Believers' Accountability and the Judgement Seat of Christ

[Vine Abider]

There is a lot of ongoing & passionate debate on here about the teaching of “once saved always saved,” and that discussion goes back many years, in multiple threads. While my beliefs are that God saves people by renewing their spirit with His life, thereby making believers His children forever, my intention here is to look into the accountability side of what it means to be His children.  There is accountability and discipline for what the children of God do, after they have received His life into them. That means that because He loves His children, He wants them to grow and mature effectively in His life and thereby overcome personal sin. This requires His loving care and discipline.

Ultimately, this accountability culminates in the Judgement seat of Christ, where we will either receive rewards or loss.  This is something the children of God have to look forward to, where they can (hopefully) hear those wonderful words, “Well done good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful in a few things – enter into the joy of your Lord!” (Matt 25:23)

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23 that as God’s children, “all things are lawful.” That is, Christians have complete freedom to choose what they want in their life. However, in this same sentence he finishes by saying, “but not all things are profitable.” The child of God has the freedom to choose whatever he or she wants (as do all human beings due to their God-given free will), but Paul points out that the Christian’s choices may or may not be profitable or pleasing to the Lord. (The reality is we have been purchased with the precious blood of Christ and we are actually NOT our own, but He still allows us the choice.)

 Again, this has nothing to do with condemnation for sin, as that has been removed in Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice - His free gift of grace to us (also resulting in being reborn as His children). However, sin can very much still have a negative impact on the believer, even though God’s penalty for it has been removed. We cannot “play” with sin in our lives and think that there are no consequences whatsoever. God states that He actually forget our sins (Jer 31:34 & Heb. 8:12; also see Psalm 103:12), but sin in our lives can still damage us and our walk with the Lord! Sin can deceive us, dull our conscience and senses, break fellowship with God (from our side), damage human relations, cause physical issues, and many other negative things! So in this respect, these kinds of choices are certainly not profitable to born-again believer.

 The New Testament reveals there will be major, future judgments by God. Two of these are the Great White Throne, found in Revelation 20:11-15, and the Bema of Christ (often rendered “judgment seat”) found in 2 Corinthians 5:10 and Romans 14:10. The Bema is the first to occur of these two judgments, and Christians are the focus of examination there. Then, some time afterwards, there is the Great White Throne, which is the last judgment by God. The result of this final judgment is, “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15). Our focus now, as believers in Christ, should only be the Bema judgment. Romans 14:12-13 says, “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another.” (“Bema” is a word the ancient Greeks used for a physically elevated position where awards were given to competing athletes at the Olympic Games. Paul is clearly likening the Christian life to the athletic discipline of these games and the resultant awards for competing well. See 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.)

Next up - more about the Bema Seat and its serious implications for all believers . . .

[Vine Abider]

At the Bema Seat of Christ, we are told there will be an accounting of things believers have done, to see if their actions were profitable or not (2 Cor. 5:10).  In first Corinthians chapter three, it tells us the things we build with - our works - will be “tested by fire” to see how they will hold up under divine examination. If the materials we are building with survive the testing fire (gold, silver, precious stone) then there will be profit and lasting meaning for our life's effort. If our building works are burned (wood, hay, stubble) then we will suffer loss and there won’t be profit. Paul goes on to say in this chapter that even if all our works are burned up, the person will still be saved “yet as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15). This is not loss of eternal salvation for the believer, but no profit either. Instead, if nothing survives the testing fire, it may be a loss of all reward by Christ. As Paul points out in 1st Corinthians 9:27 that just like in the games, one may be disqualified from winning the prize if they don't contend properly! Several other places in scripture indicate that for those who are faithful and their tested works remain in that day, there will be rewards given to them by the Lord (see Psa. 62:12; Rom. 2:6; 1 Cor. 4:5; 1 Pet. 1:17; James 1:12; 2 John 8; Rev. 22:12).

