Kevaughn Mattis 

Featuring the late  J. Hampton Keathley III 

 

            When browsing through current theological material on the subject of the security of the believer, one does not need to engage in meticulous perusing to detect the bitter antagonism expressed against the “Modified Calvinistic Doctrine of Eternal Security”. One writer defines and evaluates the doctrine as such:

“Eternal security: the belief that once a person accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior, he can never be lost. Eternal security sounds great until you realize that this doctrine allows people to commit every sin under the sun without suffering any consequences for their complete lack of holy living”. He goes on to say elsewhere:

“I think the most flagrant problem with the “once-saved-always-saved” doctrine is the notion that people can confess to be a Christian, and yet live a life so depraved that the devil himself would refuse to associate with them. Those who promote eternal security never mention the fact that people openly abuse the sin option”.[1]

Contrary to the opinion of the aforementioned critical writer, it is precisely because we dare to affirm the security of the saint in spite of his sins that we and our teaching are so terribly despised. Secondly, and in all sincerity and respect, I believe that it is the proponent of conditional security who is afraid to mention that people freely choose the “sin option” despite their system of teaching. The truth of the matter is that people who believe in conditional security do not necessarily live holier lives {lives that are more acceptable to God} than people who believe in eternal security. It would be admitted by most that according to  biblical revelation, the theology of Christ and His apostles (Christianity) offered a relationship with God that was more intimate and secure than was the case with some of the Jewish scribes {e.g. the Pharisees}[2]  However, it didn’t follow that these Pharisees and their disciples lived holier lives than Christians. Even when they did, sometimes their deeds were done with ungodly motives and in the spirit of legalism.[3] Licentiousness therefore, is not directly proportional to personal security.            

I find it difficult to believe at times that so many Christians determine whether the doctrine of eternal security is true or not based on the lives of those of who believe in it. Logically, this kind of thinking finds accordance with the notion that the pervasiveness of evil in the world attests to the falsehood of theism.[4] The conditional security believer would more than likely defend the idea of theism by attributing the prevalence of evil to man’s freedom of will.[5] However, the problem of how a God who foreknew all the evil that would occur as a result of free will and yet allow it would still exist. In the presence of evil, doesn’t it seem a bit irresponsible for a sovereign and all powerful God to have yielded His control over human actions simply in order for them to truly express themselves as they see fit in relation to God and their fellowmen? Usually, if not always, conditional security believers do not think this way. It follows therefore that if they do not see free-will in itself as a license to sin, neither should they see the doctrine of eternal security in this light. As a matter of fact, in light of their “free-will” theology, eternal security can even be seen as a state of affairs that promotes free-will: The fact that one believes that he cannot lose his salvation means that he will act in a way that expresses his heart’s truest desire. He may either live a life of godliness in heart-felt love for Christ or live in unrighteousness, in deep passion for self.

It is for this reason that some proponents of eternal security question the sincerity of worship under a system of conditional security. Is the conditional security believer saying that having a secure relationship with God afforded by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ is unable to motivate one to holiness? Is he saying that he needs to be threatened with hellfire in order to truly worship God? A more critical question would be, “Would they abuse the doctrine of eternal security if they believed in it?” If the answer to that question is yes, how can their worship under the system of conditional security be sincere?? If the answer is no, then they are admitting that eternal security is not adversative to godliness.   

As I  reflected on what the conditional security proponent wrote, it occurred to me that perhaps the conditional security advocate perceives eternal security as a doctrinal safe-haven for criminals; an inherently unjust system that propogates a lack of divine law enforcement. But in thinking of eternal security as “a doctrinal safe-haven for criminals”, I perceive such reservations to be tinged with a sort of arrogance whereby the critic disassociates himself from the classification of “sinner” and “criminal”. This is certainly an unwarranted notion as our very own sonship in God’s family is the result of divine determination to save us despite our enmity with Him (Romans 5:6-8) and our despicable moral character (Ephesians 2:1-5). The conditional security believer would have no qualms finding a safe-haven in the grace of God at the moment of salvation but detests the mercy of God shown to sinners after they are saved.[6]  It is consequently vital for us to understand that God is the Absolute. He is sovereign and has absolute authority (Daniel 4:28-37). He is the absolute fullness of good (Mark 10:17-18), the absolute fullness of love (1 John 4:8) and the absolute fullness of life (1 John 5:10-12, John 10:10). Isn’t it reasonable to believe that the absolute authority and good could dispense the absolute life principle contained in Itself to creatures that are self-destructing? Won’t this be reasonable if it is taken into account that by giving them this life, the Absolute could renew sinful, dying creatures in eternal and perfect holiness at the last day? Eternal Security brings about some sort of absolute good doesn’t it? And one that is everlastingly gracious (Ephesians 2:7).

The above idea may seem like a travesty of justice to the conditional security believer, “How could God not only justify but commit Himself to the security of sinners without having them pay for it with discipleship?” Scriptures make it clear however, that in the divine tribunal, God graciously (Romans 3:24) vindicates the ungodly (Romans 4:5): When God saves sinners, by virtue of the work of Christ He saves them justly (Romans 3:23-26); and not only that but He also preserves them justly upon the same basis (Romans 5:9-10). Some may object that God preserving sinners in salvation would be unrighteous because God’s righteousness demands that He punish sin but this is only one aspect of God’s righteousness. God in his righteousness may also have mercy upon sinners. New Testament scholar, Douglas J. Moo enlightens us when he says that “our English term, “righteous” indicates an abstract quality, however the Greek term in the LXX has a broader semantic – potentially meaning, “establishing right”. There are numerous places in Pslams and Isaiah where God’s righteousness means His salvation of His people”[7] (Psalm 31:1, 40:10, 51:14, 71: 15, 98:2; Isaiah 46:13, 51:6, 8). In safeguarding the saint, God is preserving the “right” or the good that was established” when we were first redeemed[8] This righteous work of God is not only good but unfailing and forever (Psalm 37:28, Psalm 94:14, Psalm 89:28-34).

