus declared that the value of the rewards will be many times greater than whatever sacrifices may have taken place. And then He added a most intriguing statement: “and shall inherit eternal life.” At first, this statement might seem to speak against our doctrine of salvation by grace and not by works of any kind. But actually it does not do so. We need to understand that “eternal life” is not a static term, but a dynamic concept. Most of the time “eternal life” is seen as our present possession once we trust in Christ for salvation. But about 25% of the time in the New Testament, “eternal life” is seen as something future and which requires effort on our part (e.g. Gal. 6:8; Rom. 2:7). Just like today there are differences in the level or “quality” of physical life that we experience. In a family, for example, one member of the family may have a terminal disease while another member is very healthy (and disease free) and yet another has a nasty “common” cold that they are dealing with. All have physical life, but there are differences in that physical life. And likewise, all believers have eternal life, but there are going to be differences within that category (rewards), depending on what we do.

The Matter of Grace – Matthew 20:1-16
While Peter’s question is a good one, the Lord apparently is concerned about the attitude behind the question (19:30). What attitude? The attitude that the Master is somehow under obligation to me since I have left everything to follow Him. The truth of the matter is that the Master owns us and there is nothing we can do to obligate Him (see Luke 17:7-10). Peter (and sometimes you and I) forgot that the “bond-slave” attitude is the only correct attitude for us to have. Any rewards are really a matter of His grace and generosity towards us. But He is not required to do so because of our “sacrifices”.

The Agreement with the Workers, 20:1-2. Jesus constantly reminded His followers that the operating principles of this world are different from those of His kingdom. In those days, the labor pool was often found in the marketplace. A landowner hired workers for the day and an agreement was made for a day’s wage (which was the “denarius”).

The Hiring of Other Workers, 20:3-7. It soon became apparent to the landowner that the work of the vineyard was greater than those hired could handle and so he returned to the marketplace at four other times (9am, noon, 3pm and 5pm). Since the magic moment of hiring had already past, the new workers had little leverage in the matter of wages and so they agreed to be paid “whatever is right”.

The Paying of the Workers, 20:8-16. In that culture, everyday was payday (What a great idea!). In this case the later shift got paid first. And to everyone’s amazement, they each got wages for a full day (a denarius). That sure fit “whatever is right” to these workers! However, when those who were hired first received their denarius (on which they had agreed at the time of hiring), they were outraged. It was so unfair, they thought. The Master is, after all, obligated to do better than this for us who worked all day for Him. He owes us! Such an attitude perhaps creeps on occasion into our thinking as well.

Some Important Truths for Us to Remember

1. There are some important reminders that come out of Peter’s question and Jesus’ answer as well as from the parable of the workers that followed.
2. Christ has committed Himself to reward greatly those who have given up much for “His names sake: even a hundred fold.
3. We are purchased bond-slaves and, therefore, the Lord Jesus our Master is never placed under obligation to us for whatever we may have sacrificed for serving Him. To think so, to any degree, reveals an attitude that needs some adjusting.
4. Our Sovereign Lord is rich in grace. Our salvation is by grace and so are rewards that He will give. He is wonderfully generous towards us, and it is likely we will receive far more than we might imagine.
5. The Lord is not only generous but is all knowing. Those who appear to be “last” (19:30; 20:16) may well receive the greatest rewards because of the Master’s insights and understanding. He will not miss a thing, even a cup of cold water given. Those who are “first” in this world may have a problem with attitude or motives and will not fair so well.
6. We can happily leave the “bookkeeping” with Jesus. If left to us, trying to figure out appropriate rewarding at the judgment seat for each person is well above our pay grade. But it will be done perfectly by the wise, generous, sovereign Lord Jesus.

Payday Is Coming - My Sin and Christ's Judgment Seat

The most common concern of believers when it comes to the Judgment Seat is: “will my sins be brought up there?” All of us are all too aware of those times when we failed badly; when our attitudes, actions or words were really quite sinful. So we worry that these matters will be focused on by Judge Jesus. There are six basic truths that we need to consider as we try to understand the place of “my sin at Christ’s Judgment Seat”.

#1 – All sins were paid for by Jesus on the cross.
The absolutely completeness of Christ’s work on the cross is a significant and wonderful truth. How clear is the book of Hebrews on this matter!

“...we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ...but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God...For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:10-14).

Since all sin for all time has been paid for, we will not be “paying” for our various sins at the Judgment Seat.

