Hello Marilyn,
While I completely agree that Jesus was speaking
to His Jewish servants at the time, He was prophesying to His NT servants at His second coming. And the apostles confirm in 1 Thess 5 and 2 Peter 3, that the promise of His coming as a thief in the night, is made to us.
Perhaps you are mistaking the judgment of His NT servants, both Jew and Greek, when He comes again, with giving the land he promised to Abraham the natural Jews alone.
Amen, absolutely not. The body of Christ is already first resurrected at the Lord's return. He comes again as a thief in the night, with His judgment seat to judge His people and nations on earth. The GWT throne judgment in heaven is only for the rest of the dead that live again, after His thousand year reign on earth.
I understand this teaching and once believed it, but so long as the argument from the Scriptures I give are not corrected, then I'm compelled to no longer accept that common tradition.
The problem is that the Lord clearly warns all men and women must be judged by our works, without exception nor exemption. The righteous Lord cannot judge one person guilty for doing wrong, and not another doing the same thing.
Rom 2:3And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Gal 6:7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Rom 2:19 For there is no respect of persons with God.
The warning inescapably applies to works we do unto life or death. This judgment of works cannot possibly be disannulled or 'sidestepped' based upon what we believe alone. Otherwise, the Lord is an unjust judge playing favorites with His people.
Lev 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
2Ch 19:7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
1 Peter {1:15} But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; {1:16} Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. {1:17} And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear:
I can only say that 1 Cor 3's 'examination' of our ministerial works, says nothing of the judgment seat of Christ, and the Scriptures of His judgment seat, say nothing of being excluded to ministerial works alone. In 1 Cor 3, the words are plain enough, that they are only our ministerial labors of love. In 2 Cor 5, the words are equally clear that the judgment seat is of all our works, whether good or bad.
And finally, it's only the judgment seat of Christ that comes with the warning of terror and vengeance for doing evil. There is no terror of vengeance pertaining to ministerial errors.
Unless of course, I suppose, our ministering is
so bad, that others are destroyed by giving heed to us.
Rev 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
but knowing the terror of the Lord