What is the judgment seat of Christ?

But while all this is blessedly and divinely true, we must not forget the fact that there is a judgment at which all believers must appear. For we must all appear [be manifested] 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" (2 Cor. 5:10). This is when He comes. It is "the time" referred to by the apostle in a verse already quoted. It is a manifestation. "We must all be manifested." The examining judge "both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." It is for Christians only. No sinner will be there. And persons are not judged, but works. Christ will sit in His judgment-seat, but not as a judge in a criminal court. It will be more like a judge at a fair, or in a contest, or over a school examination where prizes and rewards are given. The eternal destiny of those whose works are being examined is not determined by or at this judgment, but their worthiness or unworthiness to receive crowns of "righteousness," "glory," or "life," is decided.

THE JUDGEMENT-SEAT OF CHRIST. All will be manifested before this judgement-seat that they may receive the things done in the body whether it be good or bad. 2 Cor. 5:10. This does not clash with the above statement that the believer does 'not come into judgement.' The Lord Jesus will sit on the judgement-seat, He who died for believers' sins, and rose again for their justification; and He is the believer's righteousness — He will not judge His own work. The saint, being divinely justified, cannot be judged, indeed, John 5:24 declares he does not come into judgement at all. But he will be manifested: the things done in the body will be brought into review, all will then be seen by him in its true light, whether good or bad, and this will but serve to exalt the grace that has saved him.

The word translated "judgment seat" means only a step or raised platform, such as a person exercising any authority, or pronouncing a speech, might occupy. It will include "the great white throne," before which the dead are summoned for their final sentence, but it is a word of much wider import, and, by no means necessarily, or indeed primarily, signifies the seat occupied by a judge on a criminal trial. It is used of the dais on which Herod sat, when he received the embassy from Tyre and Sidon (Acts 12:21), and is there rendered by our translators, "throne." The word would be just as applicable to the seat occupied by a judge in a civil suit or by an assessor awarding compensation, as to the seat of a judge trying a case of life and death. And these are really the two different actions described. The lost will appear before the tribunal to be tried on the question of life and death, out of those things which were written in the books (Rev. 20:12). How is this possible with the believer? Can the penitent thief be taken out of paradise to be put on his trial as to whether he shall be saved or lost? Can Paul, after being with Jesus more than eighteen centuries, be summoned before His bar to be tried for his life? Impossible! No, the appearance before the judgment seat in the case of believers is of a different kind, for a different purpose, and at a different season. It is before the reign of Christ, instead of at the end of the world; and it is for the purpose of determining, not whether they shall be saved or lost — a question which can never be raised again for those whom God has justified — but to what reward they are entitled by the measure of their faithfulness here below, whether they have built the "gold, silver, and precious stones," which can endure the searching fire of the Divine scrutiny, or the "wood, hay, and stubble," which shall perish before the judicial test, and leave them to be saved "so as by fire," — or again, whether in the apportionment of dominion among the "fellow-heirs," they should be made rulers over ten cities or over five.

Linked with all this blessed teaching is the judgment seat of Christ (verse 10). All, whether saints or sinners, will have to appear before the judgment seat of Christ; certainly not at the same time. There is no universal judgment, when the righteous and the unrighteous appear together before the judgment seat of Christ taught in the Bible. The Saints of God will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, when He has taken them from earth to glory, not at death, but when He comes with the shout in the air. But for His blood-bought people, who constitute His body, who will then be clothed with the house from heaven (the glorified body), there is no more judgment in the sense of condemnation. His own blessed lips have given us the assurance of this. (See John 5:24--that blessed word!) Nevertheless, there is a judgment seat of Christ for believers. The word "appear" in verse 10 is "manifested". We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ. Our works and our ways as Christians will then be brought fully into view; all will be brought into the light. Nothing can be concealed, and the believer receives the things done in the body.

