The Judgment Seat of Christ

2023-01-15

What is the Judgment Seat of Christ? This is a place where the Lord Jesus Christ will judge His people (i.e., saved people). First, let us look at what a “judgment seat” is in the generic sense, and then we will look at this in more detail.

A judgment seat (“bema”) is a place where judges and rulers sit and judge legal cases.

  1. Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27:19; John 19:13) judged Christ at his judgment seat.
  2. Herod did his oration on his judgment seat, where he accepted worship, and was slain of the Lord (Acts 12:21).
  3. Gallio of Corinth heard the case against Paul at his judgment seat (Acts 18:12-17). He would not hear the case, and synagogue chief Sosthenes was beaten before him.
  4. Festus heard Paul at his judgment seat (Acts 25:6, 17).
  5. Paul appealed to be heard at Caesar’s judgment seat (Acts 25:10).

The judgment seat of Christ is no different. We will be brought before him around the time of the resurrection of the just. The phrase “judgment seat of Christ” appears twice: Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10.

“But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10). Here, we see that Christians were judging each other about their own private convictions, such as dietary habits or celebrating or not celebrating certain days. The church was being admonished not to judge each other, because everyone will go before Jesus Christ’s judgment seat. What will happen at this judgment seat?

“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:11-12). First, we see that everyone will bow before the Lord and worship Him. We also see that everyone will give an account of themselves. This should be scary, because unlike any earthly judgment seat, you cannot hide any details. Jesus knows all about you; you need to recount and admit your life’s commitments and service to the Lord.

We read further: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). The judgment seat of Christ is also the place where the Lord will evaluate our lives and give us rewards according to what we have done in His power.

This happens during the millennial reign of Christ. “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4). Part of the reward given is in the way of reigning with Christ. “And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17). “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father” (Revelation 2:26-27).

We read a bit more here: “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). There will be some of those who are saved, but they did little to no service to the Lord, so no reward remains for them.