Bema Seat (Part 2)

(Read Bema Seat, Part 1 First)

Bema Seat - What is Our Judgment Based On?
At the Bema Seat of Christ, believers will be rewarded according to how faithfully they served, obeyed, and followed Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 9:4-27 for a detailed explanation.)



Some of the things we will likely be judged on are:

• whether we fulfilled our role in the Great Commission. Matthew 28:18-20 says, "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"
• how victorious we were over sin. Romans 6:1-4 reminds us, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
• whether we were successful in controlling our tongue. James 3:1-9 says, "All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
• whether the fruit of the Spirit was manifest in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

The Bible mentions Christians receiving crowns for various aspects of the Christian life and they are described in 2 Timothy 4:8, "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." James 1:12 says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." In response, believers will cast their crowns before the Lord's throne saying, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being" (Revelation 4:11).

Bema Seat - What is a Believer's Response?
Are you prepared to stand before the Bema Seat of Christ? In Revelation 22:12, Jesus Christ declares, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." Do you live your life out of gratitude for what Christ has accomplished for you? Our motivation for serving Christ is not the rewards in heaven, but rather a grateful and loving heart that sacrificially gives back to God. As a result of your love for Christ and appreciation for His of death on your behalf, serve God with all your heart and you will be rewarded at the Bema Seat. May the Apostle Paul's words in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 be true of us all! "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

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