There’s no question: The majority of people living today are living as if there is no judgment. Like Peter said, they are “willfully ignorant” of God’s promises.
God has promised a day of retribution, God has promised a day of reckoning, and to live as if things will just continue as they’ve always been, is not only foolish, it is also very dangerous. Despite the fact that God has said there will be a judgment, what do we find in the world? What do we find even among those who claim Christ? Hardly anyone even considers the possibility. Oh sure, you’ll find a lot of references to Jesus saying “judge not lest ye be judged” but few references to the FINAL day of JUDGMENT.
And yet, one of the most prominent teachings of the Lord’s Apostles concerned the fact of the upcoming Judgment. To the believer they would say: “Take comfort — He is coming back!” To the non believer their message was: “Get ready — He is coming back.” That two-fold message is really illustrated in the two Thessalonian letters. In 1Thessalonians, Paul was writing from the perspective of: My brethren think Jesus is about to return, and they’re afraid their now-deceased loved ones will miss it. So he tells them the dead will rise and see Him return, just as you will. In 2Thessalonians, Paul is writing from the perspective of: My brethren are being persecuted, I need to reassure them that Jesus is coming back, and He hasn’t forgotten about their hardships.
Regardless of how they approached the subject, one thing was never open to speculation: there will be a last day…and on that last day…there will be a judgment. John said the Christian could have boldness in the day of judgment:
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment
1 John. 4:17
Probably the verse most associated with the Judgment is Paul’s promise that all would be present for it:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…
2 Corinthians 5:10
There was no doubt in Paul’s mind when he wrote it, and through inspiration he knew it: There is a coming judgment. So what do we need to know in order to prepare ourselves for that inevitable day. Let’s just take the word and use it as a guide to understanding “the Judgment.”
First we need to understand WHO IS THE JUDGE
I suppose that is the most logical first question to ask. Who is the one actually pronouncing judgment? In other words, Who is the one whose decisions matter with respect to my eternal destination. Is it my family (my parents)? Of course not: But that does not mean my parents do not (or did not) play a key role in where I spend eternity. But how easy would it be to have my parents be the judge of whether or not I go to Heaven? Can you imagine any loving parent NOT saying to their child: “Go on to Heaven, you’re such a sweet kid. Just look at those cheeks!” No, my parents cannot be the judge; they are too biased (and rightly so).
What about my friends? My friends know me well, why can’t they look at my life and judge whether I can go to heaven or not. No, that wouldn’t work because friends are too fickle. Woe to the one who makes his friend angry on the eve of his being judged. No, friends are no good for this task.
What about ourselves? Ahh, now we sound like humanists: Let me judge me. Brilliant idea! There’d be no need for hell because no matter how bad a person may hate himself, if he were his own judge he would never–if he took one look at eternal damnation–condemn himself there. And that means there’d be no heaven since all the wicked would be enjoying the paradise they let themselves into. That’s a bummer for everyone.
Our Judge has to be someone who is unbiased, consistent and and fair:
Look at John 5:25-30:
the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and they that hear shall live
What’s Jesus referencing? The judgment:
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself, And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man
Whom does Jesus say has been given the authority (by God) to execute judgment? Himself.
Why is Christ the judge? Well He tells us: Because He is the Son of Man (that is, He is equal with man, just as he is equal with God). Can you see then the obvious reason why He would be given the role as judge over us? Did you ever wonder why the Father does not just judge us Himself? Why did He delegate it to his Son? Jesus words here tell us why: Because the Son experienced something the Father did not: He lived as a Man. Therefore His Judgment is unbiased. And, being the Son of God, His judgment is also consistent and fair.
Also, we need to see that Christ’s Judgment is UNDERSTOOD
“Understood” meaning: you cannot say you didn’t know it was coming. All of the verses that litter the Bible spell out clearly and obviously that Judgment is coming. They are not statements of speculation. They are not idle words of fear mongering. This is really going to go down people, and we need to be ready!
Notice how Peter approached the subject of the judgment. He says, concerning the second coming that there are going to be those who will refuse to believe in the judgment. But, he says, that’s nothing new: “there were false prophets among the people [back in the Old Testament times]…and “There are false prophets among you [today]” (2 Peter 2:1).
The message of these false teachers boils down to this: “God’s not really going to punish us!”
So Peter gives them a history lesson. He shows us how God has always punished those who sin against Him; it is in His nature to do so.
God spared not the angels that sinned
2 Peter 2:4
He goes all the way back to before the creation: Satan and his followers sinned against God. What did God do? Did He let it go? No, Peter says He did not spare them but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness (to be reserved unto judgment).
God turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes and condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example to the ungodly
2 Peter 2:6
What had the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah done? They had lived wickedly and without fear of retribution. And then retribution came because God’s nature would not allow Him to let them go unpunished. And so they were destroyed.
