CLAIM: Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Elsewhere, Paul writes: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). Will Christians judged by God or not?

RESPONSE: The Bible teaches that Christians will have to stand before God in the bema seat judgment. Here, God will “test the quality of each man’s work” (1 Cor. 3:13). However, the purpose of this judgment is not wrath—but “reward” (v.14). In fact, Paul explicitly writes, “If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved” (v.15). In this passage, Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat [Greek bema] of Christ.” Regarding this beat seat, Sale-Harrison writes,

In 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 rewarded all winners. It was called the “bema” or “reward seat.” It was never used of a judicial bench.^[1]

Later, Paul writes that we will be recompensed for our deeds “whether good or bad.” Regarding this passage, Pentecost writes,

Concerning the word bad (phaulos), it is to be observed that Paul did not use the usual word for bad (kakos or poneras), either of which would signify that which is ethically or morally evil… Thus the judgment is not to determine what is ethically good or evil, but rather that which is acceptable and that which is worthless.^[2]

Therefore, this judgment of Christians at the bema seat is not a judgment of punishment; it is a judgment of reward. This could make sense of the imperative to run the race until the end, so that we do not lose our reward (2 Jn. 8).