The Judgment: Our Day in Court

 


Bound for Eternity, Part 7

 

Introduction

The bible talks quite a lot about the final judgment. Jesus discusses the final judgment in Matthew 25:31-46. The apostle Paul clearly states in 2 Corinthians 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Even John wrote about it in Revelation 20:11, Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.

Contrary to popular opinion, the rapture does not happen; taking the righteous away beforehand and thereby avoiding judgment. We’ll look at the Premillennial subject in future articles. Paul clearly states, above, that ALL will be before Jesus to be judged; there are no exceptions!

 

Who Will be Judged?


In a word, EVERYONE. No one will be excluded from this. Paul wrote in Romans 14:10-12, But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

By this, it means both the wicked; as Peter wrote in (2 Peter 2:9) then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. It also means God’s people will be judged as the writer of Hebrews states in (Hebrews 10:30) For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” (See also Psalm 135:14)

 

Who is the Judge?

The Son of God and our Savior, Jesus the Christ. Paul makes this clear in Acts 17:30-31, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

From this, we know that the judgement will be: righteous (Rom. 2:5), true (Rev. 16:7), and just (Jn. 5:30). And, furthermore, He will be impartial; as Peter references in Acts 10:34, Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality…”

 

How Shall Man be Judged?

Man will be judged by the standard set which is The Word of God. Jesus confirms this in John 12:48, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”

Man will also be judged by how he/she lived his/her life. Jesus said in Matthew 12:36-37, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Paul confirms this in Romans 2:5-6, But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”

John also confirms this in Revelation 20:12-13, And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

 

What is the Final Verdict?

There are two, and only two, verdicts that will come about on the Day of Judgment; Eternal rest or Eternal damnation (Please read Mt. 25:34-46). There won’t be any second chances at this point; Death is where one’s fate is sealed (or the Second Coming, whichever happens first). The opportunity to change one’s life is now while you are still alive. As Jesus stated in John 9:4, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

 

Conclusion

The Judgment Day and Death are the only two guarantees we have from scriptures (Heb. 9:27). While we still live, we need to change our way of living. Paul writes in Ephesians 4:22-24, that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

If you need help in this, or have questions about anything in the scriptures, feel free to comment below. If you’re uncomfortable to discuss the bible now, how uncomfortable will you be on the Day of Judgment should Jesus utter the words, “And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” (Matthew 7:23)

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