BEING FAITHFUL---LOOKING BEYOND PRESENT DIFFICULTIES TO LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF JESUS MESSIAH

It does seem that our American culture is in a moral free fall, and that those who follow Jesus Christ are increasingly falling out of favor with that culture. We will not take time here to give examples of this moral and spiritual decline because each reader could probably quickly construct a long list illustrating the point. The issue we face, as follows of Christ, is our faithfulness to Him in times like these. That, of course, has been the great issue in most all of church history.

        In recent months, I have found both insights and encouragement in looking at the Book of Hebrews and the saints to whom it was written. There are differences of opinion on a number of matters in Hebrews, but when we let the words of the text take on their normal meaning, it becomes quite certain that the ones receiving this message were Jewish believers who probably lived in Rome. The members of this house church likely suffered under the edict of Emperor Claudius in 49-50 AD when Jews were expelled from Rome. It would have been a difficult time for them. Hebrews 10:32-34 speaks of their sufferings and persecution, even to the point of having their property seized. But they lived successfully through this time of persecution. When Nero became emperor, the Jews and Christians were allowed back into Rome. After the first few years of his relatively peaceful reign, things changed and it was becoming clear that more intense persecution of believers was on the way. It looked like a repeat, or worse, of what they had previously experienced.

The Setting and Purpose of the Book of Hebrews

The Book of Hebrews was written about this time and was written because it was becoming apparent that these believers were disassociating themselves from other believers in the body of Christ. This was resulting in an increasing level of unfaithfulness to the Lord Jesus. The point of Hebrews is that we must remain faithful to Jesus. If we don’t “hang in there” and we abandon Him and His truth, then there will be significant consequences. The consequence is not the loss of eternal life, as some theologians teach, but rather the loss of significance and the loss of reward in the coming kingdom of Jesus Messiah. 

Those “Warning Passages”

Each of the warning passages is addressed to regenerated people (2:1-4; 3:7-4:13; 5:10-6:20; 10:26-39 and 12:12-20). The message of Hebrews begins with a powerful word about the glory, superiority and deity of Jesus, who is the One who will fulfill completely the Davidic covenant. He will fulfill God’s OT covenant commitments and He will reign over the “inhabited earth” (2:5) which the author says is, in fact, the subject of this discourse (not the matter of justification by faith). Jesus will reign, but at the present moment He is not (2:8). He informs the readers that they are to take seriously this inspired word about the future kingdom. This truth came to Jesus and was given to His Apostles. If they drift away from this truth, there will be consequences in the Kingdom of Jesus.

The second warning passage shows what unfaithfulness looks like; it looks like the “Exodus generation” who because of their unbelief and their unfaithfulness lost out on God’s “rest”.  The “rest” being spoken of is defined in both Deuteronomy and Joshua as the reward that God gives to those who obediently and faithfully carry out God’s purposes for them. The Exodus generation lost out on the blessings of the Lord, in that they lost their inheritance in the land. The believers reading this message were in danger of losing out on God’s reward for them. (Note: Paul used the Exodus generation in an identical way in 1 Cor. 9:24-10:11 when illustrating the obtaining or the losing of rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ). There was still hope for them (4:1) but they could not continue on the path they were on. In 3:14, the offer is made that faithful believers can become one of the “companions” (“partakers with Christ'') if we remain faithful to Him. This is an offer to those who remain true and loyal to Jesus in this life. They will be given a place of significance in the next. So, there is much to gain and much to lose in the future kingdom of Christ.

The third warning passage (5:10-6:20) is undoubtedly the most misunderstood of the warning passages. The subject is not justification, but rather the subject is falling off of the path to spiritual maturity. They are saved, but to turn back is to incur loss; the loss of significance in Messiah’s kingdom. The intensity level of the warnings clearly is increasing. The illustration at the end is most helpful (6:7-8). Each one is the “ground” onto which the blessings of God (“rain”) has fallen. They all have experienced God’s blessings (as described in 6:4-5). The ground can be cultivated with the result that beneficial crops are produced. Or, it can be neglected with the result that thorns and thistles are produced, which are of no value to anyone. This would make the ground “worthless”, which is the same word used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:27 (“disqualified”) in his discussion of the loss of rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  Ground which becomes totally overgrown with weeds can only be burned, which destroys the weeds but the ground remains. (“Fire” in Hebrews is used of temporal judgment, not of eternal fire). The worthless weeds are destroyed but the ground remains intact (similar of Paul’s “as of by fire” in the Judgment Seat discussion of 1 Cor. 3:15).

The final two warning passages carry the same emphasis, though the level of intensity is heightened. But these are “enlightened” (i.e. regenerated people) who in 10:35-39 still have the prospect of reward awaiting them. The point is the same: “hang in there, it will be worth it when Jesus establishes His kingdom on this earth.”

