Three Biblical Judgements
It is fairly well known that scripture mentions three judgments in connection with the body of Christ.
The first judgment is past tense , and has already happened once for all believers.
This first judgment is concerning the sins of a believer which were judged approximately 2000 years ago in Christ upon the Cross.
" Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me HAS everlasting life, and shall NOT COME into judgment, but has passed from death into life ".
John 5 v 24.
Notice the first part of the verse here , that due to faith in Christ , the believer HAS everlasting life NOW , therefore he will NOT come into judgment at any time in the future.
The second part of the verse is clear , the believer has passed from death to LIFE.
As believers we are ESTABLISHED in the life of Christ.
" Who Himself BORE OUR SINS in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed ".
1 Peter 2 v 24.
The sins of a believer having been borne by Christ on the cross , are , as far as God is concerned , no longer in existence.
Put another way -
" To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood ".
Revelation 1 v 5b.
The sins of believers have been literally washed away by the blood of Christ.
Talking about God's will , the writer to the Hebrews says -
" By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE for all.
Hebrews 10 v 10.
Christ's sacrifice was perfect , and will never be repeated , He offered Himself ONCE for all.
" For by one offering He has PERFECTED FOREVER those who are being sanctified ".
Hebrews 10 v 14.
" God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, NOT IMPUTING their trespasses to them ".
2 Corinthians 5 v 19.
In Christ the believers trespasses will never be imputed to them , because they were judged and removed 2000 years ago.
" For He made Him who knew no sin , to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5 v 21.
Today in Christ , the believer stands before God with no fear of any future judgment for sins , for they were all laid upon Christ , our Scapegoat , and he was judged in our place , approximately 2000 years ago.
The
second judgment is present tense , and is the chastisement of the Lord , which is being experienced now by ALL believers while we sojourn here below.
The scripture says -
" For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged ".
1 Corinthians 11 v 31.
In other words , during our walk with the Lord there are occasions when we sin , but if we judge ourselves and confess the sin to the Lord , the scripture says -
" If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness ".
1 John 1 v 9.
But there are occasions when a believer will not confess his sins to the Lord.
In which case we come under the Lord's judgment.
"But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may NOT be condemned with the
world ".
Notice here that judgment ONLY occurs when we fail to confess our sins.
The good news is that as believers , when we are judged by the Lord , we are chastened by him , so that we may NOT be condemned with the world.
For example if a believer is in a situation where they are treating others disrespectfully despite being convicted by the Holy Spirit , and they continue to harden their heart and carry on behaving badly , then the Lord will put them in a situation where someone else treats them in the same way that they treat others.
Speaking specifially to Christians the apostle Paul said -
" Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap ".
Galatians 6 v 7.
Yet as believers we should never be discouraged when we fall under the chastisement of the Lord.
For his chastisement is a practical demonstration of his love for us.
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives ".
Hebrews 12 v 5b - 6.
The Lord's chastisement is proof positive that we are his true children.
" But if you are without chastening, of which ALL have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons ".
Hebrews 12 v 8.
Scripture also makes it clear that the Lord's chastisement is for own benefit and growth.
" For our natural parents indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but he FOR OUR PROFIT , that we may be partakers of His holiness ".
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12 v 10 - 11.
Finally there is a
third judgment that concerns the body of Christ.
This is yet future , and concerns the WORKS of all believers , which shall be tried to determine their quality , and as a result our rewards.
Speaking to Christians only the apostle Paul says -
" 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 ".
2 Corinthians 5 v 10
The phrase " Judgment seat " in Greek is one word " Bema ".
Originally this was a raised platform at the Greek games where the judges would place a victor's crown ( stephanos ) upon the head of those who were victorious in the various athletic events.
In other words it was a place where an overcomer would receive a reward.
And this is how Paul uses it in the verses we are looking at in this little study.
The victor's crown or stephanos was a wreath made out of things like wild olive , laurel , parsley and pine.
When we appear before Christ's bema we will be standing secure on the foundation that was laid for us by God.
" For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid , which is Jesus Christ ".
