Pathway to Victory

David J. Mullens: Hey podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today’s podcast from Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a non-profit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God’s word through the most effective media available, like this podcast.

To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here’s today’s podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Hi, this is Robert Jeffress, and I’m glad to study God’s word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today’s edition of Pathway to Victory, good works can’t earn you your place in heaven. That’s only by God’s grace, by trusting Christ. But once you’ve done that, your good works matter in determining the kind of experience you will have in heaven.

And that’s what we’re going to talk about today. What happens at the judgment seat of Christ? Since you’re going to stand there one day, wouldn’t you like to know exactly what’s going to happen at that judgment?

David J. Mullens: Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. With Jesus as our intercessor, we can have every confidence that we will escape God’s condemnation after death. But that does not mean we will escape God’s evaluation of what we did during this life. Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress explains that what we do here on earth has eternal implications. But first, let’s take a moment to hear some important ministry updates.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Thanks, David. And welcome again to Pathway to Victory. You’ve chosen a great day to join us because we’re in the final stretch of our month-long series called "A Place Called Heaven." Our study concludes on Friday. As such, this is one of the very last times I’ll mention the special resource I’ve written for you called "Encouragement from a Place Called Heaven."

Now, don’t be confused. If you already have my book titled "A Place Called Heaven," this one is far different. It’s especially designed for anyone going through a season of discouragement. My book will help you live in the reality of your eternal home, and it’s yours when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory.

And then, over the years, I’ve become passionate about purposeful travel. My vacation time is valuable just like yours. And if I’m going to be away, I want the days to really count. For that reason, I’m inviting you to join us on a refreshing tour to Alaska. Imagine waking up every morning to the spectacular scenery of snow-capped mountains.

Picture yourself exploring the wonder of God’s creations as you spot magnificent glaciers and awe-inspiring wildlife. I invite you to share these life-changing moments with me on the 2026 Pathway to Victory Cruise to Alaska. The dates are June 13th through 20th, and this leisurely one-week vacation promises to refresh your soul. So, check out all the details at ptv.org.

Okay, we’re ready to get started. Today, we’ll tackle the next question in our series. I’ve titled today’s message, "Will Heaven Be the Same for Everyone?"

In our series, "A Place Called Heaven," we began addressing the question last time, will heaven be the same for everyone? And the answer, the surprising answer for many, is no, it will not be the same for everyone. While becoming a Christian exempts us from the condemnation of God—and aren’t we grateful for that?—it exempts us from God’s condemnation, being a Christian does not exempt us from God’s evaluation of our life.

The fact is every person, non-Christian and Christian alike, will be judged by God. The judgment for non-Christians is the judgment, the Great White Throne judgment. Those who have not trusted in Christ, whose names are not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, they are cast into the lake of fire and tormented day and night forever and ever.

But those of us who are Christians are going to stand before a different judgment. It’s an evaluation of our life. It’s called the judgment seat of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, Paul says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."

I’ve given you a sentence on your outline to help you understand the difference between the judgment for Christians at the judgment seat of Christ and the judgment of non-Christians at the Great White Throne judgment. The judgment seat of Christ is for the commendation of believers, while the Great White Throne judgment is for the condemnation of unbelievers.

How will we be judged? Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5, we will be judged according to what we have done. This evaluation of our lives as Christians is based on our works, what we’ve done. Now, that confuses a lot of Christians because they say, "Wait a minute. I thought our good works don’t matter." Well, they don’t matter before we’re saved, but they matter a great deal after we’re saved.

We made the distinction last time between our works before we become a Christian. Prior to our salvation, the best you and I can do is like a filthy rag to God. Ephesians 2:8 and 9 makes it very clear, it’s by grace we are saved and that not of works, lest anyone should boast. Good works play absolutely no role in earning salvation.

However, our good works have a great value after our salvation. Ephesians 2:10 says we are saved not by works, but for good works. Again, here’s a sentence on your outline to write down. While our works are worthless in securing us a place in heaven, they are intricate in determining our experience in heaven. Good works can’t earn you your place in heaven. That’s only by God’s grace, by trusting Christ.

