Negative Consequences at the Bema?

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I received the following email:

I understand the deadly consequences of unrepentant sin in this life. But I don’t get the idea of negative consequences at the Judgment Seat of Christ. What deadly consequences would there be? In 1 Cor 3:10-15 it sounds like any wood, hay, or stubble works will simply be burned up. Thanks for your great articles.

Some Free Grace teachers do not believe that there will be any negative consequences at the Bema, the Judgment Seat of Christ, other than missing out on rewards. As you say, many point to the wood, hay, and straw works being burned up.

Other Free Grace teachers suggest that there will negative consequences (not deadly consequences) at the Bema including rebuke by Christ, shame before Christ and before the Body of Christ, AND missing out on rewards we could have had (including not hearing, “Well done, good servant”). See, for example, Luke 19:16-26; 2 Cor 5:9-11; Gal 6:7-9; Col 1:21-23; 2 Tim 2:12; Jas 3:1; 1 John 2:28.

As an aside, I think that the issue in 1 Cor 3:10-15 is not good works vs bad works, but works with eternal value and works lacking eternal value. Golfing is not a bad work. But there won’t be much if any eternal rewards for golfing. The same with watching sports on TV. I watch some sports on TV, but I know that is not something I’ll get rewards for.

Of course, ALL Free Grace teachers say that there will be no pain and suffering for saints in glorified bodies in the eternal kingdom. Any grief over shame or rebuke at the Bema will be very short-lived. Since we will be in glorified bodies, grief at the Bema would go away in minutes or hours, not days, months, or years. All glorified believers will be joyful and content in the Millennium and on the New Earth. But highly rewarded glorified saints will be more joyful since they will be able to glorify Christ more fully.

You might want to check out this 1995 article by Earl Radmacher and this 2015 article by me for more discussion of negative consequences at the Bema.

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Bob Wilkin

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Bob Wilkin is Executive Director of Grace Evangelical Society. He lives in Highland Village, TX with his wife, Sharon. His latest book is Is Calvinism Biblical: Let the Scriptures Decide.

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