Good Deeds, Bad Deeds: What Deeds Will Be Judged?
While salvation is a gift from God that all believers receive, there are also rewards for faithfulness and a loss of rewards for unfaithfulness. Because of this, our ambition should be to please Christ (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). As our righteous judge, Jesus will look at our deeds and reward us based not just on external service but on inward devotion. He will judge our deeds, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). Good deeds are those that have eternal value and are accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit. Bad deeds do not have lasting value and are done through our own volition and without the Holy Spirit’s power. Throughout the Bible, we see example after example of deeds that pleased God. Look at the woman with the alabaster vial of costly perfume who didn’t consider the cost when she poured the expensive oil over Jesus’ head (Matthew 26:7-10) or Enoch who never experienced death but was taken straight to Heaven because he pleased God (Hebrews 11:5-6). Jesus talks about deeds in Matthew 10:40-42 when He says that we are to treat other believers well, and then we will be rewarded. In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he instructs him to teach others to do good, be rich in good works and be generous and ready to share (1 Timothy 6:18). Deeds Can Diminish Rewards Not every believer will receive the same reward in Heaven. At the judgment seat of Christ, there will be those who suffer loss. However, regardless of the outcome on the judgment seat, believers can be assured that they will not lose their salvation. Don Stewart, writing for blueletterbible.org, illustrates this concept as follows: “Let us say you have recently built a new two story house. While on the second floor, you smell smoke. Looking downstairs you see that the first floor is on fire. You jump out the second story window to save your life. You then watch your new house burn to the ground. Obviously you will have mixed emotions. You’re thankful that you were able to jump and save your life, but you sad because your new house is destroyed. This is similar to those believers who are saved but have nothing to show for it. They squandered their opportunities to live for Christ yet they are enjoying the benefits of Heaven with Jesus.” The Bible also tells us that believers’ rewards can be diminished for not adhering to the truth and entertaining those who deceive (2 John 1:7-11). Sin, in general, can diminish our rewards. The choices we make now determine what rewards we receive in Heaven. Crowns for the Victors All who experience the judgment seat of Christ will possess the privileges and honors as children of God. Jesus tells us that He will acknowledge those who have acknowledged Him before the Father. His acknowledgment includes rewarding us in proportion to the faithfulness we show in life. The Greek word translated to “crowns” in English refers to wreaths of garlands placed on the heads of dignitaries and victorious military officers’ to honor them. Five crowns are mentioned in the Bible. The first crown is the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:7-8) which is given to those who don’t allow earthly things to distract them to the point that they forget that their true citizenship is in Heaven. These victors look forward to Christ’s Second Coming and live holy lives in expectancy of His return. The second crown is the crown of victory (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). This crown is given to those who exercise self-discipline in their spiritual race and refuse to let their flesh dominate their life. The third crown is the crown of life (James 1:12, Revelation 2:10) given to those who persevere under trial and are faithful no matter the difficulties and persecutions they face in this life. The fourth crown is the crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, Philippians 4:1), often called the soul winner crown. This crown is awarded for bringing people to Christ. The fifth crown is the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:1, 4), often called the Pastor’s crown because it is a reward given to those who shepherd others. Other Rewards in Heaven Believers will receive other rewards in Heaven. Some believers will receive thrones (Revelation 20:4, Matthew 19:27-30), others will be put in charge of many things (Matthew 25:21). All of us will receive new names, a name which only He knows (Revelation 2:17, 3:12). We will have jobs serving God (Matthew 6:20). Rewards are a wonderful benefit of serving Christ here on earth. However, they never should be the reason we serve Him. The reason we serve Christ should be because we want to please Him above all else – if loving Him and serving Him means we get rewards in Heaven that is an added benefit! Amen!
Will Christians Be Judged?
When we think of judgment in the Bible, we often think of the fiery pits of Hell and gnashing of teeth. However, “to judge” in the Bible has two different meanings: one to condemn and the other to give out rewards. Judges can decide whether you deserve punishment or freedom, a blue ribbon or a red one. Not all judgment is about punishment. Some is about reward.
