so that I may lay hold of that which I also was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I don't regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, and I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let us as many are perfect, there's that word again, mature, have this attitude, and if anything, And if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you. However, let us keep on living by that same standard to which we have already attained. Brethren, join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you and often tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their stomach, or could be something like their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with his body of glory, by the exertion of the power that he has even to subject all things to himself. So now we'll look at, if I didn't say it correctly, we're going to look at 13 and 14 tonight. So let's go back to those two verses. Verse 13, brethren, so he's still talking to born-again believers. I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, and I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. So in these two verses, Paul focuses on four things. Number one, he says he didn't regard himself as having laid hold of it yet, verse 13. So I think Paul was honest in his assessment of his spiritual life and realized, and it isn't that Paul wasn't mature, I don't think he had obtained the intimate spiritual knowledge of Christ and the spiritual maturity he desired, and he hadn't fulfilled everything God had for his life. So Paul obviously saw room for growth. He also had not obtained the prize or his spiritual reward in the future. And we're going to get to that in a moment, and that'll be the focus of most of the message. So, as stated last week, we mentioned this, that there's always room for spiritual growth and further sanctification. Remember, you have the position, justification through faith alone and Christ alone. Sanctification, though it does have a positional aspect, often refers to the Christian walk. as we wait for glorification, which is resurrection. So Paul said he had not regarded himself as having laid hold of it yet. Then number two, forgetting what lies behind. I think we have to be very careful with this statement, forgetting what lies behind, because some things are valid to remember, wouldn't you agree? And even a command or a must. For example, I'll just give you some examples of things to remember. the Jews were constantly reminded of how God worked in their lives so that they would never forget their covenant God. And how many times when you get beyond the Torah, where God will continually through prophets and the writers of the Psalms, about what happened back in Egypt, how God delivered them, so he keeps going back for with the Jews for things that they needed to remember. For example, here's some places where you are to remember things. The Jews were commanded in Deuteronomy 5.15, you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. So, they definitely don't want to put that aside and forget that. And he said, and that the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Deuteronomy 6.12, watch yourselves that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery. Deuteronomy 8.2, you shall remember all the ways which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these 40 years, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Aren't believers to remember the promises of God? So Paul says forgetting what is behind, well obviously we want to remember the promises of God. Church age believers are even called to remember what? What specific thing do we remember at communion? Yeah, the death of Christ, 1 Corinthians 11, 23-26. Paul says, For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus Christ, in the night which He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you. Finish it. In remembrance of me. Do this in remembrance of me. Verse 25, In the same way He took the cup after the supper, He said this, the cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death, there's the past, until He comes in the future. So the Lord's Supper is linked to the cross of Jesus Christ as we look to His future return. Obviously, he was resurrected and will come back for the church. Galatians 2.20, Paul looked back to the cross as a basis for a spiritual life, which I think is an important thing as we're walking by the Spirit. to remember what Christ has done. Paul says, I've been crucified with Christ, that's his position. It's no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, meaning his present body before the resurrection, I live by faith in the Son of God, present tense, who loved me, past, and gave himself for me, past. That's the cross. So the motivation for his spiritual life and walk with Jesus in the present was the cross in the past that motivated that. However, there are certain things we could go on all night with this, with the categories, but there are a lot of things we should forget and put behind us. We should forget the negative things of the past that hinder our present walk. We should forget the things of the past that offer no encouragement for spiritual growth in the