The Bema Seat of Christ

We don't know when we will stand before God, but we all most certainly will.  We are not promised the next heartbeat.  This is the only chance we have to run the race God has given us to run.  There are no do-overs in life and we have an eternity to live with the results of this chance we are given. 

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not talking about salvation here.  God forgives our sin when we accept the sacrifice of the life of Jesus, freely given for us.  But, there is such a thing as the Bema Seat of Christ.  

Bema was used in several different ways.  In ancient Athens, the bema or bima is basically an elevated podium from which an orator addressed the citizenry.  It is the place in Greek courts where each side presented their arguments.  The bimah was the place in the a synagogue from which the Torah was read.  Finally, the bema was the raised seat of the judge.

In Matthew 27:19, we see Pilate sitting on a judgement seat.  The word for that seat is 'bematos' as it is in John 19:13.  The seat of the emperor in Acts 25:10 is also the 'bematos'.  The root is bema and this is how we come to call the Judgement Seat of Christ, The Bema Seat.  

Romans 14:10-12 says, 

"Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother?  For we will all stand before God's judgement seat (bemati).  It is written: 'As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.'  So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."

This shows us, saved or not, we will give an account to God.  Let's take a look at the Parable of the Minas found in Luke 19:11-27 which is a close relative of the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-30 but, I think, gives more insight.  In this parable we see that there is a nobleman who is traveling to receive for himself a kingdom.  He gives his three servants different amounts of money and tells them to occupy themselves with it until he returns.  The other kingdom rejects him and refuses to be ruled by him.  Of course, he received the kingdom anyway and returned to see what his servants had done with the money he left them. 

The first two servants had multiplied their portion and were given cities to rule over; but the third had done nothing with his saying he knew his master was harsh and reaped where he didn't sow so he hid his money in a napkin for fear he would lose it and not be able to give anything to the nobleman upon his return.  The master judged him by his own words and gave his money to the one with the most.  Jesus said, 

"I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away," (Luke 19:26)

There is more insight to be had.  The Apostle Paul breaks it down and gives us some details in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 where he says, 

"For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man's work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss.  He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames."

You see, salvation is a different issue.  But, salvation won't keep us from the Bema Seat of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:10 says, 

"For we must all appear before the judgment 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."

So, of course, we can be confident in our salvation when we believe in Jesus; but I want to be like the elders in Revelation 4:10-11,

"The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, ' Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created,'"

I want a crown to cast at the feet of the King!  Look back at our parable.  The nobleman rewarded his faithful servants with cities to rule over, crowns so to speak.

We all have a purpose in the kingdom.  God has given each of us something with which we can increase His kingdom.  What are we doing with what God has given us?

So, I repeat the words I opened this study with, "We don't know when we will stand before God.  We are not promised the next heartbeat.  This is the only chance we have to run the race God has given us to run.  There are no do-overs in life and we have an eternity to live with the results of this chance we are given."

You man think that God overlooked you in the gift department.  As we have seen, the Word of God says otherwise.  God demands an account based on what he has given you.  If the servant that had been given only one mina (worth about four months wages) had deposited it at the bank for interest, It would have been better than doing nothing at all. 

If all you can do is pray, are you praying?  If all you can do is write, are you writing?   What is it that you can do to advance the kingdom?  If I were you, I wouldn't say, "nothing."  God, your creator, knows.  You will give an account one day.  If you truly don't know what you are supposed to be doing, ask.  God will guide you.

Time is short.  It is time all of us were about the Father's business because, 

"The harvest is truly plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest," (Matthew 9:37-38).  

I pray that you are one of those laborers and if you are not, I pray that you become one.