The message then proceeds along, giving illustrations of a large group of OT people who hung on tenaciously to the promises of God (Hebrews 11). They did not experience the fulfillment of God’s promises in this life but they saw them in their future. They remained completely faithful to the Lord in their lifetimes and they will yet receive those promises made by our faithful God. So, be like the folks in Hebrews 11. But, on the other hand, the message uses another OT character of how not to live. Esau is the negative example. Esau, as most of us remember, did the unthinkable thing of swapping his birthright for some stew and bread. He was hungry and the need of the moment was lunch. Esau traded his future inheritance for present fulfillment and comfort. He mortgaged his future for present satisfaction. And that is exactly what believers are not to do.

For Us Today.

As our culture becomes increasingly hostile to Jesus Himself, as well as to those who would follow Him, the message of Hebrews is becoming increasingly relevant. What we are experiencing in America may be something “strange” and new to us, but it is that which believers have experienced in the past, as well as many of God’s children in our present world. We are to remain focused on the Coming King (3:1) and daily live loyally to Him. As we have noted before, Jesus does not ask us to become famous, but does insist that we are faithful. So, in spite of what may come our way from the “god of this world” (culture), let us resolve to simply be faithful to what the Lord would have for us today, now. There is much to gain, and there is also much to lose. Hang in there, saint!

(Note: to those interested, you might find help in Dr. Benware’s new little book “Understanding the Book of Hebrews: Jesus Our High Priest and Coming King. A Key Truth for the Christian Walk”.  Found at Paulbenware.com)

ALL WILL HEAR AND MULTITUDES WILL BE SAVED

Though it seems unlikely at this moment, the above is a true statement. The greatest time of fruitful evangelism is ahead for this world. And, for the many who will be saved, that time is inseparably linked to that period commonly referred to as the Tribulation. In various ways, people have wondered: “will there be many or any come to faith in Jesus in the coming Tribulation?”  Happily, the answer is “yes.”

Will This Tribulation Time Really Be All That Bad?

The Scriptures are not at all vague when they inform us that this time of tribulation will bring an unprecedented era of trouble for the whole world. (Note particularly Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1; Joel 2:2).  There never has been, nor will there ever again, be a time like it.

God’s wrath will be poured out in a most powerful way during those seven years.  In giving us the basics of the judgments of God’s wrath, the Apostle John records, in Revelation, that there will be 19 specific judgments, which will devastate the world.  Body counts are given for 2 of the 19 judgments (the 4th Seal and the 6th Trumpet).  In these two judgments alone, 50% of the population of the earth dies. And then, when we look closely at the other 17 judgments, it is quite clear that the death toll will far exceed 50%.  We are probably not too far off by saying that 80-85% living during this time period will perish.  So, for example, if the Tribulation begins with the population of the earth being 8 billion, then those that die under the wrath of God will be around 6-7 billion.  All that in 7 years. That is not something that most of us can really comprehend.

But death to people will also come at the hand of Satan. Satan will use the Great Harlot (Rev. 17) and the Antichrist (Rev. 13) to shed the blood of millions of God’s people.  This incredible loss of human life coupled with unprecedented earthquakes (two of them that move the entire crust of the earth), burning of earth, destruction of the oceans and freshwater sources will make this the worst period in all of human history.  It is no wonder that Jesus observed that unless God had limited this time to just 7 years no human being would be left standing (Matt. 24:22).  

What In The World Is God Wanting To Accomplish?

Some might think that God’s actions are irrational and out of control. But, contrary to popular belief, God’s greatest purpose in the Tribulation is not judgment. (He doesn’t need 7 years to judge, as He could easily judge in 7 minutes). The greatest purpose of God in the period of Tribulation is to save people.  When we think about it, we probably all would acknowledge that we are more sensitive to God and spiritual matters when facing trouble and trials. These challenge what we believe in and/or depend on. The Tribulation period is going to effectively strip away things that people generally trust in and rely on. Money and material things will evaporate away. Living comfortably will disappear. Those philosophies that people have depended on will prove to be just mirages, having no real substance. Institutions and organizations (including government) will be unsafe and untrustworthy. Life, as experienced today by most people, will no longer exist. With no hiding place and no sure foundation, multitudes will be listening to spiritual matters as they never have before. There are not many options left. Some of these will listen to the voice of the Evil One, but multitudes will hear the voice of the Savior, through His people, and turn to Him for eternal life.

Will Millions of People Really Be Saved In The Tribulation?

Very recently I was asked this question, and the answer is “yes”. Salvation of people is God’s great purpose and that does take some time.  The gospel must be proclaimed and men hear it and then choose to respond to Jesus Christ or not.

1. Saving Israel.  In His covenant promises to Abraham (and Abraham’s descendants) God declared that He would bring Israel into the New Covenant, which is the covenant dealing with salvation and the forgiveness of sins. In all the centuries since Jesus came the first time and died on the cross, the nation of Israel, as a nation, has never turned to Him. And yet Jesus was very clear when He stated that He would not return to the earth again (the 2nd Coming) until Israel turned to Him in faith (Matt. 23:39).  Saving Israel is God’s first and primary order of business in the Tribulation.  And He will accomplish this great goal as the Scriptures state with clarity. Numerous times in Jeremiah 31:31-34, God said “I will” fulfill My covenant commitment to the House of Israel. Two millennia have gone by with no national turning to Jesus. But wait! It will happen in the coming time of Tribulation. These scriptures tell us that God will indeed fulfill His covenant commitment to the descendants of Abraham.