What are the works that are profitable to a Christian? First of all, Christ tells us in John 15:5 that if we abide in Him we “will bear much fruit,” and “apart from Me you can do nothing.”    Therefore, we shouldn’t think that running out to do our own version of “serving God” and “saving the world for Jesus” is pleasing in His sight. He said many will come to Him in that day saying, “’Lord, Lord, did we not do [many things] in your name?’ And I will say, ‘Depart from Me you workers of iniquity – I never knew you.’”  (Matt. 7:21-23) How can He say that He never knew them? Doesn’t God know all things and everybody? It is because they didn’t have an intimate relationship with Him and didn’t abide in Him. Therefore, the things they did amounted to nothing. They didn’t have an intimate one-on-one relationship with Him, and therefore they didn’t hear the King personally tell them to do those things! They did their works apart from His direct prompting, which comes from the leading of His Spirit (Gal. 5:18). “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). It may seem good to us to do many things in His name, but if we don’t hear it from Him and He’s not leading us to do it, then there is no profit in it. “My sheep hear My voice,” Jesus told His disciples (John 10:27). These unprofitable actions will actually rob us of any potential reward, that is our works which amount to wood, hay, and stubble will be tested and burned up.

Others believe they must do many big and grand things in order to be pleasing to God at the Bema, so as to not suffer loss there. But thinking we have to do many significant works can cause us to fall into a performance trap where we almost never seem to measure up. This usually results in self-condemnation and unhealthy fear. Our Father’s loving desire for His children is that we would experience no condemnation (there is none for believers – Romans 8:1) and that we would be perfected in love. First John 4:18 tells us, "There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment.” Yes, God is the most Awesome Being in the universe who is worthy to be feared, since He exerts ultimate control and judgment over all.  But our proper perspective is one of knowing Him as a loving Father who strongly desires the very best for all His children. The Lord in Luke 12:32 tells us, “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  However, when necessary, our loving Father will discipline us for our ultimate good (see Heb. 12:6).

So I'll leave it here for the moment . . . Lots more could be said, but those are the initial things I wanted to bring out regarding the accountability and discipline for believers that I see in the word.  So even though I believe in so great a salvation in Christ which eternally makes us His children, no one need think for a moment that believers shouldn't be most attentive to their ongoing actions before Him!

UPDATE:  I found a very good piece on the Judgment Seat of Christ over on Blue Letter Bible. Worth the read:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_144.cfm

Edited September 1, 2023 by Vine Abider
Added the link to Blue Letter Bible piece on the Bema of Christ

[TheBlade]

You know in the OT if the sacrifices of bulls and sheep was good enough "For if it were otherwise, would not these sacrifices have stopped being offered? For the worshipers, having once [for all time] been cleansed, would no longer have a consciousness of sin."

So here we have Christ offered once and for all yet some treat His blood that sacrifice no better then sheep, bulls, goats etc. We treat it as common. 

[Vine Abider]

1 hour ago, TheBlade said:

You know in the OT if the sacrifices of bulls and sheep was good enough "For if it were otherwise, would not these sacrifices have stopped being offered? For the worshipers, having once [for all time] been cleansed, would no longer have a consciousness of sin."

So here we have Christ offered once and for all yet some treat His blood that sacrifice no better then sheep, bulls, goats etc. We treat it as common. 

Okay, that may be true . . . but wondering - how does that apply to the topic of the Judgement Seat of Christ and accountability?

[Marathoner]

Our judgment by Christ shouldn't come as a negative surprise, brother. It doesn't have to be that kind of surprise at all.

It won't be a surprise (in the negative sense) so long as we cling to Him right here and now, while it is still today. Subjecting ourselves to the Lord and heeding His Spirit every day is what I mean by clinging to Christ right here, right now. 

Nope, we aren't going to be perfect while it is still today. Hardly. Thank God He has promised to work on us right here, right now, while it is still today! He teaches us and so we learn in submission to our God and Savior. 

Ah, but His judgment will indeed come as a surprise --- in the best possible sense of the word --- when we finally learn what the Lord has in store for us who love Him. I can't fathom it. 

[Vine Abider]

11 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

Our judgment by Christ shouldn't come as a negative surprise, brother. It doesn't have to be that kind of surprise at all.

