Daily Devotions
Romans
"We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."
Text: Romans 14:10
THE DOCTRINE OF THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
We have a fascinating teaching in the following text. Paul made reference to the judgment seat of Christ.
“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”
Romans 14:10
1. What is this Judgment Seat? (Bema- in the Greek text)
a) It is not a reference to our being judged for our sins.
b) The judgment of our sins has already been taken care of by Christ.
c) Let us remember our standing with God in Christ:-
i) We have been justified freely by His grace (Cf. Romans 3:24).
ii) God has passed over all our sins (Cf. Romans 3:25).
iii) God Himself is the Justifier of all who have faith in Christ (Cf. Romans 3:26).
iv) We have peace with God as a result of our being justified (Cf. Romans 5:1).
2. The Bema Seat is a place where Christ rewards His faithful servants.
a) We will obtain an imperishable crown (Cf. 1 Corinthians 9:25).
b) It is also called a crown of righteousness (Cf. 2 Timothy 4:8)
A RELEVANT TEXT FULL OF HOPE
Paul looked forward to the day when he would have finished his race. What a tremendous sense of hope he had in his heart as he penned the following words.
“I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day,
and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7-8
This was a hope that Paul nurtured in his life. It was a hope from which he drew much strength and comfort. This Hope became one of the important doctrines that Paul wrote in his epistles (Cf. Romans 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 4-5; Philippians 1). This hope also enabled him to overcome the danger of being judgmental!