            Now given the fact that these objections against the security of the believer are moralistic, it would follow that such objections would have existed in biblical times and without failing to disappoint, they do. Paul described the gospel message as a scandal {Greek: skandalon}: an offence and stumbling block to Jews (1 Cor. 1:23).  “The ancient Greeks used the word (skandalon) when referring to the movable stick or trigger of a trap, a trap stick. It was a trap, a snare, and any impediment placed in the way and causing one to stumble or fall”[9]  One of the reasons why the gospel is such a scandal is because whenever the gospel of grace is truly proclaimed, it induces moral suspicion and the proclaimer is accused of antinomianism (doing away with obedience to God's law). Paul was charged with this (cf. Romans 3:8, 6:1) and so are proponents of eternal security today. The most infamous reference to this sort of moralistic objection to the concept of the security of the believer is Romans 6:1.                                            

Paul had moved on in Romans from establishing why humanity needed salvation (1:18 -3:20) to what God had done to provide it, how it could be appropriated, its’ gracious nature and also its’ benefits and its’ blessedness (Romans 3:21 - 5:21). From Romans 6 onwards, Paul deals with the issue of why we should obey God and not live in sin. It is interesting that Paul has to deal with this issue of holy living immediately after expounding on the goodness of our salvation. It certainly leads one to wonder, “Does the believer in conditional security have to do this?” Paul ventures to make a bold statement in Romans 5:20: that grace supersedes sin in whatever degree that it abounds.[10] Not only that but super-abounding grace is said to be reigning triumphantly over death and sin {by virtue of the sovereign rule of grace, there is therefore now no condemnation for them who are in Christ Jesus}. Paul must then defend himself from being misunderstood:

^{1 "}What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?                        

² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (Romans 6:1-2)”[11] It is surely a comfort to know that we find ourselves in the same kind of predicament that the apostle had found himself in. 

Part 2

            Initially, I had thought that the contents of this article would have been an endeavor of trying to prove that the doctrine of eternal security didn’t have to promote ungodliness but rather could stimulate holiness. However, one can also argue that eternal security can contribute to the purging of legalism from the body of Christ. There are certain sins that are readily identified and abhorred such as murder, rape, adultery and incest. Fewer people however, abhor sins which are obedience oriented (such as legalistic sins) even though God detests them.[12]   

Legalism is a somewhat difficult word to define as it is used to describe a spectrum of different conditions. Basically, legalism is said to be:

a) “Strict adherence to law, especially to the letter rather than the spirit” (The Random House College Dictionary, pg. 765)

a²) “The judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws” (Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, pg.

818).

b) “The doctrine that salvation is gained through good works” (Random House College Dictionary, pg. 765).

c) The act of predicating one’s self esteem and finding one’s personal identity in obedience to God. 

a) An example of where strict adherence to the letter rather than the spirit of the law was exemplified was in John 8:3-11. According to the law, punishment should have been meted out to this adulterous woman but instead God showed her mercy. Another great example of adherence to the letter of the law rather than the spirit is in Matthew 12:1-7[13]

a²) One adverse effect of strict adherence to the letter of the law is that overt behaviour (external conformity to the law) is used as the measuring criterion for virtuous character. However, biblical virtue includes having the proper motives and attitudes for doing right. This covert or internal aspect of Christian living is lost when legalism is practiced.  Note: When one believes in eternal security, one’s theology more than likely becomes grace oriented and as such, this sort of provincial theological outlook is more easily avoided.

 b) The most popular and definitely the most severe form of legalism is the doctrinal proposition that our relationship with God was initiated and is maintained by our personal obedience to God. This viewpoint makes God a debtor to humanity (Romans 4:3-5; 11:35) and salvation would no longer a divine act of loving kindness but a wage. Conversely, scripture says that eternal life is a gift (Romans 6:23). Also, salvation by works expunges the Lordship of Jesus Christ from the soteriological arena and God’s functional title of “Jehovah Tsidkenu”, “The Lord our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6), is denied. To deny a functional title of God is a glaring theological blunder indeed! A. W. Tozer correctly said, “A real Christian expects to go to Heaven on the virtue of another {namely Christ}”.[14]  Note: When one believes in eternal security, salvation is never by works but always the work of God’s grace for it is only a salvation by grace apart from works that could be sustained by God alone.

 c) Lastly, legalism was said to be the act of appraising one’s self-esteem according to and finding one’s identity in personal obedience to God. In contrast to this brand of legalism, the Bible prompts the saint to find his identity (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 2:8-12, Ephesians 1:21-23, 5:29-30, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13) and self esteem in Christ (1Corinthians 1:30-31, Philippians 3:2-9). In Him, we can boast that we have been made new creatures who are all a part of the new and everlasting world order[15] (Ephesians 2:1-10): Our purpose in doing good works is founded upon the fact that we have been saved and created anew in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10). And  just as our creation by natural birth brought us into existence as human beings and genetic products of our parents, our salvation was a creative work of God:  A supernatural nativity by which we were made creatures who are by nature united with Christ (Ephesians 2:10). Note: Rather than leaving us to find our identity and self-esteem in personal merit, eternal security helps us to find our self esteem in eternal identification with Christ. This helps to ensure that our godly life is Christ centered and motivated by love and gratitude. Believing in eternal security therefore helps one to avoid legalism and its’ related sins of hypocrisy, judgmental practices and unloving Christian service, and the decentralizing of the role of God in our salvation. 

            As bold a statement as this is, eternal security avoids ungodliness simply by being truthful as truth is fundamental to establishing and maintaining relationship with God (cf. John 14:6, John 17:17,19). All truth is a revelation about the person of God and hence ultimately, truth affects our perception of Him, which in turn affects how we relate to Him {it affects the I-Thou encounter}. The doctrine of eternal security is essential for godly living because truth is essential for godliness (Ephesians 6:13-14).[16] 

How Does it Promote Godliness

In this section of the article, the question of how eternal security promotes godly living will be briefly discussed. The esteemed Reformed scholar, J. I. Packer has a philosophy which is that theology is for doxology[17] and devotion; he therefore presents his material in a way that brings awareness of the divine presence. I believe that eternal security brings awareness of the divine presence and also promotes doxology and devotion.

