The Bema Seat Judgment
1 Corinthians 3:8-15
Message #13
In last week’s message, we saw those in Heaven who represent all Believers had gold crowns on their heads, and they were casting their crowns before the throne in worship. If you haven’t watched, listened to, or read that message titled “The Priority of Worship.” It’s available on the WordByMail phone app or at WordByMail.com.
And we said last week that we were going to talk about those crowns today to understand what those crowns are and to understand what the Bible says about this critical event called the “The Bema Seat Judgment” of Christ.
As we see it, the Bema Seat Judgment takes place after the Rapture (because we have to be in Heaven when it happens) and before the thick of the Tribulation. All believers are caught up to Heaven (Revelation 4:1); we saw that three weeks ago. While the Tribulation is “getting going”, which is the wrath of God, but it comes disguised as not the wrath of God (that’s just how the devil comes), and during the beginning of the Tribulation is when we see this occurring. The Bema Seat Judgment is for Believers only.
If you have been born-again through faith in Jesus Christ, you will stand before the Bema Seat Judgment. If you choose to reject Jesus Christ as your Savior, there is another judgment seat you will stand before. It’s called the Great White Throne Judgment (in Revelation 20), and only unbelievers will be at that judgment, and that is where all those who have rejected salvation through faith in Jesus will be separated from God for eternity.
When you put your full faith in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, the full judgment of God for all of your sin falls upon Jesus Christ on the Cross in your place, and his sacrifice on the Cross is completely sufficient to completely pay the full penalty for your sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21 says he takes your sin upon himself, and he gives you his righteousness (the righteousness of God in Christ). That is a once-for-all time deal – it’s finished. You have that if you’ve put your faith in Christ – you have that.
Romans 8:1 (NLT)
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
So, there is no condemnation at the Bema Seat Judgment where all Believers will stand.
We use the Greek word BEMA for this judgment because it is a different word and a different definition from the word translated judgment in Revelation 20 at the Great White Throne Judgment. These are two different judgments for two different groups of people occurring at two different times.
If we are at the Bema Seat Judgment, then our salvation is complete and secure. However, the Bible clearly says Believers will still pass through a judgment about how we lived our lives here, and at this judgment, there will be rewards and loss. One type of reward that will be given at this judgment seat is referred to as crowns. These are the crowns we are casting before the throne in last week’s message in Revelation Chapter 4.
So today, let’s start in 2 Corinthians Chapter 5, where Paul is talking about going to Heaven. He says this in verses 9-10.
2 Corinthians 5:9–10 (NLT)
9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.
10 For we (Believers) must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
Paul is talking about Believers going to Heaven, and he says every Believer must appear before the Bema Seat Judgment so that we may each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
The Bema Judgment Seat was well known in Paul’s time. (We got to stand on the one from Paul’s time in Corinth.) It was a high place built in an open and public square where the Roman Magistrate sat to administer justice publicly. It was also the place where rewards were handed out, including crowns to the victors of sporting events. And so, Paul points to the judgment seat and says there’s one just like that in Heaven; all Believers are going to stand there one day with Jesus Christ sitting on the throne. And 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10 says at this judgment seat we will receive what we rightly deserve for what we have done on this earth, whether it is of value or of no value. (The Greek words translated good or evil are actually used to contrast something of value or of no value.)
We might call this a fruit inspection, where the good fruit in our lives is shown to be valuable and the bad fruit in our lives is shown to be worthless.
Let’s turn over to 1 Corinthians Chapter 3. Here, Paul is talking about the foolishness of comparing one church leader to another. And in 1 Corinthians 3, verse 5, Paul says he and Apollos are only servants (instruments) of the Lord. Paul says one of us plants, one of us waters, but neither of us are anything. No person who is correctly serving God is anything. Only God is SOMETHING!! Because only God can bring true spiritual fruit. And then Paul says this.
1 Corinthians 3:8 (NLT)
8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.
But this word translated rewarded can be used in a positive or negative sense, meaning each of us will receive the correct compensation for our work for the Lord – whether good or worthless.
What we do for the Lord that is of true value, we will receive reward for.
What we do for the Lord that is truly worthless we will suffer loss for.
Paul continues.
