As far as we can determine, there is no scriptural basis for the occurrence of a special trial of Christians at the descent of the Lord from Heaven or when the saints are caught up to meet Him in the air.

At the Judgment Seat of Christ we shall be made manifest and we shall receive what we have practiced in the body.

The faithful saint walks in trembling, watchfulness, and readiness to repent. The Lord brings him through fire and water and he always is repenting and confessing his sins (as the Spirit of God leads him). Yet he has victory, peace, and joy. Many aspects of his life are judged—in fact, he judges himself. He asks the Lord to search him, try him, cleanse him of secret sins. The Lord answers his prayers.

Thus the Lord Jesus is able to bring forth a new creation of righteousness in his personality. The righteous deeds that are brought forth are woven into a robe of incorruptible life, a house from Heaven, with which he will be clothed when Christ appears. In this sense, the manifestation stage of the Judgment Seat of Christ is future but the necessary preparations are being made today. We are being judged and transformed now so we may be saved in the future—"saved" in the sense of entering life and glory at the appearing of the Lord.

The lukewarm believer, of which there are numerous examples today, does not walk in trembling, wariness, or readiness to repent. He is not always repenting and confessing his sins. He does not judge himself and he does not believe the Lord judges him.

Because of false teaching he believes all has been accomplished for him through "grace." He believes that when the Lord comes he will be raised into incorruptibility, will ascend to meet Christ in the air, and will go through a meaningless "judgment." At this time his good deeds will be rewarded marvelously while his wickedness and carelessness will be ignored because of "grace."

After that he will rest at his ease in a beautiful mansion of gold while the Jews, without the Holy Spirit, attempt to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom in the face of Satan and Antichrist. Such is our Christian "vision."

The fact is, the lukewarm believer is not diligent with his talents (which is enough to put him into the outer darkness). He carries on many flirtations with demons although he does not understand this is what he is doing, that his behavior is sin and is bringing death to him. He participates in the spirit of the world. His life is self-centered, not Christ-centered.

Obviously, such a careless Christian life is not creating a weight of glory at the right hand of the Father. He has sown to his flesh and will reap corruption in the Day of the Lord. He will be spit out of the Lord's mouth.

At the last trumpet he may or may not have obtained enough righteousness in Christ to clothe himself with incorruptibility. He may be found naked in that day. Whether or not he is brought forward into the Kingdom of God will be determined solely by the evaluation made by the Lord Jesus Christ; for the Father has authorized the Lord Jesus to be Judge and Lord of all men.

To be continued.