 Devotion 

            According to Luke 14:25-33, discipleship costs us everything and the whole duty of the saint is to love God with his all (Mark 12:28-30). In light of such a ponderous call to allegiance (a willingness to forsake all, to put none before Him, to love and obey Him always, even when His will countermands our own), the question may be asked as to how a love of this nature and degree may become indigenous to the human heart. I believe that Horatius Bonar answered this question concisely when he said, “Every plant must have both soil and root. Without both of these there can be no life, no growth, no fruit. The root is “peace with God”; the soil in which that root strikes itself, and out of which it draws the vital sap, is the free love of God in Christ. “Rooted in love” is the apostle's description of a holy man. The secret of a believer's holy walk is his continual recurrence to the blood of the Surety, and his daily intercourse with a crucified and risen Lord.” (Italics mine)[18] The reason why we are able to live up to the call of the Christian life in love is because of God’s love for us (1 John 4:9-11). And the critical lesson which we learn from identifying God’s love as the cause of own is that the very thing which he expects of us is what was given to us in love when He established our “root of peace with God” as per Horatius Bonar.

            We are asked to be ready to lay down our lives for Him at any time because He was faithful in applying the benefits of His death to us (1 Peter 1: 18, 19). We are asked to dedicate our lives to Him because He has dedicated His own to rescuing us from eternal condemnation (Hebrews 7:25). Christ, both in His life and in His death, is committed to ensuring our final salvation (Romans 5:9-10). Our calling is therefore one of unconditional commitment to Him because His saving love is an unconditional commitment to us (Romans 8:35-39). It is the knowledge of this saving love and its’ endeavors that is used by the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with God’s love for us (Romans 5:5-6ff). Eternal Security is a reason to be devoted to God in love. And our security is not our own undertaking but a work of God for us and in us even {Regeneration and the Sealing ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit}, and hence the divine presence is brought near to our hearts, kindling it with unfeigned devotion.

Doxology 

The doctrine of eternal security sets the stage for the exaltation of the goodness and the sovereignty of God in the work of our salvation.  This truth is well exemplified in the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:3-14. Of these verses, John MacArthur says, “Ephesians 1:3-14 is a paean of praise from the heart of the apostle Paul.  It is not a cool theological argument, but the passionate overflow of Paul's thankful heart.  In Greek it is one long sentence.  The Spirit of God inspired Paul to lavish praise on the God who saved him.”[19] Paul and the Ephesians certainly had a lot to thank God about regarding their personal redemption: God had blessed them with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places: Accordingly, God had made certain their salvation before the world had even began (cf. v.4-5). Verses 7-14 go on to declare how this plan unfolds in time and the purpose and reasons for which these things were done (cf. v. 4, 5-6, 10, 12, 14). These verses speak of redemptive purposes and motives such as:                                            

(1)…..that we should be holy and without blame before Him {purpose} in love {motive}

(2)…..the good pleasure of His will {motive}

(3)…… the praise of the glory of His grace {purpose}

(4)….that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him {purpose}

(5) ….that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory {purpose}

Our salvation is secure because security is a loving act, done according to the good pleasure of God’s sovereign will. By decree He made Christ the foundation and sphere of convention of all things that are everlasting and so, our salvation glorifies Him. As we look at our security from this Pauline perspective, it is understandable why Paul spoke of God’s love and purposes in superlative degree:

 

Doxology

Romans 11: 

 

³³Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
                   How unsearchable his judgments,
       and his paths beyond tracing out!
    ³⁴“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
       Or who has been his counselor?”
    ³⁵“Who has ever given to God,
       that God should repay him?”
    ³⁶For from him and through him and to him are all things.
       To him be the glory forever! Amen.

(cf. 2 Corinthians 9:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Ephesians 3:14-21)

Somehow, believing in conditional security always made me wonder with regard to my salvation, “Where is God?” It was as if He did His best for me at the cross but, in the end, I was left in no better a position than Adam: in probation[20] and dependent on my own strength. He made me His son through regeneration (1 Peter 1:23). I was by nature a child of God! (1 John 3:2; John 1:12-13) only that unlike my biological parents, my divine parent could have destroyed this filial relationship in disapproval of my conduct. In the doctrine of eternal security, I encountered the divine presence in my salvation experience as I traced my redemption beginning from the decrees of God before the foundation of the earth to its end and into the ages to come. From start to finish our salvation is a work of God that stirs the exaltation of his immeasurable grace and Lordship.

Divine Chastisement 

            If it’s one theological and pastoral contribution that the teachers of the modified Calvinistic doctrine of eternal security have made to Christendom, it is that of substantial material produced on the issue of the chastisement of the sons of God. There is presently no other tradition that emphasizes this as much as those who believe in this doctrine. For one of the major practical fundaments of the Modified Calvinistic doctrine is that the love of God isn’t only redemptive but correctional in that it enforces parental discipline here on earth that can lead to holiness. Also, the unfaithful Christian will suffer the loss of future rewards which scripture says is a sorrowful thing for one to experience.

