This teaching says that at the Bema Seat, the Born-Again Christian will be judged with rewards according to their works/stewardship, and the Great White Throne judgment is where those who rejected Jesus as Lord and Savior will be judicially judged and given an eternal sentence of torment. This has caused considerable confusion and debate within the church regarding the final judgment of God because it is contrary to 1,800+ years of historical orthodox Church teaching/doctrine.
"So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:9-10 ESV)
The expression "the judgment seat of Christ" in the English Bible has tended to cause some to draw the wrong conclusion about the nature and purpose of this evaluation. It is believed that God will hand out a just meritorious retribution for sins in the life of the Born-Again Christian, along with some measure of retributive punishment.
The English word translated as "judgment seat" is from the Greek word 'bema.' The root of the word means 'base' or the foot, or a step to a raised platform. It is a term used for a raised seating area where judgment is made by a magistrate, judge, or a king, such as the modern 'bench' found in a courtroom for a Judge where a final judgment of either 'guilty' or 'not guilty' is declared on a person. It is not a place where awards are handed out.
The proponents of this teaching call this the Bema Seat judgment to distinguish it from the "Great White Throne" judgment which they believe is what God reserves for a judicial verdict against those who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them." (Revelation 21:11 ESV)
Jesus stood before the bema seat of Pilate who ordered that He be whipped, beaten, and condemned to die (Matthew 27:19; John 19:13). The Apostle Paul stood before Gallio’s bema seat and was judged to be "not guilty" (Acts 18:12-17). He also stood before the bema seat of Festus, who chose to send him to stand before the bema seat of Caesar where he was ultimately condemned to die by the Emperor Nero.
The purpose of the Bema seat is punitive for everyone and a single verdict of 'guilty' or 'not guilty' will be rendered. The Bible teaches that all sins, both confessed and unconfessed, have been forgiven and taken care of by the work of Christ on the Cross, therefore the Born-Again Christian, who is clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, will never face judgment for those sins again (John 3:18, 5:24; Hebrews 8:12; 10:14, 17-18; Romans 5:5,19,8:1; Colossians 2:10,13-14). When the Born-Again Christian sins they have "an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1 ESV). Jesus is the defense attorney who died in their place.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." (John 5:24 ESV)
Three promises are made here using three verb tenses. The Born-Again Christian has eternal life (present tense). They have passed from spiritual death into everlasting life (past tense), and they will not come into judgment concerning their eternal destiny (future tense). All three of these promises concern the security of the Born-Again Christian.
It is believed that the Judgment Seat is a place of either a joyous awards ceremony or one filled with intense terror, sorrow, and shame as all of a person's thoughts, words, and deeds are projected on some sort of ginormous video screen for the billions of people standing there to watch while they are commanded to explain them all.
This teaching makes Jesus identical to "Santa Claus" who is "coming to town" and "sees you when you're sleeping … knows when you're awake"… "if you've been bad or good'" so he makes a "list" then checks it "twice" to "find out who's naughty or nice."
Jesus is omniscient and knows all things, including every thought, word spoken, and deed ever done. Nothing is secret before Him (Luke 8:16-18). There is no need to run a movie of one's life before the omniscient God, who knows everything about a person and still loves them anyway, in spite of themselves.
The Bible teaches that both the Born-Again Christian (the righteous), those who received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and those who rejected Jesus (the unrighteous) shall appear before the judgment throne of Jesus after the resurrection and be judged according to their work (John 5:28-29; Romans 8:13,14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; 2 Peter 2:13; Revelation 20:11-15, 22:12-13). Those who lived in the Spirit by becoming Born-Again will receive the reward of having lived in the Spirit (Romans 8:13).
When speaking to Gentiles, the Apostle Paul used the analogy of athletes running to win a race such as in the Greek athletic contests where a laurel wreath was placed on the head of the winner as a symbol of victory as they stood before a bema seat (1 Corinthians 9:24). Paul disciplined his "body" to "keep it under control, lest after preaching to others" he "should be disqualified" (v 27). The English word "disqualified is from the Greek word 'adokimos,' which means reprobate, rejected by implication, worthless (literally or morally) (1 Corinthians 9:1-27 KJV, see also Hebrews 6:8; 2 Corinthians 13:5-7, 2 Timothy 3:8; Romans 1:28).
