There is a widespread belief among Christians that they will not be rewarded according to their works. The Scriptures do not support this confidence.

If the Christians of today had any idea of the terror of the Judgment Seat of Christ, if they had any concept of the humiliation, pain, and loss of reward facing them in the near future, the churches would be on their face in an agony of repentance and confession of sin.

Let us go to the Word of God and see what is written there.

Notice in the first chapter of the Book of Revelation that the Lord Jesus walks among the Christian churches. His eyes are as a flame of fire. To every church He says: "I know thy works." Not, I know thy creeds but "I know thy works."

To the Christians in Thyatira, Christ says:

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)

"I will give to every one of you according to your works."

"Your works."

Will the members of the Christian churches be rewarded according to their works? Apparently so.

The emphasis on our works is stressed in Revelation 3:2:

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

(Revelation 3:2)

"I have not found thy works"!

Does the Lord Jesus Christ judge and reward the saints according to their works?

The rewards to the overcomer are based on what he does, according to Revelation, Chapters Two and Three. His theological positions are not mentioned.

Evidently our thinking is backward from that of Christ. We place emphasis on theological beliefs and little emphasis on works. Christ places great emphasis on works and little emphasis on theological beliefs, or so the Scriptures from Matthew to Revelation appear to teach.

For we [Christians and everyone else] must all appear before the judgment 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. (II Corinthians 5:10)

The above verse is quite plain.

This passage is being treated today as though it is describing an awards ceremony at a sports banquet in which some of the participants receive a large cup and others a blue ribbon or honorable mention.

But the Greek term translated "judgment seat" is used consistently to mean a court where accused criminals are tried. Our tradition that no believer will experience serious consequences at the Judgment Seat of Christ is preventing the believers from perceiving correctly what the verse is stating.

If the Judgment Seat of Christ poses no threat to the professor of faith in Jesus, why does the Apostle Paul reflect on this judgment by saying immediately, "Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men"?

To be continued.