Beema is the Greek term used for "Judgment Seat." It is being taught today that the beema of Christ is a kind of awards banquet in which every person who has taken the four steps of salvation will receive a prize of some sort. However, according to the New Testament usage of the term, a beema is a court where an accused criminal is tried.

The present essay in addition to a previous one (The Eternal Removal of Sin) has resulted from last Tuesday night's Bible study.

There are two ladies in the class who are well versed in traditional Christian teaching. We were expounding on the following passage from the Book of Galatians:

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21—NIV)

We stressed that if a Christian continues to walk in the sinful nature he or she shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, according to the Scripture.

The discussion turned to the beema, the Judgment Seat of Christ. The two ladies agreed that the beema had been presented to them as having no terror for Christians. The beema will be a place where every believer will be rewarded by the Lord Jesus Christ, receiving His "Well done!"

When we consider the main verse concerning the beema, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad," we see at once that not everyone will receive something good. Some will receive bad, according to their behavior during their lifetime on the earth.

And let us point out, considering the context of Chapter Five of the Book of Galatians, and the text of Chapter Five itself, that there is no indication whatever that the verse in question is not being addressed to Christians. I know such gymnastics are performed in order to validate the current lawless-grace teaching, but no sincere student of the Bible will accept that II Corinthians 5:10 is not addressed to Christians—perhaps, in fact, to all people who have ever lived.

Scholars inform us that the beema was a raised platform reached by steps. Its main use in the New Testament is to denote a place where a defendant stood during a trial, a place for the administration of justice.

Let us now look at twelve usages in the New Testament of beema. As far as I can tell, there are no additional passages. We are not interested primarily in previous uses of the term, such as in the days of Homer, or usage after the time period we are investigating. Our concern is with the manner in which beema was employed at the time of Christ and particularly during the time of the Apostle Paul.

Matthew 27:19

John 19:13

Acts 7:5

Acts 12:21

Acts 18:12

Acts 18:16

Acts 18:17

Acts 25:6

Acts 25:10

Acts 25:17

Romans 14:10

II Corinthians 5:10

To be continued.