Part 7 – The Judgment Seat of Christ - Crowns

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called The Rapture of "the Church, Which is His Body," Dispensationally Considered.

Paul “endured all” things that the elect might obtain the salvationWITH Eternal Glory.” (2Tim 2:10b). Our Rapture to eternal glory” is certain because our sins have been forgiven. “you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us ALL our transgressions,” (Col. 2:13). Thus every genuine believer who has trusted Christ as their Savior is eternally saved unto heaven and possesses Christ’s eternal resurrection life, then being “sealed with that Holy Spirit” (Eph 1:13).

There are five kinds of heavenly ‘crowns’ to be awarded in heaven. Whether these are real or figurative crowns, at least one applies to every believer saved during this age of “the grace of God.” Paul, as “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom 11:13) writes of three (3) crowns; the “Incorruptible Crown,” the “Crown Of Rejoicing,” the “Crown Of Righteousness,” (1Cor. 9:24-25, 1 Thess. 2:19, 2 Tim 4:8) that are available to grace believers. Every believing member of “the body of Christ” has at least “Crown Of Righteousness” saying,

there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me (Paul) only, but Unto ALL THEM also THAT LOVE HIS APPEARING. (2Tim 4:8).

Paul also wrote of some grace believers co-reigning with Christ in the heaven, which is a ‘conditional’ reward. It’s clear from 2Tim 2:12 that the reward of “co-reigning with Him” is reserved only for those who have learned to endure by trust in His life and His leading; not trusting in their own self-abilities to serve self-interest. This reward of co-reigning in heaven is not to be confused with the several ‘crowns,’ which I will cover more fully this in the next installment.

The Rapture of ALL grace believers to heaven is owing to His faithfulness alone… because “He abideth faithful” (2Tim 2:13). Yet also the prior verse says If we suffer (endure) With Him We Shall Reign With Him(2Tim 12). The point here is not about our salvation, our justification, our having Christ’s resurrection life, or our Rapture to heaven… in these things are sure and secure. The point is that only some of us may co-reign with Christ in heaven. I believe this co-reigning with Christ is among the ‘rewards’ (v14) to be distributed at “the Judgment Seat of Christ” soon after the Rapture. This co-reigning is conditionally based upon our having endured with Him. Our enduring is to be by trusting Christ as our life-source and “Lord” (Gk. kurious, our governor). Nevertheless, verse 11 says it is certain that all believers have “died with Him” and will be raised to “live with Him,” this is as a promise. ALL believers will be resurrected to heaven at the Rapture(which is NOT conditional) and then appear at “the judgment seat of Christ.”

“… If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him. (2 Timothy 2:11 (AMP)

 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be (genuinely) good or bad.” (2 Cor 5:10)

There are both immediate and a later rewards for the members of “the body of Christ.” Under today’s age of grace there are blessings, privilege, and reward in this lifeand then in the life to come all believers will receive a “Crown Of Righteousness” (2 Tim. 4:6-8) at the “judgment seat of Christ,” (1 Cor. 3:10-15)

1) If we will trust Him now… we will enjoy the blessings of peace and rest in our hearts.

2) Then also, a trusting and enduring walk in union with the Lord will bring grace believers rewards; for some the reward is to co-reign with Him “eternal In the Heaven(2Tim 2:12; 2Cor 5:1). By contrast, the faithful believers of the Nation Israel will reign in the coming kingdom On Earth (Rev 5:10, 20:6).

There are those of us who are the more faithful to endure by trusting Him as they encounter life’s trials, situations and circumstances. These faithful ones live morally temperate lives (1Cor 9:25), keeping the “body of sin” under subjection (1Cor 9:27), for which they will be rewarded with the “Incorruptible Crown.” Such believers likely abide in a trusting, inner, intimate union with the Lord, and this is to the glory of God alone. I believe these may more likely be the ones who will co-reign with Christ in heaven. They’ve learned the way of His inner governance. Such believers are not necessarily the visible church leaders or teachers of the word. They are genuinely faithful to the Lord in word, deed, and life. They may not be the high profile or vocal ones, but rather the less visible believers who are quietly true to the Lord. The Lord knows who they are, He knows their hearts.

Christ, as the creator of all (Jn 1:3), has authority over the entire universe, but soon after creation Lucifer as one of the highest angelic host, fell and became “the god of this world (Gk. aion, age)” (2Cor 4:4). Christ will recover all authority and distribute some of His authority over the heavens to faithful grace believers who have endured by walking in union with Him unto the Rapture. Though not explicitly stated, among the crowns to be distributed, I believe the ‘reward’ mentioned in verse 14 (below) includes the distribution of the spiritual authority necessary for co-reigning with Christ (cf. 2Tim 2:12a) forever… in heaven. I believe this reward will be apportioned to some at “the Judgment Seat of Christ.”

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me (Paul), as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man (believer) take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, (or) wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every 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 (test) every man’s work of WHAT ‘SORT’ IT IS. 14 If any man’s work abide (endures the fire) which he hath built thereupon, HE SHALL RECEIVE A REWARD. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss (of reward): BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire.” (1 Cor 3:10-15)

Considering this above verses, we might ask; are we are being built up by trusting in “Christ who is our life” (Col 3:4, 1:27), which here are likened to gold, silver, precious stones?” Or, are we trying to build upon Christ by the elements of our own independent human self-effort…which here is likened to “wood, hay, stubble” that is so easily consumed by fire? Let’s consider the gold, silver, precious stones.”

