The Message of Christ's Bema Seat: Bema Seat 16

Here is the whole message we learn from the bema seat of Christ: 

 AND WHATEVER YOU DO OR SAY, DO IT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS THROUGH HIM TO GOD THE FATHER.

(Col. 3:17 NLT)  May we be faithful to live our lives as His representatives.

What will  us Christians be judged for when we stand before Jesus at  His bema seat?  How faithful we are in everything the Lord has given us; our jobs, families, ministries, time, money, health, etc. (Mt. 25:10-14)  This is called "accountability."  I've been contemplating our accountability in life  since reading Nancy Missler's book 'The Kingdom, Power, and Glory' about a year ago.  Actually, we can't read Jesus' words in the Gosels without coming face to face with these great issues of how to life life.   

Here are a few things the Word of God reveals we will be judged by:

* The words we say.  Jesus says: "BUT I TELL YOU THAT EVERYONE WILL HAVE TO GIVE ACCOUNT ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT FOR EVERY EMPTY WORD THEY HAVE SPOKEN." (Mt. 12:36 NIV)

* Care for our bodies. (1 Cor. 3:17)

* How we care for our aging parents.  (Mk. 7:10-14)

* How we care for widows  and orphans.  (Ja. 1:27)  PURE AND GENUINE RELIGION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD THE FATHER MEANS CARING FOR ORPHANS AND WIDOWS IN THEIR DISTRESS AND REFUSING TO LET THE WORLD CORRUPT YOU. NLT)

* Our stewardship of the environment (Rev. 11:18)

*  How well we obey and submit to our Pastors (Heb. 13:17)

* Caring for those in need.  (1 John 3:17)

* Workers obeying and working hard for our bosses. (Eph. 6:5-8)  BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE LORD WILL REWARD EACH ONE FOR WHATEVER GOOD THEY DO, WHETHER THEY ARE SLAVE OR FREE. (Eph. 6:8)

* Employers treatment of their employees. (Eph. 6:9)

* How we get money.  * How we use money.  (Lk. 16:10,11)  Ananias and Sapphira found out this one the hard way.  (Acts 5:1-11)  Barnabas used his money wisely to supply the needs and encourage followers of the Way.  (Acts 4:37)

* Our obedience to God.   * Our representing God.  Moses lost his reward of entering the promised land by disobedience and misrepresentation of God when he struck the rock to get water instead of speaking to it to bring forth water as God had commanded at the waters of Meribah. (Num. 20:2-13)

* How we treat animals.  (Prov. 12:10)

* How we treat children. (Mk. 9:42, Lk. 17:2, Mt. 8:6)

* How we treat other followers of Jesus. (Mk.9:41)    "IF ANYONE GIVES YOU EVEN A CUP OF WATER BECAUSE YOU BELONG TO THE MESSIAH, I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THAT PERSON WILL SURELY BE REWARDED," says the Lord Jesus. (NLT)

* Showing our faith by our works. (James)

This is just a sampling, what I could glean from scripture at this time.  

"HERE IS A SIMPLE, RULE OF THUMB GUIDE FOR BEHAVIOR:  ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO DO FOR YOU, THEN GRAB THE INITIATIVE AND DO IT FOR THEM.  ADD UP GOD'S LAW AND PROPHETS AND THIS IS WHAT YOU GET." (Mt. 7:12 Message)  This is Jesus golden rule.

The message of the bema seat in summary is this:  AND WHATEVER YOU DO, WHETHER BY SPEECH OR ACTION, DO EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD THE FATHER THROUGH HIM. (Col. 3:17 ISV)