The Rapture: But When?
There are many views on when the Rapture will occur. Some think it will happen before the Tribulation. Others believe it will happen mid-way through the Tribulation, and still others at the end of the Tribulation.[1] All three opinions are scripturally based; however, the main difference in interpretation is determined by whether the scriptures are taken metaphorically or literally. Using the literal approach and taking into account all that the Bible says on the Rapture, we conclude that the Rapture happens before the Tribulation. Christ Promised the Church’s Deliverance If the Rapture occurs mid-tribulation or at the end of the Tribulation, that would mean that the Church would be forced to endure God’s wrath. Yet, Paul tells us that Jesus will rescue us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10), and Jesus himself promises that He will deliver the Church from the hour of testing (Revelation 3:10). Christians Are Not Appointed to Wrath In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Paul reassures the Thessalonians that they, as believers, will not experience the Tribulation. He goes into great detail about the Day of the Lord, the time when Jesus comes to judge unbelievers at the end of the seven-year Tribulation. He assures the Thessalonians that they will not experience this “day” because they no longer walk in darkness but are children of the light destined for salvation. From this Scripture, we can be reassured that we, as children of the light, will not experience the Tribulation since it occurs before the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord Has Not Yet Come In 2nd Thessalonians, we see that the Thessalonians were concerned that the Day of the Lord had already come and that they had missed the Rapture. They were experiencing persecution, making them believe reports that the Day of the Lord had begun. Paul reassures them that the Day of the Lord had not yet come because before it does, the apostasy by the man of lawlessness must occur (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8). This apostasy is described by Paul as a religious rebellion where the man of lawlessness holds himself out as God. Daniel prophesies about this same man and event in Daniel 9:26-27, which begins the 7 year Tribulation. We refer to this man of lawlessness as the Antichrist. The Church is Absent In Revelation’s Account of Tribulation The first three chapters of Revelation mention the Church seventeen times. However, when the Spirit of the Lord shows John what is to unfold during the Tribulation, the Church is not mentioned. We don’t see the Church again until Chapter 19, when we see her return to earth with Christ during His Glorious Appearing. The only logical explanation for the Church’s absence in John’s account is that the Church isn’t part of the Tribulation; Jesus Raptured it before the time of testing began. The Rapture is Imminent The return of Christ is imminent. Imminent means it is ready to take place, or it is happening soon. There is nothing else that must take place before His return for the Church. Christ could return at any moment. Scripture after Scripture admonishes us to watch, be ready, and look for Jesus to come at any time. Hebrews 10:24-25, 37 tells us that day is drawing near and in a little while, Jesus will come and not delay. James 5:7-9 tells us that the Lord is standing at the door. And Jesus himself tells us in Revelation three times that He is coming quickly (Revelation 3:11; 22:7; 22:20)! Regardless of whether you take the pre-tribulation approach, mid-tribulation approach, or post-tribulation approach, the Bible’s admonishment is the same: BE READY for HIS return! Scripture details what we should be doing while we wait for His return. It says that we should turn to God (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10), stimulate one another to love and do good deeds, not forsake meeting together, and encourage one another (Hebrews 10:24-25). It also admonishes us to be of sound judgment and sober spirit and to conduct ourselves with holiness (1 Peter 4:7, 2 Peter 3:11-18). And last but not least, to fix our hope on Jesus (1 John 3:2-3). [1]
The Rapture and His Glorious Appearing
No one disputes that Jesus will come again; the dispute is whether His Second Coming will be in one phase or two and when He will come for His Church. Here, I will show why I believe His Second Coming will be in two phases: the Rapture and His Glorious Appearing.