present. We should forget our past sins and failures that often weigh Christians down with tremendous guilt. And we need to stop focusing and dwelling on negative things that people did to us in the past and let that hinder our present walk. That happens a lot with people. However, in the context, Paul's statement, I think, most likely looks back to his reflection of his life before he came to Christ as a religious Pharisee and all those credentials he gave early in the chapter from the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee of Pharisees, a persecutor of the church, I mean, Paul was a murderer of the church. Could you imagine Christians coming to him after he becomes an apostle going, but how do you live with yourself by what you did? He can't do that. He realizes what he's done and now he's a servant of the Lord. He has to put that behind him. And so he knew he had to move on and focus on Christ, which Paul did. Paul really had a lot to overcome if you really study his life. And he had every reason to gripe about his past, but he doesn't. He moves forward. The third thing he focused on was reaching forward to what lies ahead. So forgetting what was behind, focusing on what lies ahead. And he uses a Greek word where you have reaching forward. This Greek word literally means to reach out towards something, to strain forward, or figuratively to try hard for something. Some scholars likened it to an athlete running his course and then straining his body forward real hard right before he hits the tape. You've seen those guys? Especially if they're neck and neck. Sometimes it's that little body thrust at the end that might beat your opponent. So Paul was striving to move forward in the spiritual life and focusing on Christ and what lay ahead of him. So there is effort in the spiritual life as we walk in cooperation with the Holy Spirit that indwells us. So Paul was determined to continue forward in his spiritual life. By the way, what books is he still going to write that he hasn't written yet? He's got Titus, 1st and 2nd Timothy. Is God done with this man? No, and he actually has some scripture he's going to write that will now be put into the canon. Paul didn't know. We don't know when God's going to take us home, so we need to press forward just like Paul did and be ready to serve God in anything He has for us. Go back to Philippians 1. I really love this passage that he says because hopefully we all have this attitude. If I asked you the question, would you rather tonight, would you want to go home to be with the Lord? You know, Paul had visited the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 12. Do you think he wanted to come back after seeing that, being in the throne room of God? Now, I read about that and just think how magnificent that must have been as I read what he saw. And he didn't, did he give us much description? He just said, words inexpressible. Well, come on, do you have any photos or something? No, he's just going to tell us beyond description how incredible that was. So I think we'd all want to be with the Lord, but we often say similar things. Well, I've got things I want to do here. I've got my kids and my grandkids. There's still things I want to do in this life. And I would agree that after all, it's only a season. It's not that long that we're here in light of eternity. But Paul wrestled with this, Philippians 1.21-24. He says, For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain. See, everything that Paul was about was about Christ. He was Christ-centered. He says, but if I'm to live on in the flesh, the flesh there is not the sinful nature. He means in this body, just like Galatians 2.20, the life I live in the flesh, in other words, this present tent, before he gets the resurrection body. So, but if I'm to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me, but I don't know which to choose. Not that Paul really has a choice, it's God's choice, but he says, I'm hard pressed from both directions, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which I think we all can agree with that. The way he piles up the words here, that is very much better. The Greek is very much like that too. It's way better to be with the Lord. Yet, however, verse 24, to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. So, God had raised up this apostle and he's going to use him in a mighty way. So, Paul recognized that even Even though I'd rather be with the Lord, there's still things that the Lord has for me. We don't always know what they're going to be. A lot of times we have no idea, but doors open as we go on. I think back, I've been a Christian 25 years, and if somebody would have said in year two, you will be a pastor, I literally would have laughed you out of the room. And then if somebody said, you're going to be a prison minister, What are you talking about? I have no idea how I'd even get into that. So never say that it won't happen. You'll be amazed at what the Lord might put in your life and a door that may just open up. So be sensitive to that. And He may have something for you in your 89, some of you young folks. Gene, He may have you there for another 100. You never know what He's going to do. I