THE JUDGMENT THRONE (B

1
THE JUDGMENT THRONE (BÉMA) OF LORD JESUS CHRIST
FOR HIS CHURCH, THE BELIEVERS

• Much of this study is derived from the notes on
  this subject of Dr. John Whitcomb
• Dr. Jobe Martin
• www.biblicaldiscipleship.org

2

• John C. Whitcomb, Th.D.
• As born-again Christians, we truly rejoice at
  the thought of Gods wonderful promise and
  provision, that if we confess our sins, He is
  faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
  cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 19,
  NKJV).
• But how does this divine provision relate to
  Christs confrontation with His Church, His Body
  and Bride, at the Judgment Throne? Does this mean
  that 1 John 19 eliminates the threat of losing a
  reward or a crown on that great day? This is a
  very
• confusing issue for many of Gods people today.

3

• The Bema judgment is not to see if someone is
  saved. The Bema is to judge believers who are
  already saved on the basis of the works that they
  have done as a Christian.

4
1 Corinthians 311-15

• 11For other foundation can no man lay than
  that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any
  man build upon this foundation gold, silver,
  precious stones, wood, hay, stubble 13Every
  mans work shall be made manifest for the day
  shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by
  fire and the fire shall try every mans work of
  what sort it is. 14If any mans work abide which
  he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a
  reward. 15If any mans work shall be burned, he
  shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved
  yet so as by fire.

5
Philippians 16

• 6Being confident of this very thing, that he
  which hath begun a good work in you will perform
  it until the day of Jesus Christ

6
Romans 51-2

• 1Therefore being justified by faith, we have
  peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 2By
  whom also we have access by faith into this grace
  wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the
  glory of God.

7
Romans 51-2

• We have peace with God and peace with our
  past through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• We have grace for the present and that grace
  is sufficient for any test, trial or tribulation
• 2 Corinthians 129-10. 9And he said unto me,
  My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength
  is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly
  therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
  that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

8
2 Corinthians 129-10

• 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,
  in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
  in distresses for Christs sake for when I am
  weak, then am I strong.
• We have glory coming in the future! We will
  be with our glorified Lord, in our glorified
  bodies, in glory!

9
John 524

• 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
  heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent
  me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come
  into condemnation but is passed from death unto
  life.
• In the present life everlasting!
• In the future no condemnation!

10

• Scriptures teach that we are secure in our
  salvation in Christ Jesus, so the Bema judgment
  has nothing to do with keeping or losing eternal
  salvation for Believers. It is a judgment of our
  works done after we became a believer in the Lord
  Jesus Christ as our Savior.

11
The Purpose of the Judgment Seat Confrontation

• Dr. John Whitcomb
• One point must be settled immediately the
  issue is the gain or loss of rewards,
• not of salvation! Thank God.

12
Ephesians 28-10

• 8For by grace are ye saved through faith and
  that not of yourselves it is the gift of God
  9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For
  we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
  unto good works, which God hath before ordained
  that we should walk in them.

13

• We are saved by grace, through faith, not by
  works!
• The works which God prepared beforehand for
  us to accomplish should come after our salvation.
  The works are judged at the Bema throne judgment
  as gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay,
  stubble.

14
Titus 33-7

• 4But after that the kindness and love of God
  our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works
  of righteousness which we have done, but
  according to his mercy he saved us, by the
  washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
  Ghost 6Which he shed on us abundantly through
  Jesus Christ our Saviour 7That being justified
  by his grace, we should be made heirs according
  to the hope of eternal life.

15
Titus 38

• 8This is a faithful saying, and these things
  I will that thou affirm constantly, that they
  which have believed in God might be careful to
  maintain good works. These things are good and
  profitable unto men.
• Believers in God are to be careful to
  maintain good works.
• Good works are to be a result of salvation,
• NOT THE WAY TO EARN OR GAIN SALVATION AS SO
  MANY BELIEVE!

16
John 1027-30

• 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
  and they follow me 28And I give unto them
  eternal life and they shall never perish,
  neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
  29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than
  all and no man is able to pluck them out of my
  Fathers hand. 30I and my Father are one.