“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in: and thus, ALL ISRAEL will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.’ ‘And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’' Romans 11:25-27

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people (Israel) and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.”  Daniel 9:24

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you...I will put My spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and you will be careful to observe my ordinances.” Ezekiel 36:25

Israel begins the Tribulation as an unbelieving nation, but that rapidly begins to change, probably as the 144,000 Jewish evangelists begin to make an impact.  Jesus said that about half way through the Tribulation, Israel would begin to be persecuted “on account of My name” (Matt. 24:9).  Now Israel has been and continues to be persecuted by the gentile nations, but not because she has identified with the Lord Jesus Christ!  The 144,000 (Rev. 7) along with the “two witnesses” (Rev. 11) apparently have a huge impact on the nation of Israel, so that by the end of the Tribulation “all” Israel has come to faith in Christ. With the salvation of Israel, the Great King Jesus can now return.  But before He does, there are many more that need saving.  This will be the ultimate fulfillment of Genesis 12:3---“in you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”
(2) Saving gentiles.  In the Old Testament, it was always God’s plan to reach the gentile nations through Israel.  The Israelites were to be a light to the gentiles.  Unfortunately, they behaved badly and never really were that light bringing the knowledge of the Lord Jehovah to the nations.  But that changes dramatically in the Tribulation.  They will be a beacon light in that terribly dark period of time.  According to Revelation 7:9-14, millions upon millions from every nation will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. It is important to observe that these people (of Rev. 7) were saved during the Tribulation period and not during the ages of the church or some other time.  And while they died for their faith, the number of them runs in the millions. And it must also be noted that these saved ones are just those saved early in the Tribulation period; apparently not including all people saved during the entire period of time.
Some Concluding Thoughts
This short study should remind us that the Lord delights in saving people and is committed to doing that.  Judgment is not what He delights in, but rather the regeneration of lost people.  The Tribulation, while having terrible judgments, is primarily a time for salvation.  God will fulfill His commitment to save Israel, and Israel in turn will be the ones who spread the truth of God which results in so many gentiles coming to know Jesus. (It is likely that with all of the outpouring of the supernatural that there will be no atheists or agnostics during the Tribulation. The issue is whether you will believe in Jesus or Satan/Antichrist).
Today God wants us to share the Good News about Jesus.  And perhaps our obedience in this matter, will cause some in the Tribulation to come to Christ.  Imagine if you shared the gospel with a person on Wednesday (and there is no response) and then the Rapture takes place on Thursday.  The seed we planted could still bear fruit in those days of the Tribulation.  God loves to save people. God simply is not going to allow Satan to “win”, but will powerfully redeem millions, releasing them from the grip of the Evil One. This clear truth ought to encourage us to be more proactive in telling those around us about the Savior.

TWO THINGS JESUS WILL BE LOOKING FOR

    In my days in the college classroom, it was pretty clear that students liked to know what would be used to evaluate them. Simply put they wanted to know, “how do I get an “A” in here?”  They would not buy into the idea that I would arbitrarily give them a grade at the end of the course depending on how I might feel at that moment. Whether it is in the classroom, on the job or a dozen other situations, we like to know what is the criteria for our evaluation. 

Fortunately, the criteria for our evaluation at the Judgment Seat (bema) of the Lord Jesus Christ is clearly given to us in the Scriptures. We don’t have to speculate as to what will be used in our evaluation.  In our previous study we observed the first criterion given by the Apostle Paul. In 1 Corinthians 3:10-4:5, the first of the criteria was given, and that was: “how closely did our lives align with God’s truth”?  As we served Him and lived for Him, did we do so according to the commands, principles and guidelines found in the Scriptures.  This indicates that there will be a clear, objective standard for us.  As Paul told Timothy, we will not receive the prize unless we play according to the rules (2 Tim. 2:5). This certainly suggests something of the importance of being people of the Book. We will now look at the other two criteria that the Lord Jesus will use as He evaluates the lives of His servants.

CRITERION #2: WERE WE FAITHFUL IN SERVING JESUS?

In the New Testament, each believer is said to be a “steward”.  This word is used by Paul as he describes what will take place at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

“Let a man regard us in this matter, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.”  (1 Cor. 4:1-2)

A steward is one to whom the master has given many things.  The steward is to diligently work with these things that belong to his master. The issue that is most important is that the steward must be faithful. And because all things have been given to the steward, he is held accountable for how faithful he has been in the use of those things.  Paul further reminded the Christians at Corinth:

“For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7)

Although we are all so very different from one another, each of us is a steward and has been given much by the Lord.  (Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 25:15 that He does deal differently with His servants---there are some servants who are given 1 or 2 talents, while some are given 5). All of us have been given natural abilities and spiritual gifts.  Each has been given a level of intelligence and a level of financial resources.  All believers have been given time and opportunities. Each of us have a role in our families and churches. All these have been given to us by the Lord and He expects us to be faithful in using these things to live for Him and bring honor to Him.  The Judgment Seat of Christ will be the place where our individual stewardship is evaluated. It does, and it will make an important difference in what we did with all that has been given to us. 