1 Corinthians 3:9–10 (NLT)
9 For we (He & Apollos) are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
Paul has been talking about his labor for the Lord using a farming metaphor. But at the end of verse 9, he switches metaphors. Many scholars believe the reason Paul switches metaphors from farming to building is because he’s switching the responsibility from those who deliver the gospel to those who receive the gospel. And so, Paul says (verse 10) “I laid the foundation – now you decide how you are going to build on it.”
The foundation that Paul laid as an expert builder is the only foundation that can be laid.
1 Corinthians 3:11 (NLT)
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
Every person who stands at the Bema Seat Judgment will have Jesus Christ as their eternal life foundation. And what you build on that foundation of Jesus Christ matters to God, and when you stand at the Bema Seat Judgment, it will matter to you.
1 Corinthians 3:12–13 (NLT)
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
What we build on the foundation of Jesus Christ in our lives is either gold, silver, jewels or wood, hay, straw. And verse 13 says The fire will show if a person’s work has any true value.
Here is a very simple summary of worthless or valuable.
The flesh in us builds with wood, hay, straw – (worthless)
The Spirit in us builds with gold, silver, jewels – (valuable)
And all it takes is a little fire to separate the two.
If it’s in the flesh, the Bible says to crucify it. Galatians 2:20 Paul says, I am crucified with Christ. I don’t want any flesh in me. And so, if you’re serving in the flesh – look out.
But what’s the other side? If you’re serving in the Spirit, if you’re walking in the Spirit and serving in the Spirit, then you are building gold, silver, jewels on that foundation of your salvation. It doesn’t make it easier – it’s harder because now you have to say, “Is it my flesh or the Spirit? Am I serving in my flesh, or am I serving in the Spirit?” That’s the struggle you want. That’s the struggle that Galatians 5:16 and the following lays out. This starts the whole section about this battle between the flesh and the Spirit. It’s a good battle to be in.
The Bema Seat Judgment will reveal if the work we’ve built on the foundation of Jesus Christ has eternal worth or is eternally worthless.
And it all comes out on the other side of the pizza oven. Your life goes in on one side, and then you run to the other side with your fingers crossed, saying, “Come on! Please let something besides ashes come out!”
1 Corinthians 3:14 (NLT)
14 If the work survives (the fire), that builder will receive a reward.
And if you’re like – “Woo-hoo! I got something good to come out of the Bema Seat Judgment oven.” But, some of us may be surprised at what God counts as having eternal worth because sometimes what we think is awesome in our flesh, God thinks is worthless in the Spirit.
Remember – we are not the judge at the Bema Seat
The world is not the judge at the Bema Seat.
Social Media is not the judge at the Bema Seat
Jesus Christ is the judge at the Bema Seat, and Jesus has a radically different P.O.V. (point of view) than we do. Jesus Christ is looking at our heart, and he’s looking at why we’re doing what we’re doing.
We’re never really given the details of these rewards. God keeps the very general in the Bible. Maybe so we won’t distort them with our fleshly thinking. Or maybe because we couldn’t grasp the details. And one type of these rewards is called crowns.
There are numerous types of crowns mentioned in the Bible. But they all have this one thing in common. They are all given in response to a faithful commitment to the Lord.
There are five types of crowns in scripture
1 Corinthians 9:25 – The Victor’s Crown
1 Thessalonians 2:19 – The Crown of Rejoicing
2 Timothy 4:8 – The Crown of Righteousness
James 1:12 – The Crown of Life
1 Peter 5:4 – The Crown of Glory
Each of these rewards has great truths attached to them that we don’t have time to expand here. And again, these crowns are only one type of reward to be rewarded or lost at the Bema Seat Judgment.
If you’d like to really study this important area of living the Christian life, get these books:
Your Eternal Reward – Erwin Lutzer (Former Pastor, Moody Church)
Facing Your Final Job Review – Woodrow Kroll (Back to the Bible)
One more thing about us casting these crowns before the throne in Revelation 4 from last week. The rewards the Bible talks about are eternal, and us casting our crowns before the Throne of God does not mean we lose that reward from that point on. The crown represents the reward, but laying it down does not mean we cease to benefit from it.
I saw an Olympic athlete take off her gold medal and put it around her coach’s neck to acknowledge his role in her reward. But even though she put her gold medal on her coach’s neck, she still receives the benefit of winning that gold medal. In the same way, the rewards we receive are eternal; they are just represented by crowns.
Does that make sense?