17

• Rewards for work well done is a great motivating
  factor in our lives as humans.
• We are created to respond to the receiving of
  gifts and rewards.
• We all desire to hear our Lord someday say Well
  done thou good and faithful servant.

18
1 Corinthians 924-25

• 24Know ye not that they which run in a race
  run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run,
  that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth
  for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now
  they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we
  an incorruptible.
• The motivation to do your very best is The Prize!

19
Colossians 218

• 18Let no man beguilef you of your reward in a
  voluntary humility and worshipping of angels,
  intruding into those things which he hath not
  seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, (f
  beguile... or, judge against you)
• We are to be careful that we do not lose our
  rewards.

20
2 John 8

• 8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those
  things which we have wroughtb, but that we
  receive a full reward. (b wrought or, gained)
• Watch-out that we do not miss-out on our full
  reward!

21
Revelation 3 11

• 11Behold, I come quickly hold that fast which
  thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

22
1 Corinthians 925

• And every man that striveth for the mastery
  is temperate in all things. Now they do it to
  obtain a corruptible crown but we an
  incorruptible. 1
  Corinthians 925
• The Incorruptible Crown is for being
  temperate in all things (self-control).
• You keep your body in subjection. v.27

23
1 Peter 52-4

• 2Feed the flock of God which is among you,
  taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint,
  but willingly not for filthy lucre, but of a
  ready mind 3Neither as being lords over Gods
  heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4And
  when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall
  receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

24
James 112

• 12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation
  for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown
  of life, which the Lord hath promised to them
  that love him.

25
Revelation 210

• 10Fear none of those things which thou shalt
  suffer behold, the devil shall cast some of you
  into prison, that ye may be tried and ye shall
  have tribulation ten days be thou faithful unto
  death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

26
2 Timothy 47-8

• I have fought a good fight, I have finished
  my course, I have kept the faith 8Henceforth
  there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
  which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give
  me at that day and not to me only, but unto all
  them also that love his appearing.

27
STEPHANOS

• The word, STEPHANOS, translated means crown
  and occurs 18 times in the N.T.
• The four and twenty elders fall down before
  him that sat on the throne and worship him that
  liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns
  (stephanos) before the throne, saying, Thou art
  worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and
  power, for thou hast created all things, and for
  thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelat
  ion 410,11

28
Matthew 2729 And when they had plaited a
crown of thorns, they put it upon his head.

• Mark 1517
• John 192
• John 195
• 1 Corinthians 925
• Philippians 41
• 1 Thessalonians 219
• 2 Timothy 48
• James 112

• 1 Peter 54
• Revelation 210
• Revelation 311
• Revelation 44, 10
• Revelation 62
• Revelation 121
• Revelation 1414
• Revelation 97

29
THE FIRST AND LAST USE OF STEPHANOS (CROWN)

• Matthew 2729 And when they had plaited a
  crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a
  reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee
  before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail King of
  the Jews!
• Revelation 1414 And I looked, and behold a
  white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto
  the son of man, having on his head a golden
  crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

30
THE FIVE CROWNS (ETERNAL REWARDS) FOR TRUE
CHRISTIANS

• The Incorruptible Crown
• The Crown of Rejoicing
• The Crown of Righteousness
• The Crown of Life
• The Crown of Glory

31
THE FIVE CROWNS (ETERNAL REWARDS) FOR BELIEVERS
IN LORD JESUS

• Incorruptible Crown Paul
• Crown of Rejoicing Paul
• Crown of Righteousness Paul
• Crown of Life James and John
• Crown of Glory Peter

32

• Crowns are rewarded at the judgment seat of
  Christ.
• Bema Seat Judgment of Believers
• 2 Corinthians 510 For we must all appear
  before the judgment seat Bema of Christ that
  every one may receive the things done in his
  body, according to that he hath done, whether it
  be good or bad.

33

• Crowns are rewarded based on the works before
  ordained that we as Christians should walk in
  them. Thus the works in no way achieve or
  guarantee our salvation, but follow our salvation
  in service to our Lord.
• What does this mean?