It won't be a surprise (in the negative sense) so long as we cling to Him right here and now, while it is still today. Subjecting ourselves to the Lord and heeding His Spirit every day is what I mean by clinging to Christ right here, right now. 

Nope, we aren't going to be perfect while it is still today. Hardly. Thank God He has promised to work on us right here, right now, while it is still today! He teaches us and so we learn in submission to our God and Savior. 

Ah, but His judgment will indeed come as a surprise --- in the best possible sense of the word --- when we finally learn what the Lord has in store for us who love Him. I can't fathom it. 

Absolutely!

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, Both now and forever."  Jude 24-25

Yet, there are still the warnings not to be asleep and that day overtake us, like a "thief in the night!"  I think we need both the awesome encouragements to run the race, and also need to be aware of the possibility and consequences of being "disqualified*" by stepping out of bounds . . .

*1 Cor 9:27 - disqualified from receiving the prize in the race (i.e., reward)

[AdHoc]

17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (1 Pe 4:17–18)

The flippancy of some of my esteemed brothers in the Lord when this mentioned is mind-boggling. In Revelation 2 we have Church, which from this point I will call it by its real name, "Assembly of select ones at Smyrna", which the Lord predicted would go through unabated suffering even unto death. Yet some of the Assembly of select ones would not hold out and they would face another fire more hot than Satan's. The Second Death is used interchangeably with the LAKE of fire (Rev.20:14, 21:8). Is this to be lightly dismissed?

And what of the scripture above. The righteous are HARDLY saved! The King James rendering is "scarcely". That means that thee will be few that are saved. That means that most of us on this Forum will not make it! Yes - YOU! And faith is not addressed here. It is "the RIGHTEOUS"! The cry of defense is immediately that we Christians have the righteousness of Christ! NOT SO! It is not the righteousness of Christ that is being judged. Let scripture speak for itself!

 10 For 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. (2 Co 5:10)

It is what HE has DONE - His WORKS. And then the inspired record says of us - the Assembly of select ones ...

11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, ....

Let each man examine himself. Does terror rise up when you think of the Lord sitting on His traveling Judgment Seat, the Bema, with two men to go before it is your turn? Do you think that the "Gentle Jesus , meek and mild" will be there to greet you? Or will you see the one who John saw in Chapter 1 of Revelation? John, the one who lay on Jesus breast but now fell as if dead. Did our Lord Jesus say, "Fear NOT" for nothing? Did John perhaps know the terror mentioned in verse 11.  All fled when Paul stood before Nero. Yes. Men filled with the Holy Spirit scurried away to hide. If Nebuchadnezzar was the most fearsome king and is a picture of the Beast, it will be something to stand before him if you have not taken the Mark. But it is altogether another matter to stand before the One Who breathed out the galaxies from His mouth.

Is it not shocking to hear the Head of the Assembly of the select ones threatening the select ones with "hurt" from the Lake of Fire?

[FreeGrace]

On 8/28/2023 at 2:06 PM, Vine Abider said:

At the Bema Seat of Christ, we are told there will be an accounting of things believers have done, to see if their actions were profitable or not (2 Cor. 5:10).  In first Corinthians chapter three, it tells us the things we build with - our works - will be “tested by fire” to see how they will hold up under divine examination. If the materials we are building with survive the testing fire (gold, silver, precious stone) then there will be profit and lasting meaning for our life's effort. If our building works are burned (wood, hay, stubble) then we will suffer loss and there won’t be profit. Paul goes on to say in this chapter that even if all our works are burned up, the person will still be saved “yet as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15). This is not loss of eternal salvation for the believer, but no profit either. Instead, if nothing survives the testing fire, it may be a loss of all reward by Christ.

1 Cor 3:12-15 is critically important for all believers to understand.  Paul contrasts 2 categories of building materials:  high value (gold, silver, and precious gems) and low value (wood, hay, straw).  The former is priceless and the latter is worthless in terms of value.

