On what basis will the believer be judged at the Bema seat of Christ? If a brother trespasses against me, who can forgive him for me if I will not? If I do not forgive, what will be the consequences for him? What will be the consequences for me?
Matthew 18:6
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Remembering that “precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of His saints,” it would be expected that God would record every offense done to the His defenseless children. (“Little ones”=anyone who believes in Jesus.) But what if the one doing the offending is also a believer? What wins out? God’s justice or His forgiveness?
Luke 17:1-4
1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Jesus anticipated that Christians (thy brother) would sin against one another. First, the disciple must point out the fault to his brother. Then he must forgive him, but only after he repents. As many times as he repents, his brother must forgive.
John 20:23
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Such power and authority that is given to the Spirit-filled believer, to remit and to retain sins. Not to the priest or the bishop or the pope, but to the believer. To remit is to cancel out. To retain is to keep a record. There must be a time when all the sins that have been retained will be adjudicated. How will we find mercy before the Judge of all the earth?
Luke 6:37
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
At the family court session, the judgment seat of Christ, Jesus will be the final arbiter of justice and forgiveness. If we have sinned, the mercy that the Lord shows us will be commensurate with what consistency we have extended mercy and forgiveness. But there will be no mercy if we have not been merciful.
Matthew 5:22-26
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Jesus warns his disciples that reconciliation with a fellow believer should be more important even than worship of God. It is incumbent upon the offending party to make amends at the earliest possible moment. Otherwise, he will be in danger of extreme chastening before His judgment seat.
Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
This parable illustrates God’s law of reciprocity with regard to forgiveness. There will come a time, when the Kingdom of the Heavens comes in its fullness in the returning King, Jesus Christ, that He will reckon with His servants. Does this mean that our sins that we have committed against God, once forgiven, will be counted against us again if we do not forgive our brother? I don’t think so. But the mountain of trespasses against fellow believers will be remembered at the judgment seat if we do not forgive.
Matthew 5:7
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Paul is ambiguous about whose body. “His body” could refer to the “every one”, as in each person’s body, or it could refer to Christ’s body. It seems unlikely that believers would be judged for things done prior to salvation. Therefore, Paul is confining the judgment to things done for or against other believers after salvation. Only other believers are “in His body”. So, can we abuse unbelievers with impunity? That would not be wise. Who can predict if someone will repent and believe at some time in the future?
Luke 12:41-48
41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
How much clearer could it be? Be a good steward of the people God puts in your sphere of influence, and He will promote you to co-regent with Him. Abuse you fellow servants, and be punished.
Luke 18:1-8
1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, “Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, “Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
The abused woman illustrates the truth the God will avenge His elect. Let all be warned.
Luke 16:1-9
1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
5 So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, how much owest thou unto my lord?
6 And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
This parable illustrates the importance of the ministry of reconciliation for our future rewards. We may not do anything else good, but serving the needs of forgiveness and reconciliation among the family of God will be recompensed by the grateful friends you have earned.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.