The Judgment seat of Christ

[evangelist6589]

For my book to read for March I plan to purchase a book on this subject and it is here. Has anyone read it and what are your thoughts? Good works do not earn us salvation as we are saved by Grace through faith (Eph 2:8-10). However they do earn us rewards. I think that perhaps the most important work we can do on earth is evangelism, but I am not sure if the author agrees. I look forward to this read in March.

John

 

[beameup]

This is pretty crystal-clear in Romans 8 and elsewhere in the Apostle Paul's Epistles.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Christians who fail to learn how to "set aside" the Ego ("Old Man") and instead walk in the Spirit will reap a harvest of "wood, hay, and stubble".

COMMAND of the Lord:
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh:
and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. [judgement] - Gal 5:16-18

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. - Mt 11:29-30

 

[asterisktom]

For my book to read for March I plan to purchase a book on this subject and it is here. Has anyone read it and what are your thoughts? Good works do not earn us salvation as we are saved by Grace through faith (Eph 2:8-10). However they do earn us rewards. I think that perhaps the most important work we can do on earth is evangelism, but I am not sure if the author agrees. I look forward to this read in March.

John

While I can't say I have read the work you mentioned, I would still suggest you first (if you have not already done so) pursue a personal study of the topic in the Bible, chasing down the dozen or so references to BEMA and seeing how they fit together.

As I did this very study these passages (except for one or two unrelated occurrences} all cross-referenced each other in a surprising way. This caused me to rethink my whole view of the Bema as not a "reward event" primarily, but as something much more sobering and awesome (if that is possible). There are certain cross-references found, especially, in Paul's writings that really challenged the traditional notion that I held.

If interested you can read this article that I wrote on that study:
http://asterisktom.xanga.com/503349088/bema-judgment-seat/

An excerpt:
"Notice these recurring themes in the above definitions [of many modern writers and teachers on the Bema]:
A. It is for Christians only.
B. It is for rewards (or loss of rewards) only. There is no punishment.
C. It can be illustrated by sporting contests award ceremonies (as opposed to Bible cross-references).
D.The terror or shame involved here is merely that of disobedient or unproductive Christians.

Now let us turn to the Bible to see if what the experts above say matches with scripture...."

I end my article with this summation:

"5. RETHINKING THE BEMA
It is certainly hard to unlearn something we have been taught. The idea of being rewarded for our righteous acts (works, actually) goes contrary to the Gospel itself.

If it is not right that any flesh glories before God, how is it possible that we should be rewarded over against other Christians for accomplishments that we have no right to claim credit for? Or do we not believe that it is Christ who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure? (Phil. 2) And why would He reward us for something that was really His doing?

How can we expect rewards for our obedience, seeing that even if we obey perfectly in everything we are still only unprofitable servants? (Luke 17:10)

No, the modern notion of the Bema award-judgment is a concept that is foreign to Scripture.
It is foreign to the Biblical use of the word.
And it is foreign to what we know of God and the Gospel of His grace. "

 

[evangelist6589]

I am gonna do a study as I read the book in March.

While I can't say I have read the work you mentioned, I would still suggest you first (if you have not already done so) pursue a personal study of the topic in the Bible, chasing down the dozen or so references to BEMA and seeing how they fit together.

As I did this very study these passages (except for one or two unrelated occurrences} all cross-referenced each other in a surprising way. This caused me to rethink my whole view of the Bema as not a "reward event" primarily, but as something much more sobering and awesome (if that is possible). There are certain cross-references found, especially, in Paul's writings that really challenged the traditional notion that I held.

If interested you can read this article that I wrote on that study:
http://asterisktom.xanga.com/503349088/bema-judgment-seat/

An excerpt:
"Notice these recurring themes in the above definitions [of many modern writers and teachers on the Bema]:
A. It is for Christians only.
B. It is for rewards (or loss of rewards) only. There is no punishment.
C. It can be illustrated by sporting contests award ceremonies (as opposed to Bible cross-references).
D.The terror or shame involved here is merely that of disobedient or unproductive Christians.

Now let us turn to the Bible to see if what the experts above say matches with scripture...."

I end my article with this summation:

"5. RETHINKING THE BEMA
It is certainly hard to unlearn something we have been taught. The idea of being rewarded for our righteous acts (works, actually) goes contrary to the Gospel itself.

If it is not right that any flesh glories before God, how is it possible that we should be rewarded over against other Christians for accomplishments that we have no right to claim credit for? Or do we not believe that it is Christ who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure? (Phil. 2) And why would He reward us for something that was really His doing?

How can we expect rewards for our obedience, seeing that even if we obey perfectly in everything we are still only unprofitable servants? (Luke 17:10)

No, the modern notion of the Bema award-judgment is a concept that is foreign to Scripture.
It is foreign to the Biblical use of the word.
And it is foreign to what we know of God and the Gospel of His grace. "