Graduation ceremonies are filled with mixed emotions. Tears flow because old friends will be separating and going different directions. But at the same time there is a sense of relief that it's over. You've passed! Still others sit through the ceremony nervously awaiting to see whether they will be awarded a scholarship or other social award.

Having attended numerous graduations, l have made several observations which are pertinent to our subject at hand. For example, the only people who are in the ceremony itself are the graduates. Everyone who walks up on the platform has completed his or her requirements for graduation. In addition, each graduate wears a gown to indicate that he is a candidate for graduation. Futhermore, every graduate receives some honor. It may be a diploma or it might even include a scholarship or special award of achievement. I've also observed that each graduate leaves a former lifestyle (student in high school or college) to advance toward a more productive lifestyle (high school to college or work, college to the work force, etc.). In addition, each graduate leaves his known world to advance into the world of the unknown.

What I've observed in graduation ceremonies can be related to the Bible's prediction of a super graduation day. Scriptures refer to this commencement as the judgment seat of Christ. However, before you examine what this judgment is, first understand what it is not.

A. MISCONCENIONS CONCERNING THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
1 . The judgment seat does not determine who makes it to heaven.
Like the graduation ceremony, it is for graduates only. The judgment seat of Christ is for believers only
a) How does Paul describe the believer's position (Romans 8:1)?
b) What does Jesus say about the believer (John 5:24)?
2. The judgment seat of Christ is not a place to punish believers for unconfessed sin.
a) How many of the believer's sins does God remember (Hebrews 10:17)?
b) What dees John say each believer can have in the day of Christ's judgment seat (1 John 4:17)?

The judgment seat of Christ is neither a determination as to who makes it to heaven nor a judgment of believers' sins. What then is this future phenomenon?

B. THE MEANING OF THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
The New Testament uses two words for judgment. One Greek word is criterion, from which our English term "criterion" is derived. The criterion is the standard by which judgment is given or the place where judgment is given. This word is used in 1 Corinthians 6:24 and James 2:6.

The second word for judgment is the Greek word bema. L. Sale-Harrison in his book Judgment Seat of Christ describes the bema, in the following manner:

In Grecian games in Athens, the old arena contained a raised platform on which the president or umpire of the arena sat. From here he rewarded all the contestants; and here he rewarded all winners. It was called the 'bema' or 'reward seat.' It was never used of a judicial bench (p. 8).

Therefore, when the Bible refers to the judgment seat of Christ, it focuses on rewards for service rather than on punishment for sin. It is the place where Jesus Christ will honor those who have honored Him on earth. It resounds with the words,"Well done, good and faithful servant."

C. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
The Bible refers to this event in about a dozen passages, but three major passages provide the basic teaching on this subject: Romans 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, and 2 Corinthians 5:6-10.

Read each passage and respond to the questions under them.

ROMANS 14:10-12

1. How should we treat fellow believers in light of the fact that we will stand before the bema seat?
2. How many believers will be at this bema seat?

1 CORINTHIANS 3:10-15

1. What metaphor is Paul using?
2. What foundation is Paul referring to?
3. The apostle presents six kinds of building materials. But he divides them into the destructible and the indestructible. Which are which?


Destructible Indestructible
a) a)
b) b)
c) c)


4. Name five works that you would consider destructible. Why?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

5. Name five works that you would consider indestructible. Why?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

6. Does a person lose his salvation if his works are destroyed? Explain.

7. What loss would he suffer?

The destructible works are primarily those which are done in the power of the flesh or with the motive of self-glory. The works themselves may be good, but if they are for the wrong purpose or with the wrong motive, they will perish.

FURTHER REFERENCES

1. What three good works does Jesus warn about doing for self-glory (Matthew 6:2,5,16)
a)
b)
c)

2) What other good works were being performed with a selfish motive (Matthew 23:15,23,25,29)?
a)
b)
c)
d)

The indestructible works are those done in the power of God s Holy Spirit for His glory and honor. How do the following passages describe such works?

3. 1 Corinthians 10:31
4. John 15:8
5. Matthew 5:16

Though no one knows for certain what each building material represents, several Bible commentators have suggested some possibilities. For example, Dr. John F. Walvoord has written in his book The Church in Prophecy, "Wood obviously is the best construction of the three and may represent temporary things in our life of a necessary nature as scaffolding in the construction of a building . . .Hay represents that which is more transitory, useful for animals but not fit for human consumption. Stubble represents that which is completely worthless. All alike, however, are reduced to ashes."

"By contrast, the gold, silver and precious stones, though much smaller in size and more difficult to obtain, are able to survive the fire. Gold in Scripture is typical of the glory of God and the perfection of His attributes and may represent that in our lives which is Christlike or which reveals the perfection of God's handiwork and grace. Silver is characteristically the metal of redemption and may speak of personal evangelism and of efforts in the extension of the Gospel. Precious stones are not identified and probably purposely are not related to any particular stone. This seems to refer to all other works of God manifest in the life of believers offering a great variety of beauty and color and illustrating that believers may serve the Lord in many different ways'' (p. 149).

2 CORINTHIANS 5:6-10
1. What should be the Christian's greatest ambition in life?
2. How does Paul express the purpose for the judgment seat of Christ?

The words "good" or "bad" do not refer to that which is morally good or evil, but rather to that which is either profitable or worthless. Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost comments, ''Thus the judgment is not to determine what is ethically good or evil, but rather that which is acceptable and that which is worthless. It is not the Lord's purpose here to chasten His child for his sins, but to reward his service for those things done in the name of the Lord" (Things to Come, p. 223).

SUMMARY
In this chapter you've learned that the judgment seat of Christ is somewhat like a universal graduation. This great event is for believers only, who will be arrayed in white robes to receive the honor due them. Some will experience great honor while others will be honored by the fact that they are present at the bema seat. Each believer has left the world of the known and passed into the world of the unknown-into the heavens.

You've further discovered that the believer is not at the bema seat to be convicted of past sins, but rather to be rewarded for what he has done, whether his life has demonstrated profitable or worthless works. All deeds which are motivated by fleshly interests will perish, but those motivated by godly interests will survive.

The next chapter will expand on this strategic event. You will learn about the specific rewards and the process God uses to test your works. But before you read on, pause at this moment and reflect on what you've learned and how it applies to you.