| The
Judgment Seat of Christ - Blood on Your Hands, Tears in Heaven, Chapter
2 Edited by Tom Waters |
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A Biblical Analysis {11} For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. {12} Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; {13} Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. {14} If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. {15} If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. -- 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ? This verse establishes what condition
or standard the Christians' works will be judged.
{5} And when thou prayest, thou shalt
not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen
of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. -- Matthew
6:5 {43} For they loved the praise
of men more than the praise of God. -- John 12:43
Thus, their reward is the praise
of men.
Even though we may lose an opportunity to be someday rewarded by Jesus because of our wrong motive, the words (if they are of God) can still be used effectively to bless others. Compare:
God will still be faithful to His Word,
even though the proclaimer may be speaking out of an ill motivated
heart. In the verse quoted, Matthew
10:42, states:
"... I say unto you,
he shall in no wise lose his reward." The term, "he shall in
no wise lose his reward," means he shall in no wise lose his
reward. Today, multitudes of pastors, pastoral students, and teachers-who claim to have the only truth in America-go about the highways and hedges putting unsuspecting Christians back into bondage, the bondage of fear and guilt. This ought not be! Sermons have been preached and some Bible school professors have said, "We should be scared of the coming Judgment Seat of Christ." How much damage has been done to individual hearts that have been persecuted by a steady diet of this false teaching? if this teaching be true, then 1 John 4:15-19 is a lie. If it is not a lie, and it is not, then the teaching that is a lie should be stopped. {15} Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. {16} And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. {17}Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. {18} There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. {19} We love him, because he first loved us. -- 1 John 4:15-19 Does this Scripture not say, that our love is made perfect in God? Because of this, we may have boldness (not fear) in the day of judgment. And does it not say that, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth our fear?" Christians are going to be perfect in every aspect when they appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The proof of this statement will follow. But what is necessary to demonstrate now is that those who preach "blood on your hands, fear, and tears" have been robbed and in turn are robbing others of the knowledge that all Christians can have absolute freedom from fear. 1 John 4:18 states, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." Scripture does not teach that Christians should fear the coming judgment; it is preachers, seminary and Bible school professors, and other people that are in bondage of fear that are not made perfect in love. What should be changed? Should the Scripture be changed, or should the teachers of "blood on your hands" go to the Scriptures to be changed themselves? The Christian will stand before Jesus, perfect, without sin, guilt, or shame! {24} Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (Jude 24) Jude 24 informs the Christian of several things. First, Jesus is the one that keeps the Christian from losing his salvation. Secondly, Jesus will present the Christian "faultless" before the presence of His glory. It is impossible to be "faultless" and still have "blood on your hands, fear in your heart, guilt on your soul, and sins recall"-absolutely impossible! In fact, if the Christian stood with those things on his hands, heart, and soul, he positively could not stand before the presence of Jesus' glory with "exceeding joy." Actually he would not have any joy at all. But what saith the Scripture? "... and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." The question is asked, "Where did the false teachings of "blood on your hands and tears in your eyes" come from? Simply stated, from Scriptures taken out of context. However, the false teaching is perpetuated by those who unwittingly are trapped by tradition in that they hold to the false teaching with nothing any stronger in their defense than to say, "I have always heard in that way!" Ezekiel 3:15-21, seems to be a real favorite for those who teach "blood on your hands at the Judgment Seat of Christ." In reading and studying the verses, you see no mention made concerning the judgment or "The day of the LORD." The Biblical truth is that the Judgment Seat of Christ takes place immediately after the Church is raptured and is for Church Age Saints only. Ezekiel 3 primarily teaches us that Old Testament Prophets, like Christians today, had a God given responsibility to warn the people of the wrath of God. And if Ezekiel failed to do it, God would hold him responsible. If Ezekiel, like Christians today, did not exercise his responsibility as given by God, God would chasten Ezekiel in his earthly life, just as God will chasten Christians today in this life. Hebrews 12:10 says that God chastens us for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Because Christians living today have the two natures, we are constantly having to be chasten by our Heavenly Father. However, there will be no chastening in heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The Christian will stand before Him in his perfect glorified body. Many teach that you will have the blood of those souls you failed to witness to on your hands at the Judgment Seat of Christ and at the Great White Throne Judgment. Such teaching is not Scriptural. To believe that, is to deny the promise of God as given to Christians in 1 John 1:9. {9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -- 1 John 1:9 There is no truth in the false teaching that the Christian will have to account to Jesus for "unconfessed sins." It simply is not true. "All" sins were paid for on the Cross of Calvary, and "all" sins are under the blood of Christ. 