A. Judgment Seat of Christ
This is not a judgment of condemnation, but a judgment of reward and accountability
for believers’ works done in the body.
5 For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands.
2 Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven,
3 since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
4 Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
5 And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.
6 So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight,
8 and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.
9 Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him.
10 For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.
11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.
5 One person considers one day to be above another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind.
6 Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
9 Christ died and came to life for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living.
10 But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God.
11 For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will give praise to God.
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
B. Wedding Feast of the Lamb
The redeemed are pictured as the Bride of Christ, invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb.
The parables emphasize both the invitation and the proper clothing—the righteousness
given by Christ.
1. Parable of the Wedding Banquet
Matthew 22:1–14; Luke 14:16–24
- Parable: A king prepares a wedding banquet for his son.
- Refused invitation: The original guests reject the call; the invitation goes out to all.
- Entrance matters: One guest is found without wedding clothes and is cast out.
1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables:
2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
3 He sent out his slaves to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come.
4 Again, he sent out other slaves, and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: Look, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business.
6 And the others seized his slaves, treated them outrageously and killed them.
7 The king was enraged, so he sent out his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned down their city.
8 “Then he told his slaves, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
9 Therefore go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’
10 So those slaves went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests.
11 But when the king came in to view the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding.
12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
2. Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Revelation 19:6–9
6 Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying:
Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty, has begun to reign!
7 Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself.
8 She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: Those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb are fortunate!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.”
10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the testimony about Jesus. Worship God, because the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Application: We are already betrothed to Christ. As the Bride, we await the
consummation of the marriage feast. In the traditional Jewish pattern, the groom goes to
prepare a place for his bride and then returns to receive her—echoing Jesus’ promise in
John 14.