            Contrary to what some may believe, God does not allow the sins of His children to persist unpunished (Revelation 3:19) even though He doesn’t allow their sins to damn them (Psalm 89:28-34). Some do not believe that grace allows for God to punish His children even temporally. Others simply believe that the only punishment for habitual sin is loss of salvation.[21] However, both of these views seem to be imprecise to me. They both suggest that God is inoperative in His parental role in relation to the saints either by ignoring their sins altogether or by abandoning His fatherly posture toward them in the face of their sins to pronounce damning judgment upon them. On the contrary,  “...Because our King is not an aloof designer or absentee landlord, but a living Shepherd walking among his sheep, there is hope for change in the church beyond anything human ingenuity can invent. Our King is intimately present and powerfully active as the champion and the chastener of his church”[22] God has already perfected forever those whom He is purifying (Hebrews 10:14) and He will chasten (Hebrews 12:3-10), nurture (Titus 2:11) and reward (1 Corinthians 3:11-15) His children according to their conduct[23]

One Christian writer says concerning chastisement: “Chastisement of individuals is for believers only (Heb. 12:5). God's discipline is based on love, and when a believer is out of fellowship, discipline is aimed at only one thing, to get the believer to acknowledge his sin to God, to confess in order to be restored to fellowship (Heb. 12:6). Discipline never means a loss of salvation (Gal. 3:26; Heb. 12:6). Divine discipline is chastisement for sins of the believer in the immediate context of the sin that was committed. And discipline is removed by Biblical confession of sin (1 John 1:9; 1 Cor. 11:31). Suffering may well be part of the chastisement, and confession does not remove the suffering. However, when suffering continues after the believer has been restored to fellowship, the cursing is turned to blessing; that is, the suffering is for a positive purpose. If a believer continues in sin and refuses to repent and confess, the chastisement will become more and more severe. Certain sins bring compounded discipline, particularly those in which the believer is acting as a stumbling block to others (Matt. 7:1-12). In extreme cases, the believer could suffer the “sin unto death” {physical death}. However, all chastisement is confined to time; there will be no discipline for believers in eternity (Rev. 21:4)”[24] Examples of chastening and disciplinary actions in the bible are: (1) The death of Moses (2) When God took David’s child with Bathsheba home to be with the Lord (3) When God brings sickness to believers as a consequence of their sins (James 5:14-15).                 

The Christian who thinks that they could use their Christian liberty as an occasion to sin (Galatians 5:13) is terribly mistaken if they think that their life is going to be easy.  Robert N. Wilkin had tersely stated, “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22).  Those who disobey God, whether they are believers or unbelievers, are not “getting away with” anything. There is no peace for the wicked. We should never envy people who are walking in rebellion against God because, no matter how things may seem, such people are miserable and pitiable.  Sin never pays.”[25]

Rewards 

        This section of the article features the late J. Hampton Keathley III. Keathley was a man of great zeal and wisdom, intent on admonishing Christians to live godly lives in light of all that’s at stake in the future. However, at the same time, he preserved the freeness of the gospel message and the gracious nature of our salvation: 

The Judgment Seat (The Bema) of Christ or the Doctrine of Rewards

(from www.bible.org) http://www.disciplers.org

 (bold and underline added for emphasis by Art Barkley)

One of the prominent doctrines of the New Testament is the Doctrine of Rewards and the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is a doctrine often ignored or, when taught, it is misrepresented because of the term “judgment” that is used in translating the Greek text.

Commenting on this Samuel Hoyt writes: Within the church today there exists considerable confusion and debate regarding the exact nature of the examination at the judgment seat of Christ. The expression "the judgment seat of Christ" in the English Bible has tended to cause some to draw the wrong conclusion about the nature and purpose of this evaluation. A common misconception which arises from this English translation is that God will mete out a just retribution for sins in the believer's life, and some measure of retributive punishment for sins will result (Bibliotheca Sacra, Article by Samuel Hoyt).

As it will be shown below, though it is tremendously serious with eternal ramifications, the judgment seat of Christ is not a place and time when the Lord will mete out punishment for sins committed by the child of God. Rather, it is a place where rewards will be given or lost depending on how one has used his or her life for the Lord.

(Added Note: Maybe better stated, “Rewards will be based on the fruit that I have allowed the Holy Spirit to produce through my life, as I by faith in His promises, have abided in fellowship with Him” – Art B.)

In 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, the Apostle Paul drew courage and was motivated by the fact of rewards at the return of the Lord for the church which he mentions in every chapter in this epistle and becomes the primary subject of 2 Thessalonians. The Lord's return and what this means not only to the world but to us individually is a very prominent subject of the New Testament.

It is significant that among the final words of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, we find these words of the Lord: "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done" (Rev. 22:12).

While salvation is a gift, there are rewards given for faithfulness in the Christian life and loss of rewards for unfaithfulness. Rewards become one of the great motives of the Christian's life or should. But we need to understand the nature of these rewards to understand the nature of the motivation. Some people are troubled by the doctrine of rewards because this seems to suggest "merit" instead of "grace”, and because, it is pointed out, we should only serve the Lord out of love and for God's glory.

Of course we should serve the Lord out of love and for God's glory, and understanding the nature of rewards will help us do that. But the fact still remains that the Bible promises us rewards. God gives us salvation. It is a gift through faith, but He rewards us for good works. God graciously supplies the means by which we may serve Him. Indeed, He works in us both to will and to do as we volitionally appropriate His grace (Phil. 2:12-13), but the decision to serve, and the diligence employed in doing so, are our responsibility and our contribution and God sees this as rewardable. Compare the following passages:

1 Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

Col. 1:29 And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

Key Verses: Rom. 14:10-11; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:9-10; 1 John 2:28; Rev. 3:11-12.  

THE MEANING OF THE JUDGMENT (BEMA) SEAT

Both Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 speak of the "judgment seat." This is a translation of one Greek word, the word bema. While bema is used in the gospels and Acts of the raised platform where a Roman magistrate or ruler sat to make decisions and pass sentence (Matt. 27:19; John 19:13), its use in the epistles by Paul, because of his many allusions to the Greek athletic contests, is more in keeping with its original use among the Greeks.

This word was taken from Isthmian games where the contestants would compete for the prize under the careful scrutiny of judges who would make sure that every rule of the contest was obeyed (cf. 2 Tim. 2:5).

The victor of a given event who participated according the rules was led by the judge to the platform called the bema. There the laurel wreath was placed on his head as a symbol of victory (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-25).

