The judgment seat of Christ is a reward examination for believers only — it has nothing to do with their sins or eternal destiny.
Les Feldick teaches that the judgment seat of Christ, the Bema, is where Christians give an account for their deeds and works as believers, not where their sins are dealt with. Since sin was already judged at the cross, the Bema only determines rewards based on whether a believer's work survives the test of fire.
2 Corinthians 5:10 — The key verse Les quotes showing that believers must appear before the judgment seat to receive what they have done in the body, good or bad.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 — Describes the foundation of Christ and the testing fire that reveals the quality of every believer's work and determines reward or loss.
Scripture addresses the judgment seat of Christ to believers. Second Corinthians 5:10 says, '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.' The verse focuses on receiving according to things done in the body, not on deciding salvation. First Corinthians 3:10-15 expands this with a building analogy. Paul writes: 'According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.'
Les Feldick explains that the judgment seat of Christ is the Bema, the Greek word for the seat of the judges, which came from the Olympic games. He calls the King James rendering 'judgment seat' unfortunate because it sounds like a verdict of heaven or hell, while the Bema is actually a seat of judging for reward for believers, especially members of the body of Christ. He teaches that no believer's sin will ever be presented at the Bema. All sin was judged at the cross and is under the blood, so believers will never give an account for sin. Instead, the Bema is strictly a review of a believer's works for reward. Using 1 Corinthians 3, Les describes believers building on the foundation of Christ with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, and he says that the fiery eyes of the Lord Jesus make every work manifest. The fire that tests each work is not hell fire or the lake of fire; it reveals what sort of work each believer built.
The judgment seat tests every believer's work, not the believer's salvation. In 1 Corinthians 3, Les Feldick points out that a believer builds on the foundation of Christ with materials: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble. The day will declare each person's work, and the fire will try what sort of work it is — whether it survives like precious metal or burns like wood, hay, and stubble. Second Corinthians 5:10 also says that each one will receive the things done in his body, good or bad.
No. Les Feldick is emphatic that no believer's sin will be presented at the Bema seat. Sin was judged at the cross and is under the blood, so believers will never give an account for sin. The Bema is strictly a review of works as believers for reward, not a revisit of sin.
The Greek word Bema refers to the seat of the judges, especially at the Olympic games. Les Feldick explains that the King James translation 'judgment seat' is unfortunate because it makes it sound like a verdict of heaven or hell. The Bema is simply a seat of judging for reward for believers, especially members of the body of Christ. Guides at the ruins of Corinth show visitors the bema seat.
Les Feldick distinguishes the Bema from the great white throne judgment. The great white throne is for the lost of the ages — Cain and everyone else who has been rebellious and of no faith. The judgment seat of Christ is only for believers and determines their reward, not their eternal destiny.
Foundation and Building Materials
Les Feldick uses Paul's building analogy to show that the foundation of salvation is Christ alone, and believers are to build on it with materials — gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble — that will later be evaluated.
No Sin at the Judgment Seat
Les Feldick teaches that believers will never face their sin at the judgment seat of Christ because sin was already judged at the cross; believers appear only to receive rewards for how they behaved as believers, while the great white throne is for the lost.
The Bema Reviews Works, Not Sin
Les Feldick stresses that no believer's sin will be presented at the Bema seat; it is strictly a review of our works as believers, because all sin was paid for at the cross.
Receive According to What Was Done
Les Feldick reads the passage about appearing before the bema seat of Christ and emphasizes that what is received is according to things done in the body, good or bad — not salvation, strictly reward.
Works Made Manifest by Fiery Eyes
Every man's work will be made manifest by the fiery eyes of the Lord Jesus on the bema seat, and the fire will try what sort of work it is — whether it survives like gold, silver, and precious stones or burns like wood, hay, and stubble.
Bema Seat and Reward
Les Feldick quotes 2 Corinthians 5:10, stating that believers must appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive what they have done in the body, good or bad, and explains that the correct Greek term is 'bema seat' — the seat of a judge, not a verdict for salvation.
Bema From the Olympics
The Bema is the Greek word for judgment seat, coming from the seat of judges at the Olympics; for children of God, especially the body of Christ, the Bema is a seat of judging for reward, not for heaven or hell.
Fire Tests Works, Not Hell Fire
Les Feldick says every believer's work will be put in the spotlight for the day to declare it, revealed and tested by fire, and he clarifies that this is not hell fire or the lake of fire, but the testing of the day before the righteous judge, whose eyes are described as fire.
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 is the central verse for the Bema, showing believers receive according to deeds done in the body.
1 Corinthians 3:12-13: Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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 passage supplies the fire test and the list of building materials Les uses for works at the Bema.
1 Corinthians 3:14-15: If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 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 that a believer may suffer loss of reward but still be saved, underscoring that the Bema is not a salvation judgment.
No. Les Feldick teaches that every believer's sin has already been judged at the cross and is under the blood. The Bema seat is strictly a review of your works as a believer for reward, not a place where sin is dealt with.
No. The Bema is only for those already saved. It is a seat of judging for reward, not for heaven or hell. If you don't have salvation by that time, you won't be there at all.
Believers build on the foundation of Christ with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble. The fire of that day will try each person's work to see whether it survives or is burned, and the person will still be saved even if the work is lost.
Watch the Teaching: Will Your Works Burn? The Judgment Seat of Christ