Rapture vs Second Coming: Back to the Future, Part 6 and 7 - by Clint Archer

The below is part six and seven, found here and here, respectively. Links to our analyses of part four and part five.  Our comments in bold.
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We complete our examination of the author's eschatology in today's post. Unfortunately, we have found that the author tends toward making undocumented claims and speculative comments, which he presents as gospel truth.

The author continues in this modus operandi below.

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The (Chronologically) First Reckoning: THE BĒMA SEAT

Participants: The bēma seat judgment is only for raptured and resurrected believers, that is, those alive or resurrected at the time Christ raptures the church. This is only for believers and so there is no pronouncement of guilty or not guilty. (The author does not document any of these claims. How does he know it's for believers only? Where in the Bible does it say there's no pronouncement of guilt? Why does he think it's connected to the rapture?

The word bēma is found twice in relation to the judgment of Christ, Ro. 14:10 and 2Co. 5:10 [the author quotes 2Co. 5:10 below]:

Ro. 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

When Paul writes "we will all," who is he talking about? As we read the surrounding context, Paul makes both universal and specific claims in this passage. The next two verses:

Ro. 14:11 It is written: “`As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, `Every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’“ [Isaiah 45:23]

Ro. 14:12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

This use of  bēma clearly has universal implications and is not necessarily restricted to Christians.)

The rewards involve commendation and delegation of authority in the Kingdom. (Undocumented claim.)

Timing: This judgment happens after the rapture, but before the Glorious Coming, that is, during the Tribulation. (Undocumented claim.)

There are allusions all over the New Testament to authority as a reward– but here are a few passages: (He will provide only two Scriptures, neither of which imply authority as a reward.)

2 Corinthians 5:9–10 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (This is second occurrence of bēma, as we mentioned above. It contains similar phraseology to Romans 14:10 [we will all/we must all; stand before God's judgment seat/appear before the judgment seat], though the Romans verse is a bit broader in context than the 2 Corinthians passage. This is probably why the author chose the 2 Corinthians passage and does not mention the Romans passage, in order to support his theory that this supposed bēma judgment is Christians only.

And, there's no mention of authority as a reward.)

This passage does require some explanation. The word translated here as “evil” is an unusual Greek word – it is the word φαῦλον – phaulon. This is not the usual Greek word for evil or sin, but rather a unique word meaning “worthless or light or valueless” (as opposed to sinful). (The author attempts to maneuver around this word phaulon in order to support his doctrine, but we also can consult the Greek, and the word has a broader meaning:

worthless, of no account; ethically, bad, wicked, base

Other places the word phaulon is used:

Jn. 3:20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Jn. 5:28-29 Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out — those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

Ro. 9:11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad — in order that God’s purpose in election might stand...

Ja. 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Thus Paul is not necessarily excluding sin. 

But more to the point, we need to consider that Paul's purpose in writing was to warn people to stop judging each other [Ro. 14:10], or to continue to work diligently in order to please the Lord [2Co. 5:9]. This means that Paul was not explaining a particular type or timing of judgment to be faced, but rather is speaking generically of judgment in order to make his points.

Therefore, we conclude that this is not a unique or particular judgment requiring the author's speculation and categorization to fit into his end times doctrine. It appears the author is doing his best to interpret Scripture through his preconceptions. 

This is why we consider him to be a bad Bible teacher.)

So, the judgment Paul is referring to here is not a judgment for our sin. We know this because the Bible is full of passages that tell us that Christians are not judged for our sin ("The Bible is full of passages?" *Sigh* would it trouble the author too much to provide just one?)

– the punishment has been borne by Christ. (The Father did not punish Jesus. He did not bear our punishment. He was the sacrificial lamb who bore our sins, carrying them to the cross.)

Rather, here we are being judged for the value or substantiality of our actions. (Which would seem to include sin.)

We will be recompensed (given what is due) for those works that are good and have value in God’s Kingdom, as opposed to all the things we do that have no value. These are things that might not be sin, (So the author walks back his assertion and concedes they might be sin...)

but which have no real value in the Kingdom – like binge-watching your favorite series, or as John Piper would say: collecting seashells.

Let’s face it, some people just do more for the Kingdom than others. They respond to the commands more diligently and are more faithful to use talents with which they have been entrusted. Those who have sacrificed time, career, money, comfort, family, and life will certainly receive more (Where does the Bible say this? We'll do the author's job: Mk. 10:29-30.)

than the Christian who barely made it to two worship services a month and every now and then gave some money to the ministry. (This sounds to us like the author is judging by mere appearances. He gives us two contrasting examples and is certain that the former is better than the latter. 

But the author doesn't seem to understand the ministry of the Body. There are presentable parts and unpresentable parts, some that need special care and some that need no care at all [1Co. 12:23-24]. 

We note this because we don't necessarily know how God apportions His grace in peoples' lives:

Ep. 4:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

The supposed underachiever may be doing everything he's been called to do, employing every bit of the grace he has received. Maybe the result doesn't measure up according to the author's standards, but it is God who gives the honor to those who lacked it [1Co. 12:24].)

