Judgment: the Cross and the Christian

A while back I shared the conversation I had with twin 10 year-old girls on my front doorstep. I showed them a Cross, asking if they knew what it was. They got excited and told me that "'t' stands for 'Church.'" They go to Sunday School and learn that all you have to do is be good, help people and stay in school and you will go to heaven.

Is that it? Just go to church and do good? Does Jesus' death on the cross mean anything? Are we to just believe that Jesus died on the cross so we can carry on in life stuggling to keep our noses clean, so to speak?

Is God supposed to let everybody into heaven just because Jesus died on the cross? Does God no longer judge because He is so gracious? If that is the case, then what do we do with 2 Peter 3:7, "But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."?

Part of the confusion lies in the lack of teaching on the different kinds of judgments.

When Jesus died on the cross, a judgment for destiny was made--not a judgment of works. There Jesus suffered God's wrath against, or on behalf of, sin. For those who by faith put this judgment on their "account" (appropriate it to themselves), then they enjoy the benefits of this judgment and are regenerated, saved, born again. The judgment of the cross settles destiny, but does not settle works. Consider:

"All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him." (Isaiah 53:6).

"and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." ( 1 Peter 2:24).

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, 'CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE.'" (Galatians 3:13)

"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18)

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

In order to escape the coming judgment pertaining to destiny, one must repent (turn from) his or her sin and place faith and trust in what God has already accomplished for him or her in Christ Jesus. There will no escape when that day arrives. Rejecting the cross means one rejects God's wrath poured out there and will take on the full outpouring of God's wrath personally--there will be no survivors.

Now, as to works. Two passages to consider: 1 Corinthians 3:8-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:9-10.

First, who is being judged? Well, who is "we" in the above-mentioned passages? Is it unrepentant unbelievers?

Second, where is the judgment occuring? 2 Corinthians 5:10 refers to the bema seat. Imagine you participated in a contest--whether you win or lose, as a participant you stand for judgment before a judge or group of judges. If you are not a participant, you cannot stand there. This is one way to think of the bema seat, reserved only for those who participate. One who has not benefited from the judgment of the cross will not stand here, but will stand at the Great White Throne judgment.

Now, what are the consequences of this bema seat judgment for Christians?

1. Reward 1 Corinthians 3:8, 14 Such as:

• Christ's ongoing work in others: 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; Philippians 4:1
• Commendation for faithfulness by Christ: Matthew 25:23
• Greater trusts in the Kingdom: Matthew 25:23; Luke 19:17
• Crowns: of life to those who love Him (James 1:12; Rev. 2:10 ); of glory for earnest workmen (1 Peter 5:4 ); of righteousness for those who love His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8 ); of incorruption to the victors (1 Corinthians 9:25-27 ).
  

2. Loss of reward AND of one's work: "If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:15)

(tomorrow, Judgment of the Nations and the Unsaved Dead)