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The Church and the Judgement Seat of Jesus Christ
by Samson Hutagalung

The Future Plan of God for the Church

According to Jesus

What is the Church? And what is the future plan of God for the Church? In what programs of God the church will be included? In order to know the answers to these questions it is important to study what the Lord Jesus Christ said about the church while He was in this earth during His public ministry. We read in Matthew 16:18 when Jesus said, “I will build my church.” This is to say that the program of God for the church is still in the future when Jesus says this word. It implies that the Lord Jesus Christ sees the different plan of God for Israel and the church. God has a special purpose for Israel and the church as well, but the plan of God to both groups of people is not the same. Israel already exists for many years but the church (local church) does not exist yet during the ministry of Jesus in His first coming. John the Baptist also indicates about the plan of God for the church in John 3:29-30 that the church is not only in the future but he himself does not have opportunity to belong to it. As he says, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” The friend of the bridegroom is different from the bride because the bride is the church. So the question is, when is the beginning of the church (local church)? After the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, His disciples based on the great commission they had received, went out to preach the gospel not only in Jerusalem but also in Judea and Samaria which we can see as the beginning of the church (local church).

According to the Apostle Paul

Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:5-6 that the church is the brand new thing which is never known before. Paul says, “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” What is that hidden in the past but now revealed? It is “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.”

Before the Pentecost, the believers were in two groups namely the Jews and Gentiles. The Gentiles should become the Jews in some extents to be fully involved in the program of God. But Paul said in this passage that now the mystery is the new arrangement in the plan of God. The Gentiles do not need to become Jews in order to be acceptable before the Lord because in the body of Christ there is no Jew, nor Gentile. This mystery was revealed and begun in the day of Pentecost as the Lord Jesus Christ said few days after he left to heaven, the Holy Spirit of God would baptise them who trust in Him namely the bride of Christ, the true church of Jesus Christ. The proof of this promise was fulfilled in the day of Pentecost. God is calling the people to this new organism, the church to Himself and when it is complete; there will be rapture of the church. Now Jesus is preparing for the time of the rapture that every believer will meet Him face to face on the air. This will be the end of God’s program for the church on this earth.

In the study of the plan of God for the church, we are not only to know when the church is begun in God’s program, but we need to understand who will belong to this church. The church is not only the small percentage Christians on this earth but every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ from generation to generation. They are the sanctified people in the Lord because Hebrew 10:10 says that we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are sanctified by the blood of Christ, once for all. In Philippians 1:6 Paul says, “Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform until the day of Jesus Christ.” Every Christian the moment is born again he is sanctified by God and he is on this earth in the process of sanctification day by day. His sinful nature will be banished away and he is called a saint. However we need to understand clearly that the idea of saint that we are talking about is totally different to what the world offers to man. Many people have said that only those who have done great things for other people and to the church are worthy to be called the saints. What they have said is absolutely a contradiction to what the Word of God says. Every born again Christian in the New Testament is worthy to be called a saint. In 1 Corinthins 1:2-3 we read what Paul says to the Christians in the church of Corinth. “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Chris Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Sanctified People Is the Saint

What do we have to do to be a saint? What do we have to do to be sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ? The only answer to these questions is we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, there is nothing that the Christians need to do in order to be sanctified. It is all settled the moment we believe in Him. God is taking care of this matter but the process of sanctification is begun at the moment we are saved, up to the time of the last breath of ours or up to the time of the rapture for those who are still alive at that time. In this process, the Holy Spirit is used by God to sanctify us through the written Word of God. However it is sad to know that many Christians set aside the Scripture and focus on the matter of dreams, visions and speaking in tongues, and ever experiencing and some other things.

In John 17:17 Jesus prayed saying, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” The Word of God is the instrument to sanctify God’s people. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” We need to come to the Word of God in order to reveal ourselves clearly. Thus in the process of sanctification, the Word of God does two things for us, Christians. Firstly, it shows that we are not in the light of other people but in the light of God. Secondly, it shows us how far we have fallen short from God’s standard of Christian living. Thus the Bible is the cleansing agent to remove the defilement of our sins as Ephesians 5:26 when Paul spoke of the washing of the water by the Word.