1 Corinthians 3:10–15 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (Finally a Scripture that speaks to the point. Indeed, the author is correct. The construction we each do upon the foundation Paul laid as a master builder will be passed through the fire to see its value. This is clearly regarding Christians, and we note it happens on the Last Day. The author previously claimed this judgment happens after the rapture, but before the Glorious Coming. The Last Day is the Glorious Coming.

And the author's next category, the "sheep and goats judgment," also occurs on the Last Day. Perhaps they are the same judgment?)

If you have no works that withstand the fire you will still be saved and you will not be condemned … but you will suffer some sort of loss. 

Whatever “suffer loss” means, it cannot mean “not suffer loss.”

From what we read in Scripture – these rewards are positions of authority in the Kingdom, based on your faithfulness. (The author repeats his "authority" theory. He mentions Scripture, but again he doesn't provide any quotes.)

Your station on earth might seem arbitrary – but your station in heaven will be based entirely on what you did in this life with what God entrusted to you. All Christians will be in the Kingdom, but clearly, some will have more authority than others. (The author conflates the value of our deeds with positions of authority in heaven. He has done this several times but never explains it.)

So, live this life for the eternal rewards. Live a life of faith that gives God glory because it shows you believe that what he says he will do.

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The Second Reckoning: THE SHEEP & GOATS JUDGMENT (Having completely failed at explaining why he thinks the bēma is a separate judgment just for Christians, he moves on to his second judgment.)

This is the judgment Jesus refers to in Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ …“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels….And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Participants: This judgment will be attended by all believers and unbelievers who are alive at the end of the Tribulation. (Undocumented claim.

As we mentioned, this also is the Day of the Lord: When the Son of Man comes in his glory... )

The believers will be those who have been saved during the Tribulation, and the unbelievers, those who still are not saved. (Undocumented claim.)

Timing: This judgment happens at the end of the Tribulation, that is, at the Glorious Coming of Christ, just prior to the commencement of the Millennial Kingdom. (Undocumented claim.)

Those who are on the “left” – the goats, will be sent to damnation, but those on the “right” – the sheep, will enter the Millennial Kingdom and populate it.  (Undocumented claim.)

They will be the first citizens of the Kingdom which will last for 1000 years. (Undocumented claim.)

The Third Reckoning: THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT (Astonishingly, the author moves on to number three without so much as an explanation of why he thinks the above claims about number two are Scriptural.)

This is the judgment John sees in Revelation 20:7–15 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison …Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if (since) anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

(Now the author lies to us. He inserts the word "since" in verse 15 to bolster his point. However, this is dishonest. The Greek word is ei, and Strong's tells us this:

(ei) should not be translated "since," but rather always "if" – since the assumption may only be portrayed as valid (true, factual).

Thus the author attempts to deceive in order to make the verse say what he wants it to say. Again we would say that the author is not a competent Bible teacher.)

Participants: This judgment is attended by all unbelievers of all ages who are now raised from the dead.(So let's examine the passage to see if the author's undocumented claim is true.

Books were opened, no doubt representative of all the deeds ever done. Another book, the Book of Life, is opened. All people [great and small] are standing before the very throne of God. Then comes an expansive description of the summoning of the dead from every place. This is how we know it is all people.

Remember what the author wrote about the "sheep and goats judgment?" They will be the first citizens of the Kingdom which will last for 1000 years. If this is true, why are only the dead mentioned for the great white throne judgment? What happened to these living souls [presumably lost souls, but who knows at this point in his explanation] who came through the 1000 years? 

Then there's the matter of this verse:

1Th. 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

So there will be dead Christians called forth from the grave at the Day of the Lord.

Ok, continuing on. Each person's deeds are judged. The Greek word for "judge" is krínō: 

to separate (distinguish), i.e. judge; come to a choice (decision, judgment) by making a judgment – either positive (a verdict in favor of) or negative (which rejects or condemns).

The works are separated out. Some works are judged as good, while others are judged as bad. So the obvious question is, if some works are good, what is the point of the judgment if as the author  says everyone at this judgment will be thrown into the lake of fire?

The very fact that the the book of life is open implies that some of those who are standing before the throne will have their names written in it. However, if all these are already condemned, there would be no point in opening the book of life.

Therefore, without evidence to the contrary, it leaves open the possibility that both Christians and pagans will be at this judgment. 

But more to the point, we wonder again at the author's competence.)

They are judged for what they have done and sentenced to the second death – eternal damnation in hell, along with satan and the demons.

Timing: This happens at the end of the 1000-year kingdom, just before the Eternal state. This judgment ushers in the final eternal state for both unbelievers and believers.

This is a final judgment – there is no hope for those at this judgment. They have rejected Christ and are doomed forever.

CONCLUSION

God isn’t messing around, and there are no second chances after you die. You need to repent now. If you die without Christ – there is no hope. You will wait for this final Great White Throne judgment and then be eternally cast into hell. But Jesus paid this awful price for any and all who trust in him. Turn to him in faith and repentance today. He took your punishment – he can save you. He is the only way that you can escape the awful eternal punishment that you deserve.