When Jesus Christ returns for His people, all human beings that ever lived on the earth will appear before Him at the Great White Throne - Judgment Seat of Christ...Rev. 20:11-13. He told us...behold, I am come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work...Rev. 22:12. The last time we were together I asked you, "What is the meaning of the word reward in the original Greek language?" You will be surprised!
The word reward in the original Greek language is misthos meaning: pay for service. This reward can only be given to human beings that accepted the free gift of salvation provided by Jesus Christ. You are probably asking by now, "Why would Jesus pay human beings for anything?" I asked the same question which sent me on a search for the answer - which I will share with you in this fascinating series - Judgment Seat of Christ.
Pay for Services means that Jesus will reward believers - His Bride - for the works (fruits of labor) they did that glorified Him, while they lived on the earth. If the fruits of their labor are worthy to be accepted by Jesus Christ at the Judgment Seat, they will receive His reward - pay for service. This reward can only be given to born again believers, yet not all born again believers will be prepared to receive His reward.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake...rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you...Matt. 5:11-12. This text equates the reward with persecution - horrors! Jesus is reassuring His followers that His pay for service - for enduring and overcoming severe trials - will be waiting for them in Heaven. His reward in Heaven is additional to His salvation, which they received on the earth.
During the earthly journey a true disciple of Christ must be about his Father's business, which is establishing and benefiting the Kingdom of Heaven - to glorify Jesus Christ. Believers are not asked to establish kingdoms for men - to glorify men.
A faithful ambassador of the Lord will be placed in the pressure cooker of trials and tribulations: persecution, reproach, reproof, rebuff, false accusations, humiliation, slander, and gossip - especially painful from Christian brethren. But sadly, many will also experience torture, imprisonment, and even murder from pagan and religious governments. This pressure cooker of life's trials squeezes out the poison of men's carnal nature - self-indulgence - which would otherwise contaminate his temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. The Apostle Peter says...he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin...I Peter 4:1. Sin separates us from intimacy with Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul, who experienced severe trials and tribulations, challenged believers to...glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character, and character, hope...Rom. 5:3-4. Paul knew that the character of men could only be transformed by intimacy with Jesus Christ who would reveal each ones motives. He was speaking to believers when he said...you are still carnal...for where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?...I Cor. 3:2.
Paul knew that God gave mankind a will to choose for himself what path he would take - a path that leads to Heaven or a path that leads to Hell. So he told believers...set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth...Col. 3:2. The earthly walk is for a short time, but eternity is forever. So Paul was instructing them as to how to be prepared for the return of Jesus when he said...when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory...Col. 3:4.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?...if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him...for the temple of God is holy, which you are...I Cor. 3:16-17. The Apostle Paul is explaining to these believers that they have become the temple - house - of the Lord where the Holy Spirit resides...the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you...Rom. 8:11. This society knew only about a brick & mortar temple where they worshipped God, so becoming a temple where God dwells was a totally foreign concept.
It must have been concerning to these believers when Paul said...if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. Wow...how scary that statement must have been - what could this mean? To understand we must find out the meaning of the word defiles. The word defiles in the original Greek language of the Bible is phthio meaning: to pine; languish; waste. What could this mean?
After Jesus rose from the dead, He sent the Holy Spirit to the earth to help believers walk in holiness, so they will be prepared for the return of Jesus Christ and receive the reward that He brings with Him. But...a believer is given the freedom to build his temple - house - on the foundation of salvation of Jesus Christ, anyway he wants.
He can choose to build a house that becomes defiled - filled with the cobwebs of worldly pleasures and every entanglement and snare of the devil - carnal works of the flesh. If so, this would result in this believer languishing in his iniquities, striving for fame and fortune, wasting the talents God gave to him at his conception - all for the treasures of the world...Ez. 24:23. A defiled house will burn up when this believer faces the Judgement Seat of Christ - at the Great White Throne...Rev. 20:11-13.
On the other hand, if a believer in Jesus Christ builds his temple - house - from works of righteousness, following the example of his Lord, his temple - house - of virtuous works will not burn up when he stands before Jesus on the Day of Judgment. He will receive His reward!
Is there a scripture that clearly states that born again believers will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ - Great White Throne - where they will be judged for things they did in their body? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
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