Understanding The Word

God’s Righteous Judgements

“But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” Amos 5:24

There are quite a few false teachings and misunderstandings regarding God’s judgements, and I hope this information can help others teach and be informed of scripture and help people to understand the truth.

Scripture continuously teaches us about the judgements of God, the righteousness of God….. but people don’t want, or likes to think about, a God that judges them…they don’t like the way it makes them feel. Instead, they want a God for the people of the world instead of a people for the God who created the world; yet this is what God is always searching for…..people who want to be His people, and not people of the world.

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” 2 Corinthians 6:16

All of the judgements of God are righteous, just, and fair, they are even merciful for He understands our human hearts and minds as to why we might have done something we weren’t supposed to and He takes all of that into account……for He created our very being and knows us far better than we can ever know ourselves.

Judgements of God

“The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” Psalms 11:6

There are different judgements that are in Scripture…..

1- Judgement of Sin

Since the beginning humans have been judged on our unrighteousness……all of scripture is based on the judgement that would befall sinners/unbelievers, (the unrepentant) and when humans refuse to accept God’s righteousness, judgement will fall….. as we are seeing  even now around the world……these things we are seeing are just a prelude of the greater judgments to come (I do need to point out that there is a difference in judgement and chastisement, judgement is for the sinners, chastisement is for His children, see blog Understanding Trials and Tribulations)

2- Judgement of Belief/Faith

Everyone will be judged on our choice of belief, if we believe and have faith in Christ Jesus, our salvation is confirmed to life eternal and our sins are forgiven, if we stand as an unbeliever in Christ Jesus, our judgement is death and we are condemned to Hell

3- Judgement Seat Of Christ

This happens shortly after the Saved are Raptured and we are in Heaven with Christ…..(see details below)

4- Seals, Bowls, and Trumpet Judgements

These are all during the 7 Year tribulation that will befall the entire world. (I will go into detail in another blog as this is a whole study on its own.)

5- Judgement of Israel

This is referred to as Jacob’s Trouble, again, during the 7 year Tribulation period.

6- Judgement of the nations

This will be when Christ returns at the end of the 7 year Tribulation period to divide the sheep and the goats. (who will enter into the millennial Kingdom and who will go into Hell.)

7- Judgement of the Fallen Angels

This will be also at the end of the Tribulation when Jesus Christ returns and will throw all the fallen angels and demons that followed Lucifer into the Lake of Fire.  (this will be another in-depth blog later on)

8- Great White Throne Judgement

This will be at the very end, when all the wicked unbelievers of all time will be resurrected from Hades and Hell to be judged on all of their wicked works…..(see below)

We know that God is a righteous and holy God…..we know He is fair and just…..we know He is merciful and full of understanding…..

“I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” Ecclesiastes 3:17

…..and in all His righteousness, we will be judged, at the Judgement Seat of Christ or at the Great White Throne judgement….(hopefully you will be at the former rather than the latter) As there is a difference between the 2 despite the fact that many people state they are the same.

Judgement (Bema) Seat of Christ

“For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

(*You will hear the majority of saved people refer to the judgement seat of Christ as the, ‘Bema Seat’.  Bema is the original Greek word used in this verse and it refers to an elevated platform that was used in Athens, Greece to judge the runner’s track.  In Hebrew the word used is Bima/Bimah, and it refers to the podium that the Jews read the Torah from.)

The judgement seat of Christ is ONLY for the saved believers…..our salvation is already confirmed the moment we accept Christ as our Savior, and so we will stand before Christ at the Bema seat because of our faith in His blood.

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.” Hebrews 10:35

There is misunderstandings regarding this subject, as some people believe this will be strictly on the good things you have done….some teach this is only for the things/works done after salvation……and that this is the Great White Throne Judgement…… but the majority of people are taught or believe that this is only for actual physical works that are done……However, this is not the case…it is so much more involved than most people are aware of…..

The Beam Seat is where we will be judged of our works, which includes many things as well as your faith and belief in scripture and doctrines. Many Saved Christians do not understand that while they can have faith in Jesus for their salvation, they will still be held accountable for their belief in any false doctrines, or any unbelief in certain things in the bible being true or not, so in essence their faith will be weighed against their doctrine beliefs……

“Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.” Colossians 2:18

For Example:

You are saved because you believe that Christ Jesus died and rose again from the grave and washed all your sins away…..yet you don’t really believe in the book of revelation, you are not looking for Christ at the Rapture….you believe The Church replaced Israel…..etc.

