( 1) It is a Bema, *В not aВ Thronos a judgment seat for the investigation of disciples, **В not a throne for the arraignment of rebels: for the JudgeВ (2 Tim.В 4:В 8) is вЂњ a certain king, which would make a reckoningВ with his servantsвЂќ (Matt.В 18:В 23). The tribunal, before which disciples appear, is peculiar. For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of ChristвЂќ (2В Cor.В 5:В 10). So then, says the ApostleВ (Rom.В 14:В 10), let us forbear to judge, for we shall be judged, and, therefore, the bedrock of all our action is to be the approval of our Divine Judge.В вЂњ We labourвЂќВ (A.V.) вЂ“ вЂњ we striveвЂќ (Alford) вЂ“ вЂњ we are eagerвЂќ (Stanley) вЂ“В вЂњ we make it our aimвЂќВ (R.V.) вЂ“В вЂњ we are ambitiousВ (R.V., margin)В вЂњ to be well-pleasing unto Him. In view of the chaos of conflicting creed and conduct вЂ“ the bitter controversies, the personal quarrels, the excommunications and anathemas вЂ“ all denial of a judgment seat is inherently incredible and impossible: there mustВ be a judgment seat and there is.В Molinos, the Quietist, when condemned as a heretic and led away to his prison cell вЂ“ вЂњ We shall meet again,вЂќ said the old man to his judges, вЂњ in the judgment day and then it will appear on which side, on yours or mine, is truth.вЂќ Furthermore, it rests upon the oath of God.В вЂњ By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and shall not returnвЂќВ вЂ“ the decree establishing it is as irrevocable as the life of God вЂ“В вЂњ that unto Me every knee shall bow,В every tongue shall swearвЂќ (Isa.В 45:В 23). So thenвЂќВ вЂ“ since it is universal and the Church is, therefore, not exempt вЂ“В вЂњ each one of usВ must give account of himself to GodвЂќ (Rom.В 14:В 11). THE burning heart of all Christian responsibility looms immediately ahead вЂ“ THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.В вЂњWherefore we make it our aimвЂќВ вЂ“ the word means to love and seek for honour (Lange) in whatВ BengelВ calls the sole legitimate ambition in the world вЂ“В вЂњ to be well-pleasing unto Him forвЂќ вЂ“В as the fountain of motive in all holy ambition вЂ“В вЂњ we mustвЂќВ вЂ“ as a necessity inherent in Divine justice for the vindication of GodвЂ™s holiness, and for the satisfaction of our own highest and holiest instincts вЂ“В вЂњ allвЂќ вЂ“В even all apostles, all prophets, all martyrs-В вЂњ be made manifestвЂќ вЂ“В to our own consciences, to all the world, and above all to theВ Judge a complete manifestation of all that has transpired within us, or in the external life (Lange) вЂ“В вЂњ before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receiveвЂќ вЂ“В the technical word for receiving wages (Dean Alford) вЂ“В вЂњ the things done in the bodyвЂќВ вЂ“ therefore thoughts and words as well as deeds, since the brain and the tongue are thus also involved вЂ“В вЂњ according to the things that he hath doneвЂќВ вЂ“ works exactly regulating reward: not according to the things that Christ did in His body nor according to things done out of the body after death вЂ“В вЂњ whether it be good or badвЂќВ (2В Cor.В 5:В 10).В In the words ofВ Lange: вЂ“ PaulвЂ™s tireless aim to please Christ вЂњcan only be fulfilled by his being found approved at that tribunal where he and his fellow believers are shortly to appear for every action of GodвЂ™s children during their bodily life must there be judged according to the law of strict righteousness, and each believer must be rewarded according to his good or evil conduct.вЂќДЇor the sweep of the decree as quoted fromВ IsaiahВ is absolutely universal вЂ“В вЂњ everyВ knee shall bow, and everyВ tongue shall confess to God.

On the judgment seat of christ