The Church
When people hear the word “Church,” they often think of a brick-and-mortar building or an institution of some kind. But the Church is much, much more than that. It is not just a collection of churches across the world; it is also a body of Jews and Gentiles who know Christ and whose sins are forever forgiven by God. Because Israel rejected Jesus at His First Coming, God paused His program for Israel for an undetermined period, which we call the Church Age. This Age encompasses the period between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel, as discussed in Time of the Gentiles: Daniel’s Prophecies. During this Age, the Church was established as the “called of God” with a specific destination and purpose. In this post, we will discuss the anticipation and beginning of the Church. We will also explore how the Church is an heir of God and partakes of the New Covenant. God’s Plan From the beginning, God’s plan of salvation included the entire world. God chose the nation of Israel to bring the message of light to the world. From Israel came Jesus, the Light God had promised, yet his people, Israel, rejected Him. This rejection was no surprise to God; it was part of His ultimate plan to save us all. Because the Jews rejected Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, He extended His invitation to all who would follow Him, Jews and Gentiles alike. God’s plan that both Gentiles and Jews who believe in Jesus share equally in His inheritance was not made known in the Old Testament. It was only after Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit that this mystery was revealed. When either a Jew or Gentile trusts Jesus as their Savior, they become a child of God and are part of the Church. Promise of the Holy Spirit Jesus had been ministering with His disciples for nearly three years. He tried to prepare them for what was to come by telling them He wouldn’t be with them much longer. He said that He was going somewhere and they couldn’t come now, but not to worry because He was preparing a place for them in His Father’s house and would return for them (John 13:33-35, John 14:1, John 14:2-3). He told them that after He leaves, He will send a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who will be with them and in them forever (John 14:15-17). He promised that the Holy Spirit would teach them all things, help them remember all that He has taught them (John 14:26), and guide them into all truth (John 16:12-13). The disciples’ hope died with Jesus on the cross – only to be resurrected with Jesus three days later. Jesus appeared and instructed them to wait for the Father’s promise, the Holy Spirit. He told them that when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they would receive power and be His witnesses worldwide (Acts 1:4-8). Not even Jesus’ words could prepare the disciples for the reality of the moment the Holy Spirit appeared: they were gathered together under one roof when suddenly they heard a loud noise like a violent wind filling the house. Next, what seemed like tongues of fire rested on each of them, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking languages previously unknown to them. Because it was Pentecost, Jews from every nation had gathered in Jerusalem. When they heard the noise of the rushing wind, they came to investigate. They were “amazed and astonished” because they heard “mighty deeds of God” spoken in their language! Emboldened by the Spirit, Peter, the same Peter who had denied Jesus three times, stood before an audience of Jews and preached the Gospel for the first time. He explained that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was now exalted to the right hand of God; He had received the gift of the Holy Spirit and now poured the Spirit on the disciples (Acts 2:33). Peter then told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). He went on to tell them that the gift of the Holy Spirit was not just for them and their children but for all who are far off, as many as the Lord will call to Himself (Acts 2:39). 3,000 were baptized that day: the Church was born! The Church is for Jew and Gentile Alike The Jewish Christians soon learned that the Messiah and the gift of the Holy Spirit were not just for the Jews but also the Gentiles. This truth became apparent to Peter when he went to Cornelius, a Gentile, and began to tell him and his family and friends about Jesus. The Holy Spirit fell on them as he spoke, and they started to speak with tongues exalting God. Peter then baptized them in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:44-48) By revelation through the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul was given wisdom concerning the Church. The Church was a mystery hidden in the Old Testament and only made known after Jesus’ first coming. The mystery revealed to Paul was that “the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). Both Jews and Gentiles are reconciled to God through Christ. Both have access in one Spirit to the Father (Ephesians 2:14-18). The Church’s Inheritance The word “Church” is a translation of the Greek word Ekklesia, which comes from the verb “Kaleo,” which means “to call.” The Church is the “called” of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6). As the called of Jesus, we are citizens of heaven and not earth. Our spirit testifies with the Holy Spirit that we are children of God and fellow heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17). Our inheritance is imperishable and undefiled; it won’t fade away and is reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4-5). We eagerly await Jesus