think this is a good balanced attitude Paul had. He had devotion for the Lord, but knew that God still had a plan for him. The fourth thing he focused on was pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Okay? Now, if you're looking at your text, and I'm sorry with all the English translations, I'm hoping you're following the word I'm talking about. But if you have something like pressing on toward the goal, that's that Greek word again we've seen in verse 12, dioko. Dioko means to persecute. It can also mean to pursue. And it has a good and a bad sense. You can pursue somebody in a persecution way, in a negative way. Paul was a persecutor of the church. But you can pursue Jesus in a great way, and that's the way he's using it in a good sense. It's a vigorous, the dioko can mean a vigorous pursuit, namely Paul is pursuing the things of God. He says in verse 14, he pressed on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Do you have upward in your Bibles? I think most Bibles put upward. Another reason I think Paul is dealing with the spiritual life, which seems obvious anyway, is that the word upward is a word Paul uses elsewhere for the walk of the believer, ano. It's just spelled A-N-O in Greek and it means upward. I have a slide for you so you don't have to turn to it. It's the same word Paul will use in Colossians 3 for focusing on the things above versus the things below or on the earth. And this was in the context of Paul realizing that Jesus simply was his life. So, if you ever had to write a biblical definition of life, if Jesus Christ is not in that definition, something's wrong. He's got to get in there. He is the way, the truth, and the life. And Paul knew that. So, Colossians 3.1, therefore, if, or the Greek could have the idea, since you've been raised up with Christ, there's your position, you're all raised with him, Ephesians 2. 4 through 6 will indicate that. So, since you've been raised up with Christ, so we're all in the positional sense sharing His death, burial, and resurrection. What do we have to do now based on our position? Notice He did not say to get the position, do this, but because you already have it, keep seeking the things above. That's ano, ta ano, the things above. Same word Paul used, the upward call of Christ. Keep seeking the things above where Christ is. He tells us where He is, seated at the right hand of God. We know from other scriptures, He's in the throne room of God at the right hand of the Father, waiting for His enemies to be made a footstool of His feet. Hebrews 10, I think 13 will tell you that. Okay, so what's the mandate, the position you're raised with Him, the command? Seek the things above. Then He says in verse 2, now the command, set your mind on Tano, the things above. not on the things of the earth. For you have died, position, and your life is now hidden with Christ and God. That's just who you are. Then verse 4, when Christ, our life, Paul just says he knew Christ was his life, but I think he wants us to adopt the same. By the way, whether you recognize he is your life or not, is he? Yep. Paul just says he is your life. When he is revealed, I think that's at the rapture when he comes for the church, then you will be revealed with him in glory. So again, the things above, he uses it twice in Colossians 3, and he tells us in Philippians he had his focus on Christ, the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Back to Philippians 3.14, Paul pressed on toward what he called his goal. Okay, the word goal there, I looked that up, it's skopos, S-K-O-P-O-S. This word means a goal or a mark at the end of a race. A goal or a mark at the end of a race. So, Paul again is focusing on his progressive sanctification, his spiritual walk with God, as he looked to the final goal of final sanctification, which is going to be again resurrection. Now, this will get more to where we're going to finish the rest of the evening. Paul also said, I press on toward the goal for what? What's the next phrase? For the prize, okay? A prize should bring something of value to your mind, a reward for something. Let's look at this word that he uses. Not a very common word in the Bible. But the word you have translated prize, if that's what you have in your English, it's the Greek word brabion. B-R-A-B-E-I-O-N. Now, this is a noun, and it comes from a verb brabio. Brabio means to assign the prize in a public game. It was a prize such as a wreath or a garland bestowed on the victors in the contests of the Greeks. What do we give our Olympic athletes? gold medal, silver medal, bronze. So there's reward. And there's great privileges, too, that go with athletes. Every culture has their different privileges, but they had theirs for sure. So that's the word he uses. And I think Paul has in mind, as in other scriptures, the games of the ancient world. And he'll make spiritual application out of them, as we often make spiritual application out of things of our culture, as far as things to help us understand the spiritual life. It's like this, and we'll do some modern day comparison just to make a point. So, Paul was familiar with the games. By the way, let's turn to 1 Corinthians 9. I'll show you where this word shows