The apostles warned that there would be scoffers who downplay the Bible’s prophecies. Often, non-believers sneer at Christian belief in the return of Jesus Christ and the foretelling of the End Times. But I encourage you to continue with faith in the supernatural acts planned for the future. Don’t back down.

We must stand firm against the temptation to give up our faith in God’s promises. Many people will doubt the Lord, including some religious cults, ecumenical (universal) churches, and even some mainline churches that teach religion while denying the power of Yahweh.

2 Timothy 3:1, 4-5 (NLT) You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. [People] will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

As stated above, the Apostle Paul forecasted that people would act religious, but reject God’s power. On the other hand, by accepting the power, we can grow in a relationship with God and be extraordinary, like Abraham, Gideon, David, Samuel, the prophets, and others. (Heb. 11) What is the power? I believe Paul was referring to miracles – God’s supernatural power.

“His miracles are not just proofs that he has power but also wonderful foretastes of what he is going to do with that power. Jesus’ miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming.[1] – Tim Keller

Learn Faith From the Fig Tree

According to His goals for this age, God has caused many changes in this world through His supernatural eminence. The changes didn’t take millions of years to happen.

This universe could be extremely old,[2] but since Adam’s time, Earth’s history has been approximately 6,000 years.[3] During that period, God performed some miracles that immediately and permanently changed what originally existed. The acts of God didn’t wait for the now-popular, theoretical vehicles of uniformity and evolution.

For instance, evaluate events such as the Flood, the Tower of Babel, the Exodus, the Birth of Christ, the Resurrection, the Spirit’s Coming at Pentecost, and Jesus’ Ascension to Heaven. All these events changed our world immediately. Additionally, the Bible recounts many less significant but still miraculous acts of God. According to the records of those acts, miracles bring about instant changes in our world.

Contemplate how Jesus turned water into wine, made the blind see, and raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus made a fig tree wither, and it happened instantly.

Matthew 21:18-19 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, 19 and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.

Even the disciples who had seen Jesus’ other miracles were amazed when they saw it happen. They wondered, How did the fig tree wither so quickly? It’s just a small example that shows we shouldn’t get impatient and reject His power to cause immediate changes. He has not forgotten us.

I realize my tendency to harp on this subject, but I still do it. Why do I persist in explaining Yahweh’s miraculous mastery? Because the rapture is imminent, a miracle waiting to happen. It’s “the next great event on God’s prophetic calendar.” [4] If we ignore the miracle-to-come, the instantaneous change our bodies will experience when resurrected, we’ll miss out on the joy of anticipation. God has promised to give believers new bodies!

He has told us His purposes and goals in Bible prophecy. He has a specific plan for humanity, and we can know His plan. But true to Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 3 above, we cannot grasp His plan if we reject belief in supernatural power. In the verses below, Peter also warns us not to scoff at or mock the truth of God’s power.

2 Peter 3:3-4 Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

Peter warned that people in the Last Days will say everything has remained the same—or uniform. His prophecy is right on. Modern humanity sees natural laws and scientific observations and assumes they have operated in the universe perpetually. Certainly, permanent scientific laws typically do govern our world. However, let’s not belittle God’s power to interrupt that process when He resurrects His people. Natural and scientific laws are moot when God decides to move and shake.

Last Days Events

In the Last Days that Peter mentioned, several BIG supernatural events are scheduled. Yes, the resurrection of God’s faithful in the rapture could well be the first event in the series. When the archangel makes a commanding shout, and the trumpet call of God sounds, those sleeping in Christ will rise from their graves, and simultaneously, living believers will be taken up.

Other world-changing activities of the Tribulation will be the Destruction of Gog, God’s Wrath from the Seven Seals, the Seven Trumpets, the Seven Bowl Judgments, and the Campaign of Armageddon. And praise God, at the height of the Tribulation, Jesus will return to save Humanity from Extinction.

After that, the next event on the agenda is Jesus’ Millennial Reign, the Defeat of Satan, the Final Judgment, the New Heaven and New Earth, the Descension of New Jerusalem, and the Eternal State, where God will live with us. These are all immediate events that don’t require ions of time. God’s potency will ignore uniformity theories and make it all happen by His miraculous dynamism.

Admittedly, only God knows the exact timing and order of these supernatural events. But whenever the rapture happens, our transformation won’t evolve over millions of years. As revealed in Bible prophecies, these events will happen instantly. The series of events will happen relatively fast, over seven years initially. Then the Thousand-year Reign of Christ will come soon after.

