The Day of the Lord - Part 3

The Events of the Day of the Lord

It could be that, as a result of reading my previous post, the reader is yet unconvinced that the day of the Lord is a period of time which includes the Great Tribulation. In my previous post, I looked, in detail, at specific scriptures regarding nature of the day of the Lord, comparing these scriptures to scriptures describing the nature of the Great Tribulation. We saw that the imagery illustrating the day of the Lord is identical to that of the Great Tribulation. What the prophets called the day of the Lord is described almost exactly like that which the Lord called the Great Tribulation. Both are called “a day of distress.” Both are referred to as “the day of wrath.” Both are identified by “men’s hearts failing,” or “men’s hearts melting.” Both are said to be “a day like no other.” Perhaps the reader thinks that all these similar descriptions are coincidental.

The day of the Lord not only has a nature which is equivalent to that of the Great Tribulation; but the day of the Lord also includes some of the EXACT events of the Great Tribulation.

Jerusalem Compassed about with Armies

One specific event that defines the day of the Lord is the fact that the city of Jerusalem would be compassed about with armies.

Zechariah 14:1, 2 – “Behold, THE DAY OF THE LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I WILL GATHER ALL NATIONS AGAINST JERUSALEM to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.”

Clearly, the day of the Lord is identified by a siege against Jerusalem. Is it coincidental that, upon the Mount of Olives, the Lord identified the Great Tribulation by the exact same event?

Luke 21:20 – “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.”

In Luke 21, the Lord is speaking of the Great Tribulation, though He refers to it not as “great tribulation,” but rather as “great distress.” But it is the same.

Luke 21:23 – “But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be GREAT DISTRESS in the land, and wrath upon this people.”

Christ identifies this time period of great distress by the event of Jerusalem being compassed about with armies. Zechariah refers to the day of the Lord, identifying it by the same event. The day of the Lord includes the Great Tribulation.

The Captivity of the Jews

Jerusalem will not only be compassed with armies, but Jewish residents of the city will go into captivity. This is yet another event identifying the day of the Lord:

Zechariah 14:1, 2 – “Behold, THE DAY OF THE LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and HALF OF THE CITY SHALL GO FORTH INTO CAPTIVITY, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.”

Jesus, when describing the Great Tribulation, or “great distress” in Luke 21, identifies that time as a time of Jewish captivity:

Luke 21:23, 24 – “But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be GREAT DISTRESS in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and SHALL BE LED AWAY CAPTIVE INTO ALL NATIONS: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”

Jewish captivity is an event that describes the day of the Lord, as well as the Great Tribulation. The day of the Lord includes the Great Tribulation.

The Scattering of the Jews

The Great Tribulation, a part of the day of the Lord, is marked by a siege against Jerusalem and a Jewish captivity. But what about the Jews that are not captives in other nations? Zechariah states that, on the day of the Lord, only half of the city of Jerusalem would be captives. What about Jews not living in Jerusalem? The day of the Lord is a time when the Jews that are not in captivity will be scattered – they will be on the run! They will be dispersed throughout the world.

In Isaiah 11, Isaiah prophesies about a time after God’s wrath is poured out when He will gather the Jews that had been scattered. Notice:

Isaiah 11:11, 12 – “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”

In Jeremiah 30, Jeremiah describes the day of the Lord (verse 6), referring to it as the day of Jacob’s trouble (verse 7). We know that during this time, the Jews will be scattered, because God promised to gather them together again after His wrath is cooled:

Jeremiah 30:11 – “For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.”

Clearly, on the day of the Lord, the day of wrath, Israel will be scattered. After this time, as Isaiah prophesies, the scattered of Israel will be gathered again! Not only do the prophets see a scattering of the Jews on the day of the Lord, the day of wrath; but Jesus told us that the Jews would be scattered during the Great Tribulation.

Matthew 24:16-20 – “Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day.”

Mark 13:14-17 – “But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!”

Luke 21:20-24 – “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”

Certainly, the day of the Lord is identified by the prophets of old by the scattering of the Jews. Christ says that the same event – the scattering of the Jews – will occur in the Great Tribulation.