up again, definitely in an athletic context. Paul will use this very same word, brebeion, to the believers at Corinth when he encouraged them to run the race effectively, meaning the spiritual race. He's not trying to train them as physical athletes, he's trying to keep them in the spiritual race of the Lord. So, 1 Corinthians 9, 24 through 27. The Word will show up and the first verse we'll read and then we'll keep moving. Hold on a minute, make sure everybody gets there. Now, you read the first eight chapters, Paul is still treating these people as brethren. And if you've read what he said about them, if you could lose your salvation, by chapter 3, he would have said, forget it, you're going to hell. He never does that. Matter of fact, he strongly and verbally corrects their behavior and says, you've got to change. But you're still a brother and you need to do this. So he will still encourage them to move forward in a strong way in 924 through 27. So he says this, don't you know that all those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the what? Brabaion. There's your word again. Paul pressed on toward the prize. Here's the word he uses again to the Corinthians. Then he says, run in such a way so that you may win. So the prize is Brabaion, the same word of Philippians 3.14. He says, run in such a way. Do you have in your English, in such a way? Okay, that word is very important. It's one Greek word, hutos. The same word that is used in John 3.16, for God so loved the world. I don't think he means in that passage, I love the world so much, like a degree. It often, almost not every time, but just about every time in the New Testament, it means in this manner, or so, or thusly. Thusly is too old English, I can't go there. But in this manner is the way we would understand it. So when he says run in such a way, he means run in this manner. So what does that tell you about the race? There's rules. You can't run it the way you want to run it. You have to run it according to his standards. So you have to go to the Word of God to find the rules or the standards of a race. And any sporting event or any sport, basketball, football, could you imagine being a ref in the NFL? What are you going to have to do? Imagine the training they go through and all the rules they have to know to make calls on the spot. And then they have replay and all. I mean, you've really got to know the book. So there's rules to every event. There's a circle, or you can't cross out of your line when you're running, or anything like that. So Paul says, all are going to run in a race, but only one will receive the reward or the prize. So you, Christians, now bringing it into the spiritual life, you run the spiritual life in such a way, or in the manner that God prescribes, with a goal, so that you may win. So that you may win. This idea of that you may win is a verb that means to apprehend or attain, obtain or find. And one writer even said this, in allusion to the public games, to obtain the prize with the idea of eager and strenuous exertion to grasp and seize upon. He even quotes Philippians 3, 12 and 13 as the referent. Paul will say this to go on with the athletic metaphor, verse 25. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. Okay, so they train and they prepare for their event. And he says, then they do it to receive a perishable wreath. Okay, so whatever they're going to get, it's only going to be temporary, you can't take it with you, right? But then he says, but we, now speaking of the spiritual race, we an imperishable race. So perishable versus imperishable. This is the same idea where we're going to exchange this corrupt body with the imperishable body, 1 Corinthians 15. Paul says everything in this life is perishing. Jesus said, don't store for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rusts destroy, but store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rusts do not destroy. So the athletes of the ancient world, whatever they would receive would perish, but what we do in this life, as we walk with the Lord, we'll receive an imperishable crown, a reward. By the way, do you have the word wreath in verse 25? It's the word Stephanon where we get the name Stephen. Stephen's name means a crown or a wreath. Like in that picture I just showed you. They put a crown or a wreath on the athlete's head, back here, when he won his event. Some have even suggested, according to this picture, the illustration was they would even give him oil and different types of prizes. as rewards. Some would even say they wouldn't have to pay taxes the rest of their life. That was pretty good. All these benefits the athlete would get. So the word translated wreath in 1 Corinthians 9.25 is the same word we often translate crown, a Stephanos. So let's go back to 925. So again, everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we in the spiritual life, an imperishable one. So the believer can receive an imperishable wreath that will last forever. Principle, we all need to run the race with eternity in view. Nothing wrong with temporal things in and of themselves, but if you start looking at the temporal as eternal, and it gets your eyes off the eternal, you're going to be in big trouble. Your priorities are going to get way off. And we know everything passes away. But there are things that are eternal that we need to focus on. So, I think we need to run the spiritual race with an eternal view or an eternal perspective. 