The Second Return of Jesus Christ

It will be an amazing day when Jesus comes back to Earth. Consider the fact that Jesus promised He would be with us to the end. The angels, and the apostles too, all promised He would return.

Matthew 28:20b (NLT) …I [Jesus] am with you always, even to the end of the age.

As Jesus made His final ascent into the sky, He disappeared into a cloud. Then some angels stood among the apostles, telling them He will return someday.

Acts 1:11 (NLT) “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

The apostle Paul said Jesus will return to earth from heaven, and we eagerly await that moment.

Philippians 3:20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

Don’t put faith in uniformitarianism. Rather, let’s turn our thoughts to the power Paul described, and more details of the supernatural events that will lead to His return.

The Pre-trib Rapture

I’ve already explained some thoughts about the rapture in my blog, The Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But the rapture is such a big deal that we cannot simply brush past it quickly. I don’t mind repeating myself for such a huge event, where Jesus will BURST upon the scene!

I encouraged you in that Blog not to worry about timing. Whether the rapture happens before, during, or after the Tribulation, it will happen just like the other prophecies have. The rapture and the Second Coming are both significant events, because we will reunite with Jesus in person.

Many Bible commentaries concur on the big picture of End Times events, but few agree completely on the fine details. It’s reasonable for us to respect various perspectives and avoid being overly dogmatic toward any one view. Not to ignore those other opinions, the more I study, the more I admit being partial toward the pre-trib rapture view (for Jesus to take us up before the Tribulation). And although timing is not paramount, discussing the possibilities is sensible.

Just to confirm, the pre-trib rapture concept assumes that Jesus’ Second Coming has two parts. In part one, Jesus will return instantly to rapture His church before the Tribulation. In part two, His Second Coming, He’ll burst upon the scene again, and bring along those He had raptured. That will end the Tribulation, and the Millennial reign will begin soon after.

Below are some verses that may, in fact, describe the pre-trib rapture. Admittedly, other sincere Christians feel these support the mid-trib rapture or post-trib rapture/Second Coming. Either way, the Scriptures promise Jesus will take us home someday in the blink of an eye!

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

Philippians 3:20-21 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Exemption From Divine Wrath

Let’s address a concern some have with the pre-trib rapture concept: it seems that the theory conveniently spares Christians from the trials Jesus forewarned they will face in this world.

John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

However, the pre-trib rapture does not necessarily teach us to expect an escape from all troubles and misfortunes during our lives. What Jesus said about trials and sorrows is true. All Christians face hindrances in daily life. Family problems, sicknesses, diseases, injuries, and persecution, along with natural disasters, will toss us. Political, social, and economic challenges are just a few of the issues, sorrows, and heartaches we will encounter on Earth. (James 1:2)

But likely, the “trials and sorrows” in John 16:33 that Jesus cautioned about are trials that come from Satan, the dark kingdom, wicked humans, and the fallen nature of this world. Whereas the seven-year Tribulation will increasingly evolve by steps into major events driven by God’s wrath. He will initiate them against rebellious humans who refuse to acknowledge His ways.

About the seven years of turmoil, one author states, “The tribulation will be more defined by the wrath of God,” [5] not the normal trials and sorrows we face. This is a critical point to consider, especially when we weigh normal trials and sorrows against the devastating wrath of God.

Righteous and Wicked Treated Alike?

One time, Abraham conversed with the Lord, questioning how He would use His catastrophic wrath.

Abraham began negotiating when Yahweh was ready to destroy everyone in Sodom and Gomorrah. He argued with God that it was unfair to destroy all the residents. He asked the Lord, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23)

Abraham gasped at the thought that God might treat all people alike, as the next verse shows.

Genesis 18:25 “Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

The judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah and the judgment of the Flood were both occasions of God’s wrath on wickedness. And in both occasions, Yahweh took away the innocent before He poured out His wrath on evil. Might the pre-trib rapture accomplish the same escape He provided for various remnants of His people in the past? It’s something to chew on in our study of the End Times.

My hope is that the rapture of God’s people will allow them to escape God’s wrath. It surely seems to be the expectation of the apostle Paul as well. In a description of the End Times (1 Thess. 5:1-11), Paul indicates that we Christians are not intended to suffer wrath.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 (NIV) For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Admittedly, that may not be possible for all believers. Those who become Christians after the rapture, during the Tribulation, could very well suffer amidst His wrath. Unless He surgically removes them like He did with Lot and his family, which should not be a foreign concept to the believer.

Again, only God knows the timing and what must be accomplished. I believe that the Judge of all the Earth will do what is right.

Jesus’ Second Coming – Two Events?