Unfortunately, we often compare ourselves with others and see ourselves as inferior to other believers.  We all too often assume that those prominent Christians (such as, pastors of megachurches or those who are on television or write many books or those who sing wonderful solos at church) will be the ones who receive great reward and have prominence in Messiah’s kingdom.  But that may not be the case at all.  The great issue to the Lord Jesus is that of faithfulness.  We are called upon TO BE FAITHFUL, NOT TO BE FAMOUS! Did we “hang in there” and live faithfully for the Lord even in tough times. The Lord Jesus will evaluate us on what He has given to us, not on what He has given to someone else.  This should be a great encouragement to us.  Fellow believers, do not compare yourself with others because the Lord Jesus will not be doing that.  The issue is an individual one.  Were you and I faithful to Him in using what He has given to us?

CRITERION #3: WHAT WERE OUR MOTIVES AS WE SERVED CHRIST?

The Lord is apparently interested in our heart attitudes as we live and serve.  Our motive should be the glory of God and the approval of God.  It would seem that every now and then we should ask ourselves the question “why am I doing what I am doing?”  Our motivations are important even though it is sometimes difficult for us to fully discern our motives.  Again, the Apostle Paul mentioned this matter to the believers at Corinth.

“I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.  Therefore, do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”   (1 Cor. 4:4-5)

It would appear that periodically we ought to try and identify “why” we are doing and living the way we are.  Paul was a faithful, devoted follower of Jesus, and in his life, he observed others who did not live as he did.  He mentions several wrong motives that could be spotted in others.  He noted that some served the Lord because it was profitable to do so.  They merchandised the gospel (2 Cor. 2:17).  They did what they did because of the financial rewards that they got. They put a price tag on what they did.  He also observed believers who served out of personal pride (Phil. 1:15-17).  They were building a kingdom, but it was evidently their own and not Christ’s. Personal fame was the fuel that energized their service. Paul made it clear that it is possible for one to serve Christ because it brings with it prominence, power or profit.  So, for example, we might ask ourselves why we want to be a lead singer in the worship service; or chair a committee; or be an elder or deacon; or have a lead part in the Christmas pageant or Easter cantata? Do we have people over to our house because we want to be known as a person of generous hospitality?  It is sometimes hard to completely determine why we do what we do. But since Jesus will be taking a look at our motives, we should probably do that as well. And it may be that we will need to pray for Him to help us get rid of those impure or suspect motives out of our thinking. We must never underestimate the deceptive power of our flesh, and we need to ask the Holy Spirit (the only One who can defeat the flesh) to assist us in serving Christ faithfully with noble motives.

While all of us as God’s children are equally loved by Him, He will be just and righteous in the manner in which He will deal with His children.  He will evaluate us as individuals and will not compare us with others. His evaluation will not be arbitrary, (depending on He feels at the moment!) but will be objective. If the reward is given or if the reward is withdrawn, it will be clear to all as to the reasons why.  This can be the greatest day for each of us stewards of Christ. Today does count forever, and what an incredible level of joy there will be. if indeed the King says to you “well done, good steward.”

WHAT WILL JESUS BE LOOKING FOR AT THE “JUDGMENT SEAT”?

    Most of us can recall a time when an authority figure required us to come see them. It may have been the school principal or the company boss or the coach of our team or someone else. But as we anticipated the meeting, most likely we became somewhat stressed about it, not knowing what was going to happen and what things would be like after the meeting was over. 

Far greater and far more significant than that meeting with some authority figure will be that scheduled meeting that we have with the Lord Jesus Christ at what is referred to as the “judgment seat of Christ.” Any earthly meeting cannot rival this future meeting which all believers in Jesus will be attending. Now, some of those human authority figures may not have really wanted our best or were interested in treating us fairly. That will not be true of the Lord Jesus. He is loving, merciful, good and gracious. He loves to give good gifts to His children and always desires what is best for His own. But He is also holy which requires that He deal justly with us and evaluate us fairly. He will not overlook the good we have done, but He will not overlook our sin and selfishness.  So, the question we want to address here is just what will be the basis of Jesus' evaluation of us as believers at the judgment seat. When we study the Scriptures, we discover that there are three primary criteria that Jesus will use. 

CRITERION #1: HOW CLOSELY DID OUR LIVES ALIGN WITH GOD’S TRUTH?

There is going to be an objective standard that will be used as Jesus evaluates our lives, and that objective standard is God’s Word.  The Scriptures give us all that we need to know to live well for the Lord Jesus and to serve Him.  The following verses give us a needed reminder of this.

Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (2 Pet. 1:3)

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

Because the Word of God gives us all that is necessary to honor Christ and live well for Him, this same Word will be used to evaluate how we have lived our lives. This is certainly one reason why it is so important that we are “people of the Book.” The Apostle Paul observed that we will not receive reward if we do not live according to the rules that God has set up.

“And also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.”  (2 Tim. 2:5)

In his enlightening discussion of the Judgment Seat of Christ in 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul uses the helpful picture of building a structure.  He notes that all of us as believers are building. We should observe that the question is not “am I building?”  The question for each of us is what kind of building materials am I using?”  

In his illustration, he tells us that all believers are given the foundation on which to build.  The foundation on which we build is the same for everyone.  That foundation is the truth about Jesus Christ, His person and His work (1 Cor. 3:10-11).  Our lives and service are built on our relationship with Christ.  By faith, we have received God’s gift of eternal life and the forgiveness of our sins.  From the moment we are saved, we begin to build on this foundation.

Paul informs us that we have two types of building materials available as we build.  The first are those materials which will not perish when touched by fire (gold, silver, valuable building stones), and second, those materials that are combustible (wood, hay straw).  Again, we must remember that every day we are building, which means that last week you and I built. And the crucial question is what kind of material we used last week.

But what do these materials represent?  The imperishable materials (gold, silver, valuable building stones) represent the wisdom of God which is found in the Scriptures.  The context determines this. The discussion of the Judgment Seat found here in 1 Corinthians 3 has been preceded by a lengthy discussion of the importance of the wisdom of God.  From 1 Corinthians 1:18, Paul has been arguing for the critical role that God’s wisdom plays in people getting right with God and with its significance in living life. When we live and serve according to the standards, commands and guidelines of Scripture, we are building with these wonderful, permanent materials.  On the other hand, the perishable materials represent those views, philosophies and ideas that are not part of God’s Word.  Some suggestions will be given on what these things might look like.

Living according to the guiding principles and commands of Scripture is building with gold, silver and precious stones.  For example, in our family relationships each of us have roles and responsibilities as set for by the Bible.  When I, as a husband, love my wife and give her biblical leadership then that is one area that I am building with imperishable materials.  As we guide our fiscal lives according to God’s principles on money and material things, we are building with these lasting materials.  So, whether it is in my vocation, my responsibilities in the Church, my relationship with the unsaved, the way I budget my time, the decisions made related to recreation or a dozen other matters, we can be choosing to live by the appropriate principles and guidelines found in Scripture.  

This, of course, leads to a fundamental issue of whether or not we are spending the needed time in studying the Scriptures to both understand and then apply the truths of God to the various areas of life.  What we do or don’t do will determine the receiving of rewards, or not, at the Judgment Seat.

What might the perishable materials of wood, hay and straw represent in the lives of believers?  These represent any alternatives to the revealed standards and principles of God in His Word.  In the context of 1 Corinthians, in a very fundamental way, this represents the “wisdom of man.”  Believers can and often do make decisions in life based on things other than the wisdom of God.  In order to try and take this out of the realm of the abstract and to see what wood, hay and straw might look like today, several suggestions are given. 

• EXPERIENCES.  Believers will sometimes make decisions in life or prioritize what is important in life based on some circumstances or coincidence they have experienced. I have known people whose course was charted based on an alleged vision they saw or voice they heard.  Others say they were “slain in the Spirit” and this experience determined choices made in numerous areas of life.  But experiences, though real to a person, must be evaluated by the Scriptures.  Some experiences come from God but others do not. They instead are generated by the human mind and yet others by Satan. The Scriptures alone can determine the authenticity of experience.

• TRADITION.  Believers can program their lives by their religious traditions. And while some traditions might prove helpful, they might not. As we all know, the traditions of the Pharisees in the days of Christ, brought terrible consequences to many.  Traditions are fundamentally man made, and though they might at times be helpful, it is only the Word of God that evaluates tradition.

• PSYCHOLOGICAL IDEAS.  Even pastors in their sermons can substitute current psychological ideas for biblical truth. Current cultural thinking is no substitute for biblical thinking.  For example, child raising can be done according to biblical principles or according to current trends in psychology. Some will focus on digging back into a person’s childhood instead of focusing on the present and future (Phil. 3:13-14). The psychological views that come out of the culture are always in a state of flux and are more like quick sand than solid ground. 

• DOCTRINAL ERROR.  The greatest concern of the Apostles was the influx of false doctrine into the church.  The distortion of biblical truth affects every area of life, and the Apostle John warned that embracing that which is error will bring about the loss of reward in the future (2 John 7-8). In today’s church setting, with the growing influence of “progressive Christianity”, erroneous teachings are growing like dandelions.

Building is going on daily in our lives.  Whether we are building according to the Word, or on other things, will determine the gain or loss of reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  It is no small matter.  And it becomes obvious to the thinking person that understanding and applying the truth of God in life is a primary task of ours in the present. And it is the Scriptures that will be the objective basis of our evaluation by the Lord Jesus.

