Five Minutes After You Die: The Bema Seat

by David Chadwick

Death is a stark reality for every human being. You’ve heard me joke that the statistics are in: one out of one dies. But what happens five minutes after you do? What are you faced with after you take your last breath?

The Bible says that while believers never face the Father’s judgment seat, we will face his Bema seat. What is the Bema seat? It’s the judgment seat of “works.” Some people have a hard time embracing the tension between grace and works. If we are saved by grace, then why are we to be judged for our works (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)? Because faith in Jesus without works is dead (James 2:17). So while our salvation comes solely because of Jesus, we are expected to bear good fruit as his followers (Matthew 7:16-20).

Think about the Olympics for a moment. There are three stands where the three top finishers receive their gold, silver, or bronze medals. In the Olympic days of the past, these three stands were called the Bema seat, or judgment, for the winners. They received their medal for all their hard work and success.

Similarly, believers in Jesus will one day in heaven receive rewards for our good works here on earth. Biblically, these good works are also referred to as crowns of glory or crowns of righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; Romans 14:10-12).

What will we do with those crowns when we get to heaven? We will throw them at the feet of Jesus because we will fully realize that our ability to do good works for him is only because of his grace. The grace he gave to us here on earth enabled good works given back to him. He alone deserves all the glory both here and in heaven (Revelation 4:10-11).

Though we are not saved by our good works, we are saved FOR good works here on earth. Works prove what real faith really is. Jesus said that even something as simple as giving someone a cup of cold water will receive a reward in heaven (Matthew 10:42).

Therefore, we should pile up good works upon good works here so that we will have crowns in heaven to offer Jesus there.

We can’t take anything with us, but we can send it ahead for eternal crowns. And not for an ounce of our own glory, but because we want to gather as much as we can to hold in our hands and throw right back at the feet of Jesus in worship to him.

What a glorious day that will be!