The Tribunal of Christ and the Rewards
By Josimar Salum
“You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” Romans 14: 10.
“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat (tribunal) of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5: 6-10
If there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8: 1), how could there be any judgment that God's children would be subject to?
“For you have upheld my right and my cause; you sat in the court, judging righteously.” Psalm 9: 4
“But the Lord is sitting perpetually; he has prepared his court to judge.” Psalm 9: 7
“He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. ”Psalm 9: 8
Basically the biblical texts in which the word “court” appears are these; in other texts they refer to human courts.
The word translated meaning "court" in some English versions is "chair or seat of God's judgment."
There is no reference that this court will work in the future, what we know is that there is already a court of God established.
The idea that has been associated with this tribunal is that being judged we will receive God's rewards. Very strange that one understands this because we are made children of God by faith. How can we be made children of God by faith and then be judged by the works we do. And we would receive rewards because of works that are not ours, because we must only walk in the works God prepared before the foundation of the world to walk in. (See Ephesians 2). That is, what we begin by faith, by the Spirit, we do by works to receive rewards. It is a very strange teaching indeed, because long before these teachings, father Abraham understood that His reward was God Himself.
“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your shield, your great reward.” Genesis 15: 1
“See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40: 10-11
The Lord has surely gathered us into His arms, He takes us in His lap, breastfeeds us and guides us gently.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23: 2-3
This futuristic vision that guides almost every interpretation of many preachers needs to be revised, even because this text from Isaiah 40 was written about 2,700 years ago. Would the Lord not have guided his people through all these hundreds of years of history and fulfill His promise even in the future?
“The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” Isaiah 62:11
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven; because thus they persecuted the prophets that were before you.” Matthew 5:12
The reward is in the heavens, but there is no indication that it cannot be given to us now.
““Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6: 1- 4
The text says that Your Father who sees in secret will reward you publicly. When will He reward you publicly? Certainly after the act of giving alms.
Reward means reward!
“And whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that you will receive the reward of inheritance from the Lord, because you serve Christ the Lord.” Colossians 3: 23- 24
What is the reward of hope?
““When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Matthew 25: 31-34
Who is our inheritance but Jesus Himself?
““Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” Revelation 22:12
What work is this?
“Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” John 6: 28-29
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” 1 Corinthians 3: 11-15
There is nothing we can do for God apart from faith.
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2: 6-7
The Judgment Seat of Christ was established before our journey to this world! We are already standing before the Judgment Seat of Christ as we live and grow. The fire proves what is the work of each one of us. Fire determines what remains and what doesn't.
And the Day will declare it! What day is this? The Lord's Day refers to the Day of His coming. In His Coming He will judge the people. (See Matthew 25). And this Day will declare what remained or not.
We must understand that the salvation we will inherit is Jesus. Jesus is our salvation. We must understand that the eternal life we will inherit is Jesus. Jesus is our Eternal Life. The peace we will inherit is Jesus. All we will receive is Jesus. Everything we have received is already in us and with us. It's Jesus!
“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” John 14:23
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11: 33-36
Who has the Spirit of God, listen to what the Spirit says to the Churches.
9/9/2019
#ASONE
Translated by: Filipe S.S. Gouvea
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