Pathway to Victory

Speaker 1

Hey, podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's word through the most effective media available, like this podcast.

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Now here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 2

Hi, this is Robert Jeffress and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day. This Bible teaching program. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 3

You know we have a compassionate Savior named Jesus Christ. He voluntarily came and gave his life for the forgiveness of our sins.

He's a compassionate Savior, but he's always a just judge as well. And one day he's coming to render justice to everyone who doesn't know Christ as Savior.

Speaker 1

Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress. You know, at some point in life, a lot of us are going to end up in front of a judge, maybe for a traffic violation or a more serious offense.

But did you know that we all have a very significant court date in our future? Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress explains that one day every person who has ever lived will stand before Jesus Christ, the ultimate judge.

Now, here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message. Dr. Jeffress.

Speaker 2

Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. So when was the last time you splurged and took an 11-day vacation? Well, I'd love you to join us on the upcoming Pathway to Journeys of Paul Mediterranean Cruise. Picture yourself laughing and bonding with other Christian believers in the land where your faith was founded. Imagine reading your Bible in the very places it was written. This is an exciting 11-day vacation to some of the most beautiful locations in the world, including the Greek islands, the ancient ruins of Ephesus, and Rome. The dates are May 5th to 16th. Take a moment to look at the options and reserve your spot today by going to ptv.org.

I don't know about you, but I'm sensing a groundswell of global unrest. The angst, the vitriol, the violence all seem to indicate that the return of Christ could be coming soon. Well, with these factors in mind, I decided to write a book so that you could revel in Bible prophecy rather than fear it. You see, as believers of Jesus Christ, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Christ's second coming will usher in a new world order. He is our coming king at its core.

My brand new book, *Jesus Revealed in the End Times*, is an encouraging lesson on the end times. It's about Jesus Christ and the hope he brings to all who trust in Him. My book is one of the most important I've ever written. Again, it's called *Jesus Revealed in the End Times: Hope for Today from the One who Holds Our Future*. When you give a generous gift to support the Ministry of Pathway to Victory, I'll make sure that the book is sent to your home right away. More details later, but right now, let's begin our next study in the series I titled Today's Message: Jesus the Judge.

Speaker 3

What is the highest court in the world? Most people would answer the International Court of Justice, known as the ICJ. Some people refer to it as the World Court. It was established after World War II as an encouragement to countries to settle their disputes by the law rather than by war. Today, the World Court consists of 15 judges from around the world. They sit in an ornate palace known as the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands.

In 1986, the country of Nicaragua accused the United States of supporting rebel forces in their country. They sued our nation in the World Court. The World Court found us guilty and ordered us to pay a huge fine. Guess how much we paid? $0. We have paid nothing to the World Court because their authority is bogus. It is a make-believe authority. We are not under the authority of the World Court. But there is another court coming one day, another kind of World Court that will consist not of 15 judges but of one judge. And he is a perfect judge. He is one to whom everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, will be forced to submit.

Who is that judge over the future World Court? Paul identified him in Acts 17:31 in his sermon on Mars Hill. He said, "God has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom he has appointed." Well, who is that man, having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead? There's only one judge who meets that qualification—one judge who's come back from the dead. His name is Jesus Christ.

Today, we're going to discover how the end times reveal another one of Jesus' roles. Not only do the end times reveal Jesus as Messiah, prophet, and King, they reveal him to be the true judge of all the world, the Judge of the living and the dead. Now, that goes against the popular strain of understanding many people have about Jesus. When the average person today thinks about Jesus, they see him as that tiny baby in a feeding trough wrapped in swaddling cloths. Or they see him as a good teacher or rabbi sitting on the hillside teaching the Sermon on the Mount, or they see him as the benevolent physician going about healing those who are afflicted. But very few people see him as a judge.

After all, wasn't it Jesus who said, "Judge not, lest you be judged"? Most people don't believe Jesus would ever judge anyone. But as we're going to see today, the fact is Jesus is going to judge everyone. And that everyone includes you and me, Christians and non-Christians alike. Today in our message, "Jesus the Judge," we're going to look at five judgments in the end times over which Jesus is going to preside. I thought the best way to look at these judgments was in the chronological order in which they occur during the end times.

