When will the Judgment Seat of Christ (BEMA) occur?

[FreeGrace]

Those who believe in a pre-tribulational resurrection and rapture trip to heaven also believe that the Bema will occur in heaven, after the resurrection of "the Church".  However, this is what the Bible says about when it will occur.

The Bema is the evaluation of all believers, when Jesus Christ returns to earth at the Second Advent, which is just after the resurrection of all believers (1 Cor 15:23).

2 Cor 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

1 Cor 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.  [Second Advent - Bema]

Matt 16:27 - For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.  [Second Advent - Bema]

Eph 6:8 - because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

Phil 3-

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,  [Second Advent]

21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.  [Resurrection]

2 Tim 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.  [Second Advent - Bema]

[chesed]

On 4/6/2023 at 7:55 AM, FreeGrace said:

The Bema is the evaluation of all believers, when Jesus Christ returns to earth at the Second Advent, which is just after the resurrection of all believers (1 Cor 15:23).

I didn't see anything about a judgment of believers in that verse.

On 4/6/2023 at 7:55 AM, FreeGrace said:

2 Cor 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

I see no 'coming of Christ' in that verse.

On 4/6/2023 at 7:55 AM, FreeGrace said:

1 Cor 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.  [Second Advent - Bema]

Again, nothing about a Judgment here on earth.

On 4/6/2023 at 7:55 AM, FreeGrace said:

Matt 16:27 - For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.  [Second Advent - Bema]

Close, but there is no 'bema' (Greek) in that verse.

On 4/6/2023 at 7:55 AM, FreeGrace said:

Eph 6:8 - because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

This gives no indication, heaven or earth.

On 4/6/2023 at 7:55 AM, FreeGrace said:

Phil 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,  [Second Advent]21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. 

No mention of a 'bema seat judgment.

On 4/6/2023 at 7:55 AM, FreeGrace said:

2 Tim 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.  [Second Advent - Bema]

Close, but no cigar. There is no indication where 'that day' takes place.

I'm a bit puzzled why this (Bema Seat in heaven or on earth?) is an issue at all.

.

[FreeGrace]

7 hours ago, chesed said:

FreeGrace said: 

The Bema is the evaluation of all believers, when Jesus Christ returns to earth at the Second Advent, which is just after the resurrection of all believers (1 Cor 15:23).

I didn't see anything about a judgment of believers in that verse.

I quoted that verse to show that all believers will be resurrected "when He comes".  Other verses, which I quoted, show the Bema to be "when He comes".

7 hours ago, chesed said:

FreeGrace said: 

2 Cor 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

I see no 'coming of Christ' in that verse.

Wait for it.

7 hours ago, chesed said:

FreeGrace said: 

1 Cor 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.  [Second Advent - Bema]

Again, nothing about a Judgment here on earth.

Again, wait for it.

7 hours ago, chesed said:

FreeGrace said: 

Matt 16:27 - For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.  [Second Advent - Bema]

Close, but there is no 'bema' (Greek) in that verse.

"Reward" is in that verse, and if you would reade 1 Cor 5:10, you would realize that the believer's reward will be at the Bema.  Or prove me wrong by clear verses that say otherwise.  :)

7 hours ago, chesed said:

FreeGrace said: 

Eph 6:8 - because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

This gives no indication, heaven or earth.

Again, mention of "reward" means the Bema, and it will be on earth at the Second Advent.

7 hours ago, chesed said:

  FreeGrace said: 

Phil 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,  [Second Advent]21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

No mention of a 'bema seat judgment.

Second Advent.  

7 hours ago, chesed said:

FreeGrace said: 

2 Tim 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.  [Second Advent - Bema]

Close, but no cigar. There is no indication where 'that day' takes place.

OK, it seems you are just trying real hard to NOT connect any dots.  So I'll help you out.  "His appearing" is obviously a reference to His Second Advent.  And that is what "that day" refers to.  And "the Lord, the righteous JUDGE" refers to the Judgment Seat of Christ, which in the Greek is Bema.  So, instead of just being "close", I nailed the bullseye.  And you aren't even trying.

7 hours ago, chesed said:

I'm a bit puzzled why this (Bema Seat in heaven or on earth?) is an issue at all.

So you have no idea yourself, and it doesn't matter to you?  Well, ok if that's no issue to you.

But, for the many who have been taught in error that the Bema takes place in heaven right after the "pre-trib rapture" theory, which isn't found in Scripture, they need to know the Bema will happen when Jesus Christ comes back to end the tribulation, and set up His MK.

[chesed]

14 hours ago, FreeGrace said:

But, for the many who have been taught in error that the Bema takes place in heaven right after the "pre-trib rapture" theory, which isn't found in Scripture, they need to know the Bema will happen when Jesus Christ comes back to end the tribulation, and set up His MK.

Why, why, why "Do they need to know the Bema will happen when Jesus Christ comes back to end the tribulation, and set up His MK."?

IOW, what difference  does it make? Or is this some kind of vendetta against Pre-Tribbers?

