THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST PART 2: CHAPTER 11 OF INCENTIVIZED TO OVERCOME  

The Judgment Seat of Christ relative to the “Day” of Judgment…. 

Let us try to put the last days’ different great judgments in order. Firstly, that “Day” of Judgment encompasses a period of time that includes the 70th week of Daniel, which is that 7 year Tribulation period. (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:21) The “Day” of Judgement also runs through the 1000 years of Christ’s Kingdom (Revelation 20:5), and a short time following. (Revelation 20:7) In the Day of Judgment, and based on the principle of works, (Matthew 16:27, Revelation 22:12) these are on whom the judgments will come:  

  1. On the Church. Judgement on the Church is a combination of chastening and Christ’s Judgment Seat determinations in the 7 year period just before Jesus Christ’s 2nd Coming and the 1000 year Kingdom of Christ. (But those who are faithfully living as overcomers on the earth have the promise of escape. They are the first–fruits. (See Matthew 24:16-21 with Revelation 12:14 regarding the Old Covenant faithful who are protected. And then see Revelation 3:10, Matthew 24:40-41, and Revelation 12:5 &14:4 in regards to the escaping of the New Covenant part of the first-fruits.) Then, later towards the end of the Tribulation, there is the First Resurrection Harvest of those who endured patiently on the earth, along with those faithful ones in Hades.  
  1. On Israel and Jews worldwide.  
  1. On the unbelievers on the Earth. 
  1. On the anti-Christ & false prophet. 
  1. On satan (and presumably his angels). 
  1. On the Nations upon the earth at His actual 2nd Coming. 
  1. And then after 1000 years, Judgement will come upon the remaining dead, which is at the Great White Throne, on both mankind and on spirit beings.  (Jude 6) All of these judgments are a part of the “Day of Judgment”.  

God had called the seed of faithful Abraham out of the World and appointed them to be His first–born son with authority in the World. But afterwards came their failure in faithfulness to Him and thus came the terrible judgment that Israel would not continue in that position of authority and calling. For they had been found unworthy as His representative Nation in the earth. (In that finality, Jesus at His First Coming, judged them in that He would call a Nation more worthy unto His heavenly Kingdom, (Matthew 13:11, Hebrews 3:1, Revelation 12:5, 14:14-16, 20:4-6) and that being out of the Gentile Nations (see Matthew 21:43 with Acts 15:14-18 wherein it is seen that afterwards He promises to restore the Nation of Israel as His representative in the earth.)  

Their authority in the earth now completely relinquished, the Jews fell under authority to the Gentile Nations (as it has been for near 2000 years, this being a foreshadowing of the loss of the heavenly kingdom to the new man of Ephesians 2:15.) This giving up of authority was first manifest in the kingdom of Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem making them Gentile subjects. This Babylonian Judgment on Israel was followed by the prophetic words of Daniel that predict the World’s future, that being a series of 4 Gentile Empires that would rule and dominate in the Earth for thousands of years until “…..the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” [Luke 21:24] In the last days of which “…shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation…” [Daniel 12:1, Matthew 24:21].…“ I beheld and the same horn (the anti-Christ) made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.… Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High (places) and the time came that the saints possessed the Kingdom. [Daniel 7:21,22] 

This great ancient declaration of judgment and its time line of events is revealed to Daniel as 70 weeks of 7 years that would come to pass before the restoration of Israel’s authority and preeminence again in the earth, at the setting up of that everlasting Kingdom.  “…the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven…” (See Daniel 7:13,14,27) This has yet to do with the future 2nd coming of the Messiah, being fully understood from the 69 weeks being historically fulfilled, unto that time frame predicted until the Messiah’s being cut off came to pass. (Daniel 9:26) This being a result of Israel, instead of accepting Jesus as the Messiah, crucifying Him, thereby bringing further condemnation upon themselves and delaying their promised restoration and suspending the 70th week of 7 years. Wherein is found that the times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24, Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15) reaches its zenith in the 4th and final kingdom with its last beastly ruler; the anti-Christ. This final days’ picture of Daniel 7:9 is brought into focus in the setting up of the Judgment Throne of God with the Investiture of Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm above the earth portrayed in Revelation 4:2. The Investiture being first the establishing of Jesus Christ’s judgment authority in the World in having redeemed that certain faithful and overcoming people out of all the Nations. These are now to be crowned as kings and priests worthy to reign and replace existing authorities  (As Ephesians 6:10 describes them: principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places, those supernatural spirits exercising control over the Gentile Nations in this Age) over the Earth in the Age now dawning. (Revelation 5:10) 

