Judgment, Resurrection and Future Glory

Folk in regard to comments I made last week about Judgment and Future Glory…. Here are a few of the references I made with a few comments. Note: I do not consider this issue one of profound importance, secondary or tertiary at best. I am not trying to be dogmatic but rather considering some ideas about what Scripture says about the resurrection, glorified bodies and eternal reward. Surely these topics integrate in the eternal state, but Scripture does not give a fully developed doctrine about these matters, therefore neither do I. Below are just a few scriptures that I think may be related and few thoughts about how they might go together. The Scripture that brought up my comments… 2 Peter 1:10-11 – 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. NASB In the context of 2 Peter chapter 1 sanctification is in view. As stated, the text structure develops like this… 2 Pet 1:2-4 – Resources, power, and process – indicatives 2 Pet 1:5-8 – imperatives grounded in the resources of 2-4 calling us to APPLY         DILIGENCE to put on the virtues and practice godliness 2 Pet 1:9 – if you lack fruit and effectiveness, you have forgotten the Gospel 2 Pet 1:10-11 – if you believe 2-4, resulting in 5-8, you gain rich entrance into the kingdom The way I understand Peters statement “will be abundantly applied to you” in this context is that he mentions the “abundant” supply of the kingdom, as opposed to the sparse supply. In other words, his point is that the kingdom will be experienced by degree (fullness or full supply vs. sparseness or sparse supply). This fit well with the context because he mentions the transforming process of sanctification, and it is this he calls to apply diligence in.

2 Peter 1:8 – If these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. NASB

Now concerning the comments I made about the degree of sanctification affecting our degree of eternal reward and future glory, my thoughts are based on a few of the below passages. The idea is that when the Bible speaks about the resurrection body and the eternal state in certain passages, it makes reference to a shining glory that emanates from our persons. I am suggesting that this is God’s own glory being reflected through our persons forever because of our Union with Christ. We are “in Him” and He is “in us” and that relation is forever. One such passage is 1 Corinthians 15:35-55. Notice the context, the resurrection body is in view, and Paul is describing its nature. He makes a reference to the resurrection body being like the sun and the stars, and specifically how they differ in “glory.” For further consideration see context 1 Cor 15:35-55

1 Corinthians 15:41-42 –  41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. NASB

This seems to me to be a reference to the shining glory of believers reflecting God’s glory from our persons (it is never our own glory, but God’s that has been wrought in us by Him). This language is rather suggestive and in my mind and relates to Scripture also made by the prophet Daniel and Jesus, who I believe is quoting Daniel.

Daniel 12:2-4 – 2 “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 “And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. NASB

Notice the clear and unmistakable language concerning the resurrection in Daniel 12. Daniel makes a similar statement about the shining glory of the resurrection body shining in a similar way as the “expanse of heaven” and also “like the stars.” The Lord Jesus makes a similar statement about believers “shining forth as the sun” in the eternal state and our experience with Him eternally in the Kingdom.

Matthew 13:43 – 43 “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. NASB

When speaking about the resurrection and our nature in that place and time, these references mean something specific to me that God has intended to communicate in Scripture. Because in 1 Corinthians 15 Paul makes the reference “for star differs from star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead,” and this in a context that is describing the nature of the resurrection body, I believe he is communicating that we will emanate a degree of God’s glory from our persons that will have a one to one correspondence with our degree of sanctification (the context also makes reference to image bearing in verse 49).

1 Corinthians 15:43-44 – 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. NASB 1 Corinthians 15:49 – 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. NASB

The difference in degree will come from our judgment at the Bema seat 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:10, and be related to how useful and productive we have been in the Christian life, the very language of 2 Pet 1:2-11.

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 – 9 Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. NASB 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 – 12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire. NASB

As I said out the outset, it is a secondary matter and these are a few scriptures that I think may be related and few thoughts about how they might go together. Also Union with Christ…. And how the relates to the experience and enjoyment of God forever The Bema Seat Judgment – Judgment for believers for eternal reward

1 Corinthians 15:35-55 –  35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?“ 36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. NASB 2 Peter 1:2-11 – 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. NASB