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The Meaning of the Judgment (Bema) Seat

Both Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:9 speak of the “judgment seat.” This is a translation of one Greek word, the word bema. While bema is used in the gospels and Acts of the raised platform where a Roman magistrate or ruler sat to make decisions and pass sentence (Matt. 27:19; John 19:13), its use in the epistles by Paul, because of his many allusions to the Greek athletic contests, is more in keeping with its original use among the Greeks.

This word was taken from Isthmian games where the contestants would compete for the prize under the careful scrutiny of judges who would make sure that every rule of the contest was obeyed (cf. 2 Tim. 2:5). The victor of a given event who participated according to the rules was led by the judge to the platform called the Bema. There the laurel wreath was placed on his head as a symbol of victory (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-25).

In all of these passages, “Paul was picturing the believer as a competitor in a spiritual contest. As the victorious Grecian athlete appeared before the Bema to receive his perishable award, so the Christian will appear before Christ’s Bema to receive his imperishable award. The judge at the Bema bestowed rewards to the victors. He did not whip the losers.” We might add, neither did he sentence them to hard labor.

In other words, it is a reward seat and portrays a time of rewards or loss of rewards following examination, but it is not a time of punishment where believers are judged for their sins. Such would be inconsistent with the finished work of Christ on the Cross because He totally paid the penalty for our sins. Chafer and Walvoord have an excellent word on this view:

With reference to sin, Scripture teaches that the child of God under grace shall not come into judgment (John 3:18; 5:24; 6:37; Rom. 5:1; 8:1; 1 Cor. 11:32); in his standing before God, and on the ground that the penalty for all sin—past, present, and future (Col. 2:13)—has been borne by Christ as the perfect Substitute, the believer is not only placed beyond condemnation, but being in Christ is accepted in the perfection of Christ (1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:6; Col. 2:10; Heb. 10:14) and loved of God as Christ is loved (John 17:23).

Again, Chafer writes concerning the Bema, “It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the judgment is unrelated to the problem of sin, that it is more for the bestowing of rewards than the rejection of failure.”

The Time of the Bema

This event will occur immediately following the rapture or resurrection of the church after it is caught up to be with the Lord in the air as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.https://bible.org/

If one is justified by grace through faith (saints),....If their sins are no more remembered and are as far as the east is from the west.....If Noah was accounted righteous because he believed God, ......If Abraham was righteous because he believed God, ........if Lot was accounted because he believed God........and if the the church (saints) are accounted righteous, not because of anything they did, but because of what Jesus did via the death, burial, and resurrection. are accounted righteous....if Jesus says your sins are forgiven you,......then why would a righteous God pour out his wrath on the Bride of His beloved Son? Why would they not be accorded what they were promised by God, Himself? That their sins ( unrightousness) are forgiven them?

If IICorn; 15:51 and Thess 2 are speaking of calling forth the dead from the grave, then we which are alive and remain to meet him in the air, then go to the marriage supper, I do not see anything but a pre tribulation 'catching away' or 'snatching away' of that group of people who believed and had faith in Jesus. At that point the Holy sporty is removed from the earth and for 3 1/2 years lawless abound, so much so that if Jesus did not return there would be nothing left, and the angels and his saints make war against the dragon. It seems clear to me from reading the scripture. No one knows the day or the hour, but we are instructed (Matt. 24, Luke 21) to look up, see the signs of the times, for our redemption draws near).