There is not one final judgment at the end of the age as some teachers suggest. The judgment of the lost is referred to in Revelation 20:11-15. These people will be judged for their ungodly, ‘works' as noted in verse {13} The unsaved will be judged after the 1,000 year reign of Christ on the earth as documented in Revelation 20:5.
God in distinguishing between the judgment of the saints and the one above spoken about, speaks of the judgment of the saints as being called the Judgment Seat of Christ. If there was only one final judgment God would not have named them by different titles. We are not judged for salvation because Romans 8:1 tells us there is no judgment to those who are in Christ. Plus, Romans 8 concludes by saying there can be no separation from Christ for those who love and are found in Him. What we will be judged for is our ‘works.' I Corinthians 3:12-15 tells us that some Christians will be saved by ‘the skin on their teeth.' And so Paul uses the words, ‘ . . . he shall be saved so as through fire.' The Bible says that it will be revealed by fire, (vs. 13) and in another passage we are told that God is a consuming fire. [Hebrews 12:29] and that true ministers of the Gospel are spoken of as ‘a flame of fire.' [Hebrews 1:7] True ministers of the Lord have been touched, as it were, by the flame of God. Also, in II Thessalonians 1:7-9 the Lord will at the Second Coming ‘In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Notice in each of these verses God is spoken of as a flaming fire. The Apostle Paul knew that He also would stand before the judgment of the saints and that his ministry would be evaluated by God. ‘Every man's work shall be made manifest.' [I Cor. 3:13] Some Christians will live undisciplined lives and will have built into their lives or ‘good works' what Paul calls useless building material like, ‘wood, hay and stubble, while the creme de la creme of the kingdom will come forth from this judgment as valuable as ‘ . . . gold, silver and precious stone.' [3:12] If Christians come forth from the judgment as ‘gold, silver and precious stone they will receive a reward from Christ. If they have lived a somewhat careless life they will receive no reward.
Another reference to God rewarding His people according to their ‘works' and of rewarding them for their faithfulness is found in Revelation 22:12 as He concludes the canon of Scripture. ‘And, behold, I come quickly; [I Thess. 4:17] and My reward is with Me, to give every man {person} according as His ‘work' shall be.'
Salvation is totally be grace as indicated in Ephesians 2:8 & 9. We cannot do anything to achieve our eternal salvation initially, or after our justification ministered by God.
Dr. C.I. Scofield, the famous dispensational teacher offers up these observations of His truth.
‘God, in the N.T. Scriptures, offers to the lost, salvation, and for the faithful service of the saved, rewards. The passages are easily distinguished by remembering that salvation is invariably spoken of as a free gift (e.g. John 4:10; Rom.6:23; Eph. 2:8 & 9); while rewards are earned by works (Matt. 10:42; Lk. 19:17; I Cor. 9: 24 & 25; II Tim. 4:7 & 8; Rev. 2:10; 22:12). A further distinction is that salvation is a present possession (Lk. 7:50; John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47, while rewards are a future attainment, to be given at the coming of the Lord (Matt. 16:27; II Tim. 4:8; Rev. 22:12.'
If ‘good works' were not to be understood as being valuable to us and God, there would be no validity to the contemplation of the noteworthy truths written above.
When Christ comes to take His people with Him we will immediately go before this judgment called the Judgment Seat of Christ. [Romans 14:10]
Unequivocally, we are saved by grace, but the other side of the coin is ‘works' and what God has to say about their value to us and to His kingdom.