But once you’ve done that, your good works matter in determining the kind of experience you will have in heaven. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today. Let’s first of all begin by looking at exactly what happens at the judgment seat of Christ. Since you’re going to stand there one day, wouldn’t you like to know exactly what’s going to happen at that judgment?

To explain what happens at the judgment seat of Christ, Paul uses three analogies. The first analogy is the trustee analogy, and it’s found in Romans chapter 14. Take your Bibles and turn to Romans chapter 14. Paul is writing to Christians in Rome. They were busy judging one another. There were divisions in the Roman church.

And Paul said, "Quit your judging of one another." He says in verse 10, "But why, why do you judge your brother? Or why again do you regard your brother with contempt? You are not to judge another." Now, I know some of you are probably thinking, "Well, Pastor, that’s sure the pot calling the kettle black. You’re talking about not judging, why, haven’t you seen all these protesters out here this week?"

They’re judging. They are upset because you’re judging people, the LGBTQ. A few of them were here earlier this morning. They’re upset because of what you’re saying. You’re being judgmental. Oh no, that’s not the kind of judgment he’s talking about here. When we say, as a church, that marriage should be between one man and one woman, that’s not our opinion. That’s not our judgment. That’s God’s judgment.

That’s what the word of God has already said. And when these people are out here protesting, they’re not protesting me. They’re not protesting First Baptist Dallas. They’re protesting the eternal and unchangeable word of God. You know, they kind of remind me, when I see them protesting, it reminds me of a flea striking its hind leg against Mount Everest saying, "I’m going to topple this great mountain."

Guess what? It’s not going to happen. They’re never going to topple the mountain. As I said to Bill O’Reilly this week, I said, "You know what? People change, culture changes, churches change, but the word of God never changes. Thy word is established in heaven forever," the word of God says. So, when we make pronouncements about marriage or about sexuality or about divorce or about any other number of topics, we’re not sharing our opinion.

We’re sharing what God has already said. But that’s not what he’s talking about here. When he says don’t judge your brother, he was talking about Christians who were pronouncing judgments about behavior the Bible didn’t even address. Christians were judging each other about what they ate or what they drank or about whether they kept the Sabbath days or not. And Paul said, "Quit judging people."

Let everybody be convinced in his own heart about that because every one of us, look at verse 10, will stand before the judgment seat of God. One day you and I are going to answer to God, not to one another, for these areas the Bible doesn’t address. Verse 11: "For it is written, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.'" That’s a quotation from Isaiah 45.

Did you know everybody who’s ever lived is one day going to bow before Jesus Christ? Some will bow before Him at the Great White Throne judgment. They will acknowledge Him as Judge, and it will be too late for them. But others who have received God’s grace, we too will reaffirm that Jesus Christ is Lord. And then the conclusion, verse 12: "So then, each one of us as Christians shall give an account of himself to God."

Now, there is that trustee analogy. That word "give an account" is a word that referred to a financial manager. You know, if you want to, you can entrust your assets to a manager who will oversee them and invest them on your behalf. Now, he doesn’t own the assets; you do. He has a responsibility, a trust agreement, to maximize your assets for good.

That is the responsibility of the trustee. He doesn’t own anything. He’s simply a manager of what’s been entrusted to him. And as we saw a few weeks ago, you and I, we don’t own anything. We’re simply managers. We don’t own our money; God does. We don’t own our lives; we don’t even determine how long our lives are. God does.

He’s just entrusted to us a certain amount of treasure and time and opportunities and gifts. And our responsibility with what He’s entrusted to us is to further His agenda, not our agenda. And although we have a lot of latitude in what we do with our money and our time and our talent, one day we will give an account to God for what we’ve done with those things we’ve managed.

Now, what’s interesting is in this trust agreement, as trustees, we only will give an account to the Owner, God, of what He’s entrusted to us, not to what He’s entrusted to other people. The judgment seat of Christ is going to be a very personalized, individualized judgment according to what has been entrusted to us. That is the trustee analogy.

