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.
(2 Corinthians 5:10, KJV)
12 Now if any
man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
stubble;13 Every
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it
shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what
sort it is.14 If
any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.15 If any man's work
shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as
by fire. (1 Corinthians
3:12-15, KJV, emphasis mine)
I have been trying to
picture what it will be like when I stand before the Lord at the judgment seat
of Christ. The Complete Word Study Bible tells us that bema is “by implication
any elevated place to which the ascent is by steps.”
I imagine myself as being very
small as I climb those majestic steps with my head hung down, feeling nothing
except the overwhelming awe, power, and glory of the Lord.
I have been using this
mental picture when I pray and worship because it transforms me to a state of
complete humility and total obedience.
It also reminds me that any
works that I do of my own accord will be burned up as wood, hay, and stubble at
the judgment seat of Christ. I will either be rewarded or suffer loss based
upon everything I have done in the body, which should be a sobering thought for
all believers.
Unfortunately, however, the
importance of the judgment seat of Christ has either been shut up completely or
reduced to a school-like “report card” with no staggering consequences.
There will be a great deal
of shock and surprise beyond the rapture for many believers, which is the apt
title of the late Pastor Gary Whipple’s book. He teaches that:
- Wood represents works that are done through the world and its
influences
- Hay is works that are done through our flesh or old nature, apart
from the Holy Spirit
- Stubble (straw) are the works of Satan in our lives
On the flip side:
- Gold represents works related to the Kingdom doctrines
- Silver represents redemption and the three parts of man (body,
spirit, and soul)
- Precious stones represent the Holy Spirit working in our lives
I have also been studying
how fire is associated with the Lord. Scripture
tells us that:
- The Lord our God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24, Hebrews
12:29)
- The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire (Exodus 24:17)
- A devouring fire came out of His mouth (2 Samuel 22:9, Psalm 18:8)
- Fire came down from Him (2
Chronicles 7:3)
- He was a wall of fire around Jerusalem (Zechariah 2:5)
- He is like a refiner’s fire (Malachi
3:2)
- Our works will be revealed by fire (1
Corinthians 3:13)
- His eyes were as a flame of fire (Revelation 1:14)
Now as I picture the judgment seat of Christ, I am beginning to wonder if Christ is literally the fire that will either burn up or refine our works?