Beliefs in false doctrines/teachings are different than the belief in Jesus Christ…. And it is very important to make the distinction because you may or may not lose rewards because of it.

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  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 what sort it is.  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 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

The fire will refine your work or burn it…..it is understanding what ‘ works ‘are that is extremely important and most misunderstood by so very many saved people…..

Our entire life of works that we have done will be weighed, instead of an actual balance, the Fire becomes the balance…..what is a balance? “ it is to offset or compare the value of one thing with another”; and this is why some works will be refined to gold, silver, or precious stones and others are diminished to wood, hay, or stubble…..and why some are completely burned up to nothingness, as the blood of Christ is the only thing that can’t be burned…..

The fire in other words will know every thought, action, intent…..behind every work……what are these if not types of sinfulness?

Better question would be…….how would/ could a work be burned if it is a good work? Or how else to explain the statement, ‘that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” This does in fact imply that ‘bad’ is sin….for only sin can cause you to do something ‘bad’ to begin with, and yes, you will be able to plead the blood of Christ as well….but only when He deems it necessary….as when the only thing left to judge is His blood.

Example- You give money at church….this is a good work…but, if your intent is to show others up…or to be prideful and boast that you give, or even to begrudgingly give because you are made to feel bad…..these are judged in the fire against the good work of giving…..

“Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” 1 Corinthians 3:8

Are you beginning to see and understand? Let’s go on…..

The fire is a weighing judgement of all thoughts, intents, actions, that are integrated within the works we do….therefore…..every thought, word, deed, intent…..will be judged at the Bema Seat of Christ…..for everything is a work, YOUR entire life is a work…..everything you say, everything you do, everything you think, is a work and the reasoning behind this is pretty simple: why do you do live the way you do if not from your thoughts, actions, and intentions?

If you have a bad thought…..you have a good thought that counters it and is weighed….Only GOD knows what the requirement consists of to refine these things to jewels, wood, or nothingness.  This, we are not privy too until we are in front of that fire watching our lives with Jesus Christ.

Another Example:

You are saved….but you commit the sin of adultery in thought….the action of not committing the sin is weighed against the thought of committing a sin….so because you did not act on said sin…will weigh different that if you  thought and then acted on said sin…..

Let me be clear, this is not about punishment, it is about understanding who we are according to God, He will show us all our true selves….and this is why some will be ashamed and sorrowful….because they will have very little to place at Jesus’ feet.

It is why our works will not save us……for those who believe in the works doctrine and not in Once Saved Always Saved, remember this verse…..

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3: 5-7

The 5 Crown Rewards

Crowns of rewards are spoken of in scripture, let’s go over them…..

1. The Crown of Righteousness

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his Appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:4

Otherwise known as ‘The Watcher’s Crown’: This is for all of those Saved believers who are longing and looking for the Lord to return.

2. The Incorruptible Crown

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Otherwise known as ‘The Runner’s Crown’: This is for all who strive and has mastery over keeping their fleshly bodies under control, and being temperate in all things.

3. The Crown of Glory

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 5: 2-4

Otherwise known as ‘The Shepherd’s Crown’: this crown is reserved for the faithful ministers, and witnesses for Christ Jesus who teach the flock aright.

4. The Crown of Rejoicing

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” 1 Thessalonians 2:19

Otherwise known as ‘The Soulwinner’s Crown’: this crown will be for those who brings other to Jesus Christ as their Savior.

5. The Crown of Life

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1:12

Otherwise known as ‘The Sufferer’s Crown’: this crown is for all those people who have suffered for the sake of Christ and for the gospel and not giving in to the demands of the world.

(I am of the personal belief that there are in fact at least 2 more crowns that will be given, but that is my personal belief and I will stay with what is in scripture as we will find out when we stand before Christ.)

All of these rewards  that we are granted and that we’ve earned…..were earned for Jesus Christ….we will place our gifts of rewards and crowns at Jesus’s feet because He deserves them…..He earned them for His saving grace and for His mercy……it is why when we willingly throw our rewards and crowns away on this world….we are throwing away our Gifts to our King and Savior……None of us can or will be perfect, but we are to be careful and watchful for Christ……our hearts must belong to Him and time is growing short to be able to let your heart get ready to meet its Savior.