Paul was personally concerned about putting an "obstacle in the way of the Gospel of Christ" by any self-boasting of his accomplishments and made himself a "servant to all" so that he "might win more" to Christ through preaching the Gospel (vs 12,16). He considered his personal "reward" of the 'race' he was running was to present the "gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of "his "right in the gospel" (v 18).
When a Born-Again Christian is rewarded according to their work, they will receive the exact same reward as every other Christian because their position is in Christ, and every work they do is without fault because it is produced by the Holy Spirit. Because of what Jesus did, they are seen as blameless before God. Their hope and confidence are that at the judgment seat (Bema) there will be "no condemnation" for any 'bad' work done because of their 'good' work of receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 8:1; Revelation 14:4).
The judgment of every human being is sealed at the point of physical death.
"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV)
All people, both the "good" and the "bad," "great" or "small," will stand before the judgment seat of Christ at the same time (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11). Jesus will "bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great" (Psalm 115:13 ESV; also Revelation 13:16, 19:5,18, 20:11-15, 19:18). He will "separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left" (those who rejected Him) "will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matthew 25:31-46 ESV). The names of those who survive the judgment are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and those who are not found in the book will be cast into the lake of fire (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:14, 21:27).
The Bible says that the wages of sin is death and not the loss of rewards or diverse payments (Romans 6:23). All punishment for the Born-Again Christian was paid for by Jesus on the Cross, where their full reward was secured by His shed blood.
"…knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward (recompense)." (Colossians 3:24 ESV)
"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (Revelation 22:12 ESV)
If a person builds the foundation of their Christianity on a salvation that is by works and not by grace, it will be "burned up" and they will "suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3:11-15 ESV).
Jesus pointed out that it is useless to try and possess earthly 'treasures' while there is the glory of laying up spiritual 'treasures' which are incorruptible (Matthew 6:19). The specific treasure is Jesus Himself, not some reward or payment for a good life lived for "there is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10 ESV). The Born-Again Christian is the "hope, joy, or crown," "glory," and reward of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; Revelation 22:12 ESV).
God warned the High Priest of Israel that they could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of atonement because of sin (Leviticus 23:27-28). They had to follow a specific protocol of washing, clothing changes, and purification outlined in the Law, or they would be put to death (Leviticus 16:2-13; Exodus 28:33-35).
Every person takes on the perfection of Jesus the moment they are Born-Again. They are cleansed and forgiven of all sins because they were paid for - past, present, and future - by the shed blood of Jesus. They will not come into judgment because they positionally took on the perfection of Jesus the moment they were Born-Again becoming the new Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of God, and the Father loves them as Jesus is loved (John 3:18, 5:24, 6:37, 17:23; Romans 5:1,8:1; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 11:32; Ephesians 1:6; Colossians 2:10,13; Hebrews 10:14).
Jesus did not die separately for the Born-Again Christian and those who reject Him. God prepares a table for those who are Born-Again "in the presence of their enemies" (Psalm 23:5 ESV). He doesn't sit on different seats/thrones any time He judges something. Judgment in the earth has been entrusted to Him (John 5:22). Each time a person prays, they come before His single throne.
The Born-Again Christian will never be put to shame (1 Peter 2:4-6 ESV - see also Isaiah 28:16). There will be no shame, grief, or remorse for them because "God shall wipe away every tear from their eye"… "and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away" (Revelation 7:17, 21:4 NIV). The word 'shame' is most often used regarding the lost, those who reject Jesus (See Romans 5:1-5, 9:33,10:11). The Born-Again Christian will have no shame at the judgment "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret (i.e., shame), whereas worldly grief produces death" (2 Corinthians:10-11 ESV).
The teaching of 'rewards' suggests that Heaven will be a meritocracy that is based upon personal labor and the amount of diligent good works done by the Born-Again Christian rather than by the 'grace' of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).
