12
Nov

THE FOUNDATION OF CHRIST

by Gary King

ETERNAL JUDGMENT

INTRODUCTION

In this lesson we will focus on the two great events that make up the Eternal Judgment of mankind (human beings), namely the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment. We will also briefly look at Eternal Judgment with respect to spiritual beings such as the devil, the demons, the beast, the false prophet, and the heavenly angels.

JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST

  1. The Judgment Seat of Christ is a judgment for all who are a part of the first resurrection. The second death has no power over those of the first resurrection. Therefore, these will not be judged with respect to righteousness but rather for their service to God. None of these will be condemned; they all are acquitted – John 3:18; John 5:24; Romans 8:1.
  2. It would be illogical to think that these Christians will be judged for righteousness since their righteousness will be Christ’s righteousness imputed to them – Romans 4:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9.
  3. The purpose of this judgment is to test or separate our works of service into two categories in order to reward His saints for their good and faithful works done for Christ while they lived in their natural body – 1 Corinthians 3:9-17.
  4. All who participate in this judgment are those who have built their house (lives) on the foundation of Christ – Hebrews 6:1,2. The foundation is the most critical part of any house – Luke 6:46-49; Matthew 7:24-27. Even as it is with a house or a building, our lives can never be any better than our foundation on which we build!
  5. The criteria for separating or judging these two types of works seems to be based on an inward, spiritual judgment rather than an outward, natural observation. God is more concerned with the attitude, motive, and heart with which we perform an act of service than He is with the act itself – 1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10; Revelation 2:23.
  6. The wood, hay, and stubble is nothing more than dead works built upon the right foundation. Remember the very first stone of our foundation charges us to “repent from dead works”.
  7. The gold, silver, and precious stones are those works, which were done not by the power, might, and abilities of man but by the Spirit of God!
  8. Being busy with religious activities does not constitute works of gold, silver, and precious stones! If it were, many Christians would be Ft. Knox! They are the ones who are busy instead of the Holy Spirit being busy in and through them.

JUDGMENT OF STEWARDSHIP

  1. The main emphasis of the Judgment Seat of Christ will be on the stewardship of God’s people. There are two notable parables that reveal the principles of stewardship and the accountability God will require of His servants in the judgment. Though both parables are very similar, they teach and emphasize different kingdom principles.
  2. Discuss your findings concerning the homework assignment of comparing the parables of Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27 with 1 Corinthians 3:11-17.
  3. One conclusion that is very clearly seen concerning the Judgment Seat of Christ from these parables is that there will be varying degrees of rewards based on the faithfulness of God’s children.

CHRONOLOGY OF THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 shows that the Judgment Seat of Christ occurs after we leave our natural bodies and put on our spiritual bodies. This occurs after the rapture of the Church.
  2. When we compare the two parables of Matthew 25 and Luke 19 with Matthew 24:43-51 and Revelation 20:4, we see that we will rule and reign with Christ on the basis of our stewardship in our natural life. Therefore, this judgment has to happen before the Millennial Kingdom begins so we will know what we are to rule over.
  3. Revelation 11:15-18 shows that the saints are judged and rewarded after the seventh trumpet and the rapture of the Church. They then rule and reign with Christ for 1,000 years in their glorified bodies.

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

  1. The second of the two great judgments involving mankind that makes up Eternal Judgment is called the Great White Throne Judgment (GWTJ). This occurs at the end of the Millennial Kingdom – Revelation 20:7-15.
  2. Some feel all that are in attendance at this judgment will be condemned. I wouldn’t want to be dogmatic on this issue, but I would lean to the other side of this issue. I believe there will be multitudes of righteous people that will not follow the devil when he is loosed at the end of the 1,000 years, and that Christ will divide them as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats – Matthew 25:31-46.
  3. Revelation 20:12-15 shows that this judgment is also based on works as it is in the Judgment Seat of Christ. However, before they are judged for their works they are first of all judged out of the Lamb’s Book of Life to see if their name is written within. This is the means by which the Great Shepherd will separate the goats from the sheep.
  4. Those whose names were not found written in the Book of Life were cast into the Lake of Fire to spend eternity separated from the presence of God.

DEGREES OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

  1. Just as there were degrees of rewards for the righteous so shall there be degrees of punishment for the wicked. All punishment generally speaking is the same in that all are lost, without God, and without hope – Revelation 14:9-11.
  2. Though there are degrees of punishment, yet the reality and eternality of the Lake of Fire is the same for all – Mark 9:42-48.
    Though all those not found in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire, it shall be more tolerable for some than others. Therefore, it is only natural to believe that God will judge and punish those who are more accountable – John 19:6-11.
  3. Accountability seems to be based on the degree of wickedness and the amount of light and God-given opportunities one has received. As a matter of fact, the scriptures seem to indicate that the severest of punishment shall not be to those who are the most wicked but to those who have had the greatest opportunity and rejected it – Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 12:45-48; 2 Peter 2:20,21 with Hebrews 6:4-6; 1 Timothy 4:1,2.