You can wish it weren’t so, but it’s coming. It’s right here for you to read in black and white. When it happens you can’t say you didn’t know. It’s understood.
Also, we need to understand that His Judgment is DEAF
Deaf. Meaning that when Christ pronounces judgment He will be deaf to the cries of mercy. Let’s be totally clear: God wants you to go to Heaven. Jesus said “I am come that ye may have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). God wants you to go to Heaven. But understand this: You have got to want it as well, and that means doing what He asks of you. And if you don’t do what He asks of you, then He is not going to let you enter in. How many parents tell their teenage child: Go clean your room and you can go out tonight. Then “tonight” comes, and their room is still messy. The parents say: sorry, you cant go out. Oh but the child begs and begs and the parents (shockingly) stand their ground. Children learn that if they want a reward they’ve got to do what is required of them.
God says: Live for me and go to Heaven…But you don’t live for me, if you live for yourself then you will die…and then cometh the judgment. And once that judgment is passed, and you’re not allowed to enter Heaven, you can beg and beg and beg all you want, but it will be too late. When that time comes all you will have is an eternity to think about what you should have done. The rich man begged for mercy (Luke 16:24-25) but there was none to give him. He learned that when it’s too late it’s too late; God turns a deaf ear to cries of mercy.
Also, we need to understand that His judgment is GOOD.
Recall Paul’s farewell to Timothy where the Apostle–near death–said he was ready to receive his crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8). And Whom did he say was going to give him that crown? “The Lord — the righteous Judge.” Because Jesus is a good judge, not corrupt or biased, Paul can be sure that Heaven will be his home. We’ve already established that God’s nature demands Him to punish those that have unrepented sin, but His nature also demands that He forgive when it is asked. Human judges, on the other hand, may not be able to see past their own prejudices (racial, sexist, personal). Those are not righteous judges. Those are not good judges; their judgments are not based on what is right but instead are based on opinion, or personal preference. Christ, however, is a righteous judge. He’s the good One you want holding the gavel come Judgment Day…If we’ve obeyed Him before we are judged, of course.
Also we need to understand that Christ’s judgment is for ME.
When the judgment day comes it will be personal. It will be for me only. Yes everyone will be judged but I’m not going to care about anyone else’s judgment. Not even will I care about my closest loved ones. No: In that moment all that will matter will be me and my relationship with Christ. In the end, where I spend eternity will be about what kind of life I lived, what kind of choices I made, what decisions I decided and what choices I rejected.
Jesus once taught a parable about 10 virgins who were preparing for a coming wedding (Matthew 25). And though these ladies know the groom is on his way, they don’t know exactly when he will arrive. Five of them are foolish because they did not prepare to have enough oil should the groom delay his coming. They assumed they knew when he would return, and thus did not make themselves ready. When he finally did return, they weren’t ready and the door was shut (it was too late).
These foolish women then turned to the other five (who were prepared) and begged for them to share their oil, but the wise ones would not. What’s the point (besides “be prepared”)? The point could be made how the coming of the bridegroom (Christ) is a personal thing. The foolish ones wanted help but they were told they should have taken care of it themselves. They had a personal responsibility and chose to neglect it. Now they will be punished while the wise–prepared–ones will be blessed.
Be thankful it’s about you. Would you want to be lumped together with the world around you? Would you want to be judged as you or as “an American”? Would you want to be judged as you or as a part of your generation? Be thankful Jesus will not hold your family, neighbors, country or generation against you. On the other hand, don’t expect Jesus to give you a pass just because everyone in your family is faithful and righteous. He’s not grading on a curve here; it’s between Him and you.
Finally, it’s important for us to remember that His judgment for us will be based on the NEW TESTAMENT
The New Testament is the standard that our lives will be measured against.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I’ve spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
John 12:48
What are the words of Christ? What’s the message that he has given us? It is His New Covenant between God and man, His New Testament which he gave his life for (Matthew 26:28). At the end of our days we are going to stand before Christ and he will not ask us if we obeyed the philosophy of Confucius or the teachings of Mohammad. He is going to ask us “Did you obey MY WORDS…The words that I gave you…The New Covenant between you and God…The New Testament that I died to establish? Have you obeyed My words?”
His words have told us about His Divine nature (Matthew 26:63-64). That’s what we are to believe.
His words have told us how to repent (Matthew 21:28-32).
His words have told us to confess His name (Matthew 10:32-33).
His words have told us to be immersed in water (Mark 16:16).
His words have told us to be faithful even if it kills us (Revelation 2:10).
He will ask us, when judgment days comes, “Have you obeyed me?” How we answer that question depends on how we live our lives now.
What will our answer be?
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