The Judgment Seat of Christ

 

The Judgment Seat of Christ, or in other words, the Bema Seat, will only ever be experienced by those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ alone for their salvation. It is for them that have been made a new creation and who are set apart from this world. It is to be a place of reward for the child of God.

However, the title sometimes confuses people. Most of the time when we think of judgment, we will usually tend to view it as unfavorable, unsympathetic, antagonistic, etc. For some reason we place a negative connotation upon this word, that in all honesty and actuality, doesn't belong there. It needs to be clearly understood that the definition of judgment, simply means, "an evaluation."

An evaluation of what, you may ask? An evaluation of your life. No matter who you are, whether you are a Christian or a non-Christian, there is coming a day when you and I will both stand before God Almighty, and we will each give an account before Him on how we lived our lives here on this earth.

For the believer in Christ, this is to be an ever-increasing joy knowing that one day God is going to reward us for our faithfulness to Him. Christians' will stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ fully clothed in the righteousness of God Himself, and they will see His infinite grace poured out upon them.

For the unbeliever, however, they will stand before God fully condemned in their sin. They will never see the Judgment Seat of Christ, though, but they will bow before Him at the Great White Throne Judgment; and this judgment does carry with it a negative connotation because everything is laid out in the open as plain as day. They will look upon their sin, which is against a Most Holy God, and they will have no excuses, and they will see the infinite wrath of God poured out against them as they enter into an eternal hell.

Paul spoke quite a bit on this subject, making it a hot topic in his letters; and how he described this so-called, Judgment Seat of Christ, was by comparing it to a Bema Seat. A Bema Seat was a platform in Greek towns where rewards were given out and presented to the winners in the athletic games. It is there that the champions' would be honored and receive their reward(s).

As a Christian, I have always had the thinking that this specific time, whenever that may be, would simply be God and I alone together evaluating my life as a believer. This is not the case. Not too long ago I was meditating upon God and His Word, and His Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see His revelation.

Think about it: Who all is in a courtroom? The judge, jury, attorney, defendant, witnesses, etc. It was not just the judge and the champion at the Bema Seat...there were also many witnesses! So especially at the Judgment Seat of Christ when God rewards His children and displays His grace for all to see, is He just going to keep that between the two of you? That would be absurd!

Didn't Christ say all through Matthew chapter 6 that whatever you do in secret, God your Father will reward you openly? What if the entire church body is present together with the LORD at the Judgment Seat? What if the myriads upon myriads of believers' in Christ will all be gathered together in a big stadium like thing watching all that receive rewards and crowns for their faithfulness?

These are exciting questions to ask, however, Paul also speaks of some who will be ashamed because they wasted the opportunities that were given to them by God. What if all of us also watch and see them that shrink away in shame?

Obviously, we would all have perfect minds and hearts at that point, so there would be no ridiculing or envying or gossiping or anything slanderous whatsoever, but their could still be in us a sense of disappointment. If you are a Christian, then every Christian that you know will someday see your entire life laid out on a table. They will bear witness to all that you did in privacy, and they will see every motive of your heart.

If this is truly the case, that it's not just God and I, then how do I want to live? Do I want to live for myself and have billions of people (my fellow brothers and sisters) see my rewards burn up in the fire? Or do I want to live in such a way that brings glory to God, and on that day the entire Church body and I will hear Him tell me, "Well done, My good and faithful servant."? I choose the latter.

Pursue what God wants to give you. Continually examine your heart. Don't get overly focused on whether or not you are doing enough, but always remember that you are clothed in the righteousness of God and therefore you are as righteous as Christ Jesus (1 John 3:7).

If you are in sin, I hope to encourage you to walk with the LORD; but always remember, that the Judgment Seat is not God bringing to memory all of your iniquities. He has cast the believer's sin as far as the east is from the west. In those times when you find yourself in the pit of darkness, I can assure you that you are not getting away with it, but it is at the Judgment Seat that God will show even in those times of rebellion, He continued to pour His grace upon you and He never forsook you!