In 2 Corinthians 5:10.Paul says we all must appear before the judgment seat of christ.For anything good or bad done.While in the body.Also in Acts 7:54-59.While being stoned to death stephen sees jesus in heaven and asks him to receive his spirit.I think this matches 2 Corinthians 5:10.What do you think?
Here is all the bible passages.I referenced:
Bible Gateway passage: 2 Corinthians 5:10 - King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Acts 7:54-59 - King James Version
And I got all the passages from here:
BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages.
Be patient with me Frank. I may be a little long.
Can you do what I encouraged the last time - make sure and keep notes, so that you can refer to them, in case you forget, because I noticed you asked a similar question
here, that was covered before.
In any case, keeping notes for future reference is always good.
(1 Peter 4:5, 6)
5 But these people will render an account to the one who is ready to judge those living and those dead. 6 In fact, this is why the good news was declared also to the dead, so that although they are judged in the flesh from the standpoint of men, they might live in harmony with the spirit from God’s standpoint.
The Bible says here, the dead are judged as well as the living. How?
The next verse answers... the good news was declared also to the dead, so that although they are judged in the flesh from the standpoint of men, they might live in harmony with the spirit from God’s standpoint.
Thinking on it, it becomes clear that Peter is speaking of persons who are dead spiritually. In other words dead to the spirit, but he goes on to say they can live in harmony with the spirit.
So if they respond to the good news, they can come to life spirituality.
This is important to consider, and here is why.
(Revelation 20:4-6)
4 And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for 1,000 years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years.
Notice that those who were dead for witnessing about Jesus, came to life - literally were resurrected, as kings to rule with Christ, for 1,000 years. This is the first resurrection... as spoken of by Paul, at 1 Corinthians 15:22, 23 . . .so also in the Christ all will be made alive. But each one in his own proper order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence.
These are priest of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years.
Reading further...
(Revelation 20:11-15)
11 And I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. 14 And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. 15 Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.
Notice John saw the dead standing before the throne.
Now we see how 1 Peter 4:5, 6 helps us. They are living physically, but these are dead from God's standpoint.
Can they come to life? Will they? When?
We read the answer to those questions in Revelation 20:5 They do not come to life, until the 1,000 years were ended.
These ones come to life - they reach the state of spirituality by which God considers them living. This is when mankind will have reached perfection, free of sin.
The judgment takes place during the 1,000 years when according to Revelation 20:12, 13, all persons - resurrected ones and others, stand before the judgment seat - the throne of God, judged based on the new scrolls.
Just as the good news was declared also to the dead, as stated by Peter, what is written in those new scrolls will be declared to the "dead" during the 1,000 years.
Those who respond to the things written, will come to life.
Those who fail to respond... Revelation 20:15 tells us the outcome... They die permanently.
I hope that was not confusing, difficult, but useful.