"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace." (Romans 11:6 ESV)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12 ESV)
All wrongdoing, each time the mark is missed includes positional and conditional, confessed and unconfessed sins, were forgiven on the Cross. There is NO direct Scriptural evidence that the mistakes of a Born-Again Christian will be evaluated by God at the Judgement Seat (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
It is believed by some that forgiveness does not exclude accountability, which is defined as the state of being accountable or answerable; responsibility for the fulfillment of obligations; liability to account for conduct, meet or suffer consequences, etc.: as, to hold a trustee to their accountability. The Biblical truth is that every human being is accountable for either receiving or rejecting Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
God makes an astounding promise to anyone who receives Jesus; "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more" (Hebrews 10:17 ESV, also Jeremiah 31:34). He will cancel their record of debt and never remember them again as He has removed their transgressions as far as the east is from the west (Colossians 2:13-14; Psalm 103:12). God has hidden their lives with Christ (Colossians 3:3). They are perfected forever in His sight (Hebrews 10:10,14).
When Jesus came to Earth "the goodness and loving kindness of God" appeared (Titus 3:4 ESV). Jesus "saves" those who receive Him as Lord and Savior"…. "not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly" (Titus 3:5-7 ESV).
The blood of Jesus qualifies every Born-Again Christian for the prize of eternal life, and they will be with Him forever as vessels of mercy (2 Timothy 2:12; Romans 9:23-24; 1 Peter 2:10). They will hear Jesus' words of approval, "Well done, good servant" (Luke 19:17; Romans 14:18; 16:10; 1 Corinthians 11:19; 2 Corinthians 10:8; 13:7; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:12).
It is by the sovereignty of God that Born-Again Christians are good servants and are moved to do the faithful work of Jesus. It is by 'His work' alone within them that they both have the will and the power to do it. The works-based meritocracy teaching is an indictment against the Holy Spirit, who God gave as a guarantee of salvation and is working daily within the Born-Again Christian to will and do God's good pleasure, for incompetence and failure in His sole responsibility to sustain and keep them as guiltless without shame, as well as keeping them from stumbling in order to finally present them blameless before the presence of God's glory (John 4:14, 6:37, 8:12, 10:27-29, 11:25-26; Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 2:1; Jude 1:24; 1 Corinthians1:8; Philippians 1:6, 2:13).
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV)
The Born-Again Christian is God's "workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10 ESV). They are "God's fellow workers (laborers)" who are empowered by the grace of God and have nothing they could ever do on their own (1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV, 15:10; 2 Corinthians 4:7).
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:44 ESV )
Not one human being can take any credit for their salvation because "All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one" (Romans 3:12 ESV). They could never do it on their own.
The Born-Again Christian is moved by God to do the "good" work of receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior. That is how they find themselves accomplishing good works after they are justified. But it is 'only' because the Holy Spirit is now dwelling within them, making their spirit, mind, and body His habitation, His Holy of Holies, and making them perfect in every work that they do.
Some will argue that the Bema seat is not a judgment for sin like the Great White Throne. Yet, no one is perfect in their works because they are in sin until they die (see Romans 7:1-25). It was for this reason that Jesus went to the Cross so that the Born-Again Christian will appear before Him blameless, perfect, and without fault in all their works, and be judged according to the finished work of Christ.
The motivation for good works by the Born-Again Christian should not be based on the fear of losing 'rewards.' Rather, the motivation for good works is the conclusive evidence they are justified before God (Hebrews 10:23). They do not lay up “treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” because they gave their heart to Jesus, who is their treasure and reward (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV; see also 2 Corinthians 4:6-7)
The Born-Again Christian should trust in the reward of Christ, which is the inheritance that He secured for them by His own works. When they stand before the Bema seat, they will stand as 'righteous,' and perfect in every way before God, because they have a Savior who died in their place and delivered them a full inheritance, a full reward by His work, and became THE Mercy seat that covers all their sin, past, present, and future (Matthew 10:41; Ephesians 14,18; Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:5).
The objective of the Christian life is not to receive some works-based meritorious reward or payment because they are a 'better' and 'harder' working Christian than another. That is Karma-based, not grace-based Christianity. The goal and prize of the Christian life is to have Jesus Christ and be content with the riches found in Him.
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you." (2 Corinthians 4:7-12 ESV - see also Genesis 1:2-3)
