The Judgment Seat of Christ

 Temple Baptist Church - 6-18-2025

1 Corinthians 3:9-15

 

Introduction:

 

A.  In this portion of 1 Corinthians, we have seen that Paul, the masterbuilder, has laid the “Foundation” upon which every child of God builds their lives.  I cannot emphasize enough the importance of living a consistent life for Christ, as He is the Foundation on which we must build, good or bad. 

 

1.  In the Second Corinthian Epistle, the Holy Ghost clarifies this judgment.  The best commentary on the Scriptures is the Scriptures! It is here that we find the phrase “the judgment seat of Christ.”

 

2 Corinthians 5:10  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.

 

B.  Many preachers and teachers refer to the Judgment Seat as the Bema Seat.  Bema is the Greek word for “judgment seat.”  One word in the Greek but two words in English. 

 

1.  Bema - a step, that is, foot breath; by implication a rostrum, that is, tribunal (a place of judgment): - judgment-seat, set [foot] on, throne.

 

2.  Millions of viewers watched this year’s Olympics and were amazed at the feats achieved by the bronze, silver, and most notably gold medal winners. The medal ceremony models a practice begun by the ancient Greeks, who instituted the Olympics in the eighth century B.C. A judge sat at what they called the Bema Seat at a respective race’s finish line. It was that judge who determined the winner and gave him an award immediately after the completion of the race.

 

3.  The Judgment Seat Is: 

 

a)  A place of elevation – in a large Olympic arena, there was an elevated seat on which the judge of the contest sat.

 

b)  A place of reward – the bema seat was not a judicial bench where someone was condemned; it was a reward seat.

 

C.  There has been much confusion concerning this judgment because of careless preaching on the subject.  Many, though not specifying it as a judgment for sin, leave hearers not fully informed on the subject.  Therefore: What The Judgment Seat Is Not:

 

1.  The purpose of the Judgment Seat is not to determine whether a particular individual enters Heaven or not.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

Galatians 3:11-14  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of od, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.  And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

 

2.  The purpose of the Judgment Seat is not to punish believers for their sins committed before or after their salvation.

 

Psalms 103:10-12  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

 

Isaiah 38:17  Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

 

Isaiah 44:22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

 

Micah 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

 

Hebrews 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

 

D.  The Fact Of The Judgment Seat:  Every believer will stand before the Lord at the Judgment Seat.  As one old preacher once said,  “There’s gonna be a great recompensing day!”

 

Romans 14:10-12  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 of Christ.  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

 

1 Corinthians 3:13  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.

 

2 Corinthians 5:10  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.

 

E.  The Purpose Of The Judgment Seat:

 

          1.  In the past, God dealt with us as sinners.

 

Ephesians 2:1-3  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 

Romans 5:6   For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

 

          2.  In the present, God deals with us as sons.

 

Romans 8:14-15  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

 

Hebrews 12:5-8  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

 

1 John 3:1-2  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

 

          3.  In the future, God deals with us (at the Judgment Seat) as stewards.

 

F.  The Material To Be Tested At The Judgment Seat

 

          1.  Those that are indestructible – gold, silver, and precious stones.

 

          2.  Those that are destructible – wood, hay, and stubble.

 

G.  The Works To Be Judged:

 

          1.  How we treat other believers.

 

Hebrews 6:10  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

 

Matthew 10:41-42  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

 

          2.  How we employ our God-given abilities.

 

1 Peter 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

 

Matthew 15:14-29 – The parable of the Talents.

 

Luke 19:11-26 – The parable of the Pounds.

 

          3.  How we use our money.

 

2 Corinthians 9:6-10  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

 

4.  How we suffer for Jesus.

 

Matthew 5:11-12  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

 

1 Peter 4:12-13  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

 

          5.  How we spend our time.

 

1 Peter 1:17  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

 

          6.  How we run that particular race which God has chosen for us.

 

1 Corinthians 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

 

Philippians 3:13-14  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

          7.  How we control the old nature.

 

1 Corinthians 9:25-27  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

 

8.  How we witness to and help bring souls to Christ, either by planting or watering.

 

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  For ye are our glory and joy.

 

Daniel 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

 

Proverbs 11:30  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.   

 

9.  How we continue to be faithful to Christ.

 

Revelation 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

 

          10.  How we look forward to His glorious appearing.

 

2 Timothy 4:8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.