[Montana Marv]

17 hours ago, FreeGrace said:

But, for the many who have been taught in error that the Bema takes place in heaven right after the "pre-trib rapture" theory, which isn't found in Scripture, they need to know the Bema will happen when Jesus Christ comes back to end the tribulation, and set up His MK.

 The Bridegroom retrieving his Bride.  Another error is the Post-Trib doctrine.  Not in Scripture.  Mid-Trib. not in Scripture, Pre-Wrath position, not in Scripture.  Pre-Trib is also not in Scripture. Only the Father knows. Period, Not in Scripture, No hints in Scripture except "as in the days of Noah", that's it. Yet when the 70th Week begins; Mid-Trib, Pre-Wrath and Post-Trib views will be a bookies dream, They will be giving out odds like a football or basketball game.  Where will one put his money.

In Christ

Montana Marv

[Keras]

2 hours ago, chesed said:

Why, why, why "Do they need to know the Bema will happen when Jesus Christ comes back to end the tribulation, and set up His MK."?

IOW, what difference  does it make? Or is this some kind of vendetta against Pre-Tribbers?

The 'vendetta', or objections to things like the Judgement as described in Matthew 25:31-34, taking place in heaven, is that such a belief is a direct contradiction of the scriptural truth. 

Matthew 24:31, simply cannot happen anywhere other than on earth.  Also; Jesus stated many times that it was impossible for humans to reside in heaven. John 3:13, +

 

[FreeGrace]

10 hours ago, chesed said:

Why, why, why "Do they need to know the Bema will happen when Jesus Christ comes back to end the tribulation, and set up His MK."?

IOW, what difference  does it make? Or is this some kind of vendetta against Pre-Tribbers?

Why?  To present the TRUTH, if that matters to anyone.  No vendetta.  How childish.  Just the truth.  Like most believers, I was taught in a pretrib rapture trip to heaven from my youth.  However, when I began to study the Bible in earnest, via Acts 17:11, which I call the Berean VERIFICATION method, I found that there are NO verses that describe Jesus taking resurrected believers to heaven.

Instead, I found the order of end times shows there is just one resurrection for the saved, and that will be when Jesus returns at the Second Advent.  Which is when the Bema will occur.

[FreeGrace]

8 hours ago, Montana Marv said:

 The Bridegroom retrieving his Bride.

Actually, by the time of the tribulation, the VAST MAJORITY of the Bride will ALREADY be IN heaven, awaiting the Second Advent, when they accompany Him back to earth.  All that is found in Rev 19.

The number of those "alive and remaining" will be just a very SMALL % of the Bride.

8 hours ago, Montana Marv said:

 Another error is the Post-Trib doctrine.  Not in Scripture.

Actually, the opposite is true.  Fine any verse that clearly describes Jesus taking resurrected believers to heaven.  You won't find any.

Instead, you will find that there is just ONE resurrection of ALL believers, which will be "when He comes".  1 Cor 15:23.

Rev 20:4-6 places that singular resurrection at the end of the trib.  And John calls that resurrection the FIRST one.  Because 1,000 years later there will be a singular resurrection of all the unsaved, in order to appear before the GWT judgment.

8 hours ago, Montana Marv said:

  Mid-Trib. not in Scripture, Pre-Wrath position, not in Scripture.  Pre-Trib is also not in Scripture. Only the Father knows. Period, Not in Scripture, No hints in Scripture except "as in the days of Noah", that's it.

You just haven't read enough Scripture.  It's all very clear.  For example,

2 Thess 2:1 -  Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,

Red words refer to the Second Advent.

Blue words refer to the resurrection of all believers.

Can you prove otherwise?

8 hours ago, Montana Marv said:

Yet when the 70th Week begins; Mid-Trib, Pre-Wrath and Post-Trib views will be a bookies dream, They will be giving out odds like a football or basketball game.  Where will one put his money.

In Christ

Montana Marv

I'll just stay with what the Word says.  Doing what the Bereans did in Acts 17:11.

[chesed]

18 hours ago, Keras said:

The 'vendetta', or objections to things like the Judgement as described in Matthew 25:31-34, taking place in heaven, is that such a belief is a direct contradiction of the scriptural truth. 

Matthew 24:31, simply cannot happen anywhere other than on earth.  Also; Jesus stated many times that it was impossible for humans to reside in heaven. John 3:13, +

 

Why do you think Mt24:31 is the Bema seat Judgment?

Matthew 24:31 ESV
And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by chesed

[chesed]

10 hours ago, FreeGrace said:

Why?  To present the TRUTH, if that matters to anyone.  No vendetta.  How childish.  Just the truth.  Like most believers, I was taught in a pretrib rapture trip to heaven from my youth.  However, when I began to study the Bible in earnest, via Acts 17:11, which I call the Berean VERIFICATION method, I found that there are NO verses that describe Jesus taking resurrected believers to heaven.

Instead, I found the order of end times shows there is just one resurrection for the saved, and that will be when Jesus returns at the Second Advent.  Which is when the Bema will occur.

SO, IOW the Body of Christ goes through Jacob's Trouble? That which was designed to bring the Jews to repentance?

Jeremiah 30:7 NKJV
Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.