Question: Would you explain the difference between the great white throne and the judgment seat of Christ? Well, the time is nearly up, but I can say a few words. It is plain enough from Rev. 20:11-15 that the judgment of the great white throne is the closing act of Christ in His mediatorial kingdom, and that those judged before the great white throne are the dead only. You have only to read the verses to be satisfied about this. The word translated in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "judgment seat" is not "throne," but "Bema," in the original Greek, which signifies a tribunal. The apostle Paul speaks of the Lord, the righteous judge, giving him a crown of righteousness, and not to him only, but to all them also who love His appearing. We have already seen that the saints are caught up to meet the Lord, and will be changed in an instant when He descends into the air: and it is plain that their places in the Kingdom must be settled according to righteousness, before they come out with Him after the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, in Revelation 19. So that the important difference between the great white throne and the saints appearing before the judgment seat of Christ is, that the former is a judgment of the dead as to their persons, by their works, and the penal consequence is eternal perdition. The latter is not a judgment of the persons of believers for they will be there in glorified bodies like Christ, and there can be no penal consequences, for Christ has borne all their sins, and all the penal consequences attaching to them. But there will be righteous awards for the things done in the body. Not a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple will lose its reward. All that has been of Christ will be owned by Him, and for all that has been of the flesh we shall suffer loss. All will not have the same place in the Kingdom, though all will be like Christ in glory, as the result of sovereign love and grace and the work of Christ. But each Christian lives his own individual life and is responsible for his own acts and each will be rewarded according to his own deeds. The poor widow who put her two mites into the treasury will get her reward, and the martyrs who were burnt at the stake will get theirs. Good works ought to characterise Christians, though love should be the motive and spring of everything done to Christ or His people, yet the knowledge of His recognition of all service to Himself in His day acts as an encouragement and a stimulant in this heartless and selfish world. Look at the various promises of reward to encourage the Lord's people in the addresses to the Churches in Rev. 3 and 4. But we must never confound the good deeds of the saints with what people often call "good works," as if it were possible for unconverted persons to please God in one single thing. "They that are in the flesh cannot please God." "Without faith it is impossible to please him." But when truly converted to God and sealed by the Spirit, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance," "and they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." A person who thinks he can have any part in saving himself will be damned, for Christ must have all the glory of saving the sinner and bringing us into glory.

All men without exception have to appear before the judgment seat (2 Cor. 5:10; Ecc. 12:14). This tribunal has three different “sessions”: a) 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10 b) Matt. 25:31-33 c) Rev. 20:11-12 It is the judgment seat of God in contrast to a human judgment (Rom. 14:11-12). Even the perfect Servant committed His work to His God (Isa. 49:4). Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, will be the judge (John 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16). Believers won't be judged or condemned there (John 3:18; 1 Cor. 11:32; Rom. 8:1). They will appear there with glorified bodies (2 Cor. 5:10). The appearing of the saints before the judgment seat will take place between the rapture and the marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-8). All deeds will be rewarded there (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:13). We have to give account of all our words (Matt. 12:36). The counsels of the heart will be made manifest (1 Cor. 4:5). Hidden things will be brought to light (1 Cor. 4:5; Rom. 2:16). Faithfulness in service will be rewarded (Matt. 25:21). The position of the believer in the kingdom depends on the verdict at the judgment seat (Luke 19:17). Present personal faithfulness bears upon the future collective part of the church (Rev. 19:8). Each one has to give account of himself (Rom. 14:12). A servant may lose reward by the unfaithfulness of those whom he was instrumental in bringing to the Saviour (1 John 2:28; 2 John 8). It is possible to suffer loss at the judgment seat (1 Cor. 3:14-15; Rev. 3:11). The thought of the judgment seat encourages us to be well-pleasing to Him (2 Cor. 5:9). To walk in the light of the judgment seat will give us a good conscience (1 Cor. 4:4; l John 2:28). Because Christ will be the judge we fulfil the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:11ff). The truth of the judgment seat makes us respect the freedom of others in matters of Christian liberty (Rom. 14). Statements 1-4 speak about the Judge. Statements 5-7 speak about the believer and the judgment seat. Statements 8-17 speak about what happens at the judgment seat. Statements 18-21 speak about the present result in a believer's life when he is occupied with the truth of the judgment seat.

(V. 10.) The mention of our walk leads the Apostle to speak of our responsible path, and what we have done in contrast to what God in His sovereignty has wrought. Thus he looks on to the judgment seat of Christ that lies at the end of our responsible path. He says, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." The context would seem to show that the statement of the Apostle is general, in as far as it includes believers and unbelievers. Seeing, however, that believers will be there, he does not say, "We must all be judged," but "We must all be manifested." For the same reason, it may be, he does not speak of the judgment of persons, but of "the things done in the body." The Lord's own words tell us that the believer "shall not come into judgment" (John 5:24). Again, let us remember that we reach the judgment seat of Christ by the coming of Christ, whereby we shall be "changed into the image of the heavenly." Thus when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ we shall have a body of glory like Christ; we shall be as the Judge.

