In this series, the Judgment Seat of Christ, we are studying the prophetic parables of Jesus Christ where He clearly explained to us how to be prepared for this Day, as well as what the apostles wrote about this subject. His great desire is to give to each born again believer the reward He brings when He returns...and behold, I am come quickly and my reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work...Rev. 22:12.
We can see by this text that His reward will be given according to the work of each believer. Past blogs in this series have revealed that the work of a believer that will be judged on that Day is the house - temple - he built for the Lord, while he lived on the earth. Remember, the Apostle Paul said...for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad...II Cor. 5:10.
Paul also said...if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is...if anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward...if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire...I Cor. 3:13-16.
When we were last together we were studying the prophetic Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30) - see blog #9. When Jesus returns He will open books where is recorded the works of every believer. When our works are weighed in the balances of God's plan for our lives, will we be found wanting? In the parable, Jesus gave some people two talents, others five talents, and some only one. The word talent means: balance; weights and measures.
Each one will be weighed in the balances only according to what we did with the talent given - how many talents is not the measure. This reminds me of a story I read. A man was born deaf and mute. He was locked in a closet most of his early childhood, thought to be an idiot. He was treated with disdain, by those who were suppose to love and help him find success in life. The man was angry and full of hate, lashing out in despicable ways to harm others.
One day a Bible teacher was visiting Heaven and found this man, whom he knew on the earth, sitting in the Throne Room of Heaven right next to Jesus. Jesus explained how one day the angry man saw a tract on the ground with the gospel message. With many tears he repented of his sins and accepted Jesus into his heart with joy. One day his homeless friend was found dying on the street. The new Christian shared the gospel tract with the dying friend and he received Christ, dying in his arms. Jesus said he had received evil from this world his whole life, and was given only one talent, but used it to witness for Jesus.
What is important on that Day is what materials we used to build our house - temple - on the foundation of salvation. Did we build our house with silver, gold or precious stones or did we build our house with wood, hay or straw? Were we obedient to God's plan or did we do our own thing - this will be the assessment on that Day. Only what's done for Christ - to honor Him - will endure the judgment without burning - and will receive His reward.
At the Great White Throne judgment Jesus will open the books where He will find recorded what each believer did with the talents he was given. The parable explains that the believer's who were given two and five talents, not only used their talents to glorify the Lord, but they multiplied their talents. They will not be found wanting on that Day - the scales will balance. Jesus will say to them...well done, good and faithful servant...enter into the joy of your Lord...Matt. 25:21 & 23.
Their houses did not burn up so they would be allowed in the Wedding Hall for the marriage of the Lamb. But the one talent Christian would be a different story. The one talent Christian did nothing to develop the talent that God had given to him - he buried it. The one talent Christian was sure the Lord was a harsh task-master, requiring more of him than He had given, so he hid his talent, rather than blessing others and honoring his Lord...Matt. 25:24-27.
He didn't want to suffer the persecution and deprivation, through trials and tribulations, that comes to all believers, so chose to keep his talent hidden from other human beings. This prevented him from building a house for the Lord - that honors and glorifies Him alone. He had received the gift of salvation. If he had only shared with one other person how to find Jesus as his Savior, he would have doubled his talent like the two & five talent Christians did - but he chose not to. This believer's house - temple - will burn up on that Day - he will suffer loss. What loss will he suffer?
The last verse of this prophetic parable tells us clearly with no ambiguity, that Jesus will have no choice but to say...cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness...there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth...Matt. 25:30. Remember, the one talent Christian is a blood-bought born again believer in Christ. He never denied His Lord - he simply did nothing with the talent that God had given him at conception. He received the gift of salvation - but he didn't share the gift with anyone else...Eph. 2:8. So his name is preserved in the Book of Life by a blood sacrifice for his sins.
The Christian who hid (buried) his talent describes a Christian whose house burns up on that Day...but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire...I Cor. 3:15. Prophecy of scripture is very clear: this Christian will suffer loss when his house burns up - but he will be saved. This means that since he is wearing the Garment of Salvation he will be allowed to enter Heaven, but since the house he built out of wood, hay & straw burns up during the fire of judgment, he will not receive the reward of the Lord. This is the loss he will suffer - no reward from the Lord. He must live in outer darkness.
Hopefully, so far in this series, I have provoked a little bit of curiosity in my readers to desire to know how to be prepared for the Judgment Seat of Christ with confidence. Today our study leaves us with two very important questions for which we will find scriptural answers: (1) where is outer darkness (2) what is the reward the Lord brings when He returns? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
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