In our next study, we will look at the matters of faithfulness and motivation as the other criteria that Jesus will be using in our evaluation and rewarding at His “judgment seat.” In the meantime, be in the Word and allow the Holy Spirit of God to instruct us and guide us into truth centered living.

WHAT IS DONE TODAY DOES COUNT FOREVER

    Whenever an athletic team, or even an individual, wins a major victory, there is a unique level of exhilaration and enthusiasm that erupts. The explosion of happiness cannot be contained. After spending hours in training and practicing, the victory that is being experienced leaves them with a limited vocabulary. The moment itself was overpowering and their lives would never be the same. As I watch those winning athletes, I cannot help but think of a future time when we will be rewarded by the Lord Jesus, the King of Glory.  But the joy of those winning athletes is so very superficial when compared with the joy of those believers who have faithfully served the Lord of Glory here and now.  For faithful believers, it will undoubtedly be an incredibly emotional moment of great joy and immense satisfaction.  To have the Lord Jesus say, “you did a good job and I am so very pleased with you” will make all of the hard work and faithfulness in tough times be worth it all. And, like those athletes, this will have an impact on life from that moment on.

As we look at our crumbling culture with its growing hostility to Jesus Christ and His people, many believers are beginning to think a little differently and to prioritize their lives a little differently. And that is good. According to the Scriptures, how we live now does have a powerful impact on our futures in the coming Kingdom of God. Today does count forever.  What we do now for Christ will have a ripple effect throughout the coming kingdom of God. When the Apostle Paul was explaining to the believers at Corinth as to why he willingly suffered so much for Christ and the gospel, he said: “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison…” (2 Corinthians 4:17).  Today does count forever and we too can be part of the “eternal weight of glory.”  In this study, I would like to “stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance”, by freshening up our thinking on the Judgment Seat of Christ.  I want to deal with two questions.

WHEN WILL THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST TAKE PLACE?

The Scriptures indicate that it is at the return of Jesus that rewarding takes place.  When a person dies, it is sometimes said that “he has gone to his reward.”  While a believer will certainly be entering an indescribable place and seeing an awesome Person, technically this is not the time of rewarding.  Jesus put it succinctly in Revelation 22:12: “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”  During His earthly ministry, He stated: “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds.” (Matthew 16:27).  In several of His parables (Luke 19; Matthew 25), He connected the rewarding of His servants with His return to earth.

Scripture tells us that rewarding is connected with His return.  So, when He returns at the Rapture for His Bride, the Church, that will be the time when church age saints are rewarded.  This can also be seen in Revelation 19:8 where, just prior to the Second Coming to earth, the Bride is seen in heaven as rewarded.  And on the basis of Matthew 16, we can also conclude that all other saints (from the Old Testament and the Tribulation) will be rewarded at the Second Coming event.

DO THE REWARDS LAST FOR ALL ETERNITY?

It is sometimes taught that after the Judgment Seat, all believers will then be the same.  This is largely based on Revelation 4.  In Revelation 4:4-10, the 24 elders cast their crowns before the throne of God, and this has led some to conclude that after this act of worship that rewards play no part in future activities, rankings or conditions.  But that is probably not how we should understand Revelation 4. That particular interpretation simply does not align well with so many other scriptures.  It is true that the rewarded elders are worshipping the Lord by acknowledging that their rewards are ultimately due to His grace. And the fact that they have crowns enables them to have a greater capacity in their worship of the Lord.

However, when we look at Jesus’ teaching in Luke 19:11-27 and Matthew 25:14-22, as well as Paul’s powerful message in 2 Timothy 2:5-11, it becomes quite evident that rewards last for a very long time.  At a minimum they will have consequences throughout the 1,000-year reign of King Jesus. 

In the Millennial (Messianic) Kingdom.  In this kingdom, the Lord Jesus will rule for one thousand years (Rev. 20:1-10) over Israel and all the nations of the earth (Psalm 2:1-9; Isaiah 9:6-7, 11; Jer. 23:5-8; 33:20-26).  Absent from this kingdom will be Satan and his forces as well as the curse placed on the earth by God in Genesis 3.  This kingdom will be characterized by righteousness, joy, peace, prosperity and health.  There has never been a time like this on earth since Eden, and for those who have been faithful in this present life. there will be the privileged opportunity to co-rule with King Jesus.  Our investment (“laying up treasures”) right now will pay amazing dividends for one thousand years.