A. It is general, and applies to both. Hence the word is "We all," we, the whole of us, a larger term than "we all" in 2 Corinthians 3:18, which is restricted to the Christian community. Next, it is "shall appear" or rather "be manifested," so as to embrace every one, believing or not, though of course as we know from other scriptures not at the same time, any more than for the same end. Were it "judged," it would apply only to unbelievers and only to the great white throne: no believer, as our Lord declares in John 5:24, comes into "judgment," which is in contrast with the eternal life which the faithful have in the Son of God. Here again the language employed is expressly general. It is equally erroneous to limit the manifestation to believers or to unbelievers. Both in their season are to be manifested before the judgment-seat or Bema of our Lord; and all the deeds done by the body as an instrument will come out in result before Him. In the believer's case, how magnifying for God's grace! in the unbeliever's, how vindicating His judgment of evil! Even for the saints, what was worthless will bear its consequences, though by grace they are saved, as what was good will be rewarded. But hopeless at last will be seen the lot of the wicked when manifested there, all their works bad, and above all, their rejection of Christ and the gospel.

When we are changed and translated, taken to the Father's house, the presentation will take place. We have already referred to the fifth chapter of Ephesians, where we are told that "Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it …. that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Then Jesus will have before Him all those who form the body of Christ, the bride of the Lamb, the Church of the living God. Yes, He will present her to Himself. His loving heart will then feel — "This is the Church that I love, this is the Church that I purchased, this is the Church that is dearer to my heart than myself, this is my bride, to whom I am united for ever." What must it be to have Jesus presenting us to Himself We are exceedingly happy in Him now, but, as a dear friend said to me the other day, when we see the blessed Jesus, there will be such a gush of love! Who can describe it? for our best thoughts are but poor. But what then? There will be the judgment seat, and we shall be manifested before it; the judgment seat of that blessed One who so loves us. I tried to show in the first lecture that the believer has been already judged and put to death as a sinner, in Christ his substitute, on the cross; so that now we are alive in a risen Christ, and death and judgment are behind us. But then, say you, What is the meaning of the passage, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ," which we find in the fifth chapter of the second of Corinthians? It refers to those spoken of in the first verse of the same chapter: "We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." This describes those who are referred to in the tenth verse. They know they are perfectly safe, and that heavenly glory is secured for them. Nay, more; they know that they have the Holy Ghost, and say, "Therefore we are always confident." Be assured, then, there is not a question to be raised about our salvation at that judgment seat. That was all settled on the cross, and we have the Holy Ghost as the earnest of our inheritance. In fact, we shall not appear there till we have glorified bodies, and are eternally happy in the love of Christ, and in the personal enjoyment of His glorious presence. Suppose any of you went away from your house for twelve months, and that you left three or four children in charge during your absence. When you came back, would you not have a judgment seat? You would call together those to whom you had committed the trust, and would commend one who had been faithful, reprove, perhaps, another who had not carried out your wishes, would tell a third, possibly, that he might have done better. So at the judgment seat of Christ, each will "receive of the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Thus, you see, it is a question of stewardship, and not a question of salvation at all. Knowing this, it is important that the believer should live and walk so as to be able to say, "I am doing this or that with the judgment seat of Christ straight before me." In this way the heart will be kept true to Christ.

Let us then consider that time when we Christians must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It is at a time after we have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and we know we are to "ever be with the Lord." It is before the time of Christ's reign on earth. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, "then every one will receive the things done in the body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. 5:10). Be clear, it is not a question of being saved or lost. All of us who stand there are the children of God, and now we come there in order that our life as children, — our path as servants, — may be reviewed. There will be that in each of us which the Lord can praise and alas, there will be that in each which the Lord must blame. It is like prize-day in a school, when the children's work of the past year will all pass in review. Some will win prizes, others will be ashamed. The work of one is acceptable, another's is not acceptable, so the Apostle Paul says, — "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." 2 Cor. 5:9-10.