1 Corinthians 9.26, therefore, Paul says, I run in such a way, there's that word again, in the manner that God has prescribed, as to without aim I box in such a way as not just beating the air, but I discipline my body and make it my slave so that after I've preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. So, the comparison here is just as an athlete of the ancient games follows strict discipline and training in order to win his event and then receive the prize, Paul was also spiritually disciplined in order to receive spiritual reward. Anything in life, I think, that's worth anything and in order to achieve it requires tremendous discipline. Right? For people who start a business, it takes tremendous discipline. Often long hours. Getting in shape. If you have no discipline, you'll never make it. Spiritual shape and the spiritual life. Tremendous discipline. It requires daily discipline. On this whole athletic imagery, Dr. Gramacchi said this. He says, at the Greek games, a winner of the race was summoned from the stadium floor to the judge's seat, and a wreath of leaves was placed on his head. At Athens, the winner was also given 500 coins, free meals, and a front row seat at the theater. These prizes were temporary, but believers can obtain an eternal and incorruptible prize. Talk about this a little more. The scripture speaks of spiritual rewards in terms of crowns. Let's look at that word again, stephanos. You can just see where Stephen comes from, can't you? Especially the spelling, S-T-E-P-H-E-N. So you have the word stephanos. It means a wreath or a crown. In classical Greek, not used of the kingly crown, but of the crown of victory in the games. of civic worth, military valor, nuptial joy, festival gladness. It was woven of oak, ivy, myrtle, or olive leaves or flowers, used as a wreath or a garland." So these were the rewards symbolizing that they had won their event. Now remember, this is that same word back in 1 Corinthians 9.25 for the perishable or imperishable crown or wreath. A few places where this word shows up You might want to write these down or at least make a note because the Bible talks a lot about these rewards. By the way, you'll hear people say that rewards are not a legitimate encouragement for spiritual life. What's the problem with that? The Bible's loaded with it. I'm done. And I don't think these crowns and everything are just simply because you're saved. A lot of people think everyone gets the same thing. I think the rewards for faithfulness beyond salvation. And there's scripture in Hebrews 10 that indicates that your faithfulness will be rewarded. Is that the only motivation? No, I don't think so, but I think it's a proper one. I think the highest motivation to serve God is, one, because He's God. He has the right to be served. He's the creator. And two, because you love him. Jesus said, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. So God has a right to be worshipped and served. He has the right to rule, so we need to submit to that sovereignty. So I think love for God is a great motivator, the highest motivator in my opinion, whether we get rewards or not. But he does put them out there as well as an encouragement for obedience. Yeah, we're going to see a few scriptures. Oh, we'll go back to James 1.12. Sorry, we hadn't quoted this one. But, blessed is the man, James said. We did this one recently on Sunday morning. Blessed is the man or woman, it's the Bible speaking to any believer, who perseveres under trial. That's what James 1 is about. The first 18 verses is about perseverance in trial. So if you do, consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect results so that you'll be complete and perfect, lacking in nothing. So when you go through trials and reach maturity, you're blessed. And he says, if you persevere under trial, once you've been approved, you will receive the Stephanos, the crown of life. He adds the word life to that, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. I take the promise to those who love him or those who keep his mandates because they love him. Jesus says, if you love me, you'll do what I ask. So there's a promise of perseverance resulting in reward. Again, the crown of life. Revelation speaks of this. You can lose your crown, but it also puts the crown out there as something to attain. Revelation 2.10 says, don't fear what you're about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so persecution, so that you will be tested and you will have tribulation for 10 days. Be faithful until death. Now, this could be, be faithful to the very point that you die. In other words, give your life for Jesus as a martyr, right? Or could he be saying, be faithful from now on until you die? I don't have a problem with either one of those. Biblically, I think they're true. But we need to remain faithful to the Lord and His Word all the way up to death, even if we have to give our lives for the Lord. So martyrdom could be the idea here. And what happens if you're faithful until death? I'll give you the crown of life. Now, if the crown of life is salvation, what's the problem with that theologically? Yeah, if you don't persevere in faithfulness, you don't get the crown, so you don't get your salvation. Salvation would then be by works. Ephesians 2.8, for by grace you've been saved through faith. It's not of works. It's a gift of God. So, I think the crown here is something related to the believer's faithfulness that could be lost. The crown or the reward could be lost, but not salvation. Revelation 3.11, Jesus says, I'm coming quickly. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. I don't think he's warning them that someone will take your eternal life from you and you'll lose your salvation. I think it's an issue of reward. So it seems that the crown could be lost through unfaithfulness. The Apostle Peter, he also spoke of the crown of glory for church leaders who lead faithfully. Go ahead and turn to 1 Peter. There's one verse up there, but let's go ahead and get a context. Again, he'll use the word stephanos, and then he adds the word glory to this one rather than life. We'll start in 1 Peter 5.1, and we'll go up to that fourth verse on the board. So you'll see in church leadership, you'll have the word elder, sometimes the word bishop, sometimes the word shepherd for the pastor, but sometimes the elder is called to pastor the church. I think they're used interchangeably, and you'll see the shepherd metaphor here in this passage. 1 Peter 5.1, therefore I exhort the elders among you, that's the presbyteros, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed. So there's your final glory, what we would call glorification or salvation from the very presence of sin. Shepherd the flock of God among you. The word shepherd is poimino. It's a word to actually shepherd sheep. You could put, pastor the flock of God. That's how we would use it today. Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising, this describes how to do it, by exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God, not for sordid gain, but with eagerness. Nor yet is lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples of the flock, or to the flock, Here it is, verse 4, when the chief shepherd appears, so capital C, capital S, referring to Jesus Christ, the shepherd, the chief shepherd, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. So notice in 1 Corinthians 9, the wreath of athlete God could perish. We get an imperishable wreath. This crown is called unfading. Again, it's an eternal reward. It's imperishable. So believers need to run the race according to God's rules. What's your rule book? The Bible. Don't throw that out. You can't run the race without knowing Scripture. So we need to run the race according to God's rules and also finish the race according to God's rules. Paul not only wanted to run the race well, but he wanted to finish the race well. 2 Timothy 4, 7 and 8. letter Paul wrote before his death with 2 Timothy, which says in verse 7, I have fought the good fight. Obviously, this is the spiritual life. I have finished the course. So Paul got to the finish line. I have kept the faith. The faith. So Paul continued to walk in the Word of God, the faith, and belief in that Word. And now, what's the reward? Verse 8, In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. There's that word, stephanos, for crown. Which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day, not only to me, but also those who have loved his appearing. See, James says he'll give you the crown to those who love him, James 1.12. Now Paul says to those who have loved his appearing, So, obviously, Christians who have believed in Jesus, who have salvation, are longing for the appearing of the Lord just like Paul, and so they're walking faithfully, and they will be rewarded accordingly. Again, this reward is not heaven itself. I think it's a reward for faithfulness. So, metaphorically, the prize in the crown refers to the rewards in the future at the judgment seat of Christ. Some Christians have never even heard of this. And a lot of Bible churches, that's not an issue. They've heard of it. But the judgment seat of Christ is in Scripture, and it comes from a Greek word, bema, some pronounce it bema, B-E-M-A, which is the judgment seat, and then, of course, of Christ is put after that. So, in the ancient world, you had these... Here's one in Corinth, the ruins of it. They had these platforms that were built up with stones where judges would adjudicate cases and make judgments. And you think Paul ever saw one of those? I mean, he wrote Corinthians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians. He knows what these are. He saw them. And no doubt he had these in mind when he wrote that we'll all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. I've known pastors that have taken tours over to this part of the world and actually giving sermons on 1 Corinthians 3 at this location. That'd be pretty cool. Instead of a PowerPoint, you actually have this as a prop. That'd be kind of neat. So take note, ladies and gentlemen. We're all going to stand there. We're all