We are eternally accepted in the Beloved; amen?  We are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, can you say, “Praise God!” for that?  But at the same time knowing that, we don’t want to be able to convince ourselves, then, that it’s acceptable to sit back and do less than what God has called us to do, ordained us to do.  John 15 says He has ordained you to bring forth fruit and your fruit should remain; amen?  So, we’ve got to understand that this is the ministry that God has called us to: fruit bearing, so that men could see and glorify our Father which is in heaven.  In 1 Corinthians 5 we see this was a very motivating factor of Paul’s life, his pursuit of holiness, that ability to just finish this race and be able to hear “well done” and know that there will be a day when his heart is revealed, that God had worked great grace in that man who was the chief of sinners.

So, we’re hoping to be able to bring about a little fear into our hearts; in fact, the Scripture makes reference to that.  And at the same time, a rest in realizing that there is a day coming.  Now, we all know the crown of righteousness that Paul talks about; he had finished the course, and there was given to him a crown of righteousness.  We all know that that crown is going to be taken and cast at the feet of Jesus; amen?  But there are degrees of reward, and the Scripture talks about degrees of punishment.  There are degrees of punishment in hell.  You think, “Well, man, the least is unthinkable,” and it is; amen?  So, when we see that there are going to be different recognitions of our performance, our spiritual life, our walk; those of us who are walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, that’s going to be recognized. Praise God for it!

But before we move into the bema judgment, it’s referred to—the judgment seat of Christ, many times, people will refer to the bema and try to contrast with, of course, what Revelation shows us to be the white throne judgment.  The great white throne judgment of Revelation is the universal judgment of all unbelievers and believers that are here on earth and become believers during the tribulation and the millennium.  And contrasted from the judgment seat of Christ, which is going to occur right after the rapture of the church.  So, when the church is raptured, one of the first things we’re going to do is go into this time of fellowship with the Lord, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  And we’re going to go into this time where there’s this feast, so see the judgment seat of Christ more as a celebration than a time of punishment, discipline, embarrassment.

I know when I was first a believer, and had heard about these judgments that would someday come, I was more concerned with the judgment.  I was more concerned with everything that I truly am; my heart, my thoughts, every deed that I’ve ever done.  Can you imagine? Everything you ever did, everything you ever thought, everything you ever said exposed to everyone who ever lived.  And people say that’s what’s going to be done to vindicate the justice of God.  I want you to begin to think about the judgment seat of Christ a different way.  I’ve heard preachers preach that all of our deeds, whether they be good or evil are going to be revealed, as a motivation to make sure we live holy lives.  But that’s impossible because of the work of justification that we have experienced in Jesus Christ.  I want you to know every one of your sins is forgotten, blotted out, praise God!  Colossians says it is blotted out; can you say, “praise God!” for that?