The Great Judgement Seat of Christ

What is the Judgement Seat of Christ?

Do we need to go to the judgement seat of Christ? The answer is yes, and all Christians will be there. One may continue to say that the moment we believe in the Lord we have been cleansed by the blood of Christ from all our sins and judgement forever. So what is the judgement seat of Christ for then? The answer is that the judgment seat of Christ is not to determine our salvation but your reward for serving Christ and obeying His known will in our lives. 2 Corinthians 5:10 tell us, “For we 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.” Take notes what Paul said here when he used the pronoun “we” in the phrase “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” He was talking to the Christians and not to the unbelievers. Everything will all be exposed and unveiled in that time before the Lord. In Romans 14:10 Paul warned the Christians who are in pride and judging others. “But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Every Christian who ever lived will appear before the Judgement seat of Christ. It will not be a pleasant experience for many Christians but a sad experience because of what they have done in their Christian living on this earth.

Thus Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 that the Christians have the foundation built upon the Lord 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 of 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.” This passage tells us about the Christians who will be fired and rested their works by the Lord Jesus Christ. All things the Christians have done on this earth will be fired.

What is this fire? In Revelation 1:14 says that Jesus Christ has eyes as a flaming fire. This is to say that the Lord Jesus Christ does not have outside fire as His help to know what He is examining. His own eye can provide fire because “For our God is consuming fire” (Hebrew 12:29). The Bible gives us an example through the life of Lot who lived in the midst of the wicked people and compromised with them. Lot suffered lost because of his disobedience and he lost his family by fire but he himself was saved.

The Method of Judgement of God

How will the Lord judge the Christians? And what method will He use? It is important to know that the way of judgement that God will do will be more different from our method of judgement each other even ourselves. In Luke 8:17 Jesus said, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Everything in that day will be revealed. Romans 2:16 tell us that “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of man by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” “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). “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).  Based on these passages we can see the different method of judgement of God and of man. Our judgement upon other people even for ourselves based on our visible things but God’s is based on heart searching.

The Lord will not only judge people according to their secret attitude but He will also judge them according to how much they really know God’s revealed word. In Luke 12:47-48 Jesus Christ says concerning knowing the will of God, “And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” In this passage we notice that the servants of God who are partly ignorant of the will of God will suffer less than who know God’s will and rejected it. But both these servants are beaten, because ignorance is not the excuse when we have opportunity to discover God’s truth. The Lord is aware of our motives for neglecting His Word but nevertheless those who are in the greater light have the greater responsibility.

The Granting of the Reward

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says, “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 of 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.” As we read again 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, what then do we think about the gold, silver and precious stone that are mentioned here to guarantee our survival in the judgement seat of Christ? In the first place we need to understand that the things we do for the Lord Jesus Christ must be based on our love for Him. We remember the sadness of the heart of Jesus in the book of Revelation 2 for the church of Ephesus. After the Christians in the church of Ephesus had worked so hard, the Lord Jesus said to them, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou have left thy first love.” This is to say that the Lord Jesus is more concerned on why we serve Him than how much we serve Him. He is more interested on why we give sacrificially for His works than how much we give to Him. If we do things because of our love for Christ and for His glory we will be rewarded and honoured in that great day. The church of Ephesus in Revelation 2 was doing many things in the church but it was based on routine and tradition. Thousands of Christians are doing the same things right now in this world. It is just a habit in attending the church each Sunday and giving the offering but nevertheless it is just a routine. This is worthless before the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ said to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:5, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

In addition to what the apostle John has recorded in the book of Revelation, the apostle Paul said in Romans 12:9, “Let love be without dissimulation Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” It means that we do not play game with truth and error, Satan and God, and darkness and light. We need to have the attitude like the Lord Jesus Christ that He absolutely hated error, evil, corruption, deception and apostasy. There is no compromise and loving confrontation with evil. John the Baptist was the greatest man that ever lived born of the woman who lived without compromise (Matthew 11:11). Because the strong conviction of John the Baptist in his message without compromise he loved to tell the truth to Pharisees, Saducees and those who lived in those days. Therefore let love be without dissimulation.