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth not rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:20

Great White Throne Judgement

“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. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was open, 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.  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 ever man according to their works. And death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:11-15

This is strictly for the unsaved, for we who have Christ are alive….this specifically states ‘the Dead’, this is all unbelievers/unsaved people from the all ages, beginning and end of humanity who will be resurrected to stand before the Great White Throne for the judgement of all the things they did……in other words, the books that are opened are their life deeds, sins…..and unbelief.

This is where you will stand if you believe that your works will save you:

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6

This verse does not say unrighteousness, it state’s ‘righteousness’ is like fility rags…..YOUR WORKS WILL NOT SAVE YOU!”

“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Romans 1:16

But, if you want to be judged by them……the Great White Throne is where you will be…..and this is why your name will not be found in The Book Of Life; for The Book of Life is Christ Jesus and if you do not believe in and on His blood, you will be judged on the following:

1. Violations of Commandments  (Galatians 3:10)
2. Violations of Conscience (Romans 2:14-15)
3. Ignoring the Creations of God (Romans 1:18-20
4. Speaking Ungodly Things (Matthew 12:36)
5. Resisting the Conviction of The Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11)

Based on the book of your life…..there are different levels of Hell…..for not all sin is considered the same degree as others, there are in fact greater sins and lesser sins……so your life choices do in fact dictate the level/degree of torment you will experience in Hell.

You must get the gospel right! You must only believe in the finished work of Christ, the blood of the righteous Savior is the only thing that will save you from an eternity of torment in Hell.

In scripture, God has always judged the inhabitants of the world…..He has repeatedly warned us over and over again what He will not tolerate, what He disapproves of, and most of all, what He will do because of the unbelief and unrighteousness in the world.

Since we know that God is the ultimate judge and will judge all things, no matter how small and minute, nothing is forgotten or looked over, His eyes see all…..the intents of our hearts, the hurt, the unfairness, the doubt, the unfaithful, the hate, the meanness, the gossiping……all will be accounted for.

We will have to face all the things we have done…..we will face God of all things…..we will face the truth……we will face our eternal home…..Heaven or Hell…….

People always want to make claim that God is not fair….but they are basing their fairness on the world’s fairness and not God’s fairness……. How thankful we should be that God is a fair and just God….if His judgements were like the world’s we would be in a heap of trouble.

“Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God, For the LROD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.  He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.  He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.  When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul: Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:” Proverbs 2: 5-8

In Conclusion

To conclude this series, I wanted to go over God’s judgements…..as I started going into detail, I realized to my sorrow how many people will face the judgement of Hell.  I have always known that not everyone will get saved and in fact I always have known that there would probably be more people in Hell than in Heaven…..

Reading scripture can help us to understand many things…..one of those things; is humans, and yet at the same time the human mind is still so very complex because we as Saved Christians cannot understand why people refuse time and time again…..the belief in God…..in Jesus Christ; the belief in His word that is being fulfilled right before their very eyes and yet they and even some saved Christians refuse to see it.

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward if with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12

It is only thru the Saving Grace of His mercy that our punishment is invalid because Jesus took that punishment onto His own body….and that because of His love for us…..He will wipe the memories of the people that we may know who will not make it to Heaven.

I ask the Lord often, how can I witness to people who don’t want to hear….who don’t want to know the truth…..and sometimes the answer will come and sometimes…..I have to be patient until the right time…..and sometimes, especially right now….I may not reach anyone else….but the one thing that brings me comfort, is that I pray, I pray for their lost souls and I know that the Holy Spirit is always working, whether I am here or not…..and so I leave it all in His much more capable hands…..it does not erase my sorrow but the burden is not so great because I let Him carry it. 

Jesus is the Savior…..the only savior……and into His arms I will go one day, hopefully all the people I have prayed for will be there too…..even if I never was able to tell them about my dear loving Christ Jesus.

Christ’s grace is all sufficient, His mercy all grace……His grace all love…..His love all Salvation……

 “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; to give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” Proverbs 1:3

Glory Be to God Always!