Paul writes that only that which is done for the Lord will remain in 1 Corinthians 3 :” Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. Paul tells the Corinthian church “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor 5:10) but these rewards don’t come in this life since “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.” (2 Tim 2:5) and “when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Pet 5:4). Instead, they will be rewarded for what they have done in their life after they were saved. For those who have had a time in their life where they repented or turned away from their sins and confessed them to God and then placed their trust in Christ, they will not have to stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment. Interestingly, the synagogue had something called a “bimah” which was used for the reading of the Torah or the first five books of the Old Testament. On the bema or bima, which was a raised or elevated platform, the winner of the athletic event that they had won received a temporary crown that could perish with time. The so-called “Bema” seat of Christ is called “Bema” after the manner of the Greek athletic games. I am a pastor but I consider myself an under-shepherd because I am under the Great Shepherd Jesus Christ Who is the Head of the Church. If you are a teacher which includes a pastor and a Sunday school teacher, then you are more accountable because you are giving out the Word of God for the purpose of growing the Body of Christ and feeding those sheep who are under your care because you really work for the Great Shepherd. James makes it clear that those who teach the Word of God will be held to a stricter and higher standard, therefore James writes that “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). For those who are lost, they will be forever separated from God and since God is light, that will mean utter darkness where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” for all time ( Luke 13:28 Matt 13:42). Even those not yet born will bow the knee and confess to God, both the saved and the unsaved. Every knee means every single person who has lived and will ever live on this earth. The word “confess” means “to agree with” so even those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ will “bow the knee to me (Christ)” and “every tongue shall confess to God” that Jesus is Lord.

Even if those who are reading this do not ever trust in Christ and come to saving faith, “it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rom 14:11-12). The dead were all judged according to their works and since works can never save them (Eph 2:8-9) then they will not have any way to pay for their sins and so will have to pay for them for all time in hell.

This judgment is for those who have lived and died and for those who will be alive at Christ’s return. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” This is the second death, the lake of fire. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. Revelation 20:11-5 says “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. It is for those who have not repented and put their trust in Him to save them. This will be the final judgment of all who have over their lives refused to humble themselves and bend the knee to Christ as Lord. In the Book of Revelation chapter 20 you will find the best Bible verses that there are that describes what is called the Great White Throne Judgment.

The bema judgment seat of christ