What's the difference between the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment?

Question

The Bible speaks of the "Judgment Seat of Christ" as well as the "Great White Throne" judgment. What is the difference between these two judgments and who will be at each?

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire". Revelation 20:11-15 ESV

Answer 1

The Judgment Seat of Christ is for the saved, while the Great White Throne judgement is for unsaved. However, that doesn't necessarily mean these are two separate events.

Judgment Seat of Christ

2 Corinthians is written to believers; Paul opens the letter with "Paul...Unto the church of God which is at Corinth". In chapter 5 Paul exhorts the Corinthians to labor for Christ, telling them that "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." Paul goes on to say that the judged will receive what is due them, depending on the works they did on earth. The Judgement Seat of Christ is also referenced in 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (KJV) ...I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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.

These passages reveal that the Judgement Seat of Christ is when Christians will be judged for the works they did after they accepted salvation.

Great White Throne Judgment

Revelation 20:12 (KJV) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Here the dead are judged "according to their works," like the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Revelation 20:13, 15 (KJV) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works...And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So the unsaved are definitely judged at the Great White Throne Judgment.

Conclusion

The saved are present at the Judgement Seat of Christ, and the unsaved are present at the Great White Throne Judgment. Is it possible that they take place at the same time? Yes. Both judgments are a judgment of earthly works. It could be that Paul and John just chose to focus on different aspects of the same event.

It is also possible that these judgments take place at different times. Nothing in scripture prevents them from occurring separately, and they are certainly referred to in different manners.

Ultimately, whether they take place together or not, the salient point is that both the saved and the unsaved will be judged for how they lived their lives.

Answer 2

They are both speaking of the same thing, it is just that the "Judgment Seat of Christ" is how Paul refers to it while the "Great White Throne" is how John the Revelator refers to it!

NT scholar Craig Keener says of 2 Corinthians 5:10:

Paul's allusion here is directly to the standard OT and Jewish image of the day of judgment, in which GOD's throne became the ultimate judgment seat.

And of Revelation 20:11:

Although many writers also stressed a judgment of souls at death, Judaism had much to say about the day of judgment before GOD's throne at the end of the age.

Thus meaning that both Paul and John the Revelator were heavily influenced by their own Jewish understanding of the throne of GOD being where judgment would happen but also influenced by their belief in Christ being that GOD AND KING who sits on the throne!