“Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 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”. - 2 Cor 5:9-10 (KJV)

This is the first judgment seat and only deals with the “works” of believers. The “good” refers to the rewards they will receive for “fixing their eyes on Jesus” and receiving the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit to do God’s will. The “bad” refers to the “loss of reward” they will suffer for “neglecting” to “fix their eyes on Jesus” but instead being self sufficient and striving in their own strength to do God’s will, which resulted in failure.

 “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. - 1 Cor 3:13-15 (KJV)

Again, this passage is speaking of believers before the “judgment seat of Christ” and takes place after the rapture of the Church and before the “Great tribulation”. Justification is not the issue as you notice that the one who had no works empowered by the Holy Spirit suffered a “loss” of “reward” but was still “saved; yet so as by fire”.

 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left”. - Matt 25:31-33 (KJV)

This is the final judgment at the end of the “Great tribulation” and has to do with reward and condemnation at the same time.

 “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” - Matt 25:34 (KJV)

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” - Matt 25:41(KJV)

Those on the “right hand” are those who are saved during the “great tribulation and are not present at the “Judgment seat of Christ mentioned in 1st Corinthians and 2nd Corinthians.

“And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”. - Rev 7:13-14 (KJV)

These qualify to “inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world” because of their demonstration of faith works during the tribulation which resulted in their execution.

“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed”. - Rev 13:15 (KJV)

Seeing that “we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ”, let us “fix our eyes on Jesus” that we may receive the direction and power of The “Holy Spirit” to do God’s will and qualify for a “reward”

God bless, Orval