May 21, 2025
Two preachers stood by the side of the road that separated their churches. They had just finished hammering a hand-made sign into the ground, which read:
The End is Near!
Turn Around Now
Before it’s too Late!
All at once, someone yelled out of the window of a speeding car that passed them. “Leave us alone, you religious wackos!”
A few seconds later, they heard the sound of screeching tires, followed by a series of thuds and a big splash. With that, one preacher turned to the other and asked, “Do you think the sign should just say ‘Bridge Out’?”
You may not run across any “Bridge Outs” along your journey. And the end may not be near, yet it’s coming--not only the end of our lives here on earth but the world as we know it as well. Each day that ticks by brings us one step closer.
As someone famously said, “the death rate is 100%, one out of every one person dies.” According to Scripture, “It is appointed for men to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27 NASB). Judgment Day could also be rendered Judgment Days, since two distinct times of accountability await.
1) Born again believers “must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Here, Christians will give an account of our deeds while on earth, “whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NASB).
2) Unbelievers will face the Great White Throne Judgment, a reality we’ll explore in detail next time.
Digging deeper into the Judgment Seat of Christ, note first that this will be a time of exposure. As Jesus said, “Nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light” (Mark 4:27 NASB). In other words, expect a time of total transparency before Jesus.
Next, this will be an occasion of loss. Not our salvation, of course. That was secured by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, given by grace and received by faith. No one is going to snatch us out of His hands (John 10:28).
That said, at this time, the quality of every person’s work will be subject to fire and revealed for what it is. “If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13). Whether or not this fire is literal remains to be seen. What can be said with certainty is that many will be saved with little to show for their lives on earth.
Finally, the Judgment Seat of Christ will be a time of reward. As Paul writes, “If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward” (1 Corinthians 3:14). Scripture also says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… for their deeds follow with them” (Revelation 14:13).
This truth creates a spiritual paradox. While receiving rewards should not be the main motivation for serving the Lord, Scripture clearly teaches that they will be given. Praise, crowns, and increased responsibility await those who have served faithfully. Of course, any rewards or recognition received will be placed at the feet of Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
In a Primetime Live interview, Billy Graham was asked, “What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone?” “I don’t want them to say anything about me,” he responded. “I want them to talk about my Savior. The only thing I want to hear is Jesus saying, ‘Well done, My good and faithful servant.’ But I’m not sure I’m going to hear that.”
Although it’s not my place to judge, I’m quite sure Rev. Graham heard those words. Hopefully, you and I will too. It starts by making sure we know Jesus as Savior, with our names written in the Lamb’s book of life.
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Todd Gaddis is a semi-retired minister living in Athens. He continues to serve as an interim pastor and can be reached at jtoddgaddis@gmail.com.
