Same Throne, Different Judgments
(A Christian man stands before the judgment seat of Christ. Angels and other people look on solemnly.)
Jesus: “Tim, I see from your records that you have stolen things and watched indecent material online. You also keep frequenting the clubs and skipping church services. I sentence you to removal of hands, eyes and feet. Angels, please carry on.”
*After gouging, sawing and screaming*
Jesus: “Alright, now that you’ve received your fair punishments, here’s a golden mansion as your reward for the good that you’ve done. Welcome to eternity in New Jerusalem!” Gu
(Without eyes, hands or feet, Tim floats in his glorified body, blindly groping his way towards his new golden mansion.)
——
“For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10 WEB)
After reading the verse above, Christians may have some frightful imaginations like the imaginary scene I wrote above.
They are so afraid that Jesus will publicly call out their sins when its time to stand before His throne, and punish them severely for their sins.
Well-meaning believers with a genuine desire to please God misinterpret and don’t realize that all people—both believers and unbelievers, must stand before the same judgment seat of Christ, but at different times.
At the start of the Millennial reign of Christ, at the event called “The Marriage Supper of the Lamb”, believers will stand before Jesus to receive their rewards for all the good things that have done for Jesus’ sake.
There will be no punishments dealt that day. Huh? But the verse says “whether good or bad”.
Okay, listen. Jesus already took all the punishment for the bad things you have done—it was completed at the cross. He is not going to punish you because you are already forgiven and God promises to remember your sins no more.
So who will receive for the “bad” things they have done? That will happen to unbelievers. They will also stand before the same throne, but only at the end of time, at least 1000 years later.
Popularly referred to as the “Great White Throne Judgment”, it is actually Jesus sitting on the same throne as “the Judgment Seat of Christ”, but at a different time.
All unbelievers will be sentenced to eternal torment in the lake of fire based on the works they have done in their lifetime. They are the ones who will receive for the “bad” that they’ve done.
So, dear child of God, set your heart at ease. There is no punishment for you to receive when you stand before Jesus’ beautiful white throne in the future. You will only receive rewards, based on the good you have done. You can look forward to award ceremony day!
In “Sandcastles Don’t Last Forever”, you will discover the exciting and powerful truths about your eternal rewards and how judgment differs for believers and unbelievers.
Also, learn how to identify your God-given calling in life and how to step into that calling to receive the best of God’s blessings and rewards for you: https://www.ko-fi.com/s/7b9e3783ae