Conclusion

There is no day like the coming day of the Lord. It will come suddenly upon this ungodly world. It is a terrible day. It is a day when unimaginable horrors take hold upon mankind.

You who are saved by the grace of God are certainly delivered from the day of wrath. We have made full circle. The church of Jesus Christ is, first, not appointed to wrath; and second, delivered from it completely!

I Thessalonians 5:2, 4 – “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night…But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.”

Matthew 24:42 – “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

The Day of the Lord - Part 2

The Nature of the Day of the Lord

At this time, we will look at scriptures regarding the nature of the day of the Lord, comparing them with scriptures describing the Great Tribulation.

No Other Day Like It!

On the mount of Olives with His disciples, Christ said the following regarding the Great Tribulation:

Matthew 24:21 – “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

In Mark’s account of the Olivet Discourse, He states it this way:

Mark 13:19 – “For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.”

In both accounts, Christ states that the Great Tribulation will be a day like no other! He is speaking regarding the awful events that involve that terrible day. World War II was a terrible time in our world, especially for Europe. Men, women, and children were killed as war ripped through the nations involved. Millions were slaughtered in concentration camps. It was an awful day to be alive. But it is no comparison to the Great Tribulation that is coming. When Christ said that the Great Tribulation would be unlike any other time that had ever been, where did He get that information? He is actually quoting Old Testament scripture. Daniel describes this time of trouble:

Daniel 12:1 – “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Daniel described the time of trouble in the same manner as did Christ. But that is not all. Joel describes a day that is unlike any other. Joel does not call it “a time of trouble” or “great tribulation,” but he refers to it as THE DAY OF THE LORD:

Joel 2:1, 2 – “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the DAY OF THE LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; THERE HATH NOT BEEN EVER THE LIKE, NEITHER SHALL BE ANY MORE AFTER IT, even to the years of many generations.”

Christ’s description of the Great Tribulation is almost identical to Joel’s description of the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord includes the Great Tribulation.

A Day of Wrath

Another attribute of the day of the Lord is that it will be a day of wrath. Notice:

Isaiah 13:6 – “Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.”

Isaiah 13:13 – “Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.”

Jeremiah 46:10 – “For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.”

Joel 1:15 – “Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.”

Zephaniah 1:14, 15 – “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.”

Zephaniah 2:2, 3 – “Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.”

The point is clearly made. No one can say that the day of the Lord is not a day of wrath. Our Lord, when describing the Great Tribulation in Luke 21, describes that time as a day of wrath. Notice:

Luke 21:22, 23 – “For these be THE DAYS OF VENGAENCE, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and WRATH upon this people.”

The Great Tribulation is described in the exact same manner as the day of the Lord – as a day of wrath. Some who believe that the church will go through the Great Tribulation but not the wrath of God, have stated that the wrath in the Great Tribulation is the wrath of the Antichrist; or the wrath of Satan. NOT SO! While it is true that the devil will be angry because he knows that he has but a short time, the wrath that is poured out in the Great Tribulation is from God. In Revelation 5 and 6, it is the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, opening those seals.

Revelation 5:5 – “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”

As a result of the opening of the seals, watch the response of mankind:

Revelation 6:15-17 – “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the WRATH OF THE LAMB: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

The seals are the Lamb’s wrath – the wrath of God. In II Thessalonians 2, it is God who sends strong delusion after the revelation of the man of sin. In Isaiah 24:1, “THE LORD maketh the earth empty.” In Isaiah 26:21, “THE LORD cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth.” In Zephaniah 1:18, it is “the day of the LORD’s wrath.” In Revelation 6:16, 17; 11:18; 14:7; 14:10; 14:19; 15:7; 16:1; and 16:19, it is the WRATH OF GOD, or the WRATH OF THE LAMB. Clearly, what the prophets called the day of the Lord is a day of God’s wrath. What Jesus called Great Tribulation is a time of God’s wrath. And what John saw in the seals, trumpets, and vials is the wrath of God.

