Works of the Believer

The Judgment Seat of Messiah is for believers alone.  It is to determine the rewards the believer will receive going into the future kingdom.  That is why it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:9:

⁹Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

This is not about salvation.  Salvation is by grace, Ephesians 2:8-9.

⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Judgment Seat of Messiah is about the works of the believer and the rewards that are a result of their works.  What occurs at the Judgment Seat of Messiah is not a gift, it is a reward.

Paul discusses the reward in 1 Corinthians 9:24.

²⁴Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

The prize that Paul is referring to is the crowning of the bride.  For the believer, it must be understood that to rule with Yeshua and receive that crown at the Judgment Seat of the Messiah, they must not walk in the flesh.  They must walk in the spirit daily.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 speaks of the works of the believer.

¹¹For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Yeshua Messiah. ¹²Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; ¹³Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  ¹⁴If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

There are those that look to 1 Corinthians 3:15 as their verse of joy.  They assume that they can live any way they want to and still be saved.  They think that they do not have to go to meetings, congregate with other believers, that they do not need to read the Bible on a daily basis nor is there a need to be a true witness.  They are right.

However, they will regret that attitude when Messiah returns.  Their whole attitude is wrong.  It should never be “have to” in the New Covenant.  God writes His laws on our hearts.  If one does not want to be praying, studying and walking with God, then they are just a dead believer without a new heart, or maybe they are not truly saved.

 If one has the attitude that they have to do things, then they are probably still back in legalism.  The law has its purpose.  It tells one when they are doing wrong.  However, being saved means one has come to the one that loves them and saves them.   If one wants to rule and reign with the Messiah in the millennium, they need to follow Yeshua in works.  Just as James stated in James 2:17-18.

¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  ¹⁸Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Works should be a natural out growth of our faith.

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