E POINT OF JUDGMENT IN SCRIPTURE - PDF document

1 THE POINT OF JUDGMENT IN SCRIPTUR
1 THE POINT OF JUDGMENT IN SCRIPTURE Part 4 The Bema Seat Judgment 2 Co. 5:1-10 INTRODUCTION Scripture distinguishes between the destinies of the Church, the Gentiles and Israel. The Dispensation of Grace, according to Scripture, will end in failure (2 Tim. 3:1-3), culminating in the Rapture of all who are in Christ before the seventieth week of Daniel or the Tribulation Period (1 Thess. 4:13-18). The Tribulation Period is a judgment on the Nation of Israel (Dan. 9:24-27). A literal, grammatical, historical interpretation of Scriputre will produce irrefutible facts that the Church will not go through the Tribulation Period (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; Rom. 5:9). Immediately following the rapture, the Church will take part in the Bema Seat Judgment where every grace believer will have their works judged as to whether they were consistent with those works foreordained by God (1Thess. 4:17; 2 Co. 5:8-10). These works are those planned for the grace believer before the foundation of the world in order that the believer might “walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). I.THE PHRASE “BEMA SEAT “ JUDGMENT IS NOT COMMONLY USED IN THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION. A. The concept of the term bema is used in the both the Greek New Testament and the Septuigent to denote a place of formal presentation. Acts 12:21; Neh. 8:4 1. Herod spoke to the people of Tyre and Sidon from the bema seat. Acts 12:21 2. Ezra stood upon the “pulpit of wood” for the purpose of reading the the book of the law to those among the nation that returned to the land following captivity in Babylon. Neh. 8:4 B. Bema is used in Scripture to denote a place of judgment. cf. Acts 25:17 1. The bema seat in the Roman world was the place of measurement with reference to judging the guilt or innocence of those who were brought before the Roman officials. 2. The emphasis of judgment at the bema seat is indicated by the apostle Paul’s use of the Greek word krino in Acts 25:10. Kri

no indicates to come to a conclusion on
no indicates to come to a conclusion on a matter after a process of evaluation.cf. 1Co. 6:1 C. The Bema Seat is termed literally the “The Bema Seat Concerning The Christ”. 2 Co. 5:10; Rom. 14:10 1. The language used denotes who the judgment seat is for. This same construction is used in both 2 Corinthians and the Roman passages. (1 A textual problem exists as to whether Rom. 15:10 should read Christ or God. However, some of the better evidence supports Christ as the accurate reading ) 2. The term “The Christ” is unique the Dispensation of Grace. It is used commonly in the Pauline epistle to emphasize the Body of Christ with Christ as the head. cf. Eph. 3:4; 4:12; Col. 4:3 2 II.THE PURPOSE OF THE BEMA SEAT IS FOR BELIEVERS TO GIVE AN ACCOUNTANT FOR THE DEEDS DONE WHILE IN THE BODY DURING THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE. 2 Co. 5:10 A. There are varying views as to what it means to “give account”. Rom. 14:12 1. Some view the bema seat judgment as a Christian pergutory. 2. The term “give account” is the Greek word dwsei logon – to give a word; discourse. a. The discourse will be given to Christ. b. The discourse will be generally concerning one’s self. B. The necessity of the judgment is emphasized by the phrase “we must”. Vs.10 1. “Must’ is a term of necessity in the Greek (dei/ ) that denotes that constraint which arises from divine appointment. (Joseph Thayer) cf. John 3:7, 14 2. dei/ is contrasted with two other constraints, that which is constraint by compulsion and that which is morally necessary. C. Scripture outlines the purpose of the necessity of appearing before the bema seat. vs.10 1. The word “that” introduces a purpose clause that can be translated “for the purpose …” 2. Reception of the things done in the body is the purpose for appearance before the bema seat. a. “Receive” is the Greek word which m

eans receiving back as recompense or re
eans receiving back as recompense or reward get for oneself, obtain, receive – Friberg Lexicon cf. Col. 3:25; Heb. 10:36 b. The middle subjuctive looks at he potential that the believer can receive back for himself the things done in the body. D. The focus of the bema seat is the things “done” (practiced) in the body. vs 10 1. There are two words used in the New Testament to communicate the idea of practice. a. Prasso is used in Scripture to denote the carrying out or the practice of some specific plan or agenda. cf. Lk. 23:51; 1 Co. 9:17; Col. 3:9; Rom. 2:25 b. Poieo is used to emphasize merely the engaging in an activity, to produce or bear something. cf. Lk. 3:9; John 3:21; 7:19; Rom. 12:20 c. Both prasso and poieo are used together several times in Scripture. John 3:20-21; 5:29; Lk. 3:12-13; Rom. 7:19 2. The apostle Paul in the book of Romans indicated that there is two options practiced while in this body – good and evil. cf. Rom. 9:11 E. There are two aspects central to Christ’s judgment of believer’s works at the Bema Seat Judgment. 1. The Lord will bring to light the “hidden things” of darkness. 1 Co. 4:5 The “hidden things” of (the) darkness. a. The articular use of the word for darkness is used in Scripture to denote the influence of Satan in the affairs of God. cf. 2 Co. 4:2; 2:17 b. The phrase “hidden things” ta. krupta. -- things covered by darkness, the things which men conceal –Joseph Thayer cf. Rom. 2:16; 1 Co. 14:25 2. The Lord will bring to light the “counsels” or determinations of the heart. The determinations 3 are those decisions made by men that derive from the heart. The context of 1 Corinthians 4 emphasize that the extent of those determinations are the motives of men – why men make decisions to do the things that they do. CONCLUSION