  • “Gold” always represents the Incorruptible Divine Life of God. Do we trust Christ’s love and life in us to carry us through our trials?
  • “Silver” represents of our eternal REDEMPTION (cf. Lev. 27:3-7) by “the blood of Christ.” Do we live as those who are made sure and secure, by His blood that redeemed us?
  • “Precious stones” refers to the Transformed Lives of believers. Our souls are being transformed by trusting in Him. Peter’s former name was “Simon,” meaning clay, but Peter, means a a stone,’ indicating the transformation that came to Peter by his faith in Christ.

Note that our “works” will be judged or tried by fire as to what “sort” (v13) they are. We are not being judged, but our “works” are being judged. We’ve already been judged in Christ at the cross. Paul wrote;

“For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] (Ephesians 2:8-9 (AMP)

Now note how Paul goes on in verse 10 to speak of the genuine “works” we are to do.

10 For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].” (Ephesians 2:10 (AMP)

We as believers have trusted in Christ’s work for us at the cross, and but we also are to trust His ongoing work in in us by the provision His life, as He leads and empowers us in genuine good works. These works are likened to “gold, silver, precious stones.” Only our ‘trust’ in Him is the “sort” of work that will pass the test of “fire” (v13). But, if we persist in ignoring Christ to… trusting ‘our own self-effort,’ then that “sort” of work (v13) will be “burned up” as “hay, wood, stubble”

Salvation is “by grace, through faith,” and there’s no doubt that even during the dark ages many people under Rome were saved by faith in spite of the blind and corrupt religious leaders of that day; consider Madame Guyon, R. E. Fenelon, Michael Molinos, et al. Sadly, I expect many of the saved ‘spiritual leaders’ of our day will fare no better than the corrupt religious leaders of their day when they all appear at the “Judgment Seat of Christ,” for most have not taken heed to build upon the foundation according specifications committed to Paul as God’s “masterbuilder” (I Cor. 3:10) of the church. Sadly many Christians who enjoy prominence today will weep in that day to see their ‘good works’ go up in flames (I Cor. 3:13). It will be a sorrowful day to “suffer loss” (1Cor 3:15) for our self-serving good works.

So it’s our “works” will be judged or tried by fire as to what “sort” (v13) they are. If we trust in Christ’s work for us, and in us by the provision His life leading us in what we do, this is likened to “gold, silver, precious stones.”

“… This is the work of God (for you), That Ye Believe on (trust in) him (Christ) whom he (God) hath sent. (John 6:29).

Only our life of ‘trust’ in Him produces the “sort” of work that will pass the test of “fire” (v13). But, if we persist in ignoring Christ to… trust ‘our own self-effort’ then that “sort” of work (v13) will be “burned up” as “hay, wood, stubble”

The purpose of this judgment is that we may receive a reward for the deeds done in the body, according to whether they be “good or bad.” The words “good or bad” actually means worthy or worthless works. So the “good” and the “bad” is not a reference to righteousness or evil, but to worthiness or worthlessness. We are reminded that every believer, from the moment he is saved, should begin to build his life upon Christ alone. We do not work to save our souls, Christ has done that for us. We would not even think about that; we work for the love of Christ. If you love Him, you are interested in Him and you are going to want to do all that you can for Him.

Much that is done by man is done in the energy of “the flesh” consequently, such work is worthless. Our good works can be done in the power of the Holy Spirit, and if it is… that work will be worth something to God’s eternal purpose. But only the “day will declare it (1Cor 3:13). This is why we are told in God's Word that we should judge nothing before the time; the day will declare it. The day will declare whether the work is good or whether the work is bad. The Apostle Paul believed this so much that he said he could not care less what other people thought about what he did. He didn't even try to evaluate his own work – he was not capable of it. He was faithful in the place that God put him, and he was going to leave the evaluation of his work to his Lord when he would stand before “the Judgment Seat of Christ.”

No believer will suffer loss of heaven due to their brain having become ravaged by disease, bio-chemical imbalance, dementia, or Alzheimer’s. We are sound at our core, in our spirit, we have “the mind of Christ.”

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of A SOUND MIND.” (2 Tim 1:7).

Our eternal life is not a ‘body matter,’ but of our regenerated spirit. We will ultimately be liberated from the Sin, sickness, and disease in our physical bodies and receive our new glorious eternal spirit-body. Every believer will forever enjoy their home in heaven, whether they co-reign with Him or enjoy and serve the Lord in whatever way He chooses for them.

“… our conversation (Gk., politeuma, community of CITIZENSHIP) is IN HEAVEN; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change (transfigure) OUR VILE BODY, that it may be fashioned (Gk., symmorphos, jointly conformed) LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY” (Philip 3:20-21a)

In a moment (Gk., atomos, an atom of time), in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump (trumpet sound): for the trumpet shall sound, and THE DEAD (believer’s body) SHALL BE RAISED (roused) INCORRUPTIBLE (undecaying), and WE (who are alive) SHALL BE CHANGED (GK., allasso, made different). 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal (physical body) must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on IMMORTALITY, then …, death is swallowed up in victory. (1Cor 15:52-54 (KJV)

The Apostle Paul compares the Christian life to a race, one we entered the minute Jesus saved us; our walk has a finish line at the border of this life and eternity. Every believer receives his crowns when he crosses the finish line. These crowns, whether literal or figurative, mark the completion of our walk of faith. In each case the five adjectives; “incorruptible,” “rejoicing,” “righteousness,” “life,” and “glory” that modify the word “crown,” are all descriptive of the important nature of what believers receive or may receive through faith in Christ.