1 John 1:9 is dealing with restoring the fellowship with God while here on this earth. If we are reminded or accused of our sins, and failing to witness is a sin of omission, at the Judgment Seat of Christ-then there is "error" in the Bible and God's Word is not true. What does the Bible say about our sins? {11} For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. {12} As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. -- Psalm 103:11-12 God says, He has removed our sins from us. There are those that teach that God will recall them when the Christian appears at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Such teaching is without Scriptural foundation. In fact, Scripture states that God not only forgives the Christian of his sins, but promises to remember them no more. {16} This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; {17} And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:16-17) The last false teaching so common among Christians is tears in heaven, or at the Judgment Seat of Christ, or at the Great White Throne Judgment. Three times the word "tears" appear in the Scripture pertaining to Christians in heaven. They are Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, and 21:4.
This particular verse does not state what the wiping away of tears is, unless it is simply that death is swallowed up in victory. In other words, the absence of death, that which causes tears, is no more. Therefore, the wiping away of tears is essentially the absence of that which causes tears, death! It is for sure that this Scripture is not in context with the Judgment Seat of Christ or the Great White Throne Judgment. The next place in Scripture where tears are mentioned as being wiped away in haven is Revelation 7:17. {13} And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? {14} And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. {15} Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple:
It is absolutely evident that the above account of "wiping away tears" is not at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The account clearly deals with those that have come out of the Great Tribulation (vs. 14). Hunger, thirst, bright hot sun light can cause tears. Therefore, in the context of Scripture, the wiping away of tears in nothing more than the absence of those things which cause tears. We find the same reasoning in regards to wiping away tears in Revelation 21:4.
The last phrase of Revelation 21:4 says, "for the former things are passed away." Note, all the former things caused tears: death, sorrow, crying, and pain. Again, in context with the Scripture, the wiping away of tears is nothing more than the absence of those things which cause tears. The false teaching that at the Great White Throne Judgment a Christian may have blood on his hands and feel guilty for not having witnessed when he should have is purely supposition, based without Scriptural foundation. There is no Scripture that teaches such a doctrine. In fact, the Scripture clearly teaches that the only blame for a lost person going to hell rest solely upon the condemned individual himself. {18} For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; {19} Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. {20} For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: {21} Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. {22} Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, {23} And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. -- Romans 1:18-23 The above portion of Scripture leaves no doubt as to the condition of the condemned man at the Great White Throne Judgment. He will not point an accusing finger at any of the Saints and say, "Why didn't you tell me," because the Scripture clearly states, "... they are without excuse." Therefore, any teaching that says that some of the lost may point a finger at a Saint and blame that Saint for not telling him is contrary to the Scripture. However, many sermons contain threats proclaiming that some day at the Great White Throne Judgment those to whom you had a chance to witness to but did not will point an accusing finger and say, "Why didn't you tell me?" Then, supposedly according to their false teaching you will cry bitter tears of remorse for having allowed that lost soul to enter into eternity of damnation without Christ. Nothing further could be from the truth! Next time you hear such a proclamation made, ask the one proclaiming that teaching for Biblical reference, chapter and verse along with content in which the verse rest which is being used for the authority. According to Romans 3 all men are sinners. The only difference between the sinner which is going to spend eternity in hell and the sinner which is going to spend an eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ, is one sinner rejects the free gift of having his sins paid for by Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary and the other repents (acknowledges his sinful hopeless condition) and calls out in believing faith to Jesus to save him. The Bible plainly states in Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Whereas, the sinner who rejects the Gift of Eternal Life through Jesus Christ the LORD shall stand silent and guilty before God at the Great White Throne Judgment, fulfilling Romans 3:19 which states: {19} Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. -- Romans 3:19 Some would argue that the above verse
pertains only to today. However, it pertains both to today and also
at the Great White Throne Judgment. Today in regards to those who come
to Jesus Christ because they see themselves helplessly lost in
their sins and in dire need of the Savior's tender loving grace,
mercy, and forgiveness. They have come to realize that they are
under the law and have failed to keep it miserably and stand condemned
before the God of Heaven, their Creator. They have nothing to
say to defend or justify themselves, thus, their mouth is stopped.
