How do dispensational universalists explain the bema or judgment seat of Christ? Thanks for your interest in the topic and your answers.
Dear brothers and sisters, this isn’t a setup for a debate. I really want to learn about other eschatological positions within a universalist framework. Again, thank you all.
Okay, I remember a Rez band song about the bema seat. I liked it, but don’t remember it very well . . .
This word is used only two times in the NT relating to the judgment seat of Christ: Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10. Other times it relates to secular judgment seats, and once it talks of a foot’s breadth of land. It is a judgment seat elevated on a step. Pretty simple; just what it sounds like so far as I can tell. Believers will stand before the judgment seat (and in the two references above, there’s no mention of unbelievers.)
The church (or the AoG I used to attend long, long ago) says that this is a place to receive only rewards, as Jesus paid for all misdeeds. I’m not so sure, though. It doesn’t really sound that way. But the obvious understanding of the scriptures doesn’t fit the prevalent theology either Calv or Arm:
I can’t speak for anyone else, but this makes more sense to me in light of an EU point of view. What is there to be judged for if Jesus paid it all? Well, nothing – on that front. We’re free and no longer bound by sin . . . unless we have failed to grow into that freedom.
There’s that bit where Paul talks about our works being tried by fire – what we’ve used to build with on the foundation laid by the apostles – whether gold and pearl and precious stones or wood, hay and stubble. The works of the flesh will be burned up. That is my view of the Bema Seat. We may not be entirely free of the works of the flesh when first we stand before Christ, but at His judgment all that is left of the flesh will be burned up. He Himself said that we would all be salted by fire.
How long this process will take I have no idea. Some say it will be instantaneous and others say it will take as long as it needs to take. Some say painless and others say not. I tend to go with the second view. Works of the flesh that we were loathe to part with in this age are bound to be just as hard to let go of (imo) in the next. But p’rhaps I’m wrong about that. It’s happened before. 
Blessings, Cindy
Hey Ricky_13,
I saw this thread but didn’t reply because I have no idea what a dispensational universalist is. Can you clarify for me?
As far as I know, UR is a belief that cover all spectrums of theology. You can be Reoformed, Arminian, and, also, hold to any eschatological view. As far as I have read you can find URs who are Amillenialists, Postmillenialists, Dispensational Pre-Millenialists and Historical Premillenialists, as well as Preterists.
To me, a Dispensational UR is someone who holds to dispensational eschatology, God’s people is Israel, the Church was called to bring Israel back to Christ, Then the church leaves this earth (Is raptured) before the millenium, the rest of the gentiles who stay and apostate church stay for the tribulation, then, after God’s enemies are sent to the lake of fire, God deals with Israel on earth and the church in heaven. Mind you, this is an over view, not all dispensationalists agree with what I have said literally.
As URs we all know that the lake of fire does not have to do with eternal condemnation but purification. My question was aching more about the timing of the Bema Judgment (For the believers, which has to do, not with salvation but gaining of crowns and gifts, for their works), versus the White Throne judgment, which is the judgment for the unbelievers, that has to do with their works, plus not accepting Christ as savior.
I wanted to know if, according to Dispensational URs, the Bema judgment will happen at the same time as the one given to the unbelievers (White Throne Judgment), or if the judgment will happen at the same time but with different consequences (I.E. crowns to the believers and a changing of heart/ purification to the unbeliever).
Thank you, Cindy, for your input.
Hi, Ricky
Actually I just ignored the dispensational part – skipped right over without even registering it because I never can remember what I am or what the other things are. Too many big ideas behind the words, I guess. I suppose you’d call me more or less dispensational, and now that I understand what you wanted . . .
I’m agnostic as to whether we are awake or asleep or just “D.E.D” once we die according to the flesh. However I guess I expect to answer for the deeds done in the body immediately upon encountering the Lord. If at the resurrection, at the beginning of the Messianic Age, then that would be the time, but it makes sense to me that if we are consciously with the Lord on physical death that we would answer then.
And the texts seem to indicate that we’ll receive the reward of the good things we’ve done, but also that we’ll answer for the bad, and presumably receive appropriate chastisement. From the UR pov, I’d expect the chastisement to be similar to chastisement received from wise earthly parents – intended to correct us and bring us to perfect maturity and into the image of Jesus.
Blessings, Cindy