1 Corinthians 3 v 11.
And one day after we have been raptured , we will watch as all the things that we have done for Christ while in our physical bodies , that we thought were acceptable to the Lord , will come before His Bema to be scrutinised by fire.
" Now if anyone builds upon this foundation with gold silver precious stones , wood , hay , straw , each man's work will become clear , for the day will declare it , because it will be revealed by FIRE and the fire will test each man's work , of what sort it is ".
1 Corinthians 3 v 12 - 13.
Those who have served Christ selflessly and for His glory will find that these works will survive the test of God's holy fire and as a result will receive a reward.
If anyone's work which he has built on it endures , he will receive a reward.
1 Corinthians 3 v 14.
Whereas those who have been motivated by selfish ambition rather than devotion to Christ will be surprised on that day.
For although while on earth they may have justified certain wrong attitudes and refused to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Yet as these works come into contact with God's purifying fire , the secret motives behind them will result in the failure of these works to survive God's purifying fire.
If anyone's work is BURNED , he will suffer loss , but he himself WILL BE SAVED , yet so AS THROUGH FIRE ".
1 Corinthians 3 v 15.
If we desire to receive a reward at this time then it is important to realise that while here on earth we are workers together with him ( 2 Corinthians 6 v 1 ).
This principle is clearly seen in the life of the apostle Paul who said -
" By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me ".
1 Corinthians 15 v 10.
" I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me ".
Colossians 1 v 29.
Paul labored diligently in the sure knowledge that he was not doing his own thing , but that he was doing the works in the power of the Holy Spirit that God had before ordained for him to walk in.
" For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath BEFORE ORDAINED that we should walk in them ".
Ephesians 2 v 10.
This is a part of finding our identity in Christ as we learn how to work out our individual salvation before God.
" Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who WORKS IN YOU , both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2 v 12b - 13.
So then if we build using the right materials which are described as gold , silver , and precious stones , scripture reveals that we can confidently anticipate receiving rewards on that day.
But what type of rewards can we expect to receive ?
Well just like the athletes in the Greek games , the New Testament speaks of crowns that will be awarded to us based upon our faithfulness to the Lord while on earth.
There are different crowns ( Stephanos ) awarded for different reasons.
For example , in 1 Corinthians , referring to the Isthman games the apostle Paul says -
" Do you not know that those who run in a race all run but only one receives the prize ? Run in such a way that you may win ".
1 Corinthians 9 v 24.
Paul here is comparing believers to athletes running in a race.
As believers we don’t compete against each other , we run against our three enemies –
The world , the flesh , and the devil , and their various manifestations.
To each individual is held out the promise that with the Lord’s help they are able to win the stephanos that is awarded to believers that run and win their individual life’s race.
This stephanos is called - The imperishable stephanos.
The next verse says –
" Everyone who competes in the games exercises self control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable crown , but we an IMPERISHABLE ".
1 Corinthians 9 v 25.
There is also a stephanos for every believer who longs to see the Lord.
" Finally, there is laid up for me the CROWN of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to ALL who have loved His appearing.
2 Timothy 4 v 8.
Then there is the crown of life promised to those who love the Lord and demonstrate their love practically by enduring temptation.
" Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the CROWN of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1 v 12.
This verse probably has a double application.
For the person enduring temptation will be crowned with a quality of life while still here on earth , as well as being awarded a stephanos of life at Christ's Bema.
And there is also a martyr's crown of the same name , Jesus said to the Christians at Smyrna -
" Be faithful until death, and I will give you the CROWN of life ".
Revelation 2 v 10b.
Finally there is the shepherd's crown , the crown of glory.
" And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the CROWN of glory that does not fade away ".
1 Peter 5 v 4.
But of what use will they be to us when we are in heaven ?
After being caught up into heaven the apostle John beheld the throne of God and –
" I saw twenty four elders sitting clothed in white garments and golden crowns ( Stephanos ) on their heads ".
Revelation 4 v 4.
This heavenly gold will obviously be imperishable.
The question may be asked , why would a believer want a tangible reward in heaven like a golden stephanos ?
The answer to this question is found further on in this same chapter.
