Chapter 6

THE END OF REBELLION

THE MORE I READ the Bible, the more I see the faithfulness of God in all His promises. The Old Testament and the New Testament both teach this great truth in word and in illustration. Many of us, when we talk of God keeping His promises, think of all the good things He has promised. Many do exist, but we are considering in this chapter that God not only keeps His promises of peace, but also of punishment.

The history of God’s people in the Old Testament is the tragic demonstration of how they never learned this lesson. Only when the blow fell were they sorry and full of repentance.

The greatest demonstration of God’s hand in punishment will be seen in relation to this whole concept of rebellion about which we have been thinking. Just now the world is
engaged in a runaway experience of rebellion in every area of human relationship. The pace is heating up, the areas of rebellion are increasing and widening. But someday there will come a time of reckoning and a day of judgment.

We love to comfort ourselves with such promises as Philippians 2:9-li: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This gives us joy as we consider the glory all for Christ, and as we think of all the godless, wicked knees that will someday bow to Him. We praise God for this. This is a promise which we greatly anticipate.

But we need to be reminded that someday each one of us, believer and unbeliever, will meet the Lord in judgment. We are challenged and subdued by this fact. Many Christians, true believers, are completely ignorant of this approaching judgment. They run around, going their own sweet way, “doing their own thing” with never a thought to what the Bible has to say.

I find the teaching of the Word in this area can be used to pull us up sharply and awaken us to our responsibility. There is no doubt that if all believers were aware of the truth concerning judgment, then our churches would be places of power, witnessing would be a constant occupation, and missions would achieve their greatest impact.

So let us turn to God’s Word and find the Lord Jesus, not now as Saviour, but as Judge.

First look with me in Revelation 20:7-15. This passage begins by detailing the last demonstration of rebellion by the person of Satan. As well as being the last, it is also the greatest as far as numbers and involvement of nations is concerned. Verse 9 tells of the tremendous physical victory from the hand of God. Then verse 10 speaks of the final judgment on Satan. That which began in Isaiah 14 finds its final fulfillment here: “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

Whatever this means we do not know, and we do not need to know, except to realize that God keeps His promises of peace and punishment.

Verse 11 then speaks of a great white throne. This is the throne of judgment and the one who sits there is Christ. We know this because Jesus said in John 5:22, “For the Father
judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.”

The following verses then tell us who are the ones who will appear there for judgment. Verse 12 says, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God.” In three other
places following this they are called “the dead.” From this we can learn that there will be no true believers there. Ephesians 2:1 tells us: “And you hath he quickened [or made
alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Once we were dead but by the grace of God we were born again, we received life, and we became living ones.

Verse 12 gives more details: “And the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Notice here the books of the dead, and the Book of the living ones. There are many books of the dead; there is only one Book of Life. This last Book is mentioned in five places in the Bible; it is the Lamb’s Book of Life. It contains the names of all those who belong to Him. Everyone’s name is in a book, either in the books of the dead or in the one Book of Life.

The Book of Life is at the great white throne to serve as a check on those who are being judged. You will see in verse 15 that the punishment came not to those who were in the
books of the dead, but to those who were not in the Book of Life.

We have considered this passage to make sure of one fact: no true believer will ever be there. If you know Christ as your Saviour you will never appear before the judgment at
the great white throne. Conversely, if these words are being read by someone who is not sure that his name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life, the wisest thing you can do is to come with your need to the Saviour at this moment. Don’t wait to meet Him as your Judge.

There is another place of judgment and to this one all believers will be summoned. This time it is to deal with the issue of rebellion in the life of the Christian.

We can see this in 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 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 bath done, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.”

These words are very challenging! See those four words in verse 10: “we must all appear.” Notice the word “all”; no one will be left out. The word “must” tells us that we have no choice; we must be there. It goes on to say, “that every one may receive the things done in his body.” Although all of us will be there, we appear one at a time. This is not a mass movement, or a church judgment, or even a family appear ance, it is a personal thing. “Everyone. . - his body.”