Secondly, He uses the construction analogy to describe the Bema, the judgment seat. Turn over to 1 Corinthians 3. We read that passage just a few moments ago. Now, to be clear, in 1 Corinthians 3, Paul specifically is talking about building a ministry, about the kind of ministry he had versus other apostles. But he extrapolates from the ministry example to include every Christian’s life.

Notice what he says here. "According to the grace of God," verse 10, "which was given to me, as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it, for no man can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Paul is inviting you to think about your life like a house that’s being constructed.

Now, every Christian has the same foundation for his house. Your life is like a house that you construct. You have the same foundation as every other Christian, and that is that foundation is the unchangeable Jesus Christ. We’re all saved if we’ve trusted in Christ. Jesus is our foundation. But we have a choice of what kind of house, that is what kind of life, we build on the foundation of our salvation.

And the choice of what kind of house we build depends upon the kind of building material we choose. Look at verse 12: "Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay, and straw." You can build your life according to what building materials you choose. But notice one day the kind of life you have built is going to be tested by the fire of God’s judgment.

Verse 13: "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 reveal the quality of each man’s work." Would you notice the two criteria God is going to use to judge the kind of life you and I have built? Number one, the significance of our life, the significance or the durability of our works.

For example, if you spend your time and talents and treasures here on earth pursuing power and profits and self-glorification, that’s like building a house of wood or hay or straw. I’m not talking about building a life that’s built on evil. I’m just talking about a worthless life, a life that is centered around your own agenda, profits, power, or pleasure.

What happens at the judgment if your life is built with those things? It’s not like the story of the Three Pigs where Jesus will huff and puff and blow your house down. Instead, He just sets a match to it, burns it up. That’s what He’s saying here. Nothing will last. It will be consumed with fire. On the other hand, you can build your life with more durable materials: gold, silver, precious stones.

A life that is built around glorifying God, making Him look good, no matter what your daily responsibilities are. A life built around sharing Christ with as many people as possible. A life built around giving up some temporary pleasures and perks in this life to invest your money in God’s kingdom. Those things really matter to God. They make a difference.

It’s a life built with gold, silver, and precious stones. Verse 14: "If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward." But notice verse 15: "If any man’s work is burned up," that is, evaluated to be worthless, "if any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, though as by fire."

That’s probably a saying like we would have today that he will be saved by the skin of his teeth. Have you heard that before? He’ll make it to heaven. If you’re truly a Christian and your life is judged to be worthless, you’ll still get into heaven, but you’ll smell of smoke. You’ll just barely make it there, though as by fire. That’s what he’s talking about here, by the skin of your teeth.

So, the first criterion of judgment will be the significance of our works. The second judgment will be according to the motives of our works. Sometimes why we do what we do is as important as what we do. In 1 Corinthians 4:5, Paul says, "Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will 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."

God cares about our motives. You know, if you give money to God’s work in order to be able to brag to others how much you’re giving, that doesn’t count for gold. It counts as wood. If you are diligent in sharing your faith with other people so that you can brag about how many people are in the kingdom because of you, that’s not silver, that’s hay. Our motives really do matter before God.

Proverbs 16:2 says, "All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives." Now, some of you might ask, "Well, Pastor, isn’t living your life in order to earn rewards, isn’t that kind of a selfish motive? Isn’t that self-centered? I want to earn all these rewards so I can have a better spot in heaven than other people? That sounds pretty selfish to me."

Look, selfishness, somebody said, is trying to achieve at somebody else’s expense. Selfishness is trying to gain more at somebody else’s expense. But did you know it’s possible to gain more at God’s expense? Because God does not have a finite amount of resources that if you take some from Him, He has less. He has an inexhaustible supply of riches. When He rewards you, His net worth is not diminished one iota.

In fact, when you think about it, working for rewards is really a sign of what God values most in our life, and that is faith. Think, for example, about Abraham. Why is it that Abraham was willing to uproot his family and travel to a land he didn’t even know where he was going to? What was his motive in leaving everybody and everything familiar behind him? He did it for heaven.