This is the finishing of time of that “blindness in part” that has happened to Israel,… until the time of the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.  (Romans 11:25) That is to say, that holy accounting to which the Judgment Seat of Christ has most in view. *The fullness being the pre-determined number out of the Body of Believers to be found worthy of co-ruling with Jesus Christ in His heavenly Millennial Kingdom. These are they who are to be caught up to Him, in the air, either by translation or resurrection. (1st Thessalonians 4:17) It is a determination most certainly made at the time of translation for the living. And for the dead, that determination most likely is made at the time of their death; the judgment that immediately precedes and determines the place of **assignment in Hades, (Luke 16:22,23) and the reward to be realized at the First Resurrection out from among the remaining dead. This resurrection being before they, together with Him as His Bride, descend from the heavens associated with this World, to its terra firma. (Revelation chapter 19) So it is that these ancient two judgments; the times of the Gentiles and the fullness of the Gentiles hid in the Wisdom of God coincide, both having in view Jesus Christ’s past Incarnation and Victorious Atonement accomplishments. 

THE DIFFERENT EDICTS ASSOCIATED WITH JESUS; AS MANIFEST SON OF MAN 

The First Great Judgment proclaimed from Heaven after Jesus Christ, Son of Man’s Bloody Atonement was that declaration of the releasing of Believers from the judgment curse of “the law of sin and death” which was a result of Adam’s willful disobedience. (Genesis 2:17) This original “Sin” was two-sided in consequence, in that it brought a curse of death on every one born of Adam’s seed (Romans 5:12) and secondly, that curse resulted in man having a fallen state of nature that “sins” and perpetuates death. (Genesis 3:10, Romans 8:24, Ephesians 4:22)  

SIN VS SINS 

It is to that one side consequence of the “Sin” of Adam, that side which brought the curse of eternal death state, that Christ’s Atonement answers to first. This is the Gospel that a man being bound by birth to Adam’s Sin of disobedience and betrayal, into a sentence of death eternal, and being while alive relegated to a citizen in a kingdom lost to satan, who may sense the weight of God’s coming Wrath on all within that kingdom may believe in Jesus Christ, the Righteous Second Adam, who offered Himself as propitiation for Adam’s “SIN”. Whereby receiving, he then is “re-born”, imputed Christ’s Righteousness, and granted eternal life. He is immediately and forever translated out of that kingdom (an eternal standing to be realized in the future) and thereby saved from the eternal death condemnation due the citizens of that rebellious kingdom, having the promised gift of eternal life in the hereafter. 

That this is but one side of the proclaimed Atonement Judgments from Heaven can be clearly seen from Scripture to the observant Believer. This one side is limited in its scope in that it deals with the redemptive side of the curse only, having received the Blood Atonement for our condition of eternal death, we have the promise of the gift of eternal life, our name is entered into the Lamb’s Book of Life. So it must be understood that this, our PAST Atonement Judgment, does not, in the first place, have our personal “sins” or our fallen nature in view. It had in view that Sin of Adam with the Curse that condemned all of his seed to eternal death. (In type, the two–part application may be seen in the fact that the Passover blood had delivered them out of Egypt, but it was unable to get them into the Promised Land.  So Justification and Redemption was found solely in the Passover lamb. Sanctified worthiness to inherit in the Promised Land was found in the removal of leaven. 

