Believers' works will be tested by fire at the judgment seat of Christ to determine rewards—not to address sin.
At the Bema seat, each believer's works are reviewed and tested by the fiery eyes of the Lord Jesus. The materials of gold, silver, and precious stones survive the fire, while wood, hay, and stubble are consumed. Rewards are given based on what survives, and sin is never brought up because it was already judged at the cross.
1 Corinthians 3:12-13 — This verse directly describes believers' works being tested by fire, showing how they will be judged.
Paul writes to the Corinthians that he, as a wise master builder, laid a foundation, and every man must take heed how he builds on it, for no other foundation can be laid than Jesus Christ. He then describes two categories of building materials: gold, silver, precious stones, and wood, hay, stubble. Scripture says, "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is" (1 Corinthians 3:13). If any man's work is burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved—yet so as by fire (1 Corinthians 3:15). Second Corinthians 5:10 adds, "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." These verses establish the judgment seat of Christ as the place where believers' works are examined.
Les explains that the judgment seat of Christ is the Bema, a place where believers stand before Christ to give an account of their works as believers. He repeatedly stresses that no believer's sin will be presented at the Bema, because all sin was paid for and judged on Christ at the cross. The works in view are what believers built on the foundation of Christ—either gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay, stubble. The fire that tests these works is not hell fire or the lake of fire; it is the fiery eyes of the Lord Jesus, which are so penetrating that they reveal every work with light and heat. Wood, hay, and stubble go up in smoke, while gold, silver, and precious stones survive and are even enhanced. Les teaches that the reward is responsibilities in the kingdom, not crowns, and that the Bema is never intended to determine eternal destiny—the great white throne judgment is for the lost.
Les Feldick explains that the King James rendering "judgment seat" is the Greek word Bema. It is where believers stand before Christ to give a record or account of their deeds and works as believers. It is not the great white throne judgment, which is for the lost of the ages. The Bema is only for believers to determine reward.
No. Les says no believer's sin will be presented at the Bema seat. This will be strictly a review of our works as believers, and there will be no dealing with our sin. All sin was judged on Christ at the cross, and it is under the blood. Believers will never have to stand before God to give an account for sin, but they will give an account of what they have done as believers.
The fire that tests every man's work is not hell fire or the lake of fire. It is the fiery eyes of the Lord Jesus, described in Revelation. These eyes are so penetrating that they make every work manifest, and the heat of that fire shows how much of a believer's works will survive. Works built of wood, hay, and stubble go up in smoke; gold, silver, and precious stones survive and are enhanced.
Les teaches that the reward will be responsibilities given to believers in the kingdom. He says this has nothing to do with crowns. It is on the basis of what remains after the fiery examination—gold, silver, and precious stones—that God will give reward for eternity.
The Foundation Is Christ
Les uses the analogy of a building to show that Christ is the foundation laid by Paul, and everything a believer builds must rest on that secure foundation.
No Sin at the Bema
Les teaches that no believer's sin will be presented at the Bema seat; it is strictly a review of works, because sin was paid for at the cross.
Reward, Not Destiny
Les explains that the judgment seat of Christ never determines eternal destiny; it only determines reward, while the great white throne judgment is for the lost.
Fiery Eyes and Rewards
Les teaches that the fiery eyes of Christ penetrate the whole Christian record, leaving only gold, silver, and precious stones, and that rewards are responsibilities in the kingdom.
Works Made Manifest
Les quotes that every man's work will be made manifest and tested by fire, asking whether it will go up in smoke or survive as gold, silver, and precious stone.
Eternity and the Fiery Eye
Les explains that there is no time clock in eternity, so Christ can examine every believer's work personally with His fiery, penetrating eye.
Not Hell Fire
Les clarifies that the testing fire is not hell fire or the lake of fire; it is the fiery eyes of Christ described in Revelation.
Surviving Works
Les describes the fire as both light and heat; only gold, silver, and precious stones survive and are enhanced, so believers should not be hung up on wood, hay, and stubble.
1 Corinthians 3:12: Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Paul lists the two categories of works built on the foundation of Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:13: Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
This is the key verse showing that works will be tested by fire.
1 Corinthians 3:15: If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
This shows a believer can lose reward yet still be saved.
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 names the judgment seat of Christ as the place where believers appear.
Revelation 1:14: His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Les refers to this as the fiery eyes of Christ that penetrate and test works.
No. Les Feldick says no believer's sin will be presented at the Bema seat because all sin was paid for at the cross. Believers will only give an account of what they have done as believers.
The Bema is the Greek word for the judgment seat of Christ. It is where believers stand before Christ to have their works tested. It is not the great white throne judgment for the lost.
Works built of wood, hay, and stubble are consumed by the fire of Christ's fiery eyes. The believer himself is saved, but he loses the reward for that work.
Les teaches that the reward is responsibilities in the kingdom, not crowns. It is given on the basis of what survives the fire—gold, silver, and precious stones.
Watch the Teaching: Will Your Works Burn? The Judgment Seat of Christ