In all of these passages, "Paul was picturing the believer as a competitor in a spiritual contest. As the victorious Grecian athlete appeared before the bema to receive his perishable award, so the Christian will appear before Christ's bema to receive his imperishable award. The judge at the bema bestowed rewards to the victors. He did not whip the losers" (Samuel Hoyt, "The Judgment Seat of Christ in Theological Perspective," Part 1, Bibliotheca Sacra, p. 37, January-March, 1980, Electronic Media). We might add, neither did he sentence them to hard labor.

In other words, it is a reward seat and portrays a time of rewards or loss of rewards following examination, but it is not a time of punishment where believers are judged for their sins. Such would be inconsistent with the finished work of Christ on the Cross because He totally paid the penalty for our sins. Chafer and Walvoord have an excellent word on this view:

With reference to sin, Scripture teaches that the child of God under grace shall not come into judgment (John 3:18; 5:24; 6:37; Rom. 5:1; 8:1; 1 Cor. 11:32); in his standing before God, and on the ground that the penalty for all sin -- past, present, and future (Col. 2:13) -- has been borne by Christ as the perfect Substitute, the believer is not only placed beyond condemnation, but being in Christ is accepted in the perfection of Christ (1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:6; Col. 2:10; Heb. 10:14) and loved of God as Christ is loved (John 17:23). (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Major Bible Themes: 52 Vital Doctrines of the Scripture Simplified and Explained, John F. Walvoord: Zondervan, 1974, p. 282.)

Again, Chafer writes concerning the bema, "It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the judgment is unrelated to the problem of sin, that it is more for the bestowing of rewards than the rejection of failure." (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 4 [Dallas Seminary Press, 1948], p. 406.)

THE TIME OF THE BEMA

This event will occur immediately following the rapture or resurrection of the church after it is caught up to be with the Lord in the air as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

Arguments or Reasons in Support of This View:

In Luke 14:12-14, reward is associated with the resurrection and the rapture is when the church is resurrected.

In Revelation 19:8, when the Lord returns with His bride at the end of the tribulation, she is seen already rewarded. Her reward is described as fine linen, the righteous acts of the saints--undoubtedly the result of rewards.

In 2 Timothy 4:8 and 1 Corinthians 4:5, rewards are associated with "that day" and with the Lord's coming. Again, for the church this means the event of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

So the order of events will be (1) the rapture which includes our glorification or resurrection bodies, (2) exaltation into the heavens with the Lord, (3) examination before the bema and (4) compensation or rewards.  

THE PLACE OF THE BEMA

It will occur somewhere in the heavenlies in the presence of the Lord. This is evident from 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 4:2 and 19:8.

THE PARTICIPANTS AT THE BEMA

All the passages dealing with the bema or rewards are addressed to believers or pertain to believers of the church (Rom. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 3:12f; 2 Cor. 5:9f; 1 John 2:28; 1 Thess. 2:19-20; 1 Tim. 6:18-19; Tit. 2:12-14 [note the emphasis on good works].

The resurrection program and thus the reward of Old Testament saints occurs after the tribulation, after church age saints are already seen in heaven and rewarded and returning with the Lord to judge the earth (cf. Rev. 19:8 with Dan. 12:1-2; Matt. 24).

All believers, regardless of their spiritual state, will be raptured and will stand before the bema to give an account of their lives and will either receive rewards or lose rewards. Some believe in a partial rapture theory which says that only those in fellowship with the Lord will be raptured as a form of punishment for their sin. As mentioned above, this is not only contrary to the finished work of Christ who once and for all paid the penalty for our sins, but it is contrary to the teaching of 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11.

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.

The context suggests that Paul has in mind the return of Christ for the church--the rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18). The rapture is the means of our deliverance from the wrath he discusses in chapter 5:1-3. Further, the words "awake or asleep" of verse 10 refer to a spiritual or moral condition, not whether one is alive or dead when Christ returns as in 4:13-14. This is clear from both the context of 5:4-8 and by the fact he changed the words he used for sleep. He used the Greek katheudo in 5:10 rather than koimao, the word he used metaphorically in 4:13-14 of physical death. Though katheudo was used of physical sleep and even death, it was also commonly used of spiritual apathy or carnal indifference to spiritual matters, and this is clearly the context of chapter 5. The point, then, is this: Because of the perfect and finished nature of Christ's death (note the words "who died for us" of verse 10), whether we are spiritually alert or not, we will live together with Him through the rapture to face the examination of the bema.  

THE EXAMINER OR JUDGE AT THE BEMA

This is none other than the Lord Jesus who is even now examining our lives and will bring to light the true nature of our walk and works when we stand before Him at the Bema (Rev. 1-2; 1 Cor. 4:5f; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 John 2:28). In Romans 14:10 the apostle called this examining time the Bema of God while in 2 Corinthians 5:10 he called it the Bema of Christ. The Point: Jesus, who is God, is our Examiner and Rewarder.  

THE PURPOSE AND BASIS OF THE BEMA

The purpose and the basis is the most critical issue of all and brings us face to face with the practical aspects of the Bema. Some crucial questions are: Why are we brought before the Bema? Is it only for rewards or their loss? Will any punishment be meted out? Will there be great sorrow? What's the basis on which the Bema is conducted? Is it sin, good works, or just what?

The Problem: Within the church, there exists a good deal of confusion and disagreement concerning the exact nature of the Bema. The use of the term "judgment seat" in most translations, ignorance of the historical and cultural background concerning the Bema, and foggy theology regarding the finished work of Christ have all contributed to several common misconceptions which, in one way or another, see God as giving out just retribution to believers for sin, or at least for our unconfessed sin.  

Three Views of the Bema:

For a summary of three major views, let me quote Samuel L. Hoyt from Bibliotheca Sacra.

