When a Christian commits a sin or sins, in our flesh, and we confess this to the Lord, is that sin going to be brought up at the Judgment Seat of Christ and effect our rewards? I know all of our sins, past, present, and future, have been paid for in full by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. But: When it comes to rewards, do confessed sins get “wiped out”?
The judgment believers will experience does not involve our sins. When Jesus went to the cross He took all our sins and forgave them there (Col. 2:13-14), made us a new creation in Him (2 Cor. 5:17), and now regards us as perfect forever (Hebrews 10:12-14).
The judgment of believers will concern our fruitfulness and will determine what if any rewards we will receive. In John 15:5 Jesus said if we remain in Him we will bear much fruit, but apart from Him we can do nothing. Paul said the things we do that are built on the foundation of our faith will be like gold, silver, and precious gems, and are worthy of reward. But those things we do on our own will be like wood hay or straw, and will have no value (1 Cor. 3:10-15).
These verses shed light on the meaning of 2 Cor. 5:10, which says,
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.
Regardless of the outcome, things we do in the will of the Lord qualify as “good” and merit rewards, while things done in our own will are considered “bad” and will be burnt up in the fire, meaning we’ll get no reward for them. By looking at these three passages together we can see that our sins will not be an issue at the judgment seat of Christ.