going to be at this judgment seat of Christ. Nothing could be clearer than 2 Corinthians 5.10. For we all must appear before the vima tu Christu, the judgment seat of Christ. I don't think it's a determination of whether or not you get to heaven because I think you're already there at the evaluation at this point. Because I think it's after the rapture when you're in the Lord's presence. So it's not determining your eternal destiny. That was solved when you believed in Christ who died on the cross for your sins. You have eternal life. You're secure. But he says, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good, has this idea of intrinsic value of what you did, or bad, this word phallos can mean like worthless. So, it's not that you'll not make it to heaven or you can lose your salvation, but it's an evaluation of your works. Romans 14, 10 and 11. But why do you judge your brother? Or again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we'll all stand before the judgment seat of God. I argue for the deity of Christ because it's the judgment seat of Christ. In one passage, it's also called the judgment seat of God. The same person is at the same judgment seat and Jesus is the judge. So he says, well, I'll stand before the judgment seat of God, for it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me and every tongue shall give praise to God. So he quotes the Old Testament. And of course, Paul uses this in Philippians 2, remember? Well, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, Jesus is Lord. So maybe we ought to turn to a passage here tonight. The judgment seat of Christ is an evaluation of the believer's works. He's affirming the value of what you did. If it is of no value, it burns. If it stands the test, it survives, you get rewarded. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 3. Some people think this is the test. I think you're in the test now. The judgment seat of Christ is the greater. He's going to grade you. How did you do? That's the evaluation that comes up. So, 1 Corinthians 3.11-15, for no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if any man builds on the foundation with six items, two categories, gold, silver, precious stones, three in that one category, or wood, hay, and straw, three in the other category. Notice, each man's work will become evident. For the day, I think, at the judgment seat, that day, will show it because it will be revealed with fire. So this is all future. So metaphorically, the fire is going to do what? It's going to test the quality of each man's work. In the Greek, it's something like test what sort it is. That's why we put the word quality. It says nothing here of the quantity, but the quality. And I've always said at this point, God wants quality quantity. You can have all the fruit you want, but just make it good. It has to be quality fruit, as you're abiding in the Word by the Spirit. Remember Jesus said, talking about abiding in John 15, this is the will of my Father that you bear much fruit. My Father is glorified by this that you bear much fruit. So the fruit would be the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5, 22 through 23. The fruits of the flesh, Galatians 5, 19 through 21. And those are no good. So he says, verse 14 and 15, if any man's work which he has built remains. So what category would he have built on? Yeah, the good, the precious stones, silver and gold. So if he builds on that, he will receive a reward. That's the Greek, it's not a word crown here, it's the word mystos, M-I-S-T-H-O-S, which means a reward, which I think is likened to the athletic crown in those other passages. So if God tests your deeds and they survive, in other words, they were acceptable, they were of quality, that God was pleased with, I think done by the ministry of God, the Holy Spirit, as you walked by the Spirit, you'll get a reward. But if any man's work is burned up, that would have been the wood, hay and straw, he will suffer loss, but this is clarified, I think loss of reward, verse 14, because he says this final phrase, but he himself will be saved, yet as through fire. So it seems to tell me that even if your works burn, the man still goes on into eternity. I mean, that's not the issue. But his works burn, so he suffers loss of reward, but he still remains saved. He was saved through faith in Christ, not of works. he will be evaluated as a born-again believer who had eternal security, but he can lose reward. Warren Wearsby, some of you may read him, he said this, each believer is on the track. He's going back to the athletic metaphor. Each believer is on the track, each has a special lane in which to run, and each has a goal to achieve. If we reach the goal the way God has planned, then we receive a reward. If we fail, we lose the reward, but we don't lose our citizenship. Our citizenship is in heaven. In other words, he would say that that's always going to remain, but we don't lose salvation. We just lose reward. So that leads us now to Philippians 3, 15 and 16, which will look at next week, unless the rapture happens in between, then I'll see you with the judgment seat. And we can stand in line together and go, hmm. No sneaking around that