The twenty four elders will fall down before Him that sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever and WILL CAST their crowns before the throne saying.
Worthy are you our Lord and our God to receive glory honor and power for you created all things and because of your will they existed and were created.
Revelation 4 v 10 – 11.
Notice that here in heaven glorified believers are using their rewards to worship God with , as they fall down before His throne and worship Him with words they also cast their golden stephanos before Him.
Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
This of course means disqualified for a prize , or prizes , and not disqualified from salvation.
Meaning of being Born Again
Here is a little study which attempts to explain the meaning of Jesus words about being " born again ".
Seeing how the bible describes the Lord Jesus as the prophet who is like Moses.
Therefore It is fitting that when He is giving an example from scripture to explain what it actually means to be born again , he takes his example from the life of Moses.
Jesus while speaking to Nicodemus says -
" Jesus answered and said to him , “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3 v 3.
Nicodemus then questions Jesus -
" Nicodemus said to Him ,“HOW can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
John 3 v 4.
Jesus answers his question by simply saying the same thing again , but in more detail , by mentioning that it is necessary to be born -
Of water ( natural birth ).
And of the Spirit ( new birth ).
" Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God ".
1 John 3 v 5.
Jesus next statement , which is also a part of the explanation makes clear what he meant by the phrase -
" Water and the spirit ".
" That which is born of the flesh ( natural birth ) is flesh
And that which is born of the Spirit ( new birth ) is spirit ".
John 3 v 6.
Jesus then explains how the Holy Spirit moves in the life of one who is born again -
" Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit ".
John 3 v 7 - 8.
Sadly Nicodemus is still struggling with this concept of new birth as explained by Jesus.
Although the actual concept itself was familiar to him because the Jews used to apply the phrase " reborn " to certain events in a person's life.
For example the Talmud -
" Rabbi Yose said -
" One who has become a proselyte is like a child newly born.”
b.Yeuamot 48b.
Jesus is now using this concept to explain an event far more important than any other event that it was applied to up until then.
But Nicodemus is really struggling to comprehend.
" Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “HOW can these things be ".
John 3 v 9.
" Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?
Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness , If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
John 3 v 10 - 12.
Jesus continues -
" No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is , the Son of Man who is in heaven.
And then Jesus gives an illustration from the life of Moses to demonstrate exactly what it means to be born again -
" And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved ".
John 3 v 14 - 16.
Looking at this example in the book of Numbers that Jesus used to illustrate how a person can become born again , we see that the people of Israel are rebelling against God in the wilderness.
" And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”
Numbers 21 v 5,
" So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died ".
Numbers 21 v 6.
The people are humbled by this judgment and confessing their sin they ask Moses to pray to the Lord to take away the serpents.
" Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.”
So Moses prayed for the people ".
Numbers 21 v 7.
The Lord heeds Moses prayer but instead of taking away the serpents he instructs Moses -
“Make a fiery serpent , and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”.
Numbers 21 v 8.
So now although there were still serpents in the camp of the Israelites , yet the Lord's solution was also among them.
" So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived ".
Numbers 21 v 9.
Every time someone was bitten by a snake , all they had to do was look up at the fiery serpent on the pole, believing that this was God's provision and they were healed.
Although this event actually happened exactly as recorded , yet it is also a picture of what happened in the Garden of Eden , where our first parents rebelled against God's command.
As a result of their rebellion they too were bitten by a snake ( satan ) , and therefore death was passed down to all mankind.
Again the Lord has not removed the snake bite from mankind but he has provided the solution here among us , for as we have seen the Lord Jesus has assured us that -
" And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3 v 14.
The Israelites never had to do anything , there was actually nothing they could do , having been bitten they were in the process of dying.
All they were required to do was to look up at this fiery serpent hanging upon a pole and BELIEVE that it was God's provision for their healing.
So it is today , there is nothing a person can do to stop themselves from dying and slipping into a lost eternity.
It is only by looking at Jesus lifted up on the cross being punished for our sins and BELIEVING that he died in our place will we receive everlasting life.
This is confirmed by other verses which speak of being born again.
" But as many as RECEIVED him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on his name:
Which were BORN, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, BUT OF GOD ".
