Burned Alive: The Judgment Seat of Christ

Recently the famous Christian author/pastor Max Lucado was involved in a controversy. He bowed down to the idol of LGBTQ+ culture. He offered costly incense to the god of “wokeness”. Many conservative Christians may call this man a heretic, but not me. I will grant you that he is a milquetoast theologian who profits from peddling sugar water theology (I confess that I cannot read his books due to the severe boredom they induce). This event does not take away from the fact that, by his own testimony, he is saved by grace and will be in heaven. Many prominent Christian leaders have done so much worse and are Christians none the less. Famed apologist Ravi Zacharias obviously had an addiction to sexual perversion. Before he fell, he was a Christian intellectual leader compared to the likes of C.S. Lewis and Frances Schaffer. Was he still a Christian? He could articulate the Gospel and through his entire career was presented as a titan of the faith. I think he was likely saved. However, he did not finish his race well.

We read in the Bible that Corinthian church members performed gross sexual sin and got drunk at the Lords Supper. They are still never called hell-bound by the Apostle Paul. Do you ever ask yourself: Will Christians just get away with worldly living? Are the actions in our temporal life just glossed over and “forgotten” in the eternal afterlife? Is God a communist deity who rewards all men equally regardless of performance? Maybe when we get to heaven, we simply get new see-through cellophane bag bodies, pick out a winged unicorn to ride, grab a harp, and eat an eternal supply of cotton candy? Let me make a case that although our eternal life is secure in Christ, our eternal rewards are not.

I believe in eternal security because something that is eternal (everlasting) cannot be temporary or end. Is that too simple? Even the Christian who accepts Christ and lives like the world (called a “carnal man” in the Bible) has eternal life. Some Christians say that this carnal man loses his salvation (Arminian) or was never saved (Calvinist). I disagree. These seemingly opposite theological views are essentially the same in practice because they provide no assurance of salvation. In both systems, essentially one must work their way into Heaven.

The Gospel is simple, but Bible doctrine is sometimes hard. God made it that way on purpose so you would need to study it. Would extreme sports such as skydiving or rock climbing be fun if it were easy? No! The Word of God is a gold mine, but you must do the hard work of digging to reach its most valuable and rarest treasure. Studying the assurance of salvation gives a clear understanding of our eternal destiny.

So, what is this Judgement Seat of Christ and why do we care? Here is why: Jesus will take his Church to heaven in the Rapture and meet out rewards for what was done in the flesh, good or bad. Not for eternal punishment, but for reward.

Please read 1 Corinthians 3: 9-23 before you continue. I'll wait. The purpose of this Judgement becomes clear. It is important to know that this passage is plainly talking about Christians and to Christians. Can God “destroy” someone without sending them to Hell? Yes. This destruction with “fire” here has nothing to do with eternity. For example: 1 Corinthians 5 Christians are told to excommunicate an unrepentant church member, delivering him to a similar destruction of the earthly flesh. Is there any mention of eternal damnation in this “destruction” of the body? No, in fact, the opposite is true. This process is meant to be for the benefit of the unrepentant man’s soul.

In 1 Corinthians 3 the “foundation” of our faith is constant for Christians. There is “no other foundation that can be laid” but our Savior, the Lord Jesus. Without the Foundation mankind is not invited to partake in any of his holy work. The unsaved will never be able to store treasure in Heaven because it is not their home. Some who have put their faith and trust in Christ will have nothing but a pile of ashes. Mr. Carnal Christian just got his “fire insurance” and then lived a worldly life. He accomplished nothing for the Lord but (according to the passage) is still saved.

What shall we do to have these eternal rewards? In Matthew 6 he commands us not only to do good works but have pure motives. We are to serve Christ and follow his commandments, storing up treasure in Heaven. We send ahead different materials representing levels of motives and actions. Three bad works (wood, hay, stubble - which represent worthless temporal works) will all burn at different rates, but they will all still burn up. The good works (gold, silver and gems – which are works done of eternal worth) which do not burn, will make up our reward. I think all of us will have a mixture of eternal and temporal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ), because only the things that are done truly for Christ in pure motives can endure.

2 Corinthians 5:1-11 makes the point that although we yearn to be in Heaven, we should still fear the Lord. The loving arms of Christ are open for us but let us not forget the hands that were pierced. The one who gave all for you deserves your all in return. He has bought you with his blood. Will the carnal Christian have a pleasant experience when he sees the terror of the Lord? He will no doubt be welcomed into the Kingdom, but remember, the tears are not wiped away until after this event. If Believers who are secure in Christ will face the terror, how much more will the unsaved experienced when they are judged by him? Hebrews 12:28-29 says that we serve with a godly fear because He is the consuming fire! What sort of work is going to survive? The fire shall try every man’s work of “what sort it is”. Can your works survive the consuming fire? Some will have nothing to show for their life and they will watch it all be burned up.

Imagine this: It all happens in the twinkling of an eye at the Rapture. You are standing in your living room and suddenly you begin rising through your roof, past the clouds, and then leave the atmosphere soaring into the third heaven. You find yourself in the very throne room of God. An emerald rainbow encircles the throne and angelic hosts worship the Lamb. Living lightning of all colors seems to permeate the sky above as the universe around you sparkles like a jewel. Even the ground beneath your feet seems to glow with beauty. After you only begin to adjust to the shock of such glory and splendor, your glorious Savior Jesus appears. He is of indescribable magnificence. He looks just as Revelation describes him. Such power and authority has never been seen by any man. Yet his bearded face still shows compassion and love. You could tell that he was happy to see his Church. The millions of attendees are lined up before him. An angel announces the beginning of the judgement with a trumpet-like voice. Eventually your shining Savior begins to examine the works of you and your fellow Christians one person at a time. A golden foundation rises from the ground that shines like nothing you have ever seen. A glittering golden block of pure wonder. You know intuitively that this foundation represents Christ. You see a man’s life flash before his eyes in a moment. Materials begin to appear on the foundation like the transporter on Star Trek. Gold, silver, gemstones, wood, some stubble, and a bit of hay all pile up next to the man. He had lived a very faithful life judging by the stack. You are startled as suddenly a fire leapt from the eyes of Jesus and envelopes the stack consuming the burnable elements. Now, instead of raw materials, you see five golden crowns stacked on each other. What an amazing sight! The crowns held an inexpressible magnificence! Each one studded with glowing gemstones and rimmed with silver. That judged man stands weeping for joy as Jesus places the crowns on his head. His new white robe glitters in the light of the Son. Jesus says, “Well done good and faithful…” and before he finishes, the crowned man throws himself on his face and worships the Lord in praise. "Holy holy holy!" His glowing crowns fall from his head and are cast at the feet of his Savior! Jesus pulls the man to his feet with those nail scarred hands. Slowly he wipes his child’s tear-streaked cheeks and, smiling, presents him to the congregation. The joyful cheers were deafening. The man enters the Kingdom. You realize that you are next in line...

This will be a truth for every Christian someday. What will you feel standing before Jesus? Will you dread your turn? Will your temporal life be burned alive, and soul be saved yet as by fire? Did you do any eternal works in this life and earn treasure in Heaven? Will you have crowns to present the Savior who died for you? Will he have to gently wipe away tears of joy or shame? Think about it.

‘Die Wahrheit ist untödlich’ (The truth is unkillable) - Anabaptist Balthasar Hubmaier