2. The Bema leads us to Prioritize our work wisely (1 Cor. 3:11-15)

A depiction of John above the entrance to the monastery at Patmos.
What was his reward for living a martyr's life?
Jesus said his being faithful to death would earn him a crown of life (Rev. 2:10). 

The BEMA steps leading to the Judgment seat of Christ encourages us to PRIORITIZE wisely.

In 1 Cor. 3: 11-15, it says this, “¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

    Even though we who are Christians will someday be brought before Christ to be judged according to our works, it is not for our salvation. Look at what this passage says in verse 11, “No other foundation can be laid than was already laid by Jesus Christ.”

    Christ and Christ alone is the only One who can save. So then, what would be the purpose of judgment? It is not for condemnation. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Later, in Romans 8:38, the Bible says that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

    Jesus used a gentler word in John 5:24, which is sometimes translated as "condemnation," but is mostly translated as "judgment". “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

    It is not for eternal damnation nor judgment in the sense of punishment that we will face at the Bema Seat Judgment of Christ. We who have eternal life will have it for eternity and actually we have had it from eternity. Let’s think about that for a moment.

    Did God know before you accepted Christ that you would do so? He is, after all, God, so does He not know all things, being omniscient (a theological word meaning all knowing)? Let us think about what happened before Genesis 1:1, before the foundation of the world or “cosmos” occurred.

    John 17:24, Jesus said that God loved Jesus before the foundation of the world. The Greek the word for world is cosmos, and could be considered as universe. Ephesians 1:4 says that God chose you before the foundation of the cosmos. That being the case, notice that in Revelation 17:8, the Bible says that “those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world.” Not only did God choose us before the universe began, but he also had a Book of Life with names NOT written in it from the foundation of the world.

Hmm.

    Furthermore, Matthew 25:34 says a kingdom was prepared “for you, from the foundation of the world.”

    There are two resurrections, the resurrection of the “living” and the resurrection of the “dead”. Those of us who have eternal life will die physically, but will be raised. Those who are unsaved, will also die physically but will be resurrected to be judged for eternal judgment.

    Christians will be judged “according to” their works, but not “for” their works. Our foundation was laid by Jesus and will last for eternity. Don't you think that the things we are building upon that eternal foundation should also last for eternity and not be burned up? Of course they should.

    There will be some who have worked hard to amass a fortune in this life, but will have nothing to show for eternity. God’s going to judge how many times you won at computer solitaire, and then show you how you neglected your family, neglected your neighbors. 

    Christ is going to show you that all of that cheering and shouting at the television didn’t help your team win one little bit, but your silence in sharing the gospel will be deafening to those with whom you did not share.

The Bema Seat at Corinth, where Paul was brought before Gallio in 50 A.D.
Paul would write twice about the Bema Seat to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 3 and 2 Cor. 5)
At Christ's Bema Seat, we will be judged for our works before a Righteous Judge 

    You may feel great about clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and those are all good and noble things, but it may be burned up under the fiery eyes of Christ’s judgment at the Bema seat, if it fed them for a day but did not lead them to the most important thing: eternal life.

    Several years ago, the former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg said the following in a New York Times article the following:

“I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.”

    What will be his good works? Bloomberg told the Times that he spent $50 million to push gun control, that he took on issues to fight obesity and smoking and because of that and other accomplishments, he believes he’s earned a spot in heaven.

    Our salvation is determined by God, specifically by the foundation laid by Christ by His death, burial and resurrection. But our works are determined by us, and we will be judged “according to our works.” God has prepared you for good works (Eph. 2:10), but it is up to you do choose to walk in those good works. It is up to us to build on the foundation of Christ with things that will last for eternity.

    What will be our reward? I like what the Apostle Paul says, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” (1 Thess. 2:19). A soul led to the Lord and His salvation by your witness will be a hope, joy and crown of rejoicing that will last for all eternity. Paul again says that those in Philippi were his crown (Phil. 4:1).

An inscription showing the remnants of the church at Philippi.
Even though the church is gone, Paul wrorte that 
the church was his crown that would withstand the Bema test of fire. 

   There are imperishable crowns, 1 Cor. 9:25 says. Loving and longing for Christ’s appearance is a crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:8 says. Remember when 2 Timothy was written: while Paul was languishing in a prison, deserted and forsaken by so many, awaiting his beheading by Nero. Paul was faithful to the end and he could have forsaken it all, but held to his righteous good works and for his efforts would receive a crown of righteousness.

   Paul was not the only one seeking a crown: James said that loving Christ will earn the crown of life (James 1:12). Peter said that good shepherds, pastors yes, but anyone who watches over others in the flock, would receive the crown of glory that never fades (1 Peter 5:2-4). John was told by a good Authority, Jesus Himself on the island of Patmos, that those who were faithful unto death, martyrs perhaps, would receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).

   What are you working for? Work for the One who brings His reward with Him for you. “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev. 22:12).