Ques. 148. At the "Bema" or judgment seat of Christ for the saints, is it before others, or to ourselves alone, that we are manifested?
(2 Cor. 5:10.) T. N. L.
Ans. The judgment seat of Christ is to show to each of us the true character of our walk and ways as it appears in the sight of the Lord. Thoughts of what others may think of us, cannot come in there. Each one will be filled with praise and thanksgiving for the grace that bore with us through all our wandering and changeful ways, and led us on. God's grace will be realized as never before, and the Lord will speak to us approvingly of all that He can, and disapprovingly of what was contrary to His mind and will. The thought of this was meant to exercise the saints at Corinth to walk in His ways. May it exercise us too.
Ques. 149. Is the meeting for remembering the Lord really the worship meeting?
T. N. L.
Ans. Yes, it is characteristically the "worship" meeting. We speak of the "prayer" meeting, and the "reading" meeting. At each of these the exercises may be varied; instruction and worship might be at the prayer meeting, but we come together for prayer. And at the meeting for reading or instruction, prayer and worship are not out of place. So in the Lord's day morning meeting we might have ministry and prayer at the end; but our one thought should be that we have come to meet the Lord in the midst of His gathered saints, and to remember Him in His death; this is worship and calls from our hearts increased adoration as we thus ponder His wonderful love that gave Himself to glorify God and to bear His righteous judgment for us. If we are indeed subject to the Spirit's guidance, our hymns, or scriptures read, before the breaking of bread, will tend to lead our thoughts thus out to Him.
There is room after the breaking of bread, if the Lord should give a word of ministry, but we do not come especially for that, but to give to the Lord our heart's adoration, and this is expressed in our act of remembering Him in the bread and wine.
Ques. 150. After the Lord comes and has taken up His saints-changed the living and raised the dead saints, and they are caught up to Him, to be forever with the Lord, as in 1 Thess. 4-who are to be saved into the kingdom that is to be set up on earth?
Ans. There will be three classes of people on earth after the Lord has taken away His heavenly saints. Jews or Israel; Gentiles or nations or heathen, and the apostate church, the tares of Matt. 13, or the foolish virgins of Matt. 25.
The Jews, that is the two tribes, and the ten tribes afterward, will be brought to know Jehovah, and He will make His new covenant with them. (Heb. 8:8-12.) The nations will be brought to own and fear Jehovah also. (Ezek. 36:36; 37:28; 38:23; and many other passages.)
But the Lord will gather out of both, Jew and Gentile, all things that offend, and them that do iniquity. (Matt. 13:41, 42.)
There is nothing but judgment for the apostate church, and for those who have not obeyed the gospel. When the Lord comes with His saints, He will judge all such. (Jude 14, 15; Rev. 2:21-23; 3:3, 16:2 Thess. 1:8; 2:10-12.)
The judgment of the great white throne is at the end, and is for the dead only. (Rev. 20:12.) The Jew will be judged by the law; the Gentile will perish without law, (Rom. 2:12); and the Christless professor because he has not put on the wedding garment. (Matt. 22:11-13.)
Courtesy of BibleTruthPublishers.com. Most likely this text has not been proofread. Any suggestions for spelling or punctuation corrections would be warmly received. Please email them to: BTPmail@bibletruthpublishers.com.