A Day of Fear and Great Distress

When describing the Great Tribulation, Jesus states that it will be a fearful time:

Luke 21:25, 26 – “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; MEN’S HEARTS FAILING THEM FOR FEAR, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”

Christ describes the fear of the Great Tribulation, placing emphasis on the HEART of man during that time. Isaiah describes a time when every man’s HEART shall melt. Isaiah does not call that time “the Great Tribulation,” but rather “the day of the Lord.” Notice:

Isaiah 13:6, 7 – “Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and EVERY MAN’S HEART SHALL MELT.”

Jesus also describes the horrors of the Great Tribulation as a time of “great distress.”

Luke 21:23 – “But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be GREAT DISTRESS in the land, and wrath upon this people.”

Zephaniah, when describing the day of the Lord, refers to it with the exact same description – a day of GREAT DISTRESS:

Zephaniah 1:14, 15 – “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, A DAY OF TROUBLE AND DISTRESS, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.”

The nature of what the prophets called the day of the Lord is identical to the nature of what Christ called the Great Tribulation. Both the day of the Lord and the Great Tribulation are referred to as a day like no other, a day of God’s wrath, a day of men’s heart melting, and a day of distress. An honest Bible student must conclude that what the prophets called the day of the Lord includes the day that Christ called the Great Tribulation. It seems as though someone is saying to me, “Just because the nature of the day of the Lord is similar to the nature of the Great Tribulation, this does not prove that the day of the Lord includes the Great Tribulation.” If that’s your opinion, you certainly have a right to it. In the next post, I will show that some of the events that mark the day of the Lord are the EXACT events that mark the Great Tribulation.

MORE TO COME…

The Day of the Lord - Part 1

Introduction

The Present Puzzle of Prophecy

There are two general attitudes regarding the study of prophecy today. Among some, there is a renewed interest in the subject. Among others, there is an indifferent outlook toward the passages of prophecy. On the one hand, some desire to know everything God wishes them to know regarding great prophetic events yet to come. On the other hand, others just shrug their shoulders and say, “The main thing is to be ready [for the coming of the Lord].”

In the arena where there is renewed desire for prophecy, there is a great controversy today. Down through the centuries, the Millennium was the big issue regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ. The argument of the past has been whether Christ would return before a literal millennium or after a figurative millennium. That does not seem to be the issue today, however. Today, the big question regarding our Lord’s second coming is that of the Great Tribulation. Will Christ come for His church before, in the middle of, or after the Great Tribulation? That is today’s great puzzle of prophecy.

In the next few posts, I will certainly reveal what I believe regarding the question of the church’s translation in regard to the Great Tribulation. However, answering that one question is not the purpose of these next few posts. There is so much more to study in prophecy than whether or not the church will go the Great Tribulation.

Before digging in to my subject, allow me to set something straight with the reader. Concerning the coming of the Lord in regard to the Great Tribulation, I can differ with a brother or sister in the Lord, retaining love for them and keeping fellowship with them, under one condition. No matter how you believe regarding when the Lord is coming in connection with the Great Tribulation, you MUST believe that God Almighty will most certainly pour out His wrath upon this wicked world, and the church of Jesus Christ just as certainly will be delivered from it. If a brother or sister does not believe this, it does not affect my love for them; but it will affect my fellowship with them. To believe that the church will be upon the earth when God’s wrath is being poured out is to do injustice to the blood of Jesus which was shed to deliver us from such wrath. Look at what the scriptures declare:

I Thessalonians 1:10 – “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

I Thessalonians 5:9 – “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We learn two great truths from these verses; first, that we are NOT APPOINTED TO WRATH; and second, that we have already been delivered from the wrath to come. I heard a preacher say once that the wrath of God is not appointed for the church, but the church may still receive some of it. NOT SO! It is true that we are not appointed to wrath, and it is just as true that we have already been delivered from the wrath of God by the work of Jesus Christ upon the cross.

Through the years, I have had many discussions with many students of scripture regarding the subject of Christ’s return in connection with the Great Tribulation. Nearly everyone with whom I deal believes in a PRE-WRATH rapture, meaning that the rapture will occur BEFORE the wrath of God is poured out, and consequently, the church will suffer none of it. These are fundamental truths regarding the second coming of Christ for His church; first, that He is coming bodily and literally to receive His church unto Himself; and second, that such a gathering will occur before the wrath of God is poured out upon this world.