Paul’s words in verse 16 are very revealing: “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord.” This in no way depicts Paul as a cringing coward. The Amplified New Testament says, “Therefore, being conscious of fearing the Lord with respect and reverence.” Paul had a wholesome respect for the holiness and majesty of God. He knew he had to answer for his life lived here on earth, and such knowledge brought awe
and reverence to his heart. This thought of the holiness of God is one of the missing ingredients in many Christian lives today. A world which has lost respect for the dignity of human life can so affect the lives of Christians that they begin to lose respect all along the line. It is so easy to see Jesus as our brother and God as a friendly neighbor.

The Holy Spirit draws our attention to the same thought in Romans 14:10: “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Notice again “we shall all.”

This use of the phrase “the judgment seat of Christ” in both these passages is very significant. To the people of the early church the meaning was clear. It reminded them of what often happened. A certain lord, prince, or rich man would leave his possessions and go to visit another area. During his absence he would leave his servants with their various jobs to do. On his return he would have a checkup on what went on during his absence. This is exactly what a business executive would do today. It is a test and a check to see the response of the assistants in order to discover what had been
accomplished. The Lord Jesus Himself used such an illustration in His parables.

In the culture of those early days the lord sat on a seat with a table before him. On the table were the records of the schedules given and fulfilled. He then discussed with each
member of his group the work done, commenting as necessary. This is what the judgment seat was—a place of scrutiny and examination.

With this information we can now get a picture of what has been told us: “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive.” You will be there; I will be there. Someone may comment that such a gathering of all the believers who ever lived would take a long, long time to finish. The answer to such a remark is that time will have ceased to exist when this is being fulfilled.

We can find more information as to what happens at this judgment seat by turning to 1 Corinthians 3:9-16, which introduces the idea that we are laborers together with God. The end of verse 10 says, “But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”

From verse 12 the message continues as follows:

Now it any man build upon this foundation gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

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 every man’s work of what sort it is.

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon,
he shall receive a reward.

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:
but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Co 3:12-16).

This is a tremendous passage and it has much to say to each one of us, especially as we face up to our own rebellion as Christians and the many times we walk in independence.

We have already seen that there will be no believers at the great white throne, but that every Christian will stand before Christ at the judgment seat. Now, let us make sure of one very important fact. There are some Christians who become very apprehensive when they consider this judgment, because they have the idea that there is a possibility they may never get to heaven after all. Somehow they wonder whether they will really make it.

We do need to view this judgment with awe and wonder just as we saw Paul did in 2 Corinthians 5:11, but not for the reason stated above.

The Bible is here teaching what actually is the object coming up for judgment. See for yourself the repeated use of the words “every man’s work.’.’ This comes twice in verse 13 and once each in verses 14 and 15. It is not the man who is being judged, but his works.

See how personal this occasion is. Just as we saw the use of the words every one in 2 Corinthians 5:10, so we have the singular emphasis in verse 10, “every man”; verse 12, “any man”; verse 13, “every man’s,” “every man’s”; verse 14, “any man’s . - he”; verse 15, “any man’s ... he.” There is no sense of hurry. The Lord will have time for every man and woman.

When we put these two considerations together we can see now the whole point of the judgment. This is no question of whether we will get to heaven, the very judgment itself is held in heaven. Anyone who reaches this time of searching before the Lord has already an assurance of his home in heaven.

The whole process of examination is directed towards the life we have lived here on earth and the works we have accomplished. The very mention of the word works is misleading to some people. This is not a question of being saved by our works. The Bible teaches quite plainly and repeatedly that we are saved by the blood of Christ and by no merits of our own. These are not works for salvation, but works following salvation.

What is the basis of this judgment? What standards are to be used? We can find the answer to this in the last five words of verse 13: “of what sort it is.” This is one of the most significant phrases in the whole passage. Notice the basis for scrutiny is not how much it is, but “what sort it is.”

These are very comforting and challenging words. We might have the idea that when we come before the Lord, we do so with our accumulated wealth of good works. If this were so, we can easily see how certain people would have enormous piles of good deeds. Just think for a moment of the tremendous results from the lives of people such as Billy Graham, D. L. Moody, John Wesley, and other great preachers down through the ages. These men would stand there over shadowed by the mountainous accumulation of their good works.