In the Eternal KIngdom.  There is a second part to the future kingdom of God and that is the eternal phase when ruling authority is handed to the Father by Christ after His messianic reign (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).  After all judgments have taken place, including that of Satan, unbelievers and the old heavens and earth, then this new final eternal phase will begin.  It is likely that this will be on the new earth.  But the question for us in this study is “do rewards have consequences in the eternal phase of the kingdom of God?”  There is evidence that rewards impact life in the eternal kingdom phase.  For example, man will have a place of rulership in this eternal kingdom.  Revelation 21:24 says that, “and the nations shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it.”  In the eternal phase of the kingdom of God, there are nations and there are kings.  This means that there are some people who are going to hold honored places on the earth during the eternal kingdom.  This strongly points to rewards which are given to believers will have eternal consequences.  Again, the Apostle Paul speaks of the “eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).  The writer of Hebrews seems to support the eternality of rewards when he states that the present heavens and earth will be “shaken” while the kingdom we will receive will not be “shaken” (Hebrews 12:25-29).  The “shaking” refers to the destruction of the old earth which is in contrast to the kingdom we will be part of which will not be destroyed.  This statement comes after numerous exhortations to remain faithful and endure because of the rewards that are coming when Jesus Messiah comes; strongly implying that the rewards and the kingdom are eternal.

While it is impossible to be absolutely dogmatic on the matter of the eternality of rewards, the evidence points us in that direction.  But even it could be shown that rewards last for “just” one thousand years, how wise is the believer to live presently with that time in mind. How incredibly wonderful to have a unique relationship and a wonderful responsibility alongside the King, even if it is “only” for a thousand years. If it is eternity that is in view, then wisdom calls us with an even louder voice: “WHAT IS DONE TODAY DOES COUNT FOREVER”.  And Jesus’ exhortation to “lay up treasure” may be far more significant than is usually thought.  

When we do stand before the judgment seat, King/Judge Jesus will be looking at: (1) our faithfulness, (2) our motivations, and (3) how our lives lined up with His Word. It would be wise of each of us to regularly evaluate our own lives in these three areas, allowing the Holy Spirit to allow us to see how we are doing.

The times we are living in are changing at a breathtaking pace. The accelerating moral and spiritual darkness of this world can actually be a great help to us as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. This cultural change is making it easier to see what is of value, especially of eternal value. I think that each of us would love to hear Jesus say “you did a good job, My child”, and then to experience the incredible, indescribable joy that will accompany that moment and ripple throughout eternity. It will far surpass the emotions of athletes who gleefully dance around raising a trophy over their heads. We will indeed “enter into the joy of the Lord.” 

Maintaining and Maturing a “Two-World View”

As our culture rapidly departs from God’s truth, it descends into its own truth, which is constructed of deceptions, half-truths, slanted propaganda and outright lies. As the prophets of the Old Testament observed, they now call evil good, and conversely good is now evil. In such an environment, it is absolutely essential for the follower of Christ to have a maturing two-world view. A two-world view is what characterized the people of faith in Hebrews 11, as well as the likes of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:8-21.  

THE FIRST WORLD is the one we live in now. Satan, the “god of this world”, is opposed to that which the Lord has created, and which God has declared to be the best for mankind. These God-ordained entities include the key elements of family, the church and the concept of nations. The Lord has established these to help restrain sin and give to man what is best for him. But Satan works relentlessly at removing them, which explains the approaches of cultural Marxism growing rapidly in our country. Transgenderism, homosexual marriage, the widespread promotion of the LGBTQ agenda, inculcating young children with sexual perversities, unrestrained sexual activities and the explosion of pornography are all aimed at destroying the nuclear family. 

The church is clearly a target as well. The radical left partners with Islam, protecting and promoting it, for the one goal of destroying the church. And this reality is aided by “progressive” Christianity with its downplaying of prophetic truth which stimulates a two-world view. It is replacing God’s truths with its emphasis on “social justice”. And they all engage in the hateful name calling of believers who stand for the authority of God’s word. All this is all aimed at destroying the church of Jesus Christ. Open borders, rejecting “American exceptionalism”, and the rapid promotion of almost anything global is all aimed at destroying nationalism and patriotism. Nations were put in place by God after the Tower of Babel to help put a lid on sinful behavior. And while evil men lead nations into some terrible evils, the reality is that the one-world government of the Antichrist that is still to come will bring evil to its zenith. Globalism is where this world is headed. 

In a prophetic discourse (Luke 21:10-36), the Lord Jesus declared what would happen in this present world. In 21:8-11, He stated what would take place in the first years  of the coming Tribulation period. Unusually intense famines, wars, earthquakes and plagues (perhaps Covid-22, 23 and 24) will hit hard with over 25% of the world’s population dying during those first years (according to Revelation 6:8). 

Then Jesus said that “before these things” take place (21:12), in this church age, there are going to be some very difficult times for His people. Believers will be persecuted and betrayed even by close family members. But all this has a purpose, and that is that we believers will have the opportunity and privilege of giving testimony concerning Jesus (21:13). And the good news is that we will be given all that we need at that moment to be able to speak boldly, wisely and accurately about the truths of God (21:14-15). 

In 21:20-24, Jesus then continued speaking of the coming destruction of Jerusalem (which took place in AD 70). These are called “days of vengeance” because that generation of Israelites, who rejected Jesus as Messiah, would pay a heavy price for their stubborn refusal to accept Him. 