What is “the Day of the Lord”?

The day of the Lord is a definite, fixed period of time that is yet in the future. No one knows when this time period will begin. There are myriads of scripture, especially in the Old Testament, that describe this awful period of time. Some of the events that comprise the day of the Lord include:

1) The Great Tribulation. This is also a definite, fixed period of time that is yet in the future. Throughout this post, I will present scriptures that describe the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation is not SYNONYMOUS with the day of the Lord, but the day of the Lord INCLUDES the Great Tribulation. There are other events that take place after the Great Tribulation that are included in the day of the Lord, but it is the Great Tribulation that ignites the fires of the day of the Lord. Some events that define the Great Tribulation are the rise of the man of sin with a seven-year covenant with Israel, the rise of the false prophet, the rise and fall of Babylon, the judgment of God being poured out upon the nations of the world, the refining of the nation of Israel, the siege of Jerusalem, and the captivity of the Jews into the nations of the world. All these events and more are part of the Great Tribulation, and the Great Tribulation is a part of the day of the Lord. Because there is great controversy as to whether or not the Great Tribulation is included in the day of the Lord, I will spend a good deal of time showing, by the nature of the day of the Lord as well as the events of the day of the Lord, that the Great Tribulation is indeed a part of the day of the Lord.

2) The Second Coming of Christ. Immediately after the tribulation, Jesus Christ will come to this earth again with all the saints of God. This is part of the day of the Lord. At His second coming with His saints, Christ will destroy the man of sin and the false prophet, casting them into the lake of fire. He will judge the nations with regard to their treatment of Israel during the tribulation. He will gather the Jews who were scattered during the tribulation, and set them in their own land. He will set up a literal kingdom where He, along with the church, will reign for one thousand years. Each of these events occur after the Great Tribulation, but are part of the day of the Lord.

3) Some insist that, based upon II Peter 3, the Millennium and the battle following it is part of the day of the Lord. I see where they get it, but I am not sold on that proposition.

In the Old Testament, we are repeatedly given descriptions of the nature and events of the day of the Lord. In the New Testament, Christ describes in detail the nature and events of the Great Tribulation. In Matthew 24, Christ teaches His disciples concerning the Great Tribulation and the events relating to it. This is called the Olivet Discourse, because Christ was in the Mount of Olives while teaching this. In Mark’s gospel, Christ gives His Olivet Discourse in Mark 13. In Mark 13, however, Christ does not refer to “the Great Tribulation,” but rather “great affliction.” But it is the same time period. When Luke gives His account of the Olivet Discourse in Luke 21, “great distress” and “distress of nations” is used. But it is still the same time period that Matthew records as being “the Great Tribulation.” So, we will look at the nature and events of the Great Tribulation as given in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, comparing them to the Old Testament description of the nature and events of the day of the Lord. Any honest Bible reader will readily see that the day of the Lord includes the Great Tribulation.

TO BE CONTINUED…

The Spirit of Prophecy

Revelation 19:10 – “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The Spirit of Prophecy Defined

In the above verse, the “spirit of prophecy” is defined, and we learn that it is synonymous with the testimony of Jesus. “The testimony of Jesus IS the spirit of prophecy.” One may ask, “What, then, is the testimony of Jesus?” The word “testimony” simply means “witness,” or “record.” The writer of Revelation, John the apostle, tells us in his first epistle that Jesus Christ is indeed a witness.

I John 5:7 – “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

Jesus Christ, along with His Father and His Spirit, is a witness. He has a record, or a testimony. Can we know what it is he witnesses to us? Can we know what the record, or testimony of Christ is? Absolutely, and John makes it known:

I John 5:9-12 – “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And THIS IS THE RECORD, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

The testimony of Jesus Christ, then, is that eternal life is in Him. Eternal life hinges on past events; namely the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Prophecy is composed of future events having not yet occurred. Prophetic events, though yet unfulfilled, are as sure to happen as the past events that brought us eternal life. The spirit of prophecy hangs on the fact of Christ’s testimony. Christ died; Christ was buried; Christ rose again. His apostles preached this boldly and without reservation, fear, favor, or apology. These events are sure – they happened! They came about just exactly as the prophets declared that they would. And in Revelation 19, John reminds us that HIS prophecy, the book of Revelation, would likewise be fulfilled.