You know, when you give up temporary money, pleasure, pursuits in this life in order to earn rewards, that’s the essence of what faith is. Remember in Hebrews 11:1, God says without faith it is impossible to please God. And then in verse 6, He says, "For he who comes to God must believe that God is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

When you give up the temporary for the eternal, whether it’s your money, your time, your energy, when you make that trade, you are showing the essence of faith. "God, I believe what You’ve said. I believe You reward those who diligently follow after You."

The third analogy here is the race analogy. It’s found in 1 Corinthians 9, verses 24 to 27. Just look at verses 24 and 25. "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way as not without aim."

Now, the readers in Corinth understood what Paul was talking about here. This was an allusion to the Isthmian Games that were held in Corinth every two years. It was a multitude of different contests: wrestling, boxing, foot races. But Paul here talks about the foot race. And he says, "You know, if you’re going to win this game, you’ve got to run in such a way as to win."

And then he makes the allusion to the fact that those who run a foot race in this world, they do it to receive a perishable wreath. Now, if you won in the Olympics in Athens, you got—you know what the reward was? Gold. I mean, you got the gold medals. But the Isthmians, they were kind of budget-conscious there. So, you didn’t get gold. Instead, when you walked up the judgment seat, the governor would place around your neck a wreath made of parsley or wild celery.

A little step down from Athens, okay? Now, everybody was honored to receive that wreath, but you could only wear it for a day or two before it began to wilt, you know, and you had to throw it away. It started to smell. Nobody wanted to wear that after a week. That’s what Paul is talking about here. Those who win these foot races, they do it for a perishable wreath. We do it for an award that is imperishable.

You know, if you’re going to win a foot race, couple of things you have to do. First of all, you have to start when the official sounds the firing gun. Secondly, you have to stay in the course that has been designed for you. But most importantly, you have to keep your eye on the finish line. You can’t get distracted.

Many of you know the name of John Landy. He was the Australian runner who competed with Roger Bannister to see who could break for the first time the four-minute mile barrier. Of course, we know that Bannister did that on May 6th, 1954. A few months later, Landy was ready for another contest with Bannister to see if he could beat him. And he started out of the gate at a blistering pace.

Everybody thought Landy was going to win as he came around the final loop. However, he was running toward the finish line, he looked over his left shoulder to see if he could see Bannister. He was nowhere to be seen because he was passing him on the right-hand side. Roger Bannister won once again. You know, the greatest threat to a runner is becoming distracted, not keeping your eye on the finish line.

And what Paul is saying here is, I don’t run without aim. I keep my mind on the finish line. Throughout the month of February, we’ve had our eyes on the finish line, learning to prepare for our eternal home.

David J. Mullens: Today, when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, we’ll say thanks by sending you a copy of the gift book from Dr. Jeffress, "Encouragement from a Place Called Heaven." Just call 866-999-2965 or go online to ptv.org. To give by text, simply send PTV to 78800.

And when you give $75 or more, you’ll also receive the "A Place Called Heaven" teaching series on CD and DVD, along with a copy of the original best-selling book by Dr. Jeffress titled "A Place Called Heaven." To request the complete package of resources, call 866-999-2965 or go to ptv.org. You could write to us if you’d like: P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. That’s P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222.

I’m David J. Mullens. Join us again next time when Dr. Jeffress continues to answer the question, "Will Heaven Be the Same for Everyone?" That’s Wednesday, here on Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.

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To become a Pathway Partner, go to ptv.org/donate or you can follow the link in our show notes. We hope you’ve been blessed by today’s podcast from Pathway to Victory. Oh, and one last thing before we go. Have you reserved your spot yet for the 2026 Pathway to Victory Cruise to Alaska? You’ve been hearing me and Dr. Jeffress mention it, so what are you waiting for?

Just picture yourself on the deck of Holland America’s elegant Koningsdam and stepping out on deck to witness nature’s grandeur. It’s beautiful. These moments in God’s creation will deepen your faith in powerful ways. It really will. Experience five-star dining, luxurious staterooms, and visiting iconic ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.

We’re also bringing along our own Christian entertainment. You’ll love it. Seats are filling up, so book your spot today at ptv.org.