Part 2 – The Test of Fire of The Judgment Seat of Christ

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called The Judgment Seat of Christ.

With Part 1 in mind, let’s go back to 1 Corinthians 3, particularly noting the words “work,” “fire” and “burned.”

12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every 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. 14If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

Note that the “fire” (vs. 13, 15) burns and consumes the Christian’s useless “work,” not the Christian. Yet, strangely, that “fire” also “saves” the believer who is “in Christ” (v15). I will explain this saving part shortly. But, first, let’s note some additional points of understanding, noting the phrase “the reward of the inheritance.”

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily (of the heart), as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25But he that doeth ‘wrong’ shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” (Colossians 3:23-25)

To explain “the reward of the inheritance” we need to know that each and every member of “the Body of Christ” will inherit and share in Christ’s “heavenly” kingdom since our inheritance includes “the heavenlies” itself (cf. Eph. 1:10-11). However, some underdeveloped believers will have less participation in His heavenly government. You see, “the reward of the inheritance” (Col. 3:24) is the role the believer will play in the government of “the heavenly places.”

“Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:” (Ephesians 1:21)
 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” (Col. 1:16)

As in earthly governments are, there are various ranks or positions in heaven’s government. The above two verses 16 speak of these positions of rank and authority in the heavens as thrones,” “dominions” “principalities,” “powers,” “mights.” Though these seats of heavenly government were “created by Him (God) and for Him.” Originally these positions were created by God for God’s appointees to rule from and in “the heavenly places.”

However, since the fall of Lucifer who became Satan, “the adversary,” these offices of rank and authority are occupied by, Satan and his fallen angels of heaven. These ranks in heaven also correspond to Satan’s fallen human’s authorities ruling on earth.

But, after “the Judgment Seat of Christ” the believers who have been faithful on earth will occupy those positions of rank and authority, co-reigning with Christ… replacing Satan and his fallen angelic host.

The specific rank, office, or role we hold in heaven is “the reward of the inheritance” bestowed to each believer at the conclusion of “the Judgment Seat of Christ.” The “Judgment Seat of Christ” is the review of all our Christian growth and service since we were saved.

This “reward” is based upon the believer’s faithfulness to the eternal doctrinal truths that have infiltrated their soulto be lived out while on earth. Some will “receive for the wrong (Col. 3:25), and “suffer loss” for not holding the truth but instead holding to erroneous understandings that are contrary to the heavenly paradigm.

The penalty is a loss of the “reward” of reigning with Christ. So, had we lived the truth of Paul’s eternal doctrine inside us, our reigning would have been more influential. Our “inheritance” is in going to Heaven as a free gift because of Christ’s finished crosswork, but, the reward of the inheritance” is based on what “sort” of “work” we employed. That “reward” is the position we will hold in serving God in within Heaven’s government. (cf. 2Tim. 2:12).

To clarity, the “Judgment Seat of Christ” has nothing to do with our sins; they’ve already been fully paid for by Christ at the cross. Yet, warped Roman Catholic religious tradition points to the word “fire” in 1 Corinthians 3 as ‘proof text’ for their “purgatory.” Their Purgatory is a supposed intermediate state and place in the afterlife where religious souls supposedly go to “atone” (pay for) for their sins that weren’t taken care of on earth. They say this ‘tormenting fire’ is designed to purge the soul of any lingering sin, thereby purifying it and qualifying it to enter heaven and God’s presence. Per church tradition, the person suffers for all his or her remaining sins. The duration of this purgatorial punishment is unknown, perhaps millions of years! Then God’s wrath will be satisfied, and heaven’s gates will be opened. This ridiculous simplistic explanation provides you with a glimpse of the corrupt Roman Catholic theology.

The fact is that 1 Corinthians 3 has nothing whatsoever to do with a purgatory. Purgatory is a myth, a Satanic lie. In 1517, Pope Leo X sold “indulgences”; the idea was for the adherents to make a “monetary payment” for time off from purgatory for deceased loved ones. This was to raise funds into Rome’s coffers to build St Peter’s Basilica. This is pagan superstition and unscriptural. Indulgences from Purgatory was used to extort money from the poor peasants. In the Bible there’s not one hint of such an intermediate state as purgatory, or of any intermediate state other than the “grave” before either heaven or the final “lake of fire.”

The Roman Church has attempted to insert into the Scriptures several ‘apocryphal’ books and other inclusions that they say suggest the idea of a purgatory. These writings are false, uninspired, contradicting Bible truth.

The fact is that the sacrifice of the shed blood of Jesus Christ is All-Sufficient, and nothing can be added to His cross-work, for one to gain salvation and every blessing of God. Either Jesus’ shed blood cleanses us of ALL sins… (apart from our works) … or it’s not enough to cleanse us at all. If the blood of Jesus Christ can’t cleanse a soul of sins, what could we as weak fallen souls possibly do in a fictitious ‘purgatory’ to accomplish what Christ failed to do on Calvary? The idea of Purgatory is a heresy of the first order.

While on the point of purgatory, there’s yet another misconception to be cleared up here. Scripture is not saying in 1 Cor. 3:13-15 that a person’s soul passes through a fire at all. No! The Holy Writ says the persons “work” passes through the “fire.” Moreover, it is the work,” not the soul, that is consumed or burned. Note the words “work” and “burned” here below.

“… if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every 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. 14If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1 Cor. 3:12-15)

It is plain enough to see, if words mean anything and they do, that which is burnt” is the “work” … not the believer or his soul!