Angelic Conflict part 336: Future work of Christ [Bema seat]

a. The Bema seat of the church, 2Co 5:10. Identifying good and bad things.

In John 15:1-17 the words of Christ relative to abiding in Him are recorded.

In this context a fundamental distinction must be drawn between the believer’s union with Christ and his communion with Christ.

Too often it is supposed that in this passage Christ is teaching that the branch, which represents the Christian, must maintain its union with the vine, which represents Christ. That communion, however, is in view throughout the passage is clearly indicated.

Joh 15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

Joh 15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.

The words "in Me" declare the perfect union of the fruitless branch to Christ.

Joh 15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

You must fully understand and have faith in your position in Christ. Spiritual growth through a fundamental understanding of your position in Christ must come before any production of good in the Christian life.

Every time you read “abide” in this passage you can translate it as communion or partnership.

Joh 15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you [communion, fellowship, partnership, Christ and His word at home in your heart]. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

"Abide in Me, and I in you." = communion, fellowship, partnership, Christ and His word at home in your heart.

The obligation upon the branch is to continue in the relation to Christ which makes communion/fellowship/partnership/like mindedness possible, whereby the divine life or energy may flow into the branch so that fruit may be borne.

Joh 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me [through our own effort] you can do nothing.

Joh 15:6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up [divine discipline]; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Joh 15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.

Divine good performed in life equals divine good performed in prayer.

Prayer demands the same love and selflessness and virtue and power from the word of God and God the Holy Spirit as divine good does and so they both fall under the category of divine good.

Joh 15:8 "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

Joh 15:9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

Joh 15:10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.

Joh 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

The commandments are one of the manifestations of God’s love since their fulfillment brings the fullness of God’s joy into the believer’s heart.

Joh 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

Joh 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Joh 15:14 "You are My friends, if you do what I command you.

Joh 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Knowledge of Christ and the Father's plan in Him and acting on that plan [faith in that knowledge] = friendship with Christ.

Joh 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain [divine good is always eternal; human good is always fleeting], that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.

Joh 15:17 "This I command you, that you love one another.

What an impact the Church would have if this command was obeyed.

Joh 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Joh 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

1Co 3:2-3

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

If I walk like a mere man and not in the power of the Spirit which is superhuman then don’t I just blend in with the rest? Would all men know that I am a disciple of Christ? You don’t have to shout it out or wear a sandwich board; you just have to abide in Christ’s love through a humble and patient spirit in which you place His commands as a top priority, which is rare enough in this world that it will be noticed from time to time and you will be a witness of Him, whether it is noticed or not.

The phrase "My commandments" was not used by Christ until His Upper Room Discourse. So this body of truth is augmented by the epistles of the NT.

Therefore, the mystery doctrine which wasn't revealed until the upper room, and only in a small portion, belongs to Him and He in grace gave it to the Church, His bride, for her production in prosperity of soul with His love and His peace. Therefore His commands are now fully realized in the epistles of the NT. It is these commands that are the fruit of divine good.

Rom 8:2

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. [walking by means of the Spirit]

Gal 6:1 Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass [overtaken by sin rather than premeditated sin], you who are spiritual, restore [used for a dislocated limb restored to its place which requires tenderness] such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.

"caught in any trespass" - to be caught up or taken unawares in a false step or blunder.

This does not mean to be caught by another witness of the blunder but to be taken unawares or overtaken by the blunder. Trespass is the Greek word paraptoma and it means a false step or a blunder therefore it refers to a stumbling block and is the antithesis of walking by means of the Spirit, which in Gal 5:25 is stoicheo which means to walk in a straight line.

Certainly there is in this verse the knowledge of the blunder by others and they are commanded not to challenge them or to judge them but to restore them to the fellowship in a spirit of gentleness. I believe this is best done without a word and if any words are used they are words of comfort and encouragement and gentleness and patience. Harsh judgment, legalistic bullying, self-righteousness are all evil and will lead to sin on behalf of the accuser, hence, "looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted."

What was the issue with the Galatians? Judiazers had infiltrated their congregation and had spread legalism in the form of righteousness obtained through the Mosaic Law. So if any man was caught up in a trespass he was condemned by the others who had followed the Judiazers and Paul was asking those who still lived under grace by freely receiving power through the Spirit and doctrine restore them in a spirit of gentleness so that they might see, through further learning of the word of grace, that their attempt to live out the plan of God in the flesh would only result in sin and misery.

The legalists in Galatia were operating like Gal 5:25-26:

Gal 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk [in a straight line; not blundering in attempting to execute the plan of God in the flesh] by the Spirit.

Gal 5:26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Gal 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

Angelic Conflict part 336: Future work of Christ [Bema seat] – Joh 15:1-17; Gal 5:13-6:5.