Some Bible teachers view the judgment seat as a place of intense sorrow, a place of terror, and a place where Christ displays all the believer's sins (or at least those unconfessed) before the entire resurrected and raptured church. Some go even further by stating that Christians must experience some sort of suffering for their sins at the time of this examination.

At the other end of the spectrum another group, which holds to the same eschatological chronology, views this event as an awards ceremony. Awards are handed out to every Christian. The result of this judgment will be that each Christian will be grateful for the reward which he receives, and he will have little or no shame.

Other Bible teachers espouse a mediating position. They maintain the seriousness of the examination and yet emphasize the commendation aspect of the judgment seat. They emphasize the importance and necessity of faithful living today but reject any thought of forensic punishment at the bema. Emphasis is placed on the fact that each Christian must give an account of his life before the omniscient and holy Christ. All that was done through the energy of the flesh will be regarded as worthless for reward, while all that was done in the power of the Holy Spirit will be graciously rewarded. Those who hold this view believe that the Christian will stand glorified before Christ without his old sin nature. He will, likewise, be without guilt because he has been declared righteous. There will be no need for forensic punishment, for Christ has forever borne all of God's wrath toward the believer's sins (Hoyt, pp. 32-33)

This last view I believe to be the one that is in accord with Scripture. Reasons for this will be set forth and developed as we study the nature, purpose, and basis for the Bema. But for now, lest we draw some wrong conclusions, we need to be ever mindful that God's Word clearly teaches there are specific and very serious consequences, both temporal and eternal, for sin or disobedience. Though we will not be judged in the sense of punished for sin at the Bema since the Lord has born that for us, we must never take sin lightly because there are many consequences. 

THE PRESENT CONSEQUENCES OF SIN OR DISOBEDIENCE

While the following is not exhaustive, it demonstrates that sin in the life of a believer is not a small issue.

    (1) Loss of fellowship with the Lord. Known sin in one's life causes a loss of intimate fellowship with the Lord with the consequent loss of His joy and peace (Ps. 32:3-4).

 

    (2) Divine Discipline From the Lord Here in Time. We should not think of discipline as punishment. Discipline from God is the gracious work of a Father to train and develop His children. Sometimes this comes in the form of various kinds of testing, trials, failure, and predicaments which He uses to correct us, to train us, and if we have been going our own stubborn way, to increase our misery. The goal, however, is always to bring us back to Him (Heb. 12:5-11). If the believer remains unrepentant, this can lead to the sin unto death as with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), and some of the believers at Corinth who were failing to confess their sin and get right with the Lord (1 Cor. 11:28f; cf. also 1 John 5:16-17).  

   

    (3) Loss of Power and Production. When we fail to deal with our sinful ways through honest confession, we grieve the Spirit's person and quench His power in our lives. This means that rather than operating by faith in God's provision, we end up operating in the energy of the flesh. We turn to our personal bag of tricks by which we seek to handle life (Gal. 3:1-5; 5:5-1-5; Jer. 2:12-13). This results in the works of the flesh and their fruitless consequences (Gal. 5:19-21, 26). Without the abiding life, the life of faith and obedience to the Savior, we can do nothing (Jn 15:1-7).

 

    (4) Loss of Opportunities. When we are in charge of our lives rather than the Lord, we become insensitive to people and opportunities of ministry--we lack vision. Carnal believers have no vision other than their own personal agendas and selfish goals (cf. Jn. 4:34f).

 

    (5) Loss of Desire and Motivation for Service. Carnal believers are occupied and controlled by their own self-centered desires (Gal. 5:16f). Perhaps this is a good place to discuss the concept of selfishness and rewards, for some see an appeal to rewards as selfish and therefore carnal.

Zane Hodges has some good thoughts on this concept: Scripture does not teach us to be uninterested in our own happiness or well-being. The very desire to escape eternal damnation is a legitimate and urgent self-interest. The instinct to preserve our lives is the same. Nor are pleasure and enjoyment illegitimate experiences. When God put Adam and Eve in the garden, He furnished them with "every tree . . . that is pleasant to the sight and good for food" (Gen. 2:9). They could enjoy themselves freely provided they abstained from eating from the one forbidden tree. Similarly, Paul tells rich people that "God . . . gives us richly all things to enjoy. (1 Tim. 6:17: italics added). Selfishness ought not to be defined simply as the pursuit of our own self-interest. Instead, it should be defined as the pursuit of our self-interest in our own way, rather than in God's way. Since "love" is a preeminent virtue in Christianity, true selfishness often involves a pursuit of self-interest that violates the law of love (Hodges, Journal of the Grace Evang. Society, Autumn, 1991, p. 7).

        Self-interest in God's way is legitimate. Self-centeredness or selfishness is preoccupation with self at the expense of others and God's will in one’s life. When Adam and Eve chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they acted in self-centered independence which was idolatry and sin. When they enjoyed each other and the fruit trees and blessings of the garden, they acted in their self-interest but they did so in dependence on and in obedience to the Lord.

 

    (6) Broken relationships and disharmony. Carnality causes broken relationships and pain to those around us--our families, friends, associates, and co-workers in the body of Christ (Gal. 5:15; Heb. 12:15b).

 

    (7) Loss of Physical Health and Vitality. Of course all sickness, weakness, or suffering is not a product of sin, but it can be and often is (1 Cor. 11:29-30; 1 John 5:16-17; Prov. 17:22; 14:30).

 

    (8) Loss of Rewards at the Bema. 1 Cor 3:13-15: “each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.”

THE PURPOSE OF THE BEMA

It is not punitive. It is not to judge believers for sin of any kind, confessed or unconfessed. "Scripture teaches that for the believer God's justice has already been fully and forever satisfied at the Cross in relation to the believer's sins. If God were to punish the believer judicially for his sins for which Christ has already rendered payment, He would be requiring two payments for sin and would therefore be unjust. Such a concept (punishment for sin) erroneously disparages the all-sufficiency of Christ's death on the cross" (Hoyt, pp. 33-34). Christ paid the penalty for the believer's pre- and post-conversion sins. The believer will forfeit rewards which he could have received, but he will not be punished in the judicial sense of "paying" for his sins."