If I could describe the testimony of Jesus in one word, I would describe it this way: SURE. It is unmovable, undisputed, undeniable, and unquestionable. The unfulfilled events of John’s prophecy are as sure as Christ’s testimony. Just as sure as the record declares that Christ came to earth, born of a virgin, the seals will be opened. Just as sure as the witness testifies that Christ was anointed of the Holy Ghost, the trumpets of Revelation will sound. Just as sure as the testimony assures me that Christ was crucified, the vials of wrath will be poured out. Just as sure as the record affirms that Christ was buried, the beast will arise to rule. Just as sure as the witness of scripture proclaims that Christ was not left in hell, but rose from the dead, Christ will again return to the earth with the saints to judge the world.

I have been stirred to write a few posts regarding prophetic subjects. Currently, I am unsure of how many subjects I will cover. As for the subjects I do cover, be it known to the reader that I can in no way bring out every point on every subject in a single post. These are massive subjects relating to Bible prophecy. Though I will give some thoughts on these subjects, there will be much left unsaid. Some subjects I would like to discuss in upcoming posts include:

1) The Day of the Lord

2) The Nation of Israel in Prophecy

3) Israel and the Great Tribulation

4) The Church and the Great Tribulation

5) Daniel’s Seventy Weeks

6) The Salvation of the Nation of Israel

7) The Regathering and Restoration of the Nation of Israel

8) The Judgment of the Nations

9) The Man of Sin and the False Prophet

10) The Rise and Fall of Babylon

11) The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Again, these are massive subjects. I would like to cover them briefly in the coming posts, but I cannot guarantee that I will cover all of them. I will begin to cover these subjects, and we will see how it goes.

A Course in Soul Winning - Part 3

The Soul Winner’s Reward

I Thessalonians 2:19, 20 – “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.”

In the two most recent posts, we have seen how NOT to win souls, how TO win souls, and now, we will briefly examine the reward for winning souls. The idea of a reward for soul winning, in one sense, sounds absurd. What reward does a person need for pulling a child out of a burning house? What reward would you demand for giving a dying man life?

Make no mistake about it. Every Christian will stand before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things done while living as a Christian upon this earth. Christians will be rewarded; and Christians will suffer loss. For the things we do in obedience to the commandments of Christ, we will receive a reward. For the things we do that are anything less than obedience, we will suffer loss. I heard a preacher say one time that it was nonsense to believe that some Christians will suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ, and yet those Christians will be saved. Really? Let us examine it for ourselves:

I Corinthians 3:14, 15 – “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, HE SHALL SUFFER LOSS: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire.”

It doesn’t sound like nonsense to me! Christians will receive a reward for any soul winning that they accomplish. The Psalmist speaks of a reward for the soul winner:

Psalm 126:6 – “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

What is our reward? That is the question. I have heard some shallow Christians say that if you do not win very many souls, you may have “furniture taken out of your mansion.” Dear reader, furniture in my heavenly mansion is NOT my reward for winning souls. To put it simply, my reward for winning souls is THE SOULS I WIN. Look again at Paul’s words in I Thessalonians 2:19, 20 – “Are not even YE in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For YE are our glory and joy.” Paul said, “You are our glory and joy!” If you rescued a child from a burning building, just watching that child grow up who would have otherwise died would be a great reward! Soul winners will be full of joy in heaven, when they see the ones that they won to Jesus Christ. If you win all your children to Jesus, and all your grandchildren to Jesus, and your neighbors, and your co-workers to Christ – and you see them all in heaven – what more could you desire? Those who win few or no souls, even in heaven, will experience an emptiness – they will suffer loss when they see so few that they pulled out of the fire!