Quote:
Originally Posted by Raptor
Tom Finley in his book "Worthy of the Kingdom" expounds on the use of the word "bema"
The Greek word bema is used of Christ’s Judgment Seat in Second Corinthians 5:10 and Romans 14:10. Some teachers have argued that this word, bema, was used in Greek literature as a reward seat for the judge viewing contestants in the Grecian athletic games. Therefore, they say this word carries the notion of honor and reward rather than justice or judgment. Thus, they conclude that at Christ’s Bema, He will simply reward and honor the victorious runners in the Christian race. Those who do not run so well will just not receive a (positive) reward according to this view.
However, the Scripture never once uses bema in the setting of an athletic contest with rewards. In Matthew 27:19 Pilate sat at the judgment seat. From there he decided the life or death fates of two men, Jesus and Barabbas. In Acts 18, Gallio heard charges of wrong against Paul while seated upon the bema (v. 12), and Sosthenes received a beating in front of it. In Acts 12:21, Herod delivered an address to the people from the judgment seat, but since he did not give God the glory, an angel of the Lord struck him at the bema so that he died. In Acts 25, Paul was brought before the bema (vs. 6, 10, 17) for judgment, with accusers bringing charges against him, trying to get him punished. Overall, Scripture references portray the bema as a place of examination and true judgment.
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Thanks for pointing that out regarding the more severe judgment side of the meaning of "bema." I have been one who recently leaned more toward the Olympic game meaning of it, and I believe there is some merit to that notion in the word. However, it can't be denied that bema also references governmental judgment.
What we have looked at quite a lot on this forum, is the question of a
thousand year punishment, as promoted by WL. The question has been asked, several times, if anyone can show that there will be 1,000 years of punishment for those whose works are totally burned up and who have not matured in Christ. To my knowledge,
no one has been able to answer that question with anything solid, other than to say there is no specific scriptural support for that teaching. Is that still the consensus here?