What we have done and the person we have become will be clearly exposed in the light of God’s presence. Christ is, because of His holiness, a consuming fire. If what we have built into our lives can stand the test of direct encounter with Christ, we will receive reward. Just as sin both demands and is its own punishment, so godly character both demands and is its own reward.  

 For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).  

This word “appear” means more literally “to be made manifest”. Paul elaborates on this being made manifest in his graphic description of the actual process of judgment at the Judgment Seat of Christ, found in 1 Corinthians 3:13.  

 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. (Emphasis mine.) 

Our works are exposed to Christ himself.  

made manifest:

to make apparent, conspicuous, manifest, clear, known, open, in outward guise, external. What we are internally in our hearts will be made external in the presence of Christ; it will be impossible to hide what we are from others or from ourselves. There will be no secrets (Matthew 10:26; Luke 8:17; 12:2).  

 declare:

to render evident, to make known or manifest, to tell, to relate, to point out or specify. Not only will it be written all over us what we are, but we shall personally give verbal account of ourselves to the Lord (Romans 14:12).  

 revealed:

to uncover, disclose, unveil, to set forth or announce. Things will be unveiled as they really are. Self-deception will be impossible at such a moment of total disclosure (1 Corinthians 4:5).  

 try:

to prove by trial, to test, to assay (as with metals), to scrutinize; put to the proof; approve after trial, judge worthy, choose. Jesus Christ will determine what is acceptable and commendable by allowing the fire to separate the worthless from us and be consumed; whatever remains as approved will be rewarded.