The Fire Next Time

"God saves everything that can possibly be saved.
Then He destroys everything that cannot be saved." (Ray Stedman)

God is Love: The Backside of Love

The Judgments at Christ’s Coming

We must always give thanks to God for you,
brothers and sisters, as is right,
because your faith is growing abundantly,
and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 
4 Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God
for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions
and the afflictions that you are enduring.

5 This is evidence of the righteous judgement of God,
and is intended to make you worthy of the kingdom of God,
for which you are also suffering.
6 For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
7 and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us,
when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God
and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 
9 These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction,
separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 
10 when he comes to be glorified by his saints
and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed,
because our testimony to you was believed. 

11 To this end we always pray for you,
asking that our God will make you worthy of his call
and will fulfil by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 
12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."
(2 Thessalonians 1:3-12)

Commentary by Ray Stedman

Door Two after we die leads to the Judgment Seat of Christ. In a previous discussion of the Bema, the Judgment Seat of Christ, (The Bema Part 1, The Bema Part II) one important passage was not included. The emphasis in these earlier articles was (a) on the picture of competing athletes in a Greek Marathon passing a judges reviewing stand to receive laurel wreaths and the applause of the spectators. And (b) the bema about a central gathering place in a city under Roman occupation where a skilled lawyer from Rome would visit periodically to resolve local disputes and enforce the Pax Romana.

Here is further information on the Bema:

“For we are God’s fellow workers (synergos); you are God’s field, you are God’s building (oikodomē) According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear (phaneros); for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed (apokalyptō) by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 

If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 3:9-23)

For all who know Jesus the Judgment Seat of Christ will not be about sin! Jesus has paid in full for all our sins. The Bema will, however, be a full performance review. It will be thorough, "going to motive," as lawyers say.

Hebrews 4:12 says,  “...the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Jesus will be our personal examiner.

Most of us remember our past mistakes and accomplishments. God has the actual facts, He has a complete data base, and His searching eyes will reveal all our hearts. Mostly He will heal and restore. But the heat will be turned up! Obviously we can't be allowed into heaven (New Jerusalem) if we are contaminated with evil at all levels of our lives, conscious and unconscious. Right motives matter as well, but God knows us far better than anyone and his evaluation is what matters. We are house guests in His universe in the first place and many will will be left out of His coming kingdom.

"For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant  into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and  gnashing of teeth.’

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and  He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

And He will set the  sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father,  inherit the kingdom  prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;  I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was  naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me;  I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you,  inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand,  ‘Depart from Me, you cursed,  into the everlasting fire prepared for  the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 

Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you,  inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And  these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:29-46)

The best imagery familiar to most of us is the refiner’s fire. 

When minerals deep in the earth are mined and brought to the surface pure gold, pure silver, copper, tin, lead zinc and so on usually mixed with less valuable minerals —- and plenty of waste rock. Extracting the gold or other valuable material must be profitable or the mine shuts down. Market prices drive investors and mine operators.  Background Information on gold and Gold Mining. Notes about Gold for the ordinary person.

Desired minerals mixed with waste rock are sorted and mechanically processed often elaborately before final crushing and refining in a furnace. The profit margin for the mine owner is always the controlling factor in the industry.

Notice how the words of Peter in his first letter allude to our cleansing, refining, purifying:

We have a beautiful picture of the fireproof nature of those who are “in Christ” in the book of Daniel Chapter 3.

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded,  O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall  be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans  came forward and accused the Jews. They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar,  “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.  There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have  not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in  rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made,  good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.  And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar,  we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our  God whom we serve is able to  deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we  worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”

They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose,  walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like  the Son of God.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the  Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men  on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His  Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the  God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be  cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap;  because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.

Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

“But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.

“Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the Lord,
As in the days of old,
As in former years.
And I will come near you for judgment;
I will be a swift witness
Against sorcerers,
Against adulterers,
Against perjurers,
Against those who exploit wage earners and  widows and orphans,
And against those who turn away an alien—
Because they do not fear Me,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

For I am the Lord,  I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
Yet from the days of your fathers
You have gone away from My ordinances
And have not kept them.
Return to Me, and I will return to you,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“But you said,
‘In what way shall we return?’

The Day of the Lord

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets,  and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be  in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will  be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for  new heavens and a  new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

You therefore, beloved,  since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3)

Jesus Christ is a living person like us. He has fully identified with all of us. He does not ask us to go where He has not already gone. This is what it means when the New Testament says we followers of Jesus are "in Christ."

"Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.
And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” 
says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.
And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 
and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, 
clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 
His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 
His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 
He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, 
and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 
And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.
But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. |
I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.
And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands:
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands 
which you saw are the seven churches." (Revelation 1:7-20)

Pillars of Fire

The Angel of the Lord

God and His Angels 

On Everlasting Destruction

How God Saves Us

God will Save you if you are Willing

Who is in Charge of your Life?

Jesus or King Ego?

When Joshua was by Jericho he lifted up his eyes and looked
and behold a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand.
And Joshua to him and said to him, 
Are you for us or for our adversaries.
But he said, No but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him,
What does my lord say to his servant?
And the commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua,
Take off your sandals from your feet for the place where you are standing is holy.
And Joshua did.
(Joshua 5:13) 

Jesus, Judge of All

“But you have come to Mount Zion
and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
to an innumerable company of angels,
to God the Judge of all,
to the spirits of just men made perfect,
to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant,
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven,
and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”
(Hebrews 12:22-24)

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an Antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. (1 Peter 3:18-22)