We have two scriptures that specifically mention the Judgment Seat of Christ. In Romans 14:10 we read, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For WE SHALL ALL STAND before the judgment seat of Christ.” The other passage is 2^nd Corinthians 5:10, “For WE MUST ALL APPEAR before the judgment seat of Christ, that each person may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” We learn in these verses that ALL will be present at the Judgment Seat of Christ, but it does not say that all believers will witness the Lord’s judgment of each individual believer. Perhaps they will look on as the Lord judges each believer, but we aren’t told that this is the case so we won’t offer an “opinion.”

There are some who firmly believe others will see our life’s work (service) being reviewed and judged based on two passages of Scripture. In 1^st Corinthians 3:12-13 we read, “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, EACH MAN’S WORK WILL BECOME CLEAR; for the Day WILL DECLARE IT, because IT WILL BE REVEALED by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.”  They believe that each man’s work WILL BECOME CLEAR TO ALL; that is, TO ALL BELIEVERS. But again, it may be that we are “alone with the Lord Jesus” when He judges our service for Him and that when He reveals “of what sort it is” our works will BECOME CLEAR TO THE ONE BEING JUDGED. The other passage is 1^st John 2:28, “And now, little children, abide in Him that when He appears, we may have confidence and NOT BE ASHAMED BEFORE HIM at His coming.” They believe if we aren’t abiding in Christ at the time of the Rapture, we will be ASHAMED BEFORE OTHER BELIEVERS, but it doesn’t say that. In fact, it specifically says, “ashamed BEFORE HIM” so this could be interpreted as saying we are “alone with the Lord Jesus” at the time when He judges our works. If that is the case then the shame we may experience will be before the one who matters the most to us, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Whatever the case may be, it is vital to see that this judgment, as you said, concerns the “judgment of our service for the Lord” and “not the judgment of our sins” (our sins were judged on the cross when Jesus “bore our sins in His own body on the tree…” (1^st Peter 2:24; 3:18). Before we enter our eternal home in heaven the Lord wants to “reward us for faithful service.” 1^st Corinthians 3:14 goes on to say, “If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, HE WILL RECEIVE A REWARD.” Everything that was done for the Lord’s honor and glory and for the blessing of man shall stand the test of fire (that we saw earlier in verses 12 & 13) and will receive its just reward. Everything that was done with a selfish motive and for our own glory shall be rejected. We will lose out on a reward in that case, but it will not affect our salvation. “If anyone’s work is burned, HE WILL SUFFER LOSS; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (verse 15). I firmly believe each believer will be happy to have every act of service seen in its true light, whether a “good work” that is rewarded, or a “bad work” that is rejected. The old nature (the fallen “sin nature” that we were born with…see Psalm 51:5 and Romans 7:14-20) will be eradicated at that time for when we see Jesus “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1^st John 3:3). Because we will then be perfectly holy (see Ephesians 5:27), we will want to see everything as the Lord sees it and we will enter our heavenly home knowing that everything has been “brought to light.” As we think of it in that way, it really won’t matter to us if we are “alone with the Lord Jesus” when our service is judged, or if “all believers are witnesses” when the Lord reveals every act (and the motive behind it) of our service to Him.  (486.5)  (DO)