John 1 v 12 - 13.
Notice here that those who are born of God are those who have simply received Christ and believed on his name.
We see this again in another place -
" Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God ".
1 John 5 v 1a.
All men get this opportunity for Jesus himself said -
" And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL MEN unto me ".
John 12 v 32.
The Unforgivable sin
The Rabbis at the time of Jesus were aware that according to scripture certain signs would accompany the arrival of the Messiah.
The healing of the blind , the deaf , the lame, and the dumb.
These things were based on the following scriptures -
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
Isaiah 35 v 5 - 6a.
And also the healing of the leper
The law stated that whenever a leper was cured of his leprosy he was to be presented to the priest and was then to undergo a certain ritual , which began on the first day and then continued on the seventh and the eighth day. ( Leviticus 14 ).
This had never happened before in Israel , Miriam had been cleansed from leprosy but that was in the wilderness.
Naaman the Syrian had been cleansed of leprosy and then returned to Syria.
But since the building of the first Temple and onward no one had ever gone there and presented them self to the officiating priests and said -
" I was a leper , but now I'm cured , could I please undergo the ceremony of the cleansed leper prescribed in the law of Moses.
Until of course when Jesus came.
After healing a leper Jesus said to him -
“See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a TESTIMONY to them.”
Mark 1 v 44.
So the man arrived at the Temple with two birds which were used in the ritual for a cleansed leper and asked the priests to perform this ritual for him.
Jesus said that this was a testimony to them , a testimony of what ?
A testimony that Jesus was the Messiah , for apparently they believed that the healing of the leper was a miracle that would only be done by the Messiah when he arrived.
When Jesus began his ministry he clearly demonstrated that he was the long awaited Messiah for he did the works of the Messiah.
When John the baptist sent a message to Jesus from prison asking him if he was the Messiah , Jesus sent a message back to John saying -
" The BLIND see and the LAME walk; the LEPERS are cleansed and the DEAF hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them ".
Matthew 11 v 5.
Jesus testimony was that he was working the works of the Messiah by the power of the Holy Spirit.
" Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not , THE WORKS that I do in my Father's name, they BEAR WITNESS of me.
John 10 v 25.
The following verse shows that the WORKS of Jesus ALONE should have been enough to convince the religious authorities that Jesus was the Messiah.
Because they believed that these particular miracles were ONLY going to be performed by the the Messiah when he arrived.
" If I had not done among them the works which NONE OTHER man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father ".
John 15 v 24.
Then after he worked a certain miracle upon a blind and mute man -
" Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw ".
Matthew 12 v 22.
The people naturally react by stating the obvious. -
" And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David " ?
Matthew 12 v 23.
As we know the Holy Spirit was with Jesus convicting the hearts of those who heard his words and saw his works that he was indeed the Messiah.
The Pharisees here have a dilemma , for according to their own beliefs Jesus is doing the works of the Messiah.
They cannot deny that Jesus is doing the works of the Messiah.
So despite the evidence before their eyes of the works of the Messiah and the conviction of the Holy Spirit working upon their hearts they say -
" This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons. "
Matthew 12 v 24b.
The job of the Holy Spirit is to convict man that Jesus is the Messiah.
By attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Beelzebub they were rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Messiah.
By rejecting Jesus as the Messiah they are committing the unforgivable sin.
For Jesus himself said -
" I am the way the truth and the life NO MAN comes to the Father but by me ".
John 14 v 6.
Today the Holy Spirit is everywhere present all of the time , and his work is to convict people that Jesus is the Messiah.
Speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit Jesus put it this way -
" And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin ( singular ) , of righteousness and of judgment ".
John 16 v 8.
What is this singular sin that the Holy Spirit has come to convict the world about ?
" Of sin, because they do NOT believe in Me "
John 16 v 9.
Today anyone in the world who rejects Christ when they are under the conviction of the Holy Spirit is in the process of committing the unforgiveable sin.
And if they die in that state then they will be lost forever.
Jesus summed it up with these words -
" He that believes on the Son has life eternal, and he that is not subject to the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him ".
John 3 v 36.