This leads us to the appropriation of the second part or other side of Jesus Christ’s Great Atonement. Heaven’s Judgment proclamation of Justice was answered, which goes far beyond escape from an eternal death state unto an inheritance of eternal rewards. That second part of the Atonement deals with the “sins” of the fallen nature. This is seen in the Disciples’ further need affected at Pentecost. (And in type with Adam, who although forgiven and saved from eternal death by the substitutionary blood sacrifice, (Genesis 3:21) yet his fallen nature prohibited his return back into the Garden in intimacy of relationship with his Creator). This speaks to the Believer’s present experience. Wherein the first great Atonement judgment proclamation had to do with Christ’s satisfying God’s Justice as it relates to Adam’s condemning SIN, and thereby the imparting of the gift of eternal life to the Believer, based solely upon Christ’s Righteousness. Additionally, Christ’s Atonement provided a means by which we might obtain a much higher level of eternal life. That being of reconciliation, through our dealing with the sins of our fallen nature, back into the lost intimacy of the Garden, that is to say in eternal glory with Him.  

Rebirth/regeneration of our spirit within brought not only eternal life, but resurrection newness of life power. That power of our renewed spirit, when coupled by our will, with the power of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39) is how we are enabled to conquer our fallen nature, not allowing it to master us, and serve God in righteousness. (Romans 6:12-16)  JESUS CHRIST, now being the High Priest, administrates mercy and grace according to THIS  yielded faithfulness and watchfulness appropriated by the Believer at the Throne of Grace, while we are alive. And unlike the “Sin” related to the Curse of Adam’s disobedience, a one– time requirement of believing and receiving of eternal life, this new nature requires us to judge ourselves daily, with repentance and confession of sins, without which we are subject, as children of God, to chastisement. Which He will determinately apply that we might be found worthy (at the Judgment Seat of Christ after death) of sharing His Glory.     

This leads us to the Third Great Judgment Edict of Heaven in the Atonement of Christ for man presented to us in Scripture. The first having been as born into this World condemned in the Sin of Adam, in that a believing man may escape that eternal condemnation. Secondly, as now His adopted children, we are working out a First-Born inheritance with fear and trembling as we overcome our sinning flesh nature by the Word and spirit/Spirit. And thirdly, as servants to be judged, we must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ (as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Hebrews 9:27) which is that future event for Believers only. 

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*With Christ’s investiture……In the midst of the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy, that 7 year tribulation period which includes Jacob’s Trouble, comes the selection of Christ’s Bride raised up into the air. That is to say in the heavens related to this Earth to rule and reign with Him for 1000 years, and that based on faithful service in works. 

**Adam’s willful disobedience had two ramifications: death realized in spirit resulting in death in soul and body. The sentence of death (separation from God) was eternal, in that no longer would corrupted man, either in an alive state on earth or dead state in Hades, be able to enter into the presence or intimate relationship with God again. And so they would forever be relegated to a lesser or greater degree of living eternally in Hades. God’s answer to the death of the spirit was the sacrificial shedding of innocent blood; life for life. The rebirth of the spirit answers to works of the soul, for which every man who received regeneration before Christ’s Atonement may then by faith work out his inheritance in the afterlife. (Hebrews 11) It would have been an inheritance restricted to Hades without resurrection (this is what is meant by the keys of Hell and Death). For all men are to be judged in the afterlife according to works done while alive.  

Without Christ’s Atonement, the alternatives for judgement were the Place of Comfort, the Place of Torment, the Great Abyss, or the Lake of Fire. Christ’s Atonement affords the great alternatives in the power of His Resurrection. 

Sentence of death is due to sin. Man would always sin and therefore die again if resurrected back into his natural corrupted body with the return of his spirit from God and placed into this worldly environment. Thus even born again Old Covenant Believers redeemed from “eternal death” by the blood would have meant an eternal inheritance relegated to the Paradise of Hades without the Atonement efficacy of Christ’s Blood. So it was appointed that man die once and after that judgment. So upon judgment, he then would be relegated to a place without spirit and without body or satan’s influence, as it was only after Christ’s Atonement that resurrection and the Second Death came into play.