As mentioned above, by being raptured before the Tribulation (the pre-trib view), it splits Jesus’ Second Coming into two parts. The rapture comes first; that’s when He comes for His people. He’ll take back to heaven all Christian believers (saints)[6] who died in the Church Age.[7] [8] They will rise from their graves, simultaneously with believers still living then, and meet Jesus in the sky. See 1 Cor. 15, Phil. 3, and 1 Thes. 4 verses above. (This is similar to the case of a mid-trib rapture,[9] except Jesus will rapture them midway through the Tribulation.)

Then, after the seven-year-long tribulation, a second event happens: Jesus returns with the saints, the people He had raptured earlier.

Interestingly, the saints Jesus brings back at the Second Coming may have participated in the Judgment Seat of Christ event while the Tribulation is occurring on Earth. The Judgment Seat of Christ will be an emotionally serious examination of each believer’s character, but could also be a joyful time for God’s people, with similar emotions felt at a graduation ceremony. It’s posited that all those returning with Jesus have been informed of the great work all the individual saints have done. (More on this judgment further ahead in this Blog.)

In other words, He will return to earth with His prepared bride whom He had taken up in the rapture years before. Whether there is a pre, mid, or post-trib rapture, Jesus will rule the Millennial Kingdom with these same people. (Verses below.)

The Post-trib Rapture

Although the pre-trib rapture makes the most sense to me, other Christians may feel differently. Charles C. Ryrie, in his book Basic Theology, discusses the pre, mid, and post-trib concepts fairly. Doing so, he makes a valid point for the post-trib rapture. “If the rapture and the Second Coming are different events separated by seven years (or 3 ½ years), why did they (writers of Scripture) not reserve one word for the rapture, and another for the Second Coming instead of seeming to use them interchangeably?” [10] It’s a point that could argue for the post-trib rapture/Second Coming to be united in one event, but it does not invalidate the pre or mid-trib rapture theory.

The verses below can be used to support the post-trib rapture and the second coming of Christ as one event. Although, some of the verses (or portions of them) admittedly could possibly align with the pre-trib or even mid-trib rapture.

Matthew 24:27-31  For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. 28 Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near. 29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

Matthew 26:64 Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 13:24-27 “At that time, after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

Acts 3:19-21 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 10 When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.

Whatever God does, whether there is a pre, mid, or post-trib rapture, all Christians have an amazing supernatural event to look forward to!

The Tribulation – A Disasterous Time Period

Many people prefer not to hear the reports of doom and gloom that will happen during the Tribulation. However, the seven-year time period plays a critical role in the sequence of End Times events. Since it’s described in the Bible, Yahweh surely wants us to at least consider the possibilities. Therefore, I am obligated to share about that specific difficult time with you.

The Tribulation will be a time of destruction, devastation, and wreckage, making it the darkest hour of human history. The period’s terrible character, along with God’s wrath, is one reason I tend to believe the pre-tribulation rapture will be God’s timing for those who love Him and live in His way. It’s consistent with past times that Yahweh removed His people before His vengeance and wrath came.

During the Tribulation, God’s wrath will be targeted at those who have ignored Him and have turned to wickedness and evil. I hope and pray, as Abraham did, that God will not sweep away the righteous and the wicked simultaneously by treating them alike. However, that may be a simplistic way of interpreting the Tribulation, by thinking that God can choose those situations.

Again, if there is a pre-trib rapture, all believers will be gone at that moment. But what will happen to those who become believers after the rapture? We could assume they will be alive and in harm’s way. But remember that if God surgically protects them as He did with Lot and his family, they could very well have the opportunity to be parents of the Millennial kingdom’s population.

Some righteous ones may see God’s wrath during the Tribulation. But if Yahweh does not pour out His wrath equally on the righteous and wicked, might He protect new Christians during the Tribulation? Could God individually protect them from the wrath? It’s difficult to know because He has allowed martyrs throughout the history of the Church. I realize concepts used to search for truth can seem like a seesaw at times.

That being pointed out, I believe our attempts to understand God are worthwhile, although some things simply require faith in His goodness. I’m reminded that God’s ways are higher than ours.

Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Bearing that perspective in mind, let us discuss the possible reasons why God will unleash His wrath during the Tribulation.

Reasons for God’s Wrath

God’s wrath during the Tribulation may not be the only punishment evil people will endure. Like me, you may be concerned about the eternal conscious torment that could continue occurring after the wicked are punished. Many don’t claim to fully grasp the concept, and I understand that concern.

