For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Appear, х fanerootheenai (G5319)] - 'be made manifest;' namely, in our true character. Not 'be judged:' for in one sense the righteous are not judged (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). So Greek, Colossians 3:4 (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5). We are at all times 'manifest' to God; then we shall be so to the assembled intelligent universe and to ourselves; for the judgment shall be not only in order to assign the everlasting portion to each, but to vindicate God's righteousness, so that it shall be manifest to all His creatures, and even to the sinner himself.
Receive - his reward of grace proportioned to "the things done," etc. (2 Corinthians 9:6-9; 2 John 1:8): the saved may have a greater or less reward, according as he lives to, and labours for, Christ more or less. Hence, there is scope for the holy 'ambition' (note, 2 Corinthians 5:9; Hebrews 6:10). This verse guards against supposing that all share in the house "from heaven" (2 Corinthians 5:1-2). A searching judgment shall sever the bad from the good, according to their respective deeds (Ephesians 6:8; Colossians 3:25), the motive being taken into account, not the mere external act; faith and love to God are the sole motives recognized as sound (Matthew 12:36-37; Matthew 25:35-45).
Done in his body. The Greek may be, 'by the instrumentality of the body' [dia tou soomatos]; but the English version is legitimate (cf. Greek, Romans 2:27). Justice requires that essentially the same body, the instrument of the unbeliever's sin, should be the object of punishment. The unbeliever's own sin he shall "receive" as its punishment (Jeremiah 2:19): the good deeds of the righteous shall in part be their reward (Isaiah 3:9-11; Revelation 22:11-12).