34

• This means that there is nothing that I
  can do before I receive Lord Jesus as my Savior
  to help to earn my eternal salvation. Salvation
  is a gift, it is not earned!
• Attending church regularly wont help,
• Giving money to the church wont help,
• Giving money to charities wont help,
• Helping the poor and orphans and widows wont
  help,
• Attending Bible studies or fasting wont help,
• Donating my time to charities wont help, etc.,
  etc
• Go back to slide 12 again Ephesians 28-10! 34

35

• As true Christians we should be doing all the
  things, and more, listed on the previous slide in
  the power of our Lord Jesus and for His glory.
• We will be given the various crowns for the
  good deeds done as Christians.
• There are no crowns and there is no salvation
  even for deeds of righteousness which we have
  done before receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as
  our Savior.
• But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
  righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
• Isaiah 646a

36
The Bottom Line Regarding Crowns

• At the Judgment of Believers (this is not the
  Great White Throne Judgment which is the
  unbelievers judgment see The Judgments at
  www.biblicaldiscipleship.org ) the Lord Jesus
  will give crowns for service done by His bride,
  the true church of Believers, in His power,
  within the framework of His Word and for His
  glory. Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus!

37
Dr. John Whitcomb says

• But someone might ask Why do I even need a
  reward or a crown? Isnt it enough
• to be assured of heaven with the Lord Jesus
  forever? Even if most Christians would not
• actually say this, they often act as if a reward
  provides no vital motivation for more
• faithful Christian living and service.

38

• The answer to such questions seems clear
  the crown a believer might receive will be for
  His Lord Jesus honor, for we will cast our
  crowns before the throne, saying You are
  worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor . . .
  (Rev. 410-11). Presumably, then, we will be
  ashamed to have nothing to cast down before Him!
  Even the Lord Jesus was motivated by the
  anticipation of a reward, for we are told that
  He, for the joy that was set before Him endured
  the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down
  at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews
  122).

39
2 Corinthians 510-11

• 10For we must all appear before the judgment
  seat of Christ that every one may receive the
  things done in his body, according to that he
  hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11Knowing
  therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade
  men but we are made manifest unto God and I
  trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

40

• To the church at Rome, Paul wrote we shall all
  stand before the judgment seat (béma) of Christ .
  . . So then each of us shall give account of
  himself to God (Romans 1410-12).

41
1 Peter 417-18

• Listen to the words of the apostle Peter
• For the time has come for judgment to begin at
  the house of God and if it begins with us first,
  what will be the end of those who do not obey the
  Gospel of God? If the righteous one is scarcely
  saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner
  appear?

42
1 John 228

• The apostle John warned his disciples And
  now, little children, abide in him that, when he
  shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be
  ashamed before him at his coming.
• The passive voice coupled with the expression
  autou suggests that a believer withdraws in
  shame. It suggests a shrinking back from Christ,
  perhaps from a sense of guilt, with the believer
  producing the action rather than Christ putting
  the believer to shame.

43
Christs Qualifications for Judging us

• Christs Qualifications for Judging Us One
  fact will be agreed upon by all Christians our
  Lord is fully equipped to examine and evaluate
  the thoughts, motives, words and deeds of every
  member of his Body, the Church! Our God is a
  consuming fire (Heb. 1229), and He has eyes
  like a flame of fire (Rev. 214 cf. 1912).

44
Luke 122-3

• The Lord Jesus told us that,
• there is nothing covered that will not be
  revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
  Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark
  will be heard in the light, and what you have
  spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be
  proclaimed on the housetops

45

• Paul confirmed that God will judge the
  secrets of men by Jesus Christ (Rom. 216).
  These secrets include the motives behind all of
  our thoughts, words, and actions. Our God is
  infinitely concerned about the true reasons why
  we do and say things!

46
1 Corinthians 44-5

• Paul could assure the Corinthian believers that
  it was not so much what they thought of him that
  mattered.
• He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge
  nothing before the time, until the Lord comes,
  who will both bring to light the hidden
• things of darkness and reveal the counsels
  motives of the heart.

47
Luke 1248

• And that servant, which knew his lords
  will, and prepared not himself, neither did
  according to his will, shall be beaten with many
  stripes. 48But he that knew not, and did commit
  things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with
  few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given,
  of him shall be much required and to whom men
  have committed much, of him they will ask the
  more.

48

• We should do everything possible to learn
  Gods will by reading and studying and believing
  what His Word tells us that His will is for our
  lives. Therefore, the one who did not know it,
  and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will
  receive but few.