The Bible tells us that the only possible way to perpetuate the most precious the church has namely the truth of God in the written word, is to separate from those who distort, damage, pollute, and destroy the Word of God. It means we need to separate ourselves from those who involve in this matter. This is to say we need to excommunicate those who have involved in these matters. What did Paul say to those who lost their discernment concerning truth in the church of Corinth? We read in 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 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. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Having read this passage we say this is unpleasant. The issue here is that just like a doctor talking to one patient that part of his body must be removed and need to have surgery. If it is not done, it will destroy his entire life and die. However the most pleasant thing that the doctor can say is to tell that patient that there will be separation of the contaminating, poisoning part of the body or else death will come. Amputation is the loving act in order to save that person.

As the Lord set the church and the church should serve the Lord but the church must destroy the elements which destroy the purity of the church and the truth of the Word of God. The truth of the Word of God is the most neglected by many so-called Christians. Compromising is the main issue in many churches in this world but the truth cannot be compromised. The apostle of love said in his epistle concerning those who destroy and contaminate God’s truth in 2 John 10-11, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” Thus if we do not love God enough and doing the things that He entrusted to us according to His command, and if we open deliberately the door of our Bible class, church and home for teaching and influence to the ones who undermine and deny the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, then we will loose our reward. So the basic truth that we study here is we must love the Lord Jesus Christ wholeheartedly and be faithful to what the Lord has given to us.

The Presentation of the Bride to the Lord Jesus Christ

What is the next program of the Lord? It is the presentation of the Bride namely the church to the Lord Jesus Christ through the purging process. The church must be bold denouncing error and separating from the unbelieving world which will destroy the Word. Any thing that destroys the Light must be dealt seriously. Our coming judgement seat of Christ is compared to the great contest in the New Testament. As we read the use of race illustrated this point in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 saying, “Knowing 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.” God will provide gold metal to every Christian who meets God’s standard. This incorruptible reward and crown will continue forever.

In 2 Timothy 2:1-7 Paul tells his son in the Lord, Timothy, certain qualifications that he needs to do to please the Lord. “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” How much more does God need to say? Those who please God will be those who discipline themselves to put His Word and plan first in the line before anything else. We ask the Lord, “How do you want me to serve you, Lord?” The answer is that our love must be the greatest to the Lord Jesus who died for us and put His spirit in us. We need to trust Him faithful and we cannot say, “I cannot do it.” If we deny Him, He cannot be your God. Thus as long as we live in this world we must please Christ.

Do we know what Paul says about reward? We read in Colossians 2:18, “Let no man beguile you of your reward.” It is sad to say that it is happening all the time. The Christians are hearing the different voice and following deliberately the wrong church and they are loosing their reward. However some may say, “I do not care about reward.” We must care about it, for Christ had died and paid the infinite price to make possible for us to have reward. Truly we must be willing to take what He wants you to receive otherwise He is not our Lord. Thus Paul reminded us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that we must be careful and do not let anyone loose it.

When will all these happen? The answer is at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We read in Revelation 19:7-9, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” When the church is raptured from this earth, the great tribulation will occur to this world and those who do not belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. But to those who love the Lord there will be a blessed day for them where they can see Jesus face to face. In Revelation 20:4, 6 we also see some of the rewards that will be given in the millennial kingdom. “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.....they live and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Thus we will rule the world together with God for a thousand years and in that millennial kingdom Satan will be bounded. We will be like Jesus, and we will be revealed in the glory and final sanctification and to see Jesus Christ.