The first judgment is the one you and I are going to face one day by Jesus. We call it the judgment seat of Christ. Apparently, there's no scripture that actually says it, but it occurs after the Rapture. Because when we get to the tribulation, we see in Revelation 4 and 5 that the church has already been crowned and rewarded. So this is the first judgment and the one we face, the judgment seat of Christ. The Scripture verse, one of many that talks about it, is 2 Corinthians 5:10. Paul wrote, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one of us may be rewarded for what we have done in the body, whether it be good or bad."

The Greek word translated "judgment seat" is the word "bema." The judgment seat of Christ had two uses in Paul's day. Sometimes this bema, which was really a raised platform, was used in the athletic realm. We saw that in the Olympics. The winners of athletic contests were brought to a raised platform where they received a crown made of leaves—a wreath of leaves, you might say. Who gets excited about that? It's not just the crown of leaves; it's what it represented. They had won, and there were real tangible benefits to winning the races. In Paul's day, you got exempted from paying income tax to the government for at least a year or more. You had other privileges.

Well, Paul says we're all going to appear before a judgment seat, not to be condemned. This is not a judgment that determines whether we go to heaven or hell; that's decided when we trust in Christ. This is an award of commendation. But there's also a negative aspect to the judgment seat of Christ. The bema was also used in the judicial system. It was used in Corinth. For example, in Acts 18, we find the story of Paul's ministry in Corinth. Some Jews got mad at him, were jealous, and they trumped up some charges and brought him before the proconsul Galio. Acts 18 says Galio was seated on the bema, the judgment seat.

By the way, archaeologists have uncovered that many of us have been to Corinth and seen the judgment seat on which Galio sat. Paul stood there looking at Galio. Galio threatened him, but Paul never flinched once. Why was he so courageous? Because he realized that one day he would be standing before another judge on another judgment seat. That judge was Jesus Christ, and he would have to give an account of his life. He was much more fearful of what Christ could do to him than what Galio could do to him. It's interesting that Paul used that experience in Corinth to write back to the Corinthians this word in 2 Corinthians 5:10. Just like I stood before a judgment seat, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one of us may be rewarded for what we have done.

Well, what is it that Jesus is going to judge? Three things. First of all, he's going to judge our actions, our works, if you will. You know, we who are evangelical Christians make a big mistake in de-emphasizing the importance of works. We're so anxious to make sure people understand we're not saved by good works that we act like our works don't matter. Now listen to this: our good works are worthless before we are saved, but our good works are priceless after we have been saved. We're not saved by good works; we're saved for good works. That's God's plan. And God is going to reward us according to our works. Works matter to God. In Psalm 62:12, the psalmist said, "You, God, recompense a man according to his work." Doesn't that make sense? It just makes sense that our works make a difference. They do make a difference. In Matthew 16:27, Jesus said, "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father and with his angels, and he will then repay every man according to his deeds."

Secondly, Jesus will judge us according to our words. What we say, what we post on social media, one day is going to be judged. Did you know? Every word we speak will be judged. In Matthew 12:36-37, Jesus said, "I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they will give an accounting for in the day of judgment, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Thirdly, Jesus will judge our thoughts. In Jeremiah 17:10, God says, "For I search the heart, I test the mind, even to give each man according to his ways, according to the results of what his deeds are." Sometimes why we do something is just as important as what we do. I think he's referring here to our motives, not just the careless thoughts we have or wrong thoughts. He's talking about our motives. Those are going to be revealed.

What is the result of the judgment seat? He said we're going to stand there that each one of us may be rewarded for what we have done, whether it is good or bad, as the English translation says. But that word "bad" doesn't mean morally wrong. The word "bad" (phallus in Greek) means worthless. We're going to be judged and rewarded according to what kind of life we have lived. What am I talking about? If you have your Bibles, turn over to 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, where Paul talks about this in more detail. He compares living our life to building a house. He says, "For no man can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is in Christ Jesus." Now, if you're saved, you have the same foundation as all Christians, Jesus Christ. But we choose what kind of life to build on that foundation. We're all given a different amount of time, treasure, and talent. We get to decide what kind of life, what kind of house we're going to build.