49
Ignorance of Gods Word is No Excuse for
Disobeying It

• God only gave us one book to obey
• One God to serve
• One life to live.
• It is that one Book, the Bible, that will one day
  judge us!

50
John 1248

• 48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my
  words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I
  have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last
  day.

51

• Mere human courts and judges, of course,
  cannot begin to compare with the absolute
  perfection of His examination of people! That is
  because the word of God is living and powerful,
  and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
  even to the division of soul and spirit, and of
  joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
  thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is
  no creature hidden from His sight, but all things
  are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we
  must give account (Heb.412-13).

52
Colossains 323-25

• At the béma our Lord will show no partiality.
  Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord
  and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you
  will receive the reward of the inheritance for
  you serve the Lord Christ. But he i.e. the
  Christian servant who does wrong will be repaid
  for what he has done, and there is no partiality
• The Father without partiality judges
  according to each ones work and according to His
  Word!

53

• The Father without partiality judges
  according to each ones work (1 Pet. 117). And
  the Bible ends with this word of divine
  assurance Behold, I am coming quickly, and My
  reward is with Me, to give to every one according
  to his work (Rev. 2212). To which the apostle
  John, and hopefully every believer, responds
  Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (vs.20).

54

• Now if anyone builds on this foundation with
  gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
  each ones work will become clear for the Day
  will declare it, because it will be revealed by
  fire and the fire will test each ones work, of
  what sort it is. If anyones work which he has
  built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If
  anyones work is burned, he will suffer loss but
  he himself will be saved, yet as through fire
• 1 Corinthians 312-15.

55

• Figuratively speaking, it is a persons work
  that will burn, not the person himself. The focus
  of the illustration of 1 Corinthians 3 is the
  potential loss of reward for poor service, not
  the atonement of sin or the cleansing of souls.

56

• Everything we have said, done, and even
  thought, as true Christians, must be brought to
  full light. Could it be any other way? Can our
  Lord be deceived by mere outward religious forms
  and appearances? If any final recognition or
  honor or reward or crown be granted to Gods
  servants at that day, must it not be done in
  loving perfection? Dr. John Whitcomh
• Will not all Christians, in that day fully
  glorified and thus sinless, agree totally with
  His final evaluation of each and every one of us?

57

• Plainly, it is the unworthy works that will be
  burned, not the believers themselves! In fact,
  even though a believers work is burned . . . he
  himself will be saved (315). But does not that
  reduce the béma confrontation to total
  insignificance? No, for he will suffer loss . .
  . as through fire.

58

• But does this mean that some believers will
  be in a state of depression forever? It would
  not be heaven if we were to spend eternity in
  sadness because of what we did not do.
  Undoubtedly there will be regret, but our
  overwhelming emotion will be the realization of
  the wonderful grace of God that saved us and
  brought us to heaven.
• There will be rejoicing in heaven instead of
  tears.

59

• How, then, do we relate all of this to the
  forgiveness and cleansing He provides for us when
  we confess our sins (cf. 1 John 19)? Does this
  forgiveness and cleansing cancel out any
  potential loss of reward at the béma?

60
2 Samuel 12

• King David had sinned grievously against the
  LORD by having one of his faithful generals,
  Uriah the Hittite, killed, in order to obtain his
  wife Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11)! When David refused
  to confess his sin, God sent Nathan the prophet
  to get his attention with a tragic story about a
  rich man who took a poor mans one little ewe
  lamb to prepare it for a guest.

61

• David, of course, was enraged As the LORD
  lives, the man who has done this shall surely
  die! (125). Then Nathan said to David You
  are the man! . . . Now, therefore, the sword
  shall never depart from your house, because you
  have despised Me, and have taken the wife of
  Uriah the Hittite to be your wife (127-10).

62

• That did it! David immediately saw the
  magnitude of his own sin, and cried out I have
  sinned against the LORD! (vs. 13). Psalm 51 is a
  profound expression of Davids deep repentance to
  God. Did this genuine confession change anything?
  Yes! Nathan replied immediately The LORD also
  has put away your sin you shall not die. Then
  was everything wonderful again?