Time of the Gentiles: Daniel’s Prophecies
The prophecies in the Book of Daniel are integral to understanding the prophetic timeline that begins with Judah’s deportation by Babylon and ends with Christ’s Second Coming. Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 predicts successive Gentile kingdoms that will dominate the earth until Christ returns and establishes His eternal kingdom. Jesus refers to this period of Gentile domination as the “Time of the Gentiles.” Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel 9 further enhances our understanding of the prophetic timeline by giving us more details on God’s plan for Israel and the world. Let’s explore in more detail these two prophecies. Statue Prophecy During Judah’s 70 year exile in Babylon, Daniel, a Jewish exile, served King Nebuchadnezzar, who consulted with Daniel about every matter of wisdom and understanding (Daniel 1:20). King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream and asked his magicians, conjurers, and sorcerers to first tell him his dream and then interpret it. When they responded that he was asking the impossible, he ordered all the wise men of Babylon to be killed, including Daniel (Daniel 2:12-13). Daniel, hearing of the King’s plan, went to the Lord in prayer, knowing that only the God of heaven could reveal and interpret dreams. And God did just that; He revealed the mystery of the King’s dream to Daniel through a night vision. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar his dream was about what would take place in the future and gave him the details of his dream: “You, O King, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:31-35) Daniel interpreted the dream for Nebuchadnezzar. He told him that each body part of the statue represented a different kingdom that would replace the one before it. Through the lens of history, we can name the world empires Daniel described. We can also tie these Gentile empires to Jesus’ reference in Luke 21:24, which is the Gentile nations trampling underfoot Jerusalem until “the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” In addition to each body part representing a successive world kingdom, the type of metal comprising each of these parts/kingdoms is progressively less fine but somewhat stronger than the previous metal, just like the actual empires the metals represent. The head of gold on the statue represents the first kingdom, the Kingdom of Babylon, which conquered the southern kingdom of Judah and took its citizens captive for 70 years. The Babylonian empire was known for its luxury and contained one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The second kingdom, the Persian empire represented by the breast and arms of silver, was not as “fine” as the Babylonian empire, but it was stronger. It was during the Persian rule that the last six books of the Old Testament were written. The Persian Empire ruled over Israel until Alexander the Great conquered much of the world. The belly and thighs of bronze represent the third kingdom, the Greek empire that trampled over and ruled Jerusalem during the silent years of the Bible, between Malachi and Matthew. The legs of iron represent the fourth kingdom or historical Rome, which occupied Israel’s land, eventually pushing them out of their homeland in A.D. 70. The Roman Empire was stronger, more extensive, and longer-lasting than all the other empires. It was the Roman empire that ruled over Israel during New Testament times. These first four empires represented by the statue’s head down to its legs are historical empires. However, the figure’s partly iron, and partly clay feet and toes represent a future revived Roman Empire that the Antichrist will rule over right before the Second Coming of Christ. Like the iron and clay, part of this revived empire will be strong, but part of it will be weak. Daniel then tells King Nebuchadnezzar that there will be a fifth kingdom, a kingdom that God will set up “in the days of those kings” which will never be destroyed and “will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever” (Daniel 2:44). This fifth kingdom is represented by the stone cut out without hands that struck the statue on its feet, crushing them. This stone ends not only the revived Roman Empire over which the Antichrist rules but the days of the Gentiles’ dominion over Israel. The fact that the stone was not cut from human hands represents that the stone was not of human origin. The stone that destroys the Antichrist and sets up an eternal kingdom is Jesus Christ! The first four kingdoms are real kingdoms. This is significant because some believe that the fifth kingdom will not be a literal kingdom but only a spiritual one. Since the first four kingdoms are literal, we can expect that the last kingdom, the Kingdom of Christ, will be too. Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks During Judah’s captivity in Babylon, Daniel, while reading the Jewish scrolls, found Jeremiah’s prophecy setting the number of years of Judah’s captivity in Babylon at 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10). Realizing that Judah’s Babylon captivity was coming to an end, He began to speak and pray to God about what was