Pathway to Victory

Guest (Male): 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: When we become a Christian, we are exempted from God’s future condemnation of our life; we are not exempted from God’s evaluation of our life. Our works cannot secure our place in heaven, but they do secure our rank in heaven.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. You know, a lot of Christians assume that heaven will be exactly the same for every believer. But the Bible describes a time of judgment during which every Christian will be evaluated and hopefully rewarded for his or her good works on earth.

Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress explains what we should be doing right now to receive accolades in the next life. 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. We’re in the final stretch of our teaching series called Perfect Ending. Be ready to jot down our contact information at the end of today’s message because I want to send you a copy of my brand new book, Ask Dr. Jeffress about the End Times.

I’ve taught on many subjects over the course of my ministry, but I’ve never seen audiences lean in quite the way they do when the conversation turns to the return of Jesus Christ. There’s something about His coming again that pulls at the soul in a way nothing else can. In Ask Dr. Jeffress about the End Times, I answer 20 questions that speak directly to that longing and the glorious future that awaits every believer.

Let me send you a copy today. It’s yours when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. And when you respond today, I’ll also include my very popular Bible prophecy chart, a multi-folded brochure on which I show you a clearly illustrated timeline for biblical prophecy.

Well, many Christians assume that when we die, heaven will be exactly the same for every believer. You might be surprised to learn that that is simply not true. In fact, the Bible describes a time of judgment during which every Christian will be evaluated and hopefully commended for his or her good works on earth. Today, we’re going to examine the fascinating topic of rewards in heaven.

My mentor, the late Howard Hendricks, used to tell the story about the downhill slalom racer who made it to the bottom of the ski course, and he was greeted by his ski coach. His ski coach said, "I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you." The novice skier said, "Well, what’s the good news?" The coach said, "The good news is you made it to the bottom of the hill in record time. In fact, you may have set a world’s record."

The novice skier said, "Well, what’s the bad news?" And the coach said, "The bad news is you missed every one of the flags and are therefore disqualified." To which the skier said, "Flags? What flags?" An expert skier knows that the route he takes to get downhill is just as important as crossing the finish line. A good basketball player knows that even more important than making the basket is making sure you’re aiming toward the right basket.

Yet many Christians fail to understand a similar truth. While it’s true that every genuine believer in Christ is going to cross the finish line and be welcomed into heaven, the fact is some Christians are going to be surprised when their works are disqualified by the judge and they end up forfeiting rewards. And the result of that forfeiture of rewards is going to be real loss and eternal regret.

Wait a minute, Pastor. Are you saying there is a possibility that I could make it to heaven and actually experience loss and regret? Absolutely. One of the greatest myths about eternity is that all Christians will experience the same heaven and all non-Christians will experience the same hell. That’s a myth. Such a belief is neither logical nor, more importantly, is it biblical.

And we’re going to see that truth in our passage today. Today, as we continue our series on Bible prophecy, Perfect Ending: Why Your Eternal Future Matters Today, we’re going to talk about the truth of rewards in heaven. If you have your Bibles, turn to Acts chapter 18. Acts chapter 18.

In our study of Bible prophecy, remember last time we looked at the judgment that awaits all unbelievers. We often refer to it as the Great White Throne Judgment. The subjects of the judgment will be unbelievers. The basis of the judgment, remember, we saw in Revelation 20, will be the works of unbelievers. John said, "And I saw a book was opened," that is the Lamb’s Book of Life, Revelation 13:8.

And then I saw the books were opened, the books that record the deeds of the unsaved. And the dead, that is the non-Christians, were judged according to the things written in the books according to their deeds. Why are they judged by their works? Because listen to this, a non-Christian, by definition, is one who has rejected the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. He’s the one who has said, "My works are good enough to merit eternal life."

And so God says, "Fine. If you want to be judged by your works, we’ll judge you according to your works." And the books will be opened. Every man will be judged by his works at that judgment. The problem is no man’s works are good enough. Our judgment is based not on our relative righteousness compared to other people, but by the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. And according to that standard, we all fall woefully short.

The result of the Judgment Seat of Christ is this. John said, "If any man’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the lake of fire." That lake of fire where the dragon and the beast and the false prophet are. That is the Great White Throne Judgment for unbelievers.