63

• No! However, because by this deed you have
  given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to
  blaspheme, the child who is born to you shall
  surely die (vs. 14). Furthermore, the sword
  shall never depart from your house . . . I will
  raise up adversity against you from your own
  house . . . (vv. 10-11). Among the disasters
  that followed were the sins and rebellions of his
  sons Absalom, Amnon, and Adonijah.

64

• Question Did the LORD truly forgive David? YES.
• Question Were the full consequences of his sin
  totally wiped out? NO. That is the ultimate
  issue. When we truly confess our sins, God
  graciously forgives us and restores fellowship
  with us. But the full consequences of our sins
  must still be brought to light and dealt with by
  the LORD. That will be the function of the béma
  judgment. Dr. John Whitcomb

65
The Public Testimony of Believers

• What concerns our loving LORD is not only His
  daily relationship with us, but also the
  long-term influence and impact of our Christian
  lives and ministries upon others. For example, if
  a pastor commits a serious public sin, his
  position of leadership in the church is (with
  possible rare exceptions) finished, even though
  he might genuinely confess his sin to God.

66

• As Paul wrote to Timothy, a bishop
  overseer must be blameless . . . he must have a
  good testimony among those who are outside (1
  Tim. 3 2, 7) and, in purity, show yourself an
  example of those who believe (1 Tim. 412). And
  to the church at Ephesus do not let immorality
  or any impurity or greed even be named among you,
  as is proper among saints (Eph 53). And to
  Titus, Appoint elders in every city . . . if a
  man be blameless, the husband of one wife . . .
  (Titus 15-6).

67

• To be even more specific, Let marriage be
  held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed
  be undefiled for fornicators and adulterers God
  will judge (Heb. 134). Finally, James, the
  pastor of the great church at Jerusalem, said
  Let not many of you become teachers, my
  brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a
  stricter judgment (James 31).

68

• The public doesnt know or even care about
  whether he has made a personal confession to his
  God. What they do care about and will probably
  never forget is his public sin. This deeply
  hurts and grieves our LORD, and will surely be a
  major factor in determining the gain or loss of a
  reward or crown at the béma.

69

• Thus, God intends the béma confrontation to
  motivate each and every believer not just
  church leaders to serve Him in spirit and in
  truth. It is not designed to be a horrible threat
  that produces depression and fear, but, rather,
  an encouragement to love and serve and obey Him
  from the heart.

70

• In this light, may we, as Christians, be more
• concerned than ever before about our
  testimony for the Savior who loves us with
  infinite love, and paid the ultimate price for
  our redemption and future glorification.

71
1 John 53-5

• 3For this is the love of God, that we keep
  his commandments and his commandments are not
  grievous. 4For whatsoever is born of God
  overcometh the world and this is the victory
  that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5Who
  is he that overcometh the world, but he that
  believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

72
How does the Great White Throne Judgment fit into
all of this?

• 11And I saw a great white throne, and him that
  sat on it, from whose face the earth and the
  heaven fled away and there was found no place
  for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great,
  stand before God and the books were opened and
  another book was opened, which is the book of
  life and the dead were judged out of those
  things which were written in the books, according
  to their works. Revelation 2011-12

73
The Great White Throne Judgment

• 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it
  and death and hell delivered up the dead which
  were in them and they were judged every man
  according to their works. 14And death and hell
  were cast into the lake of fire. This is the
  second death. 15And whosoever was not found
  written in the book of life was cast into the
  lake of fire.
• Revelation 2013-15

74
1 Corinthians 1520-23

• 20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and
  become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For
  since by man came death, by man came also the
  resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all
  die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
  23But every man in his own order Christ the
  firstfruits afterward they that are Christs at
  his coming.

75
1 Corinthians 1524-26

• 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have
  delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father
  when he shall have put down all rule and all
  authority and power. 25For he must reign, till he
  hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last
  enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

76
The Last Enemy

• The last enemy that our Savior, the righteous
  Judge, destroys is death.
• The first enemy that came upon mankind as a
  result of Adams sin was death.
• Death and Hell are cast into the Lake of Fire at
  the last judgment, The Great White Throne
  Judgment!

77

• When there is no more death we who have believed
  in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior
  will live forever in righteousness and holiness
  in the New Heavens and New Earth in our
  glorified bodies which are eternal.

78
Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus!
79
Amen and Amen!