Scripture teaches that all sins, both confessed and unconfessed, have been forgiven and taken care of by the work of Christ on the Cross so the Christian will never face those sins again at the judgment.

Key Scriptures: The following verses demonstrate the basic principle of the complete and finished nature of Christ's Work:

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

Romans 5:19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

Colossians 2:10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

These verses state the complete results or conclusion:

Hebrews 8:12 "For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."

Hebrews 10:17-18 "And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Isaiah 44:22 "I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud, and your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Micah 7:19 He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Isaiah 38:17 "Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; It is You who has kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

These verses show we cannot come into judgment. Why? Because Christ has borne our judgment by being made a curse in our place:

Romans 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

John 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Question: Then why do we have to confess sin in this life? And why does God judge believers for unconfessed sin as with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 and some of the believers in Corinth in 1 Cor. 11:28f?

Answer: Because this is a completely different matter.

     (1) Unconfessed sin relates to fellowship in this life, not one’s relationship or standing with God.

Unconfessed sin stands as a barrier to fellowship with the Lord and His control over one's life. As Amos 3:3 says, "can two walk together unless they be agreed?" Obviously the answer is no. Confession means we agree with God concerning our sin and want to get back under God's control. "Daily forgiveness of those who are within the family of God is distinguished from judicial and positional forgiveness which was applied forensically to all of a person's sins the moment he believed in the Lord Jesus Christ" (Hoyt, p. 38). We need to distinguish between fellowship forgiveness and legal or forensic forgiveness that justifies us and gives us a standing before God through Christ.

Key Scriptures: Heb. 12:5f and 1 Cor. 11:28-32.

These passages: Explain the nature of God's judgment of believers in this life. It is discipline designed to train and bring believers back to a walk with God. They teach us the basic cause of discipline is failure to examine and confess known sins because they hinder our fellowship with God. "Condemned along with the world" in 1 Cor. 11:32 most likely refers to the judgment of Rom. 1:24f, moral degeneration and the gradual breakdown in the moral fiber of men when they turn away from God. The same thing happens in the life of believers, but God brings discipline to stop the process.

          (2) God does not judge us for our sin in the sense of making us pay the penalty for that sin.

Scripture teaches that Christ's death was all-sufficient, completely satisfying God's wrath toward sin in the believer. The question of sin in regard to God's justice has been forever satisfied in the mind of God by the all-sufficient sacrifice of His Son. The penalty for the believer's sins has been fully paid for by Christ, the believer's substitute. The Christian has been in court, condemned, sentenced, and executed in his substitute, Jesus Christ. God cannot exact payment for sins twice since payment has been fully and forever paid. The believer is seen by the Father as clothed in the righteousness of Christ. God can therefore find no cause for accusing the Christian judicially any more than He can find cause for accusing Jesus Christ. Therefore, at the judgment seat of Christ forensic punishment will not be meted out for the believer's sins (Hoyt, p. 38)

Rather, God disciplines us as a father disciplines his sons to bring us back into fellowship that we might be conformed to His Son. It is a family matter.

THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE BEMA

To evaluate the quality of every believer's work whether it is good or bad, i.e., acceptable and thus worthy of rewards, or unacceptable, to be rejected and unworthy of rewards. Actually an evaluation is going on every day by the Lord (cf. Rev. 2-3).

To destroy and remove unacceptable production portrayed in the symbols of wood, hay, and stubble. All sinful deeds, thoughts, and motives, as well as all good deeds done in the energy of the flesh will be consumed like wood, hay, and stubble before a fire because they are unworthy of reward. Why? This will be answered as we consider the basis on which rewards are given or lost.

To reward the believer for all the good he or she has done as portrayed by the symbols of gold, silver, and precious stones, that which is valuable and can stand the test of fire without being consumed.  

Scriptures:  

1 Cor. 3:13-15 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work

which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.

"Evident" is phaneros which means "known, plain, visible, revealed as to it nature."

 "The day" refers to a day well known and refers to the day of the bema after the rapture of the church. "Declare it" is deloo which means "to make evident, clear." "Be revealed" is apokalupto and means "to unveil." "Test" is dokimazo and means "to test for the sake of approval." "The quality" is hopoion, a correlative and qualitative pronoun meaning "of what sort or kind."

 1 Cor. 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.  

"Bring to light" is photizo, "to bring to light, make visible." "Disclose" is phaneroo, "to manifest, reveal." The issue should be extremely clear from these two verses: The Lord will evaluate the quality and nature of every person’s work. Compare also:

2 Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Rev. 22:12 "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.  

THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF THE BEMA

There are a number of passages that refer to the negative aspects of the Bema which need to be mentioned and explained. In these passages we read such things as "give account of himself," "suffer loss," "shrink away from Him in shame," and "recompense for his deeds . . . whether good or bad."

Will believers experience shame, grief, remorse at the Bema? If so, how do we reconcile this with passages like Revelation 7:17, "God shall wipe away every tear from their eye," and Revelation 21:4, "and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away," or with Isaiah 65:17, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind"?  

The negative effects involve the following:

The loss suffered in 1 Corinthians 3:15 refers to the loss of rewards, not salvation as the verse goes on to make clear. Please note that the clause "he shall suffer loss" would be better rendered "it (the reward) shall be forfeited."

The disqualification mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9:27 means disqualified from rewards, not loss of salvation. This is clear from the context and the analogy to the Greek athletic games.

The "recompense" (NASB) or the "receive back" (KJV) of 2 Corinthians 5:10 refers to the dispensing of rewards or their loss. The verb used is komizo and means "to carry off safe," "to carry off as booty." In the middle voice as here, it meant "to bear for oneself" (Abott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 252), or "to receive back what is one's own" (Rienecker, p. 468). Compare Matthew 25:27 and Ephesians 6:8.