But what about Christians? Do we ever have to be concerned about God’s evaluation of our life? Do my words, my thoughts, my actions, my motivations count at all after I become a Christian? Does how I obey God in this life have any impact on the kind of eternal future I enjoy? The answer to all of those questions is yes. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today as we talk about the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Last June, we took a trip to the city of Corinth, and we visited the ancient ruins there. And you’ll remember that Paul was in Corinth on his second missionary journey. And during the 18 months he was there, Paul experienced many people being saved and baptized. But remember, there were also a group of people who were unhappy with Paul, agitated by him. And so they trumped up some charges and they hauled him before the Roman Proconsul of Corinth, Gallio.

Look at Acts 18 verse 12 and let’s see what happened when that happened. You may say, "What does this have to do with rewards in heaven?" You’ll see in just a second. "But while Gallio was Proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and they brought him before the judgment seat." Underline that in your Bible. The judgment seat. The Greek word there is "bema." It literally means a raised platform.

When we were in Corinth, we saw the raised platform, the bema that is being described here on which Gallio sat. It was a place of judgment. It’s a place that the government official would sit and issue his edict. And so Paul, and I asked our group to imagine Paul standing before that judgment seat. We stood in the very spot probably where Paul stood as he faced Gallio at the judgment seat.

And I asked our group to imagine what it was like to be Paul, shackled in chains, standing before this judge, knowing that with one word he could extinguish your life. Would you be tempted to back down, to waver a little bit in your commitment to the gospel when facing death? Paul didn't waver one bit. You know why he didn't waver? Why he had no fear about standing before Gallio at the bema, the judgment seat?

Because Paul understood that one day he was going to stand before another judge at another judgment seat. And this judge had the ability not just to extinguish his physical life, but his soul. And that’s why Paul wrote in Second Corinthians 5:9 and 10, "Therefore we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent," that is whether with Christ or here on earth, "we have as our ambition to be pleasing to Him."

Why? Why is our one goal to please God? Verse 10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat, the bema of Jesus Christ, that each one of us may be recompensed for what he has done in the body, whether it be good or whether it be bad." Literally, that word "phalon" means worthless. Notice what Paul says about this judgment seat. He doesn't say they must all appear before the judgment seat. Paul was writing to Christians, the Corinthians.

He said, "We must all appear before this judgment seat of Christ, that each one of us may be recompensed for our deeds, whether they are good or worthless." That is, every one of us who is a Christian is going to stand before God, and we’re going to have our lives evaluated by God—our words, our thoughts, our actions, our motivations.

Now, some people have difficulty with this idea of the Judgment Seat of Christ. But let me be very clear. This judgment, unlike the White Throne Judgment, is not a judgment of condemnation. It is a judgment of commendation and the evaluation of our lives. And there’s a big difference. Let me try to illustrate that for you.

Some years ago, I went to a very popular clinic here in town to have a physical. And it was a very complete physical. For hours they pinched and probed and prodded every part of my anatomy. But the worst part of that exam was a part of it that was affectionately called "the fat tank." Have any of you been in the fat tank before?

What they do is they have you strip down, you’re completely in nature’s own, you get into this basket, they suspend you over a pool of water, and they lowered me and submerged me in the water, not to get baptized, but to get evaluated. And while I was under the water, they had a way of measuring my body fat. And then if that were not humiliating enough, I got out of the basket, stood before the technician, and he had this little torture device is the best way I can describe it.

And he pinched, grabbed different parts of my anatomy and measured the body fat again. Finally, he told me to get dressed. I went in to sit down with the doctor, and the doctor walks in, he sits down with you, and he has a big notebook. And he opens up the notebook. And he said, "First of all, Robert, I want to commend you on some things you’re doing well."

He said, "Those bran flakes every morning, that’s great. Your exercise program, that’s great. You did great on the treadmill test." He commended me. But then his smile turned to a frown because he opened the next page and he said, "Now, we’ve got to get that cholesterol lowered. We’ve got to shave a few percentage points off that body fat, and we’ve got to do something about all that coffee you’re drinking."