Some people believe it would be more loving if God simply allowed souls to cease existing (annihilation or nonexistence) upon death rather than subjecting them to eternal conscious torment. There are various thoughtful perspectives. Not that I totally endorse them, but I’ve included a few Biblical views in this reference.[11]

What could be the reasons for people to be in hell and tormented for eternity? Perhaps Yahweh knows that the annihilation or nonexistence of a wicked soul after death is not adequate to reduce evil. Maybe the concept of extinction and oblivion after death is insufficient to influence or deter evildoers from a life of wickedness. Or, dare I say, its influence is too little to cause repentance and gain eternal life from God. (I typically feel uncomfortable scaring people into true repentance.)

In another thought I’ve had about simple annihilation, let’s imagine a wicked person (say a serial killer) ready to be selfish. Just say they purposely carry out gruesome acts toward our precious loved ones simply because they enjoy seeing people suffer. The termination of their life and a state without pain, guilt, or any consequences would surely be preferable to them. It seems quite desirable for that person to accept the death penalty that erases their memory.

It is an understatement to say that evil humans have prevented others from experiencing peace and goodwill towards one another. If people understand that God will hold them accountable and make them suffer in their bodies and consciences, they may reconsider their actions. Realizing they may suffer in hell (if they do not repent) could serve as a strong deterrent to their wickedness, influencing other free-will moral beings to refrain from evil as well. Once again, there are some things we must leave in God’s knowing hands.

The thoughts above have helped me believe Yahweh is not arbitrary. He has reasons beyond our comprehension. His thoughts truly are higher than our thoughts.

When considering the scenario above, I reflect on what the Bible states about the terrible acts that evil people have committed for centuries and millennia.

Romans 1:29-32 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

I don’t intend to present Romans 1:29-31 and this brief section as a comprehensive list of Yahweh’s concerns. Recognizing all the references to wickedness in the Bible, my understanding continues to expand. Keep in mind, I don’t believe that God’s wrath against the wicked is something to celebrate. Once again, in it all, I trust that God will ultimately reconcile good and evil.

More on the Pre-trib Rapture

If the rapture is meant to prevent God’s people from experiencing His wrath, the taking up would happen before the Tribulation starts, or at least before any terrible judgments. But be aware that the pre-trib rapture and the beginning of the Tribulation are not necessarily synchronized.

“Nothing in Scripture negates the possibility of a number of years passing between the rapture and the tribulation. The signal for the beginning of the tribulation is not the rapture, but rather the antichrist signing a covenant with Israel. (Daniel 9:26-27)” [12]

In the case of a pre-trib rapture, the whole world will immediately ask where millions of people have disappeared. Chaos and disruption could be caused by the vacuum of good citizens, now gone from society and this world. A loss of restraining power from their positive influence would give the Antichrist the opportune timing to begin his movements toward evil.

Remember that the “Holy Spirit’s restraining of the lawless one (the antichrist) is in keeping with His broader work of restraining sin in the world.” [13]

Galatians 5:17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

When millions of Spirit-filled people vanish, it’s possible there could be conditions of upheaval and disorder among governments, organizations, and society in general. Providing explanations, justifications, and mitigation for the fallout (raptured saints) could be the very thing that fuels the Antichrist’s rise to popularity.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

In the case of a pre-trib Rapture, the time between it and the Second Coming may be when God attends to the Judgment Seat of Christ.[14] Many don’t realize there are multiple judgment events described in Scripture.[15] The Judgment Seat of Christ is for Church Age believers only. Yes, only the saints will participate in this ruling led by Jesus.

All the people at this event have bowed to God and given Him their allegiance. You’re forgiven if you belong to this group. Still, it’s serious because these Church Age believers must give a personal account of their lives. But don’t let the word “judgment” frighten or worry you.

This judgment could be more accurately compared to a commencement ceremony. It’s serious, yet hopeful, and can even be joyous. The rub is that there may be some disappointment over not having worked harder and done better. However, the overwhelming emotion is joy, not remorse.

Graduates do not leave the auditorium weeping because they didn’t earn better grades. Rather, they are thankful that they graduated! To overdo the sorrows we may have is to make heaven hell. To underdo any sorrows is to make faithfulness inconsequential.[16]

Again, don’t let the word “judgment” bias your feelings. This occasion is more like an encouraging trophy ceremony, so to speak, where believers are judged but not condemned.

Romans 14:10b-12 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

Notice in 1 Corinthians 4:5 below, that Paul does not speak of any condemnation for the believer. This is an event where God will give what praise is due for good works.

1 Corinthians 4:5 So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

In the original Greek, the word bema means judgment seat. “We must all appear before the bema of Christ.”

