Tuesday, 2 June 2015

K092. How will Jesus judge the believers?

Many believers argue and say that Jesus would only judge them by giving out the rewards and that the judgement could be just good rewards or bad rewards based on how much or how little they can receive from Him. The Bible text which they would always use is from:
Rom 14:10 KJV  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat (bayma seat) of Christ.
2Co 5:9-10 KJV  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.  (10)  For we must all appear before the judgment seat (bayma seat) of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
They insist that, according to the Greek customs and translation, the above Bible verses is about the bayma seat of Christ which would never judge the believers with punishment; but only better rewards or smaller rewards (like the bayma seat of the Greek emperors who would always reward the runners of the Olympics with a crown of olive leaves.

I will tell them, Since I am not a Greek scholar, I will not argue if the interpretation of the Greek 'bayma seat' is such a seat according to the custom and beliefs of the Greeks. But I can say that the judgement of Christ to the believers is not limited only to this bayma seats. There are still many Bible verses about God's judgement where the bayma seat was not mentioned:
Mat 7:21-23 KJV  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 25:41-46 KJV  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  (42)  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  (43)  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  ..  (46)  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Rev 3:16-19 KJV  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  (17)  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  (18)  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  (19)  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

There were many judgements and warnings by the Apostles too. None of the Apostles encouraged us to find refuge in the bayma seat of Christ. Instead, they always gave serious warnings about His judgement. They warned, "If we sin willfully ..", "If we .. ", "lest we ..", "Beware ..", "Take heed ..", "Be diligent ..", .. etc. If we still think that we can expect the bayma seat of Christ to save us even if we do not take heed, obey, and keep His commandments, we show by our fruits that we have rebelled with a lawless mind against His words and fulfilled the prophecy in Mat 7:15-21. We may argue vehemently (like them) that we are the believers, but when we refuse to listen to His words, warnings, or commandments, we are no longer the believers. Hence, claiming that we are the believers or thinking that we are the believers is the weakest assurance we can give ourselves and others; but Jesus said Keeping His commandments or doing His words is the only true assurance from Him.
Mat 7:26 KJV  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
He would still say so today irregardless of whether you agree or not.

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