Judgment Seat of Christ

In my studies today this blessed me ...

Quote = After the resurrection, the members of Christ’s Body will make their appointed appearance before the “Judgment Seat of Christ.” This is what old-timers often referred to as the “Bema.” This is because “bema” is the Greek word used to translate the words “judgment seat” in the following verses.

“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 [bema] of Christ” (Romans 14:10).

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat [bema] 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” (II Corinthians 5:10).

THE MEANING OF BEMA
The Greek word bema is a very interesting one. It conveys the simple meaning of “rostrum” or “high platform.” A word of such simple meaning can often have a broad range of uses. Such is the case with bema. It was used in a variety of different meanings, such as a throne, or a platform for public speaking.

Not Punitive Judgment
Paul’s usage of the word does not convey the idea of “judgment” in a courtroom sense of the word. It is not about the passing of a sentence of condemnation. It is not about punitive legal proceedings.

Not the Movie of Your Life
Sadly many believers have an understanding of the Bema as a time of condemnation. They have the mistaken idea that each individual will stand before the Lord and the rest of the Body of Christ – all at one time – for the purpose of viewing a motion picture review of their lives – for all to see; that the Lord will place on pause the frames of their lives that are “bad” – issuing forth rebuke, correction, condemnation, and judgment.

Sin Question Forever Settled
We must however remember that the question of sin and its judgment have been forever settled on the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“In Whom [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

“In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

Indeed all of our sins – past, present, and future; all of them in their entirety – have been fully and completely forgiven.

“... Having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13).

Even the saints under the Old Covenant could rejoice that their transgressions where as far removed “as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12), never to be remembered again (Jeremiah 31:34).

THE REWARD SEAT OF CHRIST
Instead of being a proceeding of punitive judgment related to sin, Paul’s usage of “bema” is in the context of the winning of a race. It is about the honor and recognition of having won the prize. It is the presentation platform where the participants are officially awarded the gold, sliver, and bronze (i.e., “gold, sliver, precious stones” I Corinthians 3:12).

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
“The bema in New Testament times was a raised platform at the Olympic Games, where the chief of the games stood and placed awards (stephanos) around the neck of all the winners!”

“The word translated ‘judgment seat’ (bema) is another instance of Paul’s intimate knowledge of the Olympic games (I Corinthians 9:24-27). The bema was a stand on which the judges stood to observe and evaluate the actions of the contestants. If any athlete broke a rule ... he missed the prize (victor’s wreath – stephanos) regardless of the place he finished in the race or contest. Likewise, when an event was completed, the contestants stood before the bema to hear the judges’ announcement of the results, and to receive such reward as might properly be theirs.”

“In the Grecian games in Athens, the old arena contained a raised platform on which the president or umpire of the arena sat. From here he rewarded all the contestants; and here he would reward all winners. It was called the ‘Bema’ or ‘Reward Seat.’ It was never used as a judicial bench.”

SAINTS ON DISPLAY
At the “Judgment Seat of Christ” (“bema”), the saints will be presented on display along with their works for award. This presentation before God is the context of Paul's statement in Colossians 1:21, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.”

The key here is the word “present.” This is Strong’s Greek Lexicon #3936 (paristemi), which is defined as “to exhibit.” It is also translated “present” in the following verses:

“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [paristemi] you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (II Corinthians 11:2).

“That He might present [paristemi] it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27).

It is translated as “stand before” in Romans 14:10; and “shew” in II Timothy 2:15, both which are passages regarding the Bema: “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before [paristemi] the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10).

“Study to shew [paristemi] thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).

PRESENTED AS WHO WE REALLY ARE
The simple fact is that we are already “holy and unblamable, and unreproveable in His sight.” This is our identity in Jesus Christ. He will present us to Himself “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.”

At the Bema this is simply being manifested. We are being presented in our reality – “to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.”

The PRESENTATION at the “Judgment Seat of Christ” is the effectual result of our “reigning in life” – operating in our identity in Christ.

“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

What God is now accomplishing in each of our individual lives is the outworking of the fullness of life of Christ in our daily walk – “that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (II Corinthians 4:10-11).

Make no mistake about it: the Bema will be a glorious day of rejoicing for all believers. The gracious fire of God’s undiminished love will consume all that is Adamic from our earthly pilgrimage here. The dross and corruption will be eternally purged away. Thankfully, the “wood, hay, stubble” (I Corinthians 3:12) will be removed, leaving only that which is real and of lasting value – our life and identity in the Lord Jesus Christ, and what it produced in our lives.

