In business, we have performance reviews. In court, we have trials. And most people know that according to the Bible, everyone has an appointment with God after they die.
But what most people miss is that there isn’t just one big line at the end of time like some movies depict.
The Bible actually describes two very different judgments. Depending on which one you attend, the outcome is completely different. But one thing is for sure, we will all stand in one of these two lines.
One is about rewards, and the other is about records.
1. The Judgment Seat of Christ (For the Believer)
First, let’s look at the judgment for those who have trusted Christ. This is called the “Judgment Seat of Christ” (or the Bema Seat).
Romans 14:10, “…for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
This isn’t a trial to see if you get into heaven. If you are at this judgment, you are already saved. Think of it more like an awards ceremony at the end of a race. Jesus isn’t looking at your sins to punish you (He already paid for those on the Cross); He is evaluating how you lived for Him after you were saved.
This should motivate to serve the Lord with all of our might. It’s why we spend our Saturdays at the rest homes, why we are out on the bus routes, and why we are constantly passing out tracts. We know that someday, all of my work is going to be judged for “what sort it is.”
1 Corinthians 3:13–15, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest… and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is… If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
There will be people in heaven who enter “so as by fire.” They made it in, but they have no rewards to show for their time on earth. They stood before Christ without any works because they lived for themselves instead of for Him. I don’t want to stand before my Savior empty-handed.
2. The Great White Throne (For the Unsaved)
The second judgment is a much more solemn event. This is for those who rejected Jesus and tried to stand on their own merits.
Revelation 20:11–12, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it… And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened…”
This judgment is more like a criminal trial. If you are at this judgment, it’s because you didn’t have a Savior to pay your fine. The Bible says the people here are the “fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars” (Revelation 21:8).
I was recently at a rest home where I met a woman who was very sick. She asked for prayer, and as we prayed, we started talking about her soul. Right there, she received Christ as her Savior.
The weight that lifted off her was incredible. Because she trusted Jesus, she will never have to stand at the Great White Throne. Why? Because Jesus paid her fines.
Think of it like this: You are in a courtroom, and the evidence against you is 100% solid. You’re guilty. But then, a Lawyer steps in. He doesn’t just argue your case; He tells the Judge, “I’ve already paid the fine for this person in full.” The Judge lets you go, not because you were good, but because your Lawyer took the hit.
If you don’t have that Lawyer (Jesus), you have to face the Judge alone.
‘Why should you care about this today?
For the Believer: This is your motivation. Your life on earth is a short window to do something that lasts for eternity. Don’t be the person who enters heaven “by the skin of your teeth” with nothing to show for it.
For the One on the Fence: If you haven’t trusted Christ, you are headed for a court date where the “books are opened” and every secret thought and deed is recorded.
The good news is that the Judge is currently offering a pardon. You can settle your case out of court today by trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Don’t wait until you’re standing before the Throne to find out you’re on the wrong side of the bench.