#2 – Believers still sin and that does impact life today.
Most every believer knows that he or she still commits sin. While it does not impact our status as a child of God, it does impact our fellowship with God. And it does impact the quality of our lives simply because sin brings with it pain, trouble and alienation. So we must confess that sin in order to maintain our fellowship with the Lord. If we don’t, then our lives will experience a variety of possible negatives. This is true even though those sins were paid for at the cross. The cross insured that our status as God’s children remained secure but we still must deal with our sinning.

#3 – Believers’ sinning will impact the Judgment Seat.
In a similar way, the scriptures are clear that there can and will be the loss of reward for the believer who does not live according to the standard of the Scriptures; does not remain faithful to Christ; and whose motives are not proper. The loss of reward comes about because these criteria are not met (which would mean that we were not living righteously, but righteously). A person remains God’s child but will experience loss because of sin. (Recall these passages: 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; Luke 19:22-26; Colossians 3:24-25; Hebrews 3:12-4:11; 10:26-36; 2 Corinthians 5:10). So the truth is that forgiven sin can still negatively impact events and situations in our lives. Christ’s work of the cross does not keep a believer from experiencing negative disciples from God in this life (1 Cor. 11:31-32; Heb. 12:3-11). So we ought not think that there will not be negative disciplines from Christ at His Judgment Seat?

#4 – Confessed sin lessens negative consequences.
Christ’s finished work on the cross does not eliminate the need for believers to confess their sins (1 John 1:9). Not only does confession of sin restore us to fellowship with the Savior, but it also retards the negative consequences of our sin and brings God’s mercy and grace to bear on our lives in fresh ways. Paul is so clear when he proclaims that God is ‘rich in mercy” (Eph. 2:4). Mercy is by definition “the withholding of deserved punishment”. When we deal with our sin now the consequences will be lessened at the Judgment Seat because God is rich in both mercy and grace.

#5 – The sins of a believer do not mean that no rewards are possible.
Even if we know that there has been too much disobedience in our lives, there is good news. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that “a promise remains of entering His rest (reward)” (Heb. 4:1. We can leave failure and disobedience behind us and live fully and completely for Christ. Past sins need not remove us from future rewards.

#6 – God’s mercy and grace are factors at the Judgment Seat.
Even though each person receives “his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8), rewards are still a part of God’s grace. God is not obligated to hand out rewards. We can never do enough to put Him under obligation to us (Luke 17:7-10). The reason why we receive rewards for faithful service is because we serve a generous and gracious Lord.

For us to figure out how sin, God’s rewarding criteria, grace and mercy all work out is clearly beyond our pay grade. There is so much that we do not know or even remember. But the Judge of the earth will do what is right.

Sin will have some sort of impact at the Judgment Seat. Confessed sin always lessens that impact. Our loving Lord who delights to give good gifts to His children will fairly and mercifully deal with us.

A Closing Story
A teenage girl, with a new drivers license, took her father’s sports car without asking. This was, of course, strictly forbidden. But she wanted to impress her friends with her status as a new license holder. As she rounded a bend in the road, she lost control of the car and slammed into a fence, pulverizing it, and her skid was stopped when she rammed into a large oak tree. The car sustained thousands of dollars in damage and she severely hurt her knee when it smashed into the dashboard. As she sat in the midst of the ruins and the emergency vehicles which had arrived on the scene, she felt just awful. She didn’t just feel terrible about the mayhem around her, but that she had disobeyed and disappointed her dad whom she loved.

When dad arrived at the accident scene, a genuinely sorrowful daughter apologized to him. Dad, who knew his little girl well, accepted her heartfelt apology and forgave her for her willful act.

In spite of her genuine apology, certain realities remained. The car remained damaged, her knee was killing her and the fence was still in shambles. On the basis of her repentance, dad chose not to ground her or punish her in any way (that is mercy---the withholding of deserved punishment). Out of his own pocket, he paid the $500 deductible on his insurance and took care of having the fence replaced (that is grace---the giving of unmerited favor). Her knee, however, remained badly injured and, therefore, hospital and doctor visits would become part of life. Her date for that evening with Jason was cancelled and during the next few weeks she would not be driving and others would have to transport her here and there. There were other unintended consequences to be sure. But this incident made her wiser and caused her to think more carefully and maturely about choices and actions in the future. In one sense, failure had brought about a quality of living not before seen.

In dealing with his daughter, the various factors of mercy, grace and consequences were all mixed together. While the father in the story may not have been totally correct in the way he handled the matter, we can be sure that there will be no imbalance or deficiency in the Lord’s decisions and actions on that future payday for believers. The Judge of the earth will do right. He will, in every case, righteously deal in grace, mercy and justice. What a Judge---what a Savior!