Major cities in the Greek and Roman world had a raised platform for the governor or the emperor
to ascend and be seated upon in order to hear legal cases and make official judgments and pronouncements. This seat of judgment was called in the Greek “bema.” The city of Corinth had modeled their bema after the one in Rome that was built for Caesar Augustus. Paul arrived in Corinth for the first time in the fall of 50 AD. By 51 AD the Jews of Corinth took Paul to court for dividing
their synagogue. The Corinthian bema was used by Proconsul Gallio (Proconsul of Achaia from
Jan. 25, 41 AD until July 31, 52 AD; mentioned by Roman historian Tacitus) in Acts 18 when Luke says that the Jews brought a case against Paul to Gallio at the Corinthian bema (translated “court” below):

“While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court (or, epi to bema, ‘to the tribunal’).”   - Acts 18:12

The remains of the impressive bema in Corinth can still be seen today. (See Dr. Carl Rasmussen’s photos here and here.) The Corinthian bema, since it was modeled after the one in Rome, was originally covered with marble and decorated with elaborate carved moldings.

When Paul writes the letter called Second Corinthians to the church in Corinth in 56 AD he tells them that since, “we must all appear before the bema of Christ” we should “make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” Just like we fear the judges of our land who righteously enforce the laws of our land (and, so we drive the speed limit, accurately fill out our taxes, etc.), Paul tells the Corinthians they should live every moment of their lives knowing that the day is coming when:

“We must all appear before the bema of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” – 2 Cor. 5:10

This, of course, is not a judgment to determine salvation, since only citizens would appear before the bema. This is an evaluation of our performance as citizens of the kingdom of heaven during our time on earth. The result will be rewards or loss of rewards based on the things we do labeled by Paul as “good” (agathos – meaning intrinsically good, good in nature.) or “bad” (thaulos - a word that means “poor,” paltry,” “worthless,” “of no account,” “good-for-nothing,”.” Think of “wood, hay and straw” in comparison to “gold, silver, and costly stones” of 1 Cor. 3:11-15. All these are building materials, but some have no longevity, or no eternal value.)