I believe you are referring to what we read in 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.”  Since the Apostle Paul is writing “unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia” (2 Corinthians 1:1), we understand that He is writing to those who are believers, those who are saved, those who are saints.

This ‘judgment’ seat is called the ‘bema’ seat in the Greek.  The purpose of this judgment seat is not to determine whether we are saved or not.  Indeed, only those who know Christ as their savior will appear here.  No, this is to determine the volume of our service to the Lord…and also to determine the motives of our service to Him.  So, in effect, it is not the believer being judged, it is the service of the believer that is being judged.  All believers are promised in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus.”  The judgment for our sins was laid on the Lord Jesus Christ when He died for us on Calvary’s cross. 

We read more about this judgment seat of Christ in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 which tells us, “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.”

We see that it is the believer’s WORKS that are tried or made manifest here.  Those things truly done for the Lord and by the power of the Lord are deemed as gold, silver, and precious stones and will be rewarded.  Those things done under our own power and with ulterior motives (such as seeking attention or glory for ourselves) are judged as wood, hay, and stubble and will be burnt up by the Lord’s fiery discernment.  While there is no punishment meted out here, there will be loss of reward for those things deemed to be worthless.  And so, “…every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” (1 Corinthians 3:8).  This is truly something for us to look forward to.  In the presence of the Lord, our desire will be to have all those things done according to the flesh done away with…burnt up never to be seen or mentioned again.  We will desire only those things done for and by the Lord to remain. 

Before closing, I’d like for us all to consider another judgment seat…the Great White Throne judgment.  We read in Revelation 20:11-15, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”  This is a judgment for those who are not saved.  They, themselves, will be judged without mercy.  Every single act, word, and thought will be brought up, they will be judged, and everyone here will be found guilty.  These who face God still in their sins will be cast alive into the LAKE OF FIRE to be tormented day and night for eternity. (Matthew 25:46: Mark 9:44, 46, 48).  My dear friend, have you put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation.  If not, I implore you to do that today, before it is eternally too late.  Romans 10:9 tells us clearly, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  You can be saved today right where you are.  Do not wait until it is too late. Heed the warning of Hebrews 10:31, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”  (CC)  (716.4)