Now, what was his purpose in saying that? Was he condemning me? No, he was evaluating me because he cared about me. The Bible says that one day we’re going to stand before God and we’re going to be evaluated. We’re going to be commended for the good things that have happened in our life, but we’re also going to be evaluated.

And yet the fact is many Christians again have a difficult time accepting that truth. They say, "Doesn't becoming a Christian mean that God has forgiven me of all of the bad things in my life? And when God forgives, doesn't He forget? How can He dredge these things up? And aren't my good works actually worthless before Christ?"

Now, I promise I’m going to answer each of these questions in just a moment. But what I want to look at first is the reality, the certainty of this Judgment Seat of Christ. Turn over to First Corinthians chapter three. Probably no passage in the New Testament explains this judgment better than First Corinthians 3 verses 10 through 15.

I want you to notice, for example, in First Corinthians 3 verse 13 what Paul says. He says, "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." And then in Second Corinthians 5:10 he says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one of us may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, whether they be good or worthless."

What I want you to see is the completeness of this judgment. Paul says in First Corinthians 3:13, "It is for each man," that is for every Christian. Second Corinthians 5:10 says, "It encompasses all of our works." You know, there’s a lot of concern right now about the internet and the security of the internet. We’ve heard stories that Yahoo and Google somewhere have a record of every internet site we’ve ever visited, every article we’ve ever read on the web, every email that we’ve ever sent.

That puts some of you in an absolute panic to think about that, that somewhere there is that record of all of your internet activity. But ladies and gentlemen, do you realize we know with an absolute certainty that God has a record of our every word, our every thought, our every action, our every motivation? And the Bible makes it clear that one day we’re going to give an account for our lives, not for condemnation, but for commendation and evaluation.

Now, a lot of Christians again reject this idea because they have been erroneously taught that once we become a Christian, neither our sins nor our good works make any difference to God. God doesn't care about our works once we become a Christian. But that’s not true. I want to be very clear here that this Judgment Seat of Christ in no way invalidates God’s forgiveness of our sins.

Remember the illustration last week of the two books and what happens when God forgives us of our sins? He takes my sin and he wraps it around Jesus Christ, and he takes the righteousness of Jesus Christ and he wraps it around me so that when God looks at me, he no longer sees my sin but the righteousness of Christ. Second Corinthians 5:21, "He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

And that is absolutely true. But that does not negate the truth of God’s evaluation of our life. Listen, when we become a Christian, we are exempted from God’s future condemnation of our life; we are not exempted from God’s evaluation of our life. The fact is you can look all throughout the Bible and see instances where God evaluates the life of His own children all of the time.

And that evaluation results in consequences in this life and the life to come. For example, think about David. Man after God’s own heart. He was certainly a part of the family of faith. And yet what happened with his sin after his sin with Bathsheba? He suffered consequences. God evaluated his actions, and he spent the rest of his life experiencing the results of a dead baby, a disloyal son, a divided kingdom. It’s not that he lost his forgiveness from God, but God evaluated his life.

Now, some of you Bible scholars say, "Well, that was the Old Testament. That was before Christ. God doesn't do that anymore." Oh, really? Turn over to the New Testament to Acts chapter 4. The story of Ananias and Sapphira. Look, there’s no evidence that they weren't genuine believers in Christ. They were part of the church there. They were numbered among God’s people. But because they lied to the Holy Spirit of God, God struck them dead.

The fact is God evaluates the life of His own children with consequences in this life, and those consequences extend to the next life as well. I think it’s important to make a distinction between works before we’re a Christian and works after we are a Christian. You know, before we trust in Christ as our Savior, our works are only sufficient to condemn us. That’s all it matters before God. Our works condemn us.

But after we become a Christian, our works mean a great deal to God. Remember our passage in Ephesians 2:8 through 10? "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast." But then in verse 10 Paul says, "For we are His workmanship created in Christ for good works which God prepared beforehand that we might walk in them."

We are not saved by good works, but we have been saved for good works. Another way to say it is: Our works cannot secure our place in heaven, but they do secure our rank in heaven. How we behave after we become a Christian has a great impact on the kind of eternity we experience. The reality of the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Notice here though in verses 11 to 13 of First Corinthians 3, Paul tells us about the basis for the Judgment Seat of Christ. Okay, if this judgment really is going to happen and it has eternal consequences, I want to know how God is going to judge me. What is the basis? Well, look at verses 11 to 13. "For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is in Christ Jesus.

Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 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." I want you to imagine a father who is a multi-multi-billionaire. And he calls his two sons together.

And he says, "You know, I won't be here forever and I’m making some important decisions about my estate and how I’m going to divide your inheritance. And so we’re going to have a little contest, and this is the way it’s going to work to see who’s really worthy to manage my money. I’m going to give each of you a 10-acre tract of land. And I’m going to give each of you a check for $10 million.

And I’m going to pour a foundation, but over the next year I’m going to see which one of you can use that money and your creativity to build the most magnificent home imaginable. And at the end of the one-year period, I’m going to judge each one of your homes, and whoever has the finest home I’m going to award a double inheritance to."

Well, the first son takes the challenge seriously. He begins to work that evening. He enlists an architect. He comes up with a schedule to make sure everything is done on time. And at the end of the year, he has a home that rivals the Taj Mahal. It is a magnificent palace. But the second son is not that industrious. He has other things that are preoccupying his mind.

He has family responsibilities, he has hobbies, he has a career to think of. And so he takes the year and never once begins work on the project, and he squanders the assets. The night before the contest is over, he thinks, "You know, I better do something. Dad’s coming by tomorrow." The only problem is he’s out of time and he’s out of money. So all he can do on that concrete slab foundation is build a grass hut. That’s all he can do.

The next day, the dad comes just as he promised to evaluate each son’s actions. He goes around the first son’s home, looks at this magnificent palace, and says, "Congratulations. I’m going to award you twice your normal inheritance." And then he goes to see the second son’s grass hut, doesn't take long to look at it, and he expresses great disappointment.

Now does he kick him out of the family? No, the second son isn't kicked out of the family, but he forfeits his inheritance. Now that is the illustration Paul’s using in First Corinthians 3. He said when we become a Christian, we enter the family of God and nothing will change that. Romans 11:29 says, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

When we become a Christian, we are adopted into God’s family, and we all are given the same foundation, the foundation of Jesus Christ. That’s First Corinthians 3:11. We all have the same foundation, the foundation of Jesus Christ. But you and I decide what kind of life we’re going to build on that foundation. What are we going to do with the time, the gifts, the resources that God has given to us?

And that’s the question you and I will be required to answer when we stand before Jesus Christ one day. What are we doing with the gifts, the resources, the time that God has entrusted to us? You know, of all the truths in scripture, I believe the promise of Christ’s return is one of the most transforming. And that’s the beating heart of my new book, Ask Dr. Jeffress about the End Times.

My book comes to you with my thanks when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. The deadline to request this resource is one week from now. So let me urge you to get in touch right away. Remember, your generous gift accomplishes far more than purchasing a book. Your gift is touching lives for God’s glory.

Let me give you an encouraging example. Recently I heard from Susan who lives in Florida, and she said, "Pastor Jeffress, Perfect Ending has been so insightful and Bible-rich. It has deepened my faith, inspired me to recommit my life, to pray more, and to be a better witness as I await the return of our Lord." Well, when Susan thanks me, her gratitude really belongs to you. You’re the channel God is using to touch lives all around the world.

So thank you very much for your partnership with Pathway to Victory. Here’s David with all the details.

Guest (Male): Today when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, be sure to request a copy of Dr. Jeffress’s brand-new just-released book, Ask Dr. Jeffress about the End Times. Now this book provides clear biblical answers to the top 20 questions people ask about the end times. Just call 866-999-2965 or visit online at ptv.org. You can also support this ministry by texting PTV to 78800.

And when your gift is $125 or more, we’ll also send you Dr. Jeffress’s bestselling prophecy book, Perfect Ending. You’ll get the complete Perfect Ending teaching series on audio and video disc and the stunning full-color resource, The End Times Illustrated: A Panorama of Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation. To request these resources call 866-999-2965 or visit ptv.org.

Now if you’d prefer to write, our mailing address is PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. Again that’s PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I’m David J. Mullins, wishing you a great week, then join us again next week when our series called Perfect Ending continues right 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.