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Judgment Seat of Christ
Pre-tribbers claim that an interval of time between the rapture and second coming is required. They believe the judgment seat of Christ, and the marriage supper of the Lamb, will take place in heaven, while the tribulation rages below.
The judgment seat of Christ
Matthew 16
This passage is quite clear. Believers will be judged when Jesus comes in glory. This will not accommodate a pre-trib rapture. The following passage comes from the parable of the talents.
Luke 19
When Jesus receives the Kingdom, He will judge His servants, not seven years earlier in heaven. Paul concurs with the following statement.
2 Timothy 4
As we might expect, Revelation agrees with the above Scriptures. The judgment of all believers is at the seventh trumpet, when Jesus sets up His Millennial Kingdom.
Revelation 11
At the last trumpet, when Jesus destroys the ungodly and begins to reign in His Kingdom, all saints will be judged and rewarded.
Revelation 22
Why would Jesus bring rewards with Him when He comes, if we are returning to heaven to receive them? The obvious answer is, we will be judged and rewarded on earth at His Kingdom.
There is absolutely no evidence from the Scriptures, that the judgment and rewarding of believers occurs in heaven, or during the tribulation, This is only an assumption of pre-tribbers, based on unbiblical presuppositions.
When will Christians be judged? Does the Bible tell us? If you scan Revelation, you cannot find such a judgment in heaven during the tribulation. Paul's Epistles also fail to back up the pre-trib assumption. But if not during the tribulation in heaven, then when?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;...
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great, and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
12 And behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.