On the other hand, there would be many little nobodies whose lives had not seen such an abundance of blessing. Just think of some of the bedridden, who never have an opportunity to get out and about. How pitiful would be their tiny handful compared with the giants of the faith.

This would be the situation if the judgment were based on how much it is. Thank God, His standard is “what sort it is.”

At this point, the value of God’s wonderful will and plan for us begins to take a new shape. Remember, the mystery of God’s will was that we should be made partakers of the divine nature. We already had, and still possess, our old fallen human nature; but when we were born again, we received a new nature. The old nature is the rebel, always wanting its own way, whether good or bad. When Adam stepped into
independence, he took all humanity with him. This is the tragedy of a world in rebellion. Human nature, the flesh, has always continued to walk in independence. It knows no other way; it cannot change its inherent nature. This was why God finished with the flesh and gave to us the very life of Christ Himself.

Now can you see why the whole basis of the judgment is “of what sort it is”? There are only two sorts of works, my sort and His sort.

My sort is the result of my own deliberate choosing. I planned, I schemed, and this is what happened—whether it is good, bad, or indifferent. Every one of these works was done in independence, as I thought I knew how I could behave or choose. My sort is the proof of my own independence and rebellion, not to my credit but to my condemnation!

His sort is the outcome of a life totally yielded to Him. It is His choice. His plan performed by His power for His glory. When it is my sort I get the glory, however much I protest otherwise. If my protests are loud enough, I even get the added glory of being thought humble! Not so in the life that is yielded to Christ.

It is fascinating to see the life of Christ on earth as the perfect example of a constant, unfailing, dependent life. In John 5:19 He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son
can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do.” In verse 30 of the same chapter He added, “I can of mine own self do nothing. . . I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” In John 7:16 we read, “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” John 8:28 brings this added thought: “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” John 14:10 has a challenging word for us in this very connection: “The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”

In all these passages Jesus is demonstrating His total dependence on the One who sent Him. He claimed no credit or honor for anything. Though He was the Son of God, He
never used His divine power for His own ends or for His own glory. The Father who sent Him was the source and continuing supply of His plans and power.

This brings into special focus the words of our Lord in John 20:21: “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” The Father sent Jesus to walk in total dependence. The first Adam was created to walk in dependence upon God, but he stepped into independence. Now see the significance of 1 Corinthians 15:45, “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” Jesus was the last Adam, the One who never failed. He demonstrated, as we have seen, His total dependence upon the One who sent Him.

This is the significance of the words, “as My Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” He is the One who sends us and He wants us to walk even as He walked. He wants us to walk dependent on Him. When this comes true in our daily experience, then our works become His sort, just as His works were the Father’s sort.

To enable us to achieve this quality of life, “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” He was a life-giving Spirit. He sent His Holy Spirit to indwell us, so that we might be partakers of the divine nature. As we yield to Him by our new behavior pattern, then what is seen in our lives is not “our sort” but “His sort.” Just as Jesus could say, “The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works,” we should seek to live so that, as much as possible, we can say, “The Saviour who dwells in me, He is doing the works.” Remember, the only way this can ever be true is as we seek to make the new behavior pattern: “Lord Jesus, I can’t . . . but Lord Jesus, you can!”

This idea of the two sorts is graphically illustrated in verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 3: “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble.” These six separate items are used to set forth what the works are; they picture for us in parable language what our works will be at the judgment seat. Notice that there are two sorts of works. These six items fall into two groups: one consisting of gold, silver, and precious stones; the other group comprised of wood, hay, and stubble.

It is easy to recognize which group represents His sort, which has come through the outworking of the indwelling Spirit; it is the gold, silver and the precious stones. Inci-
dentally, these three items were a figure of Christ in the Old Testament, in the temple construction, in the redemption process, and in many other ways.

Likewise, it is easy to see which group represents our sort, the product of a rebellious human nature which is dead in the sight of God. The very items themselves—wood, hay,
stubble—are dead things. Once they had life, just as Adam had life; but now they are dead, just as human nature is dead in the sight of God.