ANXIETY AND FEAR CONCERNING THAT DAY
“The Judgment Seat of Christ” hangs over the heads of many believers as some tribunal of an angry deity. Religious tyranny has snared them in an oppressive mind-set. They live under the shadow of some future inquisition – an examinational and penalizing horror, the thoughts of which leave their hearts in the bondage of anxiety and fear.

This should not be the case! We are to be anxious about nothing, as perfect love casts out fear.

“Be careful for nothing” (Philippians 4:6).

Apprehension, dread, nervousness, and anxiety are not to be a part of our lives. They especially are not to characterize our relationship with God. These are things from which God has provided deliverance. This includes worry over our apparent inadequacies, shortcoming, and failures – yes, and even our sins – for even they are forever super-abounded by the inexhaustible grace of God.

“Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).

“Perfect love casteth out fear"

Hear these words! Hear them in their fullness: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (I John 4:18).

There is no fear in love. The perfect love of God casts it out.

Dear “beloved of God” (Romans 1:7), is your heart tormented by thoughts of “the Judgment Seat of Christ?” Have no more of it! It does not come from your Father, for His love for you is perfect, and “perfect love casteth out fear.”

Paul wrote it this way, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7).
 
GOD’S GLORIOUS PURGING FIRE
“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” (II Corinthians 5:10).

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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.” (I Corinthians 3:11-15).

Now we need to understand that the building work represented by our lives are not physical gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; and neither is the fire testing it physical. This is simply figurative speech. It speaks to us in illustrative ways that we can understand. The point is not that there will be this prolonged process of purging at the Bema. Instead it is that this purging has taken place in the resurrection. This day marks the purging that has been accomplished, celebrating that finished work of God.

BUILDING MATERIALS
“The apostle has affirmed that there are two classes of building materials which the ‘labourers together with God’ may use in building the edifice upon the foundation already laid. The gold, silver, costly stones are indestructible materials. These are the work of God ... On the other hand, the wood, hay, and stubble are destructible materials. These are the work of men which man has produced by his own effort. The apostle is revealing the fact that the examination at the bema of Christ is to determine that which was done by God through the individual and that which the individual did in his own strength ...”

BAD THINGS
“...Whether it be good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10).

Just what is the “bad” of this passage? Interestingly enough this is not the normal word for “bad.” Here Paul uses a Greek work that has as its meaning “worthless,” “useless,” stating that “it expresses the lack of those qualities which constitute a person or thing what it claims to be.” The word in this passage means “good-for-nothingness, the impossibility of any true gain ever coming forth from it ... This notion of worthlessness ...”

In other words, what we learn from this is that the word “bad” here represents those things that are contrary to who we really are in Christ.

QUOTE = “Thus the judgment [of the Bema] is not to determine what is ethically good or evil, but rather that which is acceptable and that which is worthless. It is not the Lord’s purpose here to chasten His child for his sins, but to reward his service for those things done in the name of the Lord.”

A GLORIOUS DAY
The plain fact of the matter is that the Bema (“The Judgment Seat of Christ”) is a day to be looked forward to! It is the revelation of the life and work of God in us. Regardless of how things may appear to our earthly eyes, we are “His workmanship,” (Ephesians 2:10). Lay hold on this amazing truth!

We did not make ourselves. We are not self-made men. We are God-made men. We are not the fruit of our own labors. We are His creation. It is all about Him.

“He hath done all things well” (Mark 7:37)!

“... He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

Remember that this is the very thing of which Paul was so confident: “Being confident of this very thing ... THAT He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

PURGING OF THE DROSS
There is coming a wonderful day in the future, a day of the presentation of the saints at Christ’s Bema. Although the “good and bad” shall be revealed that day, the “bad” – as in the due process of gold and silver’s refinement – will surface to the top. That day will forever remove all the stains and disgraces of the “former things,” leaving only the “good” of “gold, silver, precious stones.”

On that day there will be “loss” of the “bad.” What a most gracious act, for it will be a gloriously positive loss. It will remove all that we wish to forget. Just as God in His forgiveness remembers them no more, so “the former things are passed away.”

GOD’S MASTERPIECES
It is then that our Father will present us on open display as His masterpieces – His new creation – His ultimate showing forth of His grace: “That in the ages to come He might shew [display, exhibit, illustrate, demonstrate, present] the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).

Here is our reason for expectation of this magnificent event: when all is said and done on that day, “then shall every man have praise of God” (I Corinthians 4:5).

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.