OTHER JUDGMENTS

  1. Since Eternal Judgment includes all living beings, whether righteous or unrighteous, there are other judgments that we will look at briefly.
  2. Judgment of the beast and the false prophet – Revelation 19:11-20.
  3. Judgment of Satan – he who had the greatest opportunity shall receive the greatest judgment – Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:7-10.
  4. Judgment of the fallen angels – The fallen angels will receive great punishment because they left their first estate; they had great opportunity and privilege but gave it away – Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4,9.
  5. Judgment of the heavenly angels – these will be judged on how they ministered to those who are to be the heirs of righteousness. Those who judge them will be those who are the heirs of righteousness – Hebrews 1:13,14; 1 Corinthians 6:3.

NOTES ON THE PARABLES OF STEWARDSHIP

Matthew 25:14-30

  1. Verse 15 shows that God gives talents according to His purpose for one’s life and also gives the ability to utilize them. He would never ask us to do more than we could do or give us more than we could handle. He gave five talents to one, two to another, and one to yet another.
  2. When God fashions us in our mother’s womb, He does so with the task He has ordained us to perform in mind. I.e. – when one builds a tractor he does not build it to go 100 mph. That does not make it inferior to a vehicle that can go 100 mph any more than that vehicle would be inferior to a tractor because it can not pull a plow. So it is with God’s children; some are intercessors and some are not; some are teachers; some are singers, etc… God equips us according to His plan and purpose for our lives.
  3. Even within the same calling and gifting there are different equippings. Some prophets are called to prophesy to a local church; others are called to prophesy to the world. This necessitates that God gift them differently.
  4. The amount of talents you are equipped with does not give one a disadvantage or an advantage in laying up treasures in heavenly places. This parable teaches that one is rewarded on the percentage of increase rather than the amount of increase. To whom much is given, much is required to be found faithful. To whom little is given little is required to be found faithful.
  5. From this parable we should learn that unequal ability can produce equal reward!

Luke 19:11-27

  1. In this parable, the Lord gives each servant the same amount (one talent) in order that He might teach another kingdom principle and truth. In this parable we will discover that equal equipping, gifting, and ability can produce unequal reward.
  2. The Luke passage teaches us that equal ability can result in unequal stewardship and consequently varying degrees of reward in proportion to the steward’s faithfulness. It is important to know both principles.
  3. Both parables teach that faithful service in this life will be rewarded by positions of authority in the age to come. This makes what we do now very important!

 

  1. The basis of judgment in the parables and 1 Corinthians 3 is very similar. Both are based upon bringing increase with your works of service.
  2. The major difference can be seen in what happens in the case of the servants who brought no increase in the parables and the servant in 1 Corinthians 3 whose works were not of the quality that God demands. In the parables the servant lost his soul; in 1 Corinthians 3, the servant lost rewards only.
  3. In 1 Corinthians 3, the works of wood, hay, and stubble indicated that the servant had a resolve and desire to serve his master even though his attempts were in the flesh. In the judgment, this servant will lose his reward for these works yet he, himself, will be saved by fire. The fire will burn away all that defiles so that the servant can enter into the kingdom undefiled.
  4. In the parables the servant didn’t do anything for his master in the flesh or spirit because of FEAR. Faith without works is dead. This servant showed that true commitment and desire to serve was lacking. Because of this, he was appointed his portion with the unbelievers and was cast into outer darkness.
  5. From this, we ought to give heed to the solemn warning that God can tolerate wood, hay, and stubble but not the total lack of service! The parables show that the sin of omission will condemn a servant and to keep from making a mistake is not enough to remain under God’s grace.
  6. God will correct your path if your service is misguided, but will damn you if, for fear of making a mistake, you don’t serve at all! We ought to be more afraid not to serve and bring increase to the Kingdom than we are to get in the flesh and produce works of wood, hay, and stubble! Don’t hide your talents out of misguided fear!!

This is exclusive content for our mailing list only.  Please don’t share this post, but you can invite others to join our mailing list and they will be sent the same information.  

Posted in Exclusive

Gary King is an Author, Pastor, and serves as an Elder amongst a team of elders at the church he founded in 1972, New Life Christian Center in Celina, Ohio. His published books include The Terminal Generation and The Transitional Generation. Gary was married to his beloved Paulette for 48 years before she went home to be with the Lord in 2013. Gary is a spiritual father of many, father of six, grandfather to fourteen grandchildren, and great grandfather of two.