He goes on to say, "Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay, and straw, each man's work will become evident, for the day will show it, for it will be revealed by fire." In other words, we can build our life with those things that are eternal, that have lasting value, or we can build our lives around trivial pursuits, temporal pursuits. And how will that be revealed at this judgment? It will be like a fire that will reveal what kind of life we have really lived.

Have you ever heard people say, "Oh, I don't care about rewards, just as long as I make it to heaven, that'll be enough"? Think again. In verses 14 and 15, Paul says, "If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. But if any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss." Underline that: he will suffer loss, even though he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. We don't know what these rewards are. I've said in other messages that they may be special privileges in heaven. Did you know heaven's not going to be the same for everybody? The Bible teaches special privileges, special positions of authority. "Who is faithful in little will be given much." If we endure with him, we'll reign with him, as certain words of praise will come from Jesus that others will not receive: "Well done, good and faithful servant."

But whatever these rewards are, Paul says they are worth working for and sacrificing for. Because the fact is, if our life is judged by Jesus Christ to have no eternal value, if we were living and spending and managing for ourselves rather than for God's kingdom, what happens? Our life is burned up, so to speak, and we will suffer loss. I believe heaven is a place of great joy, but yes, there will be some regret in heaven too. That's what the Bible says. We will suffer loss, real measurable loss, as we see what could have been ours had we been more faithful to Jesus Christ. That's the judgment seat of Christ.

The second judgment Jesus will preside over is the judgment of the Tribulation martyrs. It takes place right after the tribulation, at the end of the tribulation. What do you mean, the Tribulation martyrs? Remember that all Christians get raptured at the rapture. We get caught away to meet the Lord in the air. So at the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation, there are no Christians on earth. But at the beginning of the tribulation, Revelation 6 says God will save 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each tribe. They will be saved by Jesus Christ, and they will have a supernatural seal that protects them. They will go through the world witnessing and evangelizing. Through their witness, many will come to know Christ as Savior.

During the Tribulation, many of those believers, Jews and Gentiles alike, will be martyred because of their faith. At the end of the Tribulation, those tribulation martyrs will be raised from the dead and receive their new bodies. They will be rewarded for their vindication. Listen to Revelation 6:9-10: "When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, because of the testimony which had been maintained." This is toward the beginning of the Tribulation. They cried out with a loud voice saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

How long, God, are you going to let these ungodly people on earth who killed us? How long are you going to allow them to keep doing evil and rebelling against your authority? Now, you know what that tells me? Have you ever heard the question, do people in heaven know what's happening on earth? Here is a clear answer to that. The souls of those who had been killed during the Tribulation were in heaven with Jesus. They're able to look down and see that evil is still going on. They're able to see that God is being blasphemed, and they're saying, "Lord, why are you waiting to punish them?" Yes, people in heaven can see what is happening on earth.

When I used to hear that as a little boy, I hate to tell you what my first thought was, but I'm going to go ahead and say it. My first thought was, "You mean people in heaven can see me going to the bathroom?" Oh, you bet you've wondered the same thing. Come on now, if you ever have children that ask you that question, here's what you can say to them: yes, they probably can see you going to the bathroom. But why would they want to? I mean, the fact is people in heaven are going to be preoccupied with much more important things than the everyday stuff we're doing. But they are aware of what's happening on earth, and they want to be vindicated.

Well, that's what is going to happen at the end of the tribulation. Revelation 20 tells us, "Then I saw thrones, and those who sat upon them, and judgment ruling was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, or had not received the mark on their forehead and on the hand, and they came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years." What is the reward for the Tribulation martyrs? It is that they are resurrected. They get their new bodies, but they're also reigning with Christ for a thousand years. This is the judgment of the Tribulation martyrs.