altar, you know. Hey, look that way and maybe I can bypass this. We're all going to do it. I'm curious exactly how that will take place, if it is after the rapture and that's only a seven-year period before the second advent. How is the Lord going to do this? But I'm going to leave that up to him. People think that's going to be one long single file line. I don't know how he'll do it. But God's capable of anything. So we'll just have to see that when we get there. But we will all stand. And this evaluation, as just described, will happen. So I think I had a scripture on the motivation for rewards. You know, the writer of Hebrews writes to Jewish Christians. I don't think the question is, are you really saved? Or are they going to lose their salvation? I think they're brethren, and I take that as born-again believers. And he warns them with a lot of Old Testament, because they're Jews, they would know it. about how the Jews in the wilderness in Moses' day failed, they didn't mix the promises of God with their faith, and they died in the wilderness and so forth. So he's trying to get them to move forward and encouraging them to move on. So, peppered with all these wonderful statements about Jesus being God and all these Christological statements, He's greater than angels, He's greater than the high priest, He's greater than Moses, even the angels of God worship Him, so He's God. You'll also see peppered among those the five warning passages, I think, to believers to encourage them to press on. So, after a scathing warning passage in Hebrews 10, 26 and 27, which a lot of people think means you're going to hell, and I don't, he says this, Therefore, do not throw away your confidence in their spiritual life, because it has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you've done the will of God, you'll receive what was promised. So again, I think there's reward at the end of the tunnel, but don't give up. So even in chapter 12, 1-3, he says, set aside the sin that so easily entangles us, focus on Christ, run the race with endurance. So when he says Christians need endurance, he doesn't say you have need of salvation from hell. No, they're saved, but they have need of spiritual endurance, and this is the same word James uses, consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. So trials of life, if we apply the word to them, can build tremendous spiritual stamina, just like I said Sunday, like the marathon runner. And so we're in a race, metaphorically, It's either called a walk. You walk by the Spirit or you run the race. And we need endurance. So the Word of God is the athlete's food. The Holy Spirit enables us to walk according to the Word. And so we need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus so we don't lose heart and give up. So clearly, rewards in the future are a definite motivation and a legitimate one. I don't think we should be saying that's an arrogant motivation if you want rewards. At least putting them out there for us, and I think it is legitimate. So let's stop here. Next week we'll look at the next two verses or maybe more. We'll see how we should be able to go a little further next week and get into that difficult question. of those who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ, or those unsaved or saved people. And we'll get into all that coming up. And then we're almost done with Philippians 3. We'll leave us one more chapter. And have you all been praying on what book I should go to next? I'm looking at the next. It's going to be one of the other prison epistles. So Ephesians, Colossians, or Philemon. So I need to think about that. We're going to do them all, I think, but I'm not sure which one to do next. If you read Colossians and Ephesians, they're almost like reading the same book sometimes. You think you're in the same book, and they're very similar. But that's fine. A repetition is good. Let's go ahead and close and leave here a few minutes early. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to come and open your word. And Lord, some of this is what we already know, but it's such a great time to put things into perspective as we have, we're midway through, I'm sure, a busy week for most of us and the things of this world can sometimes distract us and help us to or encourage us to lose our eternal perspective of life and sometimes we just need to be put back on the track and realize truly what the most important thing is, which is Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy before him endured the cross and despised the shame and sat down at the right hand of God. So may we consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself so that we will not grow weary and lose heart. So Lord, when we look to Him and everything He went through in His life, especially the cross, none of us have anything to compare in terms of suffering. So He's a great encourager for us that if He could go through all of that, that can encourage us to stay the course And as Paul says, finish the race and keep the faith. So Father, we thank you for our time today and our opportunity to gather in fellowship with you. And we'll just praise you and thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.