In 21:25-28, the Lord then returned to the subject of the Tribulation period, pointing out the supernatural displays and destructions that will be experienced in the second half of this seven-year period of time. It is worth noting that men’s response to these events will be “dismay”, “perplexity” and “fainting from fear. Man’s philosophies and solutions to the world’s problems never ever bring the results that they advertise. They always bring despair to people. The cultural Marxists of our day speak (as they always do) of the utopia that lies ahead when the world gets rid of the out-of-date restraints such as the nuclear family, the church and nations. But such naivete will be exchanged for fear and despair. As the world descends into the nightmare, known as the Tribulation, uncertainty and terror will grip the minds and hearts of those who refuse to bow before the Lord Jesus. 

THE SECOND WORLD is the one guaranteed to us by the Risen Christ. A biblical worldview has this as an essential ingredient.  We are to live in this world but with an eye on the world to come. God has promised His children that our best days lie ahead of us. And He has set forth some of the realities that lie ahead of us. It is good for us to remember these matters, since they were given to give stability in unstable times.

• The Rapture or Death. In either case, the believer immediately enters the presence of the glorified Christ, while getting rid of the sinful flesh which plagues us in this life. There is no third option, such as purgatory or “soul sleep”, but instantly we are with our Savior. All of the burdens and trials of this life are immediately set aside as we will begin to experience the wonderful world to come.

• The Judgment Seat of Christ. This time of rewarding is to give us added motivation to live well for Christ in this world. It is a reminder that we are to be faithful to Him as good servants. Our salvation is never in question at the Judgment Seat, since our salvation is a free gift that we cannot earn. But the level of our fellowship and participation in the future kingdoms of God is affected by the outcome of Christ’s evaluation of us at the Judgment Seat. This was one of the primary motivations that the Apostle Paul had in his life (2 Cor. 5:10-16). We are not called to be famous, but faithful to what the Master has given to us, His servants. And each of us, as we live our lives on a daily basis, can be faithful to Him.

• The Messianic (Millennial) Kingdom. We, as the “bride of Christ” will be part of this kingdom, as God is going to fulfill His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in a coming 1,000-year reign of Jesus, son of David. The Old Testament prophets gave great detail about this aspect of the future kingdom of God, as did some New Testament writers. This reign of King Jesus will be on this present earth and will be characterized by a radical change in the spiritual dimension. Jesus will not be the carpenter from Nazareth, but will be seen in His great glory (as He was on the mount of Transfiguration). Satan and his forces will be imprisoned in the abyss for that thousand years, which means that neither Satan’s activities or Satan’s world system will exist. Furthermore, the world will then be characterized by righteousness, peace, joy and a full knowledge of the Lord. None of these exist in today’s world, so we really have to work hard at imagining what such an atmosphere will be like. The physical world will be marvelously changed as the curse will be lifted, making the entire earth fertile and capable of abundant fruitfulness.  Disease and deformity will no longer exist. Violence which characterizes the animal kingdom will vanish as harmony exists even among the animals. And the same holds true for mankind. The earth will go back to what it would have been like before the curse of Genesis 3 was placed on it.

• The Eternal Phase of the Kingdom of God. At the time of mankind’s fall, God embarked on a program to restore and reconcile all that was lost there in the Garden of Eden. We are going back to paradise. Once the thousand year of the Messianic (Millennial) Kingdom is completed, God will destroy the old heavens and old earth and will create new heavens and earth, patterned after the original creation. It is on this new, perfect earth that God will dwell among His people (Rev. 21:1-5) and we will at last fully experience what our Good God has always wanted for His children.

IN THE MEANTIME, ACCORDING TO JESUS. In the Luke 21 passage, Jesus gave to His people truths for us to live by in this world, as we keep an eye on the world to come. 

• Be prayerful (21:36). Of course, we should pray (but frequently we don’t). As we live in a morally and spiritually decaying culture, we can become fearful, resulting in a greater danger of compromising God’s truth. Jesus’ point is that we need to pray for the strength to remain steadfast and loyal to Him and to His Word.

• Be honored (21:13-15). It is a great honor to represent the Great Creator God, and we have been selected to give “testimony” about Him to an unbelieving world. And when we think about it, with eternity’s values in view, what a privilege to represent Him, and to be empowered by Him.

• Be diligent (21:34-35). We daily must evaluate how we are living, keeping in mind that cultural pressures can lead us into harmful living because either we compromise God’s standards or we just give up and hide somewhere. Life in this world has never been easy, but the cultural decay with its onslaught against the righteous standards of God make it harder. 

• Be loyal to Jesus Christ (21:16-17). Jesus reminded us that even good friends and family members might let us down and even betray Christ. Divided loyalties are not to characterize us. In His ministry, time and again, Jesus made it clear that even family relationships cannot replace our loyalty to Him. We will, He says, give an account to the “Son of Man” (21:36).

And while we pray “even so, come Lord Jesus”, we are to maintain and mature our two-world view until we do see Him.