Bema Seat – When will Christians be judged in the future?

Bible Question:

When in the future will Christians be judged?

Bible Answer:

When in the future will Christians be judged? When in the future will the Bema Seat Judgment occur? The Bema Seat is also known as the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). It is the judgment of Christians. There are five options that will be presented in this article and then a conclusion will be reached. The five options are 1) upon death, 2) after the rapture, 3) after the second coming, 4) during the kingdom and 5) before the Great White Throne Judgment.

Bema Seat Occurs in the Future

Bema Seat Judgment — Immediately After Death

The first option for when the Bema Seat judgment might occur is immediately after a believer dies. The apostle Paul states that “absent from the body, present with the Lord.”

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6 (NASB)

. . . we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8 (NASB)

That is, when believers die, they are immediately with Christ. Therefore, it could be possible that believers stand before Christ immediately after death and receive their rewards. This option has no biblical support. Therefore, we believe it should be rejected.

Bema Seat Judgment — After the Rapture

The next option or time the Bema Seat judgment might occur is after the rapture when Christ descends and raptures the church. Then during the tribulation and millennial kingdom, believers would stand before the Bema Seat judgment in heaven and receive their rewards. This option has no biblical support. Therefore, it should be rejected.

Bema Seat Judgment — After the Second Coming

The third option for the timing of the Bema Seat judgment is after the second coming of Christ. This option is the correct one for three reasons. First, Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 refer to the Bema Seat as a time of rewards. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says that believers’ deeds will evaluated to determine if they are good or worthless. Second, 1 Corinthians 4:5 tells us the Bema Seat judgment will occur after Christ comes.

Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NASB)

Third, Luke 19:11-27 describes a parable about the judgment of believers and unbelievers after the the king receives his kingdom. In the parable Christ is the king, and the slaves are believers. Verse 15 says that after Christ receives His kingdom, He gives rewards to His followers. This helps us understand the Bema Seat judgment will occur after the second coming since He first defeats the armies of the world and then immediately receives the kingdom. So, the Bema Seat judgment occurs after the second coming at the Sheep and Goat Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). Following the judgment, the believers enter the Kingdom. This is the best option and has the strongest biblical support. If new believers die during the millennial kingdom, it seems they will stand at the Bema Seat immediately.

Bema Seat - Khirbet Shema Bema Seat

Bema Seat Judgment — During the Kingdom

The fourth option or time the Bema Seat judgment is during the kingdom. This means that the reward ceremony would be a continuing activity throughout the millennial kingdom as people continue to become Christians and some die. A Bema Seat judgment would also be required after the kingdom because there will be some believers still alive at the end of the kingdom. At the end of the kingdom, after a brief rebellion, the universe will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:9-13; Revelation 20:11). This option has no biblical support. Therefore, this option should be rejected. Discover “What happens to those with mortal bodies who are in the millennium?” and “What happens to Christians who die in the kingdom?”

Bema Seat Judgment — Before the Great White Throne Judgment

The fifth option is that the Bema Seat judgment will occur after the universe is destroyed and before or after the Great White Throne judgment. The difficulty with this option is that there are no supporting Bible references, whatsoever.

Those who claim this is the correct option, might be interested in Luke 11:29-32.

In Luke 11:29-32 Jesus warned a crowd of people that at the judgment, the Queen of the South would condemn the nation of Israel for rejecting Christ. Then He said that men of Nineveh would stand up and condemn the Israelites at the judgment. In both statements Jesus is clearly referring to the Great White Throne judgment.

As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” Luke 11:29-32

This passage teaches that the Queen of South and the men of Nineveh, who repented at Jonah’s preaching, are believers who are allowed to speak at the judgment. They are allowed to condemn the unbelievers at the time each individual will be judged. Luke 11:29-32 reveals that believers and unbelievers will be at the Great White Throne judgment described in Revelation 20:11-15.

Since all judgment has been given to Christ (John 5:22; Acts 10:42), He will be the judge of believers and unbelievers.

And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Acts 10:42 (NASB)

If the Bema Seat does occur after the kingdom, then it most likely occurs before the White Throne judgment. The sequential order would be the Bema Seat judgment first. Then the judgment of unbelievers will occur at the White Throne judgment with everyone watching and believers allowed to speak.

Scripture does not provide enough information for us to say with certainly that this is the correct conclusion as to the timing of the Bema Seat Judgment.

Conclusion:

The best conclusion is that the Bema Seat judgment will occur at the Goat and Sheep Judgment after the second coming of Christ. Following that judgment, believers will enter the kingdom. This view has the best biblical support.