So, we’ve talked about the rewards at the Bema Seat Judgment, but now let’s talk about the suffering loss.
1 Corinthians 3:15 (NLT)
15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
If what we present to Christ at this judgment seat is burned up – we will suffer loss. We will still be saved – but only as through a wall of flames.
So, what kind of suffering loss will there be? Well, the Bible doesn’t define the loss we may suffer. But can you imagine standing before the glorified Christ and your life goes into the testing oven, and all of a sudden there’s a huge fire ball, and you’re left standing there looking like a chimney sweep from Mary Poppins covered in the ash and soot of what was your life.
Yes, you will still be saved. But I believe if I am standing before Jesus Christ and I realize that my life lived for him from an eternal perspective had been worthless, I believe I would feel a great loss.
Maybe the loss that we feel at the Bema Seat Judgment will be us coming to grips with the eternally worthless parts of our lives as they bring in the water tankers to put out the fire. The good news is whatever loss we feel is not permanent because, ultimately, there will be no more crying or pain, at least by the time we get to Revelation Chapter 21.
So, let’s talk briefly about how to build our lives with more gold, silver, jewels and less wood, hay, stubble.
1 John 2:28 (NLT)
28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ (Abide) so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
The number one way to avoid suffering loss when we stand before Jesus at the Bema Seat Judgment is to abide in Christ. Remain in close fellowship with Jesus so that when he returns for you, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. We have a ten-message series on Abiding in Christ at Word By Mail. Just go to wordbymail.com or on the wordbymail phone app and, under media, look for the series titled Abide. You’re sure to be blessed by this study.
So, if you don’t remember anything else about how to prepare for the Bema Seat Judgment, remember this. Anything you do for Christ IN your own strength will explode like a match to gasoline on that day. Anything that you allow God to truly do THROUGH YOU for his glory will come through this judgment as REWARDS to you. If you get the glory here, you will probably not get the reward there. If Jesus gets the glory here, you probably will get the reward there.
And finally, remember this. God does not judge the eternal value of our work for him like we judge success in the world. Our rewards are based on the “Christ in us” principle. God has given you a unique, custom blueprint for your life. He’s made you to do something unique and individual – something that can’t be compared to anyone else.
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Do what God made you to do. Allow God to make you his masterpiece, and you will be building your life with gold, silver, jewels to be turned into rewards at the Bema Set Judgment.
And we said last week that we were going to talk about those crowns today to understand what those crowns are and to understand what the Bible says about this critical event called the “The Bema Seat Judgment” of Christ.
As we see it, the Bema Seat Judgment takes place after the Rapture (because we have to be in Heaven when it happens) and before the thick of the Tribulation. All believers are caught up to Heaven (Revelation 4:1); we saw that three weeks ago. While the Tribulation is “getting going”, which is the wrath of God, but it comes disguised as not the wrath of God (that’s just how the devil comes), and during the beginning of the Tribulation is when we see this occurring. The Bema Seat Judgment is for Believers only.
If you have been born-again through faith in Jesus Christ, you will stand before the Bema Seat Judgment. If you choose to reject Jesus Christ as your Savior, there is another judgment seat you will stand before. It’s called the Great White Throne Judgment (in Revelation 20), and only unbelievers will be at that judgment, and that is where all those who have rejected salvation through faith in Jesus will be separated from God for eternity.
When you put your full faith in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, the full judgment of God for all of your sin falls upon Jesus Christ on the Cross in your place, and his sacrifice on the Cross is completely sufficient to completely pay the full penalty for your sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21 says he takes your sin upon himself, and he gives you his righteousness (the righteousness of God in Christ). That is a once-for-all time deal – it’s finished. You have that if you’ve put your faith in Christ – you have that.
Romans 8:1 (NLT)
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
So, there is no condemnation at the Bema Seat Judgment where all Believers will stand.
We use the Greek word BEMA for this judgment because it is a different word and a different definition from the word translated judgment in Revelation 20 at the Great White Throne Judgment. These are two different judgments for two different groups of people occurring at two different times.
If we are at the Bema Seat Judgment, then our salvation is complete and secure. However, the Bible clearly says Believers will still pass through a judgment about how we lived our lives here, and at this judgment, there will be rewards and loss. One type of reward that will be given at this judgment seat is referred to as crowns. These are the crowns we are casting before the throne in last week’s message in Revelation Chapter 4.