Just outside the city of Corinth, there was a large Olympic stadium where athletes gathered to compete in the Greek Olympic Games. A platform, or bema, was prominently erected within the stadium. During the contests, honored citizens and heads of state would sit on the bema (platform) to observe the athletes.

The judges overseeing the athletes were on the field, ensuring that they followed all the competition rules. When an athlete won an event, the judge would escort them to the bema. There, the distinguished dignitaries on the bema would crown or present the winning competitors with prizes, such as oak-leaf clusters or laurel wreaths.

The bema illustration shows that our “judgment day” is not a judgment of condemnation. That’s why Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 related it to a person who runs a race. Everybody should run to win, but in all practicality, nobody receives reproach or a rebuke because they didn’t win first place.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.

Paul explained that each believer has been a builder of sorts during their lifetime, and God’s refining fire will expose their work to determine its value. If a builder uses gold, silver, and jewels to construct, the fire does not harm their work. However, if wood, hay, or straw is used, it burns in the fire, but the builder remains safe.

1 Corinthians 3:12-13 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

The Judgment Seat of Christ is a serious time because we can suffer loss. Paul said we shouldn’t even trust our own judgment or conscience in an attempt to know our value. God will examine us, reveal our private motives, and give praise and crowns to whom they are due.

1 Corinthians 4:3-5 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

All believers will be judged at this time. But again, this judgment is not intended to denounce believers. Prizes will be given to those who deserve a reward for their work, those things that withstood the test of fire. (1 Cor. 3:13) There will be rewards for those who have built up others by being unselfish and loving toward them.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

Some believe the Bible describes the various prizes or crowns that can be received.[17]

1. The Crown of Righteousness – (2 Tim. 4:7-8) For living a good and righteous life for God.
2. The Incorruptible Crown – (1 Cor. 9:24-27) Victor’s Crown, for staying in shape to run the race.
3. The Crown of Life – (Rev. 2:10) For undergoing hardship, testing, tribulation, or death.
4. The Crown of Rejoicing – (1 Thess. 2:19-20) Soul-winner’s Crown, for outreach.
5. The Crown of Glory – (1 Peter 5:1-4) For teachers and shepherds who build up others.

Take heart, my friend, and trust the Lord of Heaven and Earth to do according to His promises.

Thanks for subscribing. I always enjoy hearing your thoughts. Feel free to email me at Glenn@GlennLMarx.com.

Until next time, all the best to you.

Glenn

[1] https://www.christianquotes.info/search/miracle (Accessed 2024-12-30)

[2] Some heavenly beings watched God create the foundation of our world. (Job 38:4,7) It shows that some of God’s creation was already mature, so maybe it’s much older than the seven-day creation of Earth and humanity the angels watched God do.

[3] The Universe could be millions or billions of years old. God is eternal, so this age of focus on humanity is likely not His first work.

[4] Mark Hitchcock, The End (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012)  p. 121

[5] Mark Hitchcock, The End (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012)  p. 153

[6] https://www.gotquestions.org/saints-Christian.html

[7] Ron Rhodes, The End Times in Chronological Order (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2012) pgs. 24-26

[8] The Church Age encompasses all believing Jews and Gentiles united in Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:15-16; 3:3-6), beginning on the day of Pentecost and ending with the rapture. God still has a separate, special purpose for Israel, which is to fulfill all His promises to them.

[9] Paul N. Benware, Understanding End Times Prophecy, (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2006), p. 268

[10] Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 1999) p. 583

[11] Here is a series of articles on the duration of hell. It’s not an endorsement, but these are some Biblical ideas to consider.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/theologyintheraw/2015/02/is-annihilation-an-evangelical-option/ (Accessed 2025-01-10)

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/theologyintheraw/2015/02/biblical-support-for-annihilation/ (Accessed 2025-01-10)

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/theologyintheraw/2015/02/biblical-arguments-for-eternal-conscious-torment/ (Accessed 2025-01-10)

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/theologyintheraw/2015/02/my-terminal-blog-on-the-terminal-punishment-of-hell/ (Accessed 2025-01-10)

[12] Ron Rhodes, The End Times in Chronological Order (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2012) p. 83

[13] Ron Rhodes, The End Times in Chronological Order (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2012) p. 59

[14] Romans 14:10 The King James Version calls it the judgment seat of Christ. Most other Bible versions call it the judgment seat of God.

[15] Mark Hitchcock, The End (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012)  pgs. 205-206

[16] Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 1999) p. 598

[17] https://www.bible-knowledge.com/crowns-in-heaven/ (Accessed 2025-01-01)