There's a third judgment, the Judgment of Israel. It happens during the 75 days—remember the 40 plus 35 days—that occur right before the millennium. The judgment of Israel is filled with prophecies about this judgment. Isaiah 11:12 says, "He will lift up a standard. God will lift up a standard for the nations and assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." Remember that during the Tribulation, there are many Jews who will be saved and many who aren't saved. But in the last three and a half years of the Tribulation, Satan, the dragon, in concert with the beast, the Antichrist, goes after Christians and Jews alike. Many of them flee into the wilderness and escape death, but they can't escape the judgment of God. He is bringing back all of the Jews for a judgment.

What is that judgment? It is according to a standard he will lift up, and that standard is Jesus Christ. Acts 17:31 says, "God has appointed a man by whom the world will be judged." Now listen to this, because a lot of Christians in today's world are confused about this. You don't go to heaven for being a Jew. Being a Jew is not enough to get you into heaven. There are some false teachers among Christians teaching all you have to do is be a Jew to go to heaven. No, there's one way to heaven. It is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Before the millennium, it is important to separate righteous Jews—those who have trusted in Christ—from the unrighteous rebels that need to be judged—those who have opposed the Messiah. That's what happens during the judgment of Israel. It is a time to separate the righteous from the unrighteous. I could point to many scriptures. Isaiah was one. Another one is Ezekiel 20:37-38. God's talking to Israel. He said, "I will make you pass under the rod. I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." In other words, they're outside the covenant if they're Jews and not believers. The Abrahamic covenant was for believing Jews, not for every Jew. Paul said, "Not all those who claim to be Israel are really Israel." The only way you can be a true Israelite is to believe in Christ and be a descendant of Abraham.

But he's saying here, "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will purge you from the rebels, those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel." Here's a group of Jews who will not enter the land, and it's those who have rebelled against the gospel. "I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn. They will not enter Israel. Thus you will know that I am the Lord." Jeremiah 23:6 states, "In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely." That's believing Judah, believing Israel, who will dwell securely. "And this is his name, by which he shall be called, the Lord of righteousness."

Speaker 2

Isn't it remarkable how the Bible reveals what the future will hold for Israel? It's fascinating to see God's plan for his chosen people even as we watch current events unfold.

Well, there's much more I want to show you about Jesus the Judge. We'll get back to this topic tomorrow on Pathway to Victory, and in the event you want to listen to these messages in their entirety, Pathway to Victory offers the entire collection of audio CDs and video DVDs for this teaching series. These recordings contain far more teaching material than we've had time to broadcast on this daily program. David will give you the details in just a moment.

Plus, I'm especially eager for you to own my brand new book for this teaching series. It's called *Jesus Revealed in the End Times: Hope for Today from the One who Holds Our Future*. Yes, it's true that a study about the last days should include details on the major events like the Rapture and the Tribulation, but too many books on Bible prophecy do so while missing the major point. The primary focus of Revelation is all.

Speaker 3

The books that precede it is the.

Speaker 2

Future appearance of King Jesus, who is coming soon to reign over all the earth, and His Second Coming should not strike fear, but peace and joy for all who know Him.

Let me send you a hardbound copy of my new book, *Jesus Revealed in the End Times*. I'm happy to do so when your request comes with a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory.

Your gift will be used by God to spread His message far and wide. Thanks so much for your financial partnership with Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 3

David.

Speaker 1

Thanks, Dr. Jeffress. Today, when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, you're invited to request a copy of the brand new book by Dr. Robert Jeffress called *Jesus Revealed in the End Times*. Call us toll-free at 866-999-2965 or visit ptv.org now. When you give $100 or more, we'll also send you the complete collection of audio and video discs for the *Jesus Revealed in the End Times* teaching series along with a helpful study guide.

Now, Friday is the very last day we'll mention this offer, so please get in touch right away. One more time, call 866-999-2965 or go online to ptv.org. You could also send your donation by mail. Write to P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222. Again, that's P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222.

I'm David J. Mullins. Join us next time for part two of the message *Jesus the Judge*, right here on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.

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