So today, let’s start in 2 Corinthians Chapter 5, where Paul is talking about going to Heaven. He says this in verses 9-10.
2 Corinthians 5:9–10 (NLT)
9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.
10 For we (Believers) must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
Paul is talking about Believers going to Heaven, and he says every Believer must appear before the Bema Seat Judgment so that we may each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
The Bema Judgment Seat was well known in Paul’s time. (We got to stand on the one from Paul’s time in Corinth.) It was a high place built in an open and public square where the Roman Magistrate sat to administer justice publicly. It was also the place where rewards were handed out, including crowns to the victors of sporting events. And so, Paul points to the judgment seat and says there’s one just like that in Heaven; all Believers are going to stand there one day with Jesus Christ sitting on the throne. And 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10 says at this judgment seat we will receive what we rightly deserve for what we have done on this earth, whether it is of value or of no value. (The Greek words translated good or evil are actually used to contrast something of value or of no value.)
We might call this a fruit inspection, where the good fruit in our lives is shown to be valuable and the bad fruit in our lives is shown to be worthless.
Let’s turn over to 1 Corinthians Chapter 3. Here, Paul is talking about the foolishness of comparing one church leader to another. And in 1 Corinthians 3, verse 5, Paul says he and Apollos are only servants (instruments) of the Lord. Paul says one of us plants, one of us waters, but neither of us are anything. No person who is correctly serving God is anything. Only God is SOMETHING!! Because only God can bring true spiritual fruit. And then Paul says this.
1 Corinthians 3:8 (NLT)
8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.
But this word translated rewarded can be used in a positive or negative sense, meaning each of us will receive the correct compensation for our work for the Lord – whether good or worthless.
What we do for the Lord that is of true value, we will receive reward for.
What we do for the Lord that is truly worthless we will suffer loss for.
Paul continues.
1 Corinthians 3:9–10 (NLT)
9 For we (He & Apollos) are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
Paul has been talking about his labor for the Lord using a farming metaphor. But at the end of verse 9, he switches metaphors. Many scholars believe the reason Paul switches metaphors from farming to building is because he’s switching the responsibility from those who deliver the gospel to those who receive the gospel. And so, Paul says (verse 10) “I laid the foundation – now you decide how you are going to build on it.”
The foundation that Paul laid as an expert builder is the only foundation that can be laid.
1 Corinthians 3:11 (NLT)
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
Every person who stands at the Bema Seat Judgment will have Jesus Christ as their eternal life foundation. And what you build on that foundation of Jesus Christ matters to God, and when you stand at the Bema Seat Judgment, it will matter to you.
1 Corinthians 3:12–13 (NLT)
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
What we build on the foundation of Jesus Christ in our lives is either gold, silver, jewels or wood, hay, straw. And verse 13 says The fire will show if a person’s work has any true value.
Here is a very simple summary of worthless or valuable.
The flesh in us builds with wood, hay, straw – (worthless)
The Spirit in us builds with gold, silver, jewels – (valuable)
And all it takes is a little fire to separate the two.
If it’s in the flesh, the Bible says to crucify it. Galatians 2:20 Paul says, I am crucified with Christ. I don’t want any flesh in me. And so, if you’re serving in the flesh – look out.
But what’s the other side? If you’re serving in the Spirit, if you’re walking in the Spirit and serving in the Spirit, then you are building gold, silver, jewels on that foundation of your salvation. It doesn’t make it easier – it’s harder because now you have to say, “Is it my flesh or the Spirit? Am I serving in my flesh, or am I serving in the Spirit?” That’s the struggle you want. That’s the struggle that Galatians 5:16 and the following lays out. This starts the whole section about this battle between the flesh and the Spirit. It’s a good battle to be in.
The Bema Seat Judgment will reveal if the work we’ve built on the foundation of Jesus Christ has eternal worth or is eternally worthless.
And it all comes out on the other side of the pizza oven. Your life goes in on one side, and then you run to the other side with your fingers crossed, saying, “Come on! Please let something besides ashes come out!”
1 Corinthians 3:14 (NLT)
14 If the work survives (the fire), that builder will receive a reward.
And if you’re like – “Woo-hoo! I got something good to come out of the Bema Seat Judgment oven.” But, some of us may be surprised at what God counts as having eternal worth because sometimes what we think is awesome in our flesh, God thinks is worthless in the Spirit.
