Expect Rewards at the Judgement Seat
ICS Daily Devotions
1 Corinthians 3:8-9 (NKJV) he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
All of us have different gifts given to us by the Lord and we are to faithfully serve Him with them. We make up different parts of the body of Christ. Therefore, everyone needs to contribute their gifts and talents, or else the body will be deprived of them. When every joint supplies, it causes growth to the body of Christ because every part has a function.
The Apostle Paul says that some are called to plant and others are called to water, but each of us will receive our own reward for the work of our labour for the Lord. Therefore, the important questions that we need to ask ourselves are: “Are we using the gifts that He has given us to serve?” and “Do we have the right attitude when we serve?” because we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:10 (NKJV) For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
We should note, however, that the Greek word for the judgement seat of Christ in the above Scripture is “bema”, which refers to the judgement seat used in the ancient Greek games. In those days, an umpire would sit upon an elevated seat, and after the games, all the contestants of the different events would be gathered before the elevated seat, and rewards would be given to the victors. Therefore, this judgement seat was not to determine whether someone was guilty or innocent, or good or bad, but it was a seat for giving out rewards, for saying “well done” and “congratulations”.
1 Peter 1:17 (NKJV) If you call on the Father who without impartiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.
Our salvation is purely based on the atonement and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with us because we are saved by grace through faith, and we have the imputed righteousness on us. Therefore, the Day of Judgement is for Christians, and it will not be to judge whether we are saved or not but to reward us based on the responsibilities that we have carried out for the Lord, according to our faithfulness and willingness in serving Him with the gifts, talents, and financial or material blessings that He has given us to serve and love Him.
Sermon Series: ServeFest
