Romans 14:10–11: “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, / Every knee shall bow to Me, / And every tongue shall confess to God.'”

May 9th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

To “judge” means to be critical of another person. To “show contempt” means to take no account of or to utterly despise another person. We are not allowed to do this because, as Paul reminds us, “we shall all stand before the judgment [Bema] seat of Christ” and be judged. Scripture describes 2 great days of judgment that await all humanity. One of them is the day of The Great White Throne of Judgment (Rev. 20:11–15). On that day, all those who have rejected Christ will stand before this throne and the heavenly records will be opened. One of the records is the Book of Life; in it are written the names of those who are saved. The names will be checked and there will be no mistakes, misjudgments, or errors, only truth. Then the books of deeds will be opened and the remaining people will be judged for their sins, and the fate of all these is the Lake of Fire.

But here in Romans 14 we read about the other great Day of Judgment. Paul uses the Greek word bema, which is the official’s seat in an athletic competition, where winners would appear to receive the laurel wreath of victory. All those who have believed on Jesus Christ will stand before Him, not to be judged for sins, but to receive rewards for faithfulness. As Paul wrote:

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Cor. 3:11–15)

We won’t be judged for sin because Jesus Christ has already paid the price for them. He is the foundation of all we are, and as we grow in Him, we build on that foundation. We are to build with the precious things of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and not with the worthless things of the flesh. One day, all will pass before the eyes of Jesus our Savior and the things of the Spirit will last. The things of the flesh will vaporize and be forgotten in an instant. Some will lose all, but they will be saved. Since this is true, and we face a judgment of rewards, we ought to live and walk in the Spirit and not the flesh.

“LORD, please lead us in Your path of service by the Holy Spirit this day so that lasting eternal things are built on You, the only sure Foundation.”