2nd Corinthians 5:9-11 and Revelation 20:11-15

2nd Corinthians 5:9-11, “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”

Revelation 20:11-20, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

I have never heard anyone teach this, but I liken these TWO different future judgment to Civil Court versus Criminal Court. 

At the coming Judgment Seat of Christ only for the saints, which I humbly believe will take place immediately following the Pretribulation Rapture (1st Corinthians 15:51-58), it will be a CIVIL COURT for all of the redeemed throughout history. Some professed believers such as Evangelist Sam Gipp and Pastor J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) teach that there will be a split Rapture, and that Old Testament saints won't be resurrected and judged until after the 7-year Tribulation period. I reject that theory. I do not find any such teaching in the Scripture. The aforementioned men base their speculative theory upon Daniel 12:3. 

The Bible is very clear in 1st Thessalonians 4:16b-17 that “the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” We shall be CHANGED in the twinkling of an eye (1st Corinthians 15:52), given immortal glorified bodies fashioned like unto the LORD's resurrected body (Philippians 3:21). Oh, what a glorious day that will be. No more neck pain! Amen!

In sharp contrast, at the Great White Throne of Judgment, which takes place at the end of the 1,000 year Millennial reign of Jesus Christ from the throne of David in Jerusalem, it will be a judgment only for the damned (the unsaved) of human civilization. We learn in Revelation 20:12 that death and Hell, and the bottom of the oceans, shall give up their dead. That is, the deceased remains of everyone's physical bodies will be retrieved by God to appear at this last judgment. This will be a CRIMINAL COURT, not civil court. It's not a matter of “if” someone is guilty, but what will be their eternal sentence in the horrific Lake of Fire.

In Civil Court you're sole risk is monetary (loss of rewards); but in Criminal Court you are at risk of losing your freedom and going to prison. We read about the saint's Civil Court in 1st Corinthians 3:11-15, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” I cherish this popular poem...

“Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”; And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say ’twas worth it all”; Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.” —Missionary C. T. Studd

All of our earthly hobbies, shallow pursuits, secular affairs and things done for self (wood, hay and stubble) won't be rewarded in eternity. Only that which we have done in Jesus' name for the Gospel's sake and the Kingdom of God (gold, silver and precious stones) will be rewarded. Christ is extremely ethical and I believe will reward even the least efforts done for His sake and the Gospel's. Matthew 10:42, “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” So, even if you share my website articles with others to help them in the LORD, you will be rewarded in eternity. The reason why is because I am a servant of God. And if you help me as a fundamentalist Bible preacher, you are indirectly helping the cause of Jesus Christ. Even if you give a cup of water on a hot day, or a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's day, to a soulwinning Christian, it is the same as if you gave it to Jesus (Matthew 25:40).

Which judgment will you appear at dear reader? If you are reading this, it is still not too late for you to settle with God out of court. God is freely offering you a full pardon and eternal life, just for the taking, literally, but only if you will accept His only begotten Son's sacrificial death on Calvary's cross as full payment for your sins, believing that Jesus was buried, but physically resurrected from the dead three days later. This is “the gospel” by which all who BELIEVE IT are immediately, irrevocably and forever saved (1st Corinthians 15:1-6; Romans 1:16). 1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”