And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is {the book} of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. - Rev 20:12 NASB
"This is not a trial, trying to determine what the facts are. The facts are in; here is the sentencing of someone already condemned." (Guzik)
“Their standing posture means that they are now about to be sentenced.” (Walvoord)
"...when the sentence is pronounced upon them at that point, they are sent into Gehenna which is the second death and that is permanent." (Chuck Smith)
"God's omniscience will not allow the most insignificant to escape unobserved, and His omnipotence will cause the mightiest to obey the summons. " - (JFB)
If we don't take the mercy shown by Jesus, nor the grace extended by the Father, the only recourse is to let us be judged as holy by our deeds. That's the most pitiful thing I can imagine - to try to stand before God and let Him be convinced of my attempt at using personal self-made holiness to force my way into Heaven.