That dispensing of rewards is in view is also evident from the Greek words in 2 Corinthians 5:10 translated "good" (agathos--valuable like good fruit) and "bad" (phaulos--unacceptable like rotten or spoiled fruit). The idea is not good in the sense of righteousness versus bad in the sense of evil or sinfulness. For those ideas Paul would have most likely used kalos, "good," and kakos, "evil." For good works, those valuable like good fruit, we will receive back rewards, but for bad works, those rotten and worthless, we will receive no rewards or the loss of rewards.  

Illustration: This is no more a punishment than when a student turns in a worthless assignment and receives an F or a D. His poor work results in a just grade or recompense. This is what his work deserves. There used to be a sign in the registrar's office at Dallas Seminary which read, "Salvation is by grace. . . Graduation is by works."

1 John 2:28 This verse undoubtedly refers to the Bema and shows there will be both boldness as a result of abiding, and shame before the Lord as a result of failing to abide.

"And now little children." John is writing to believers. This is his term of endearment for his readers as born again people.

"Abide in Him." "Abide" is a synonym for fellowship which is the subject of the book (1:3-7). It means to remain in Him from the standpoint of drawing on His life as the source of ours and then to obey Him out of that relationship of dependence. This is the basis of rewards or the cause of their loss, the abiding, Christ dependent life.

"So that" points us to the purpose, the return of the Savior and what it will mean.

"When He appears." Two things. (1) The "when" points to the imminency of the return of the Lord. It is literally "if He appears." The conditional clause does not question the reality of Christ's coming, only the time of it and thereby points to its imminency. (2) "Appears" refers to the rapture which leads quickly into the Bema.

"We may have confidence." "Confidence" is parresia and means "courage, boldness to speak." Point: Though none of us are perfect or ever will be, still, faithfulness to abide and obey the Lord will give confidence of rewards.

"And not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming (presence)." Please note several things here.

(1) The verb is what we call in Greek an aorist subjunctive, and with the basic meaning of this verb, the grammar points to a future act, but not a continuous state. This in no way suggests a permanent condition.

(2) The voice of the verb is passive. The subject receives the action, that is, he is made to feel shame. But how?

(3) There are two views:

The non-abiding believer is made to feel shame by the Lord, i.e., the Lord puts him to shame. This would be somewhat punitive and does not fit the concept of the Bema nor the promises of the Lord that we will not come into judgment.

The non-abiding believer is made to feel shame by the revelatory nature of the event caused by his own awareness and realization of what his own failure and sin has caused him in terms of the loss of rewards and loss of glory to the Lord. But this will only be momentary or short lived at best in view of passages like Revelation 7:17; 21:4 and Isaiah 65:17.

Hoyt has a good summary of what this passage is talking about and involves: The Bible suggests that there will be shame at the judgment seat of Christ to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the measure of unfaithfulness of each individual believer. Therefore it should be each believer's impelling desire to be well-pleasing to the Lord in all things. Although Christians apparently will reflect on this earthly life with some regret, they will also realize what is ahead for them in the heavenly life. This latter realization will be the source of boundless joy.

English strikes a proper balance on this subject: Joy will indeed be the predominant emotion of life with the Lord; but I suspect that, when our works are made manifest at the tribunal, some grief will be mixed with the joy, and we shall know shame as we suffer loss. But we shall rejoice also as we realize that the rewards given will be another example of the grace of our Lord; for at best we are unprofitable servants" (E. Schuyler English, "The Church at the Tribunal," in Prophetic Truth Unfolding Today [Fleming H. Revell, 1968], p. 29)

The elements of remorse, regret, and shame cannot be avoided in an examination of the judgment seat of Christ. But this sorrow must be somewhat relative because even for the finest of Christians there will be some things worthy of unceasing remorse in the light of God's unapproachable holiness. This would mean that the finest of Christians could be sorrowful throughout eternity. However, this is not the picture that the New Testament gives of heaven. The overwhelming emotion is joyfulness and gratefulness. Although there is undeniably some measure of remorse or regret, this is not the overriding emotion to be experienced throughout the eternal state.

The emotional condition of the redeemed is that of complete and unending happiness. Emotion proceeds from the realization of facts in personal experience. Hope will at last become reality for all those who are delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Rom. 8:18-25). Elimination of the curse, pain and death will also remove sorrow, tears and crying. (Rev. 21:4)

The judgment seat of Christ might be compared to a commencement ceremony. At graduation there is some measure of disappointment and remorse that one did not do better and work harder. However, at such an event the overwhelming emotion is joy, not remorse. The graduates do not leave the auditorium weeping because they did not earn better grades. Rather, they are thankful that they have been graduated, and they are grateful for what they did achieve. To overdo the sorrow aspect of the judgment seat of Christ is to make heaven hell. To underdo the sorrow aspect is to make faithfulness inconsequential. (Samuel Hoyt, "The Judgment Seat of Christ in Theological Perspective," Part 2, p. 131, Bibliotheca Sacra, Electronic Media).  

THE NATURE OF THE REWARDS

What are they and how are they described in Scripture? They are described in terms of generalities. What we know about rewards is given in terms that are more general than specific. These are:

The Promise of Crowns This seems to be used as a symbol of victory, authority and responsibility.

The Promise of Heavenly Treasure (Matt. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:4). Stresses their eternal value and security.

The Promise of Accolades or Commendations This is seen in those passages where a reward is administered in the form of something like "well done thou good and faithful servant . . ." (cf. Matt. 25:21; Lk. 19:17; 1 Cor. 4:5b).

The Promises to Overcomers These could refer to special blessing of rewards to those believers who overcome special trials and tests rather than a general promise to all believers. See Rev. 2:7; 2:11, 17, 26; etc.

The Promise of Special Responsibilities and Authority of the Lord's Possessions

(cf. Matt. 19:28; 24:45-47; 25:21, 23; Lk. 19:17-19; 22:29-30; Rev. 2:26).