The Judgment Seat of Christ

While it is perfectly true that the believer will never have to be judged for his sins, yet it is equally true that he will have to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. See 2 Cor. 5. The word "appear" in verse 10 is the same as made "manifest" in the next, and so we may read it thus: "We must all be made manifest.”
It is important to observe that the Spirit of God carefully avoids saying, "We must all be judged." Had it been said in verse 10, "We must all be judged," it would have been a direct contradiction of John 5:24 which says that we "shall not come into judgment," and we may rest assured that one verse of the Word of God could never contradict another. But it says, "We must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ." That is, everything that we have done here will be brought to light there, and we shall receive reward or suffer loss, according to what we have done, whether it be good or bad.
What, then, is the judgment seat of Christ for? As we have shown, it cannot be to judge whether we are to be in heaven or not, for we shall be there already. Being there with Christ and in glorified bodies like Him, we shall review, in company with Himself, our whole history in this world. We shall retrace every step, we shall recall every circumstance, and in the unsullied light of His blessed presence we shall weigh every act and deed of our lives in the balance of the sanctuary. We shall see them as He saw them, and judge of them as He judged of them.
He will then show us where and how we failed. Instead of this making us afraid of Him, it will only deepen in our souls the sense of His unchanging love. Such grace it was that He should so long have borne with such failing, erring creatures.
He will also delight to bring to our remembrance every little act of service for Himself. The smallest thing we may have done for Him, a word spoken for Him, or even a cup of cold water given in His name will not be forgotten. Then "every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor." 1 Cor. 3:8.
“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... he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved.... If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." 1 Cot 3:13-17.
Here we have three distinct thoughts in three different workmen. A real Christian whose work is good will receive a reward (v. 14). A real Christian whose work is bad will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved (v. 15). A wicked man, being evil himself and with evil intent can only do evil work, will be destroyed (v. 17).