Appendix N
The Judgment Seat of Christ
By Lambert Dolphin
This is a shortened version of this study. View the full article at
http://ldolphin.org/Jseat.html

Whether a Christian dies before his time from an accident or tragedy, or whether he or
she lives out a normal life span of 70 or 80 years, each and every one of us must, at death, pass a
special reviewing stand of God known in Scripture as the “Judgment Seat of Christ.” Even those
who remain alive on earth until the rapture will experience this judgment as they pass from the
earthly realm to the heavenly. The Greek word, (Bema), basically means a law tribunal where
defendant and accuser stand in front of a magistrate in a court. Many Bible commentators use the
analogy that the Bema is the evaluation of athletes in competition passing the judges’ reviewing
stand in order to win the rewards appropriate to how well they have run the race.
This “athletes’ reward ceremony” aspect of the Judgment Seat of Christ is based upon
such Scriptures as 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way
as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that
will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man
running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my
slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
John’s Gospel, and Romans 8, promises that Christians have passed out from under all
condemnation and will not fail to pass the test of the Judgment Seat of the Christ. Without
negating the notion that this judgment does involve the rewarding of all those running the race,
the notion of a legal tribunal is also implied by key passages in Corinthians:
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is
building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation
other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using
gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the
Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each
man’s work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will
suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. – 1 Corinthians
3:10-15
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due
him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
11Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain
to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. – 2 Corinthians 5:10-11