So, what was Paul talking about?  He was talking about the works of the believer; did the believer use priceless or worthless materials in performing the works they did?  What does this mean?  Paul was clear in his writings about the fact that believers have 2 natures; their human and sinful nature, which is still functional and their new born again nature, which is sinless, according to 1 John 3:9.  So the issue is which nature does the believer produce "works".  From the sinful nature, which is worthless, or from the new nature, which is priceless and rewarded?

This leads to the question of how would a believer know which nature was at work when doing "good works"?  Is it even possible to know?  Of course it is.  Paul made that clear.  He commands believers to not grieve the Spirit, in Eph 4:30, and to not quench the Spirit in 1 Thess 5:19.  And he commands believers to be filled with the Spirit.  All believers have the Holy Spirit IN them, which is the indwelling.  That is not filling.  Paul contrasts being under the influence of alcohol with being filled with the Spirit, or influenced by the Spirit in Eph 5:18.  So How is a believer filled with the Spirit?  First, any and all sin breaks fellowship with God, per 1 John 1.  This is seen clearly in Psa 66:18 -  If I had regarded sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;  

1 John 1:9 is the solution to sin in the believer's life:  confession of that sin.  With confession comes forgiveness and cleansing.  This restores fellowship with God.  Then, 1 John 5:14 says that IF we ask God according to His will, He HEARS us.  This is why we need to confess our sins before praying, so God will hear us.  And every command to the believer is God's will for that believer.  So, being filled with the Spirit IS God's will for every believer.  v.15 says "if we know He hears us, we KNOW we HAVE what we ask for".  So we know we are filled with the Spirit after we have confessed our sins and then asked to be filled with the Spirit. 

Jesus lived during the OT times.  Very few believers were filled with the Spirit.  It was for the few who needed the assistance to accomplish their ministries, like kings, prophets, artisans of the tabernacle, etc.  Yet, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, (the DISCIPLE'S PRAYER) in Luke 11:-12, Jesus ended His teaching with v.13 - If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Now, Jesus was referring to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but it seems quite reasonable for believers who are universally indwelt with the Spirit to ask the Father for the filling of the Spirit.  

In the NT, all mentions of the filling of the Holy Spirit seem to be related to what the disciples were doing in service to the Lord.  

So, going back to 1 Cor 3:12-15, it seems Paul was contrasting works done in the power of the flesh with works done in the power of the Holy Spirit.  

In fact, 2 believers may be doing the exact same things, but one isn't filled with the Spirit and doing the works in the power of his own will, while the other has confessed his/her sins, asked for the filling of the Spirit, and doing the works in the power of the Spirit.

The former will NOT be rewarded for all the legitimately good works that were done, while the latter WILL be rewarded for all the works done in the power of the Spirit.

On 8/28/2023 at 2:06 PM, Vine Abider said:

What are the works that are profitable to a Christian? First of all, Christ tells us in John 15:5 that if we abide in Him we “will bear much fruit,” and “apart from Me you can do nothing.”

When Jesus said this in John 15, we began by assuring His 11 disciples that they were saved.  

v.3 - You are already clean (saved) because of the word I have spoken to you.  Then Jesus said:

v.4 - Remain (abide) in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

v.5 - “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

v.7 - If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

v.7 directly relates to 1 John 1:9 (confession) and 1 John 5:14,15.

On 8/28/2023 at 2:06 PM, Vine Abider said:

   Therefore, we shouldn’t think that running out to do our own version of “serving God” and “saving the world for Jesus” is pleasing in His sight.

Exactly!  This is performing works from the energy of the flesh (sinful nature).  What does God think about our own righteousness?

Isa 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

The Hebrew for "filthy rags" is literally "used menstrual rags".  That's how God views all our own righteousness and energy of the flesh.

On 8/28/2023 at 2:06 PM, Vine Abider said:

He said many will come to Him in that day saying, “’Lord, Lord, did we not do [many things] in your name?’ And I will say, ‘Depart from Me you workers of iniquity – I never knew you.’”  (Matt. 7:21-23) How can He say that He never knew them? Doesn’t God know all things and everybody? It is because they didn’t have an intimate relationship with Him and didn’t abide in Him.