Remember – we are not the judge at the Bema Seat
The world is not the judge at the Bema Seat.
Social Media is not the judge at the Bema Seat
Jesus Christ is the judge at the Bema Seat, and Jesus has a radically different P.O.V. (point of view) than we do. Jesus Christ is looking at our heart, and he’s looking at why we’re doing what we’re doing.
We’re never really given the details of these rewards. God keeps the very general in the Bible. Maybe so we won’t distort them with our fleshly thinking. Or maybe because we couldn’t grasp the details. And one type of these rewards is called crowns.
There are numerous types of crowns mentioned in the Bible. But they all have this one thing in common. They are all given in response to a faithful commitment to the Lord.
There are five types of crowns in scripture
1 Corinthians 9:25 – The Victor’s Crown
1 Thessalonians 2:19 – The Crown of Rejoicing
2 Timothy 4:8 – The Crown of Righteousness
James 1:12 – The Crown of Life
1 Peter 5:4 – The Crown of Glory
Each of these rewards has great truths attached to them that we don’t have time to expand here. And again, these crowns are only one type of reward to be rewarded or lost at the Bema Seat Judgment.
If you’d like to really study this important area of living the Christian life, get these books:
Your Eternal Reward – Erwin Lutzer (Former Pastor, Moody Church)
Facing Your Final Job Review – Woodrow Kroll (Back to the Bible)
One more thing about us casting these crowns before the throne in Revelation 4 from last week. The rewards the Bible talks about are eternal, and us casting our crowns before the Throne of God does not mean we lose that reward from that point on. The crown represents the reward, but laying it down does not mean we cease to benefit from it.
I saw an Olympic athlete take off her gold medal and put it around her coach’s neck to acknowledge his role in her reward. But even though she put her gold medal on her coach’s neck, she still receives the benefit of winning that gold medal. In the same way, the rewards we receive are eternal; they are just represented by crowns.
Does that make sense?
So, we’ve talked about the rewards at the Bema Seat Judgment, but now let’s talk about the suffering loss.
1 Corinthians 3:15 (NLT)
15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
If what we present to Christ at this judgment seat is burned up – we will suffer loss. We will still be saved – but only as through a wall of flames.
So, what kind of suffering loss will there be? Well, the Bible doesn’t define the loss we may suffer. But can you imagine standing before the glorified Christ and your life goes into the testing oven, and all of a sudden there’s a huge fire ball, and you’re left standing there looking like a chimney sweep from Mary Poppins covered in the ash and soot of what was your life.
Yes, you will still be saved. But I believe if I am standing before Jesus Christ and I realize that my life lived for him from an eternal perspective had been worthless, I believe I would feel a great loss.
Maybe the loss that we feel at the Bema Seat Judgment will be us coming to grips with the eternally worthless parts of our lives as they bring in the water tankers to put out the fire. The good news is whatever loss we feel is not permanent because, ultimately, there will be no more crying or pain, at least by the time we get to Revelation Chapter 21.
So, let’s talk briefly about how to build our lives with more gold, silver, jewels and less wood, hay, stubble.
1 John 2:28 (NLT)
28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ (Abide) so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
The number one way to avoid suffering loss when we stand before Jesus at the Bema Seat Judgment is to abide in Christ. Remain in close fellowship with Jesus so that when he returns for you, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. We have a ten-message series on Abiding in Christ at Word By Mail. Just go to wordbymail.com or on the wordbymail phone app and, under media, look for the series titled Abide. You’re sure to be blessed by this study.
So, if you don’t remember anything else about how to prepare for the Bema Seat Judgment, remember this. Anything you do for Christ IN your own strength will explode like a match to gasoline on that day. Anything that you allow God to truly do THROUGH YOU for his glory will come through this judgment as REWARDS to you. If you get the glory here, you will probably not get the reward there. If Jesus gets the glory here, you probably will get the reward there.
And finally, remember this. God does not judge the eternal value of our work for him like we judge success in the world. Our rewards are based on the “Christ in us” principle. God has given you a unique, custom blueprint for your life. He’s made you to do something unique and individual – something that can’t be compared to anyone else.
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Do what God made you to do. Allow God to make you his masterpiece, and you will be building your life with gold, silver, jewels to be turned into rewards at the Bema Set Judgment.