Instead with a broken heart they fall in humble faith before their
God and Creator, Jesus Christ, and call upon His Name- thus the
Creator becomes their Heavenly Father, Lord and Savior. "Instantly"
they become a Child of God, completely cleansed of their sins. {11} And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. {12} And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. -- Revelation 20:11,12 Comment: The dead spoken of here are those that have rejected Jesus Christ and because of their unbelief are condemned to an eternity without God. There are no saved among these dead, for the saved have been gloriously resurrected with their glorified body and have appeared before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive their "rewards" around 1,007 years earlier. {13} And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. {14}And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. {15} And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. -- Revelation 20:13-15 Comment: The Book of Life is the same book which Jesus referred to when he spoke to his disciples in Luke 10:20 saying, "Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Is your name written in the Lambs Book of Life? I apologize for having taken so long in refuting the teaching that the lost will stand at the Great White Throne Judgment and point an accusing finger at some of the saved which will witness the Great White Throne Judgment and cry out, "Why didn't you tell me!" This abbreviated study gives no justification for such teaching. Some pastors and evangelist would defend their erroneous teaching with the poor excuse, "I am just trying to motivate God's people." To that I reply, keep your attempts to motivate others unless you are being used by the Holy Spirit to proclaim Truth! If the Devil is the Father of lies, which Jesus said that Satan is, then whose kingdom is being served if we use other than truth for motivation and exhortation? False teachings for the purpose of motivating others can produce works generated for the wrong cause or motive. Thus robbing others of blessings by producing "wood, hay, and stubble," whereas, motivating others with truth may produce works of the Spirit, blessings and rewards in glory. WARNING!!! Christian, just because Christ has totally set you free from sin and will present you perfect before Him, use this liberty that you have in Him not to sit on your "do nothing" and do nothing, but serve Him fervently in love. {13} For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. -- Galatians 5:13 God's Word teaches that God forgives the Christian of "all sins" and remembers them (sins) no more, and that the Judgment Seat of Christ is to be looked forward to. It is my prayer that our Seminaries and Bible schools, pastors, evangelist, and other Christians would search these false teachings out. Then determine in their hearts to proclaim the truth; eliminating the blood on your hands doctrine; and free the freed. The Christian is "free" in Jesus, and we, as called men of God, should encourage those that are in Christ. However, I am afraid too many of God's men are guilty of discouraging and placing others into the bondage of "fear and guilt." The following are additional Scriptures that describe our standing before the Lord Jesus Christ: {8} Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. -- 1 Corinthians 1:8 {5} Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. -- 1 Corinthians 4:5 Compare: {4} That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. -- Matthew 6:4 {4} According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: -- Ephesians 1:4 {27} That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. -- Ephesians 5:27 If just one Christian among the vast multitude has any spot or wrinkle, then the Church would not be without sport or wrinkle. Therefore, what does that say about the individual Christian? That he too, is without spot or wrinkle. {13} To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. -- 1 Thessalonians 3:13 When? At the rapture. {22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: -- Colossians 1:22 {15} As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. -- Psalm 17:15 This speaks of David's appearance before God in his glorified body. If David an adulterer and murderer will be "satisfied," surely New Testament Saints will be too! {4} And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. -- Zechariah 3:4 The LORD removed the filthy garments (sin) from Zechariah and clothed him with a change of raiment (righteousness). This was done without any shame or chastisement to Zechariah. As stated earlier, it is my prayer that this will help free the freed. If you have any comments which might strengthen this paper or if you disagree agreeably with it and have Scriptural basis to demonstrate that it is in error, please submit your comments in writing to: Tom Waters |
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