This then is the basis for judgment: “of what sort it is.” The Bible uses vivid symbolism to show how the actual test is made: “The fire shall try every man’s work.” Imagine fire
being applied to the six items mentioned above. Nothing would happen to the gold, silver, and precious stones. They would stand firm for one special reason. When gold is made, it lives in fire to burn off the dross. Silver is made by a process we read of in Psalm 12:6: “As silver tried in a furnace of fire, purified seven times.” Precious stones are the product of fire and pressure operating below the earth’s surface. No fire would harm these three, because they have already passed through the fire.

But think of the effect on the three dead things, the wood, hay, and stubble. There would be a rush of flame, a roar of  fire, and when the testing was finished, all that remained
would be a heap of ashes. Nothing left but the ashes of sorrow and regret. If this is a picture of your life now—ashes of regret—consider the promise of Isaiah 61:3. Jesus, in Luke 4:18-19, said that these words applied to Him. Therefore He is able “to give them beauty for ashes.” There is still time to have the beauty of Christ seen through our yielded lives to cancel out the ashes of human failure.

All these words are written in the Bible to make us aware that some day there will come a time of reckoning for each believer. If every Christian really believed this teaching and faced up to the stark fact that one day he will actually stand before Christ, what a lot of rethinking and reevaluating there would be.

But this isn’t the end of the story of the judgment seat. One remarkable fact emerges from verse 14: “If any man’s work abide . . . he shall receive a reward.” This is an embarrassing thought in one way. Many of us might respond by saying, “But I don’t want any reward. Just to be in heaven will be enough for me.” It may be enough for us, but it is not enough for the Lord! Check and see what He says in Revelation 22:12: “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Notice here the same thought as we have already seen—”every man,” “his work,” “my reward.”

What these rewards are, we have no idea. Several guesses have been made, but the actual truth is still one of God’s unrevealed secrets. It is good that this is so, otherwise we may be tempted to glorify the reward instead of giving all the glory to the Redeemer.

Still speaking of rewards, verse 15 adds, “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” The purpose of the judgment seat is for the giving and the withholding of rewards. Notice that if there is no reward, even then the Christian is saved, yet so as by fire.

In these six chapters we have had a long look at rebellion as we see it today, both in the world around us and especially in our own hearts. The whole purpose of Christian witnessing is to proclaim to a lost, dead, rebellious world that God has an answer in Christ. But before we get out to tell others, there needs to be a ,reckoning up in our own lives.

We may be saved, be born again, and rejoicing in the hope of a home in heaven. But the crucial question is this: what is my relationship to the risen, victorious, indwelling Christ? Am I still walking in independence, even under the disguise of enthusiastic service—my enthusiasm—my service? Am I still struggling and fighting to live the Christian life, bewildered by my fears and sick of my failure?

There is an answer. In these chapters we have shared together all that Christ can be day by day. May I suggest that this may be your need at this time. You have found Jesus as
the sin-bearer at the cross. Have you gone on to find Him the burden-bearer in the crisis, and the source of all your power?

PRAYER OF REALIZATION

O God my Father, I thank you for all that I have learned
by the guiding of your Holy Spirit.

I recognize the truth of rebellion; I see it all around me.
I see it and know it within my own heart. I acknowledge my
sin and my rebellion.

At this time I would come into a fuller realization of all
that Jesus Christ is.

I thank you for His sacrificial death. I adore and worship
Him because through His death I can be saved from my
sins.

Now I bow in wonder, realizing the power of His saving
life as He indwells me by His Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus, this opens to me a totally new way of life. So
far I have been confined to the failure of my old behavior
pattern, shut into myself and my own resources.

Dear Lord, I see now that as I live this way, I am walking
in independence, perpetuating the rebellion that is the curse
of this world.

I see now my need to bring in a new behavior pattern based
solely on who You are and what You can be in my life day
by day.

As I realize this, help me to grow in grace, counting only
on Your presence, committing all to Your power.

In doing this I would prepare myself for that day when I
see You face to face. Help me to walk in awe as I look only
to You. May Your gold, silver and precious stones be seen
more and more in my daily life as the life of Christ is made
manifest in my mortal flesh.

Do all this for the honor and glory of Your holy name, for
the blessing of others through my yielded life, and for the
sake of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.