"on that day" is a reference to the future Great White Throne judgment.  So this crowd is composed of only unbelievers.  It is noteworthy that the crowd based their appeal for entering the kingdom on THEIR WORKS, what they DID.  Yes, they addresses the King as "Lord".  This shows they were religious.  Yes, they did great things "in Your Name".  But Jesus wasn't impressed at all.  Why?  Because they NEVER believed in Him as their Savior.  That's what "I never knew you" refers to.  Of course God is omniscient and knows everything (1 John 3:20).  But, as you rightly note, they did not have an "intimate relationship" with the Lord.  iow, they were never saved.  And their defense for entering the kingdom was based on their works, and NOT the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross.

On 8/28/2023 at 2:06 PM, Vine Abider said:

So I'll leave it here for the moment . . . Lots more could be said, but those are the initial things I wanted to bring out regarding the accountability and discipline for believers that I see in the word.  So even though I believe in so great a salvation in Christ which eternally makes us His children, no one need think for a moment that believers shouldn't be most attentive to their ongoing actions before Him!

Thanks for another super thread!!  Very revelant for every believer!  

[Bro.Tan]

One of the first thing Jesus says when he got started in his ministry, Jesus says in   Luke 5:32   I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. In the scriptures it's written in Ezekiel  18: 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.  26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 

 

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

 

 

 

[AdHoc]

46 minutes ago, FreeGrace said:

Yes, they did great things "in Your Name".  But Jesus wasn't impressed at all.  Why?  Because they NEVER believed in Him as their Savior.  That's what "I never knew you" refers to.  Of course God is omniscient and knows everything (1 John 3:20).  But, as you rightly note, they did not have an "intimate relationship" with the Lord.  iow, they were never saved.  And their defense for entering the kingdom was based on their works, and NOT the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross.

You have written a thoughtful courteous reply. But the statement above seems to have inadvertently missed something.

There is overwhelming evidence that these men claiming the Kingdom were good Christians.
1. The first point is that the Judgment of Christian and unbeliever, as you have rightly said, is a different day altogether. The Christian is judged at the Bema, most probably in the air after rapture because a "Bema" is a "traveling throne". The living unbeliever is judged at the "THRONE of His glory" on earth after the Kingdom is set up. The dead unbeliever is judged at the White THRONE a thousand years later. The point is, there are no unbelievers at the judgment of those claiming the kingdom. They are all Christians.

2. These men of Matthew 7:21-23 knew Jesus during their lifetime. The did many wonders in His Name.

3. These men knew Who Jesus was. The Unbelievers ("ALL Nations"- Matthew 25:31-32) did not know who Jesus was.

4. According to Mark 16:17 only Christians can cast out demons. Added to this, our Lord Himself said that Satan would never cast his own out as it would lead to the collapse of his kingdom.

5. Egypt showed that Satan's emissaries can do SOME wonders. But these did MANY wonders - even a sign of an Apostle (2nd Cor.12.12)

6. To cast out demons and do many wonders needs POWER. Jesus cast out demons with the finger of God - not by Himself. To get the power to do this one needs the Holy Spirit. To get the Holy Spirit one needs to be baptized (Act.2:38, Chapter 19).

7. The accusation of the Lord is not that the works were iniquitous. It was that they had not done the will of the Father when doing these works. The works themselves were good. The men were loose cannons.

8. To have access to the Kingdom one must be born again (Jn.3:3-5). Our Lord did not deny their claim. they were refused because of WORKS.

It seems to me that these were born-again, baptized believers who possessed the power of the Holy Spirit, but who had acted without orders. The cause is plain. the Greek word for "knew" means "intimate knowledge" like in Matthew 1:25.

In every case the Kingdom is gained, or attained to, by WORKS. It is FAITH that puts sins away, cause the rebirth, causes one to partake of the divine life, makes one the son of God and makes one heir to the promises. It is the RIGHTEOUS that gains the Kingdom (1st Cor.6:9-10, Gal.5:21, Eph.5:5 etc.).