Judgment of God

As the term implies there is a judgment of God in every action and inaction based on the facts of any situation. This in turn brings about the eternal legal and literal standing of a person and nation.

God has set out the price for any disobedience as we will see in chapter seven. As we look deeper at this subject we will see the judgments and the outcome. Please note, as we look at the eternal outcome or the sentencing based on disobedience or sin, that this could be changed, be it by the individual and/or nations but there are some time restraints.

2Peter3:7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. (NIV)

Deuteronomy 32:35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” 36 The LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free. (NIV)

There are two states we can look at. One is simply the judgment of the law of the land, the other is the judgment of God, but God’s judgment can be broken into five parts.

1 Judgment on sin
2 Judgment of the saints
3 Judgment of the nations
4 Judgment of the sinner
5 Judgment of Self

1 Judgment on Sin

It is the judgment on sin from God that had happened at the beginning of time that changed the whole legal position of man. With Satan’s fall, followed by Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God by eating the fruit, it was only the verdict and punishment that was to be handed down.

Subsequently to avoid the punishment all they needed to do was to take responsibility for their actions by the act of repentance.

God had passed judgment on sin so we can see if man had eaten of the Tree of Life he would never have to face any of his own actions. Finally, he would have no need of God.

2 Judgment of the Saints

Judgment of the saints is to confirm our passage into heaven based on our confession of Jesus as our Lord and God, and with the act of a heartfelt repentance. This needs to be this side of death or the resurrection whichever comes first. It’s too late after death or resurrection. The prayer of forgiveness is the legal requirement to break the curse of sin and death over our life. Remember, we are already legally seated in heaven. That means our new spirit is pure and has no sin, and therefore it can be with God. It will be music to our ears when God says. “Well done good and faithful servants, enter into My rest.” (Matthew 25: 23).

“Judgment of the saints”

Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Also please understand there is another aspect to this judgment, which I have listed below, the judgment which will come upon the believer. Please note this does not affect our salvation, which is purely based on the belief in Jesus plus nothing.

When we talk of the judgment of the saints, who do we mean? We mean all who are in the Lamb’s Book of Life. This list is only a guideline for the Christian walk and not for the purpose of condemnation, for there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ.

A list of Judgments
A Personal Judgment
A Judgment of our Relationships
A Judgment of our Conversation
A Judgment of our Faithfulness
A Judgment of our Inner Motives
A Judgment of our Spiritual Condition
A Judgment of our Works
A Judgment of the Shepherds

The purpose of these Judgments is for personal reflection to aid in receiving the Crowns. (I Corinthians 3:8-15)

3 Judgment of the Nations

This judgment is at the beginning of the 1000 year reign of Jesus in Revelation 20: 4.This takes place after the saints’ judgment and before that of the non-believers!

This is something that could take a lot of explanation and is a very interesting study in itself. But at the moment I will keep it short because it is the judgment of the saint and sinner, which I want to cover in more detail. But let me say every power and principality will have to give an account for its action in the past in regards to Christians and the People of Israel. This will all take place in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:1-2 11-12) at the throne of Jesus.

One point, which is very important, is that every action big or small will be judged. Nations need to repent too.

4 Judgment of the Sinner

This judgment is of the unrepentant sinner which means all the unsaved people, those who haven’t called on the name of Jesus. This includes those who say they have lived a good life and they don’t need God.

This is where the non-believer will come to the Judgment Seat. When they approach the throne of God, they will see their own sin. The sinners will be self-condemned and they will look upon Jesus at this point. They won’t hear God say, “Enter.” They will turn and go into the pit of hell and be in torment for eternity.

This happens at the end of the Millennium where the non-believers or sinners will be self-condemned when looking upon God’s holiness and they will see their sins. Also at this time those who have become believers and calling on the name of Jesus in the Millennium will also be judged and given their reward. (Revelation 20: 12)

The White Throne Judgment or the Second Judgment is for those who are not written in the Book of Life. (Revelation 20: 14-15) Another way of saying this is to say it is The Judgment of Self-Condemnation.

The legal position of the saint and the sinner is clearly set out in the Word of God. The saint is literally in the world, even though he or she was acquitted of sin. Their sin has been superseded by what Jesus did on the cross plus nothing. Now the saint is legally in heaven.

The sinner is literally and legally in the world without passage into heaven. Legally they are on their way to hell.

Even though the second or final judgment comes at a later date it could be superseded now by the accepting of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for all mankind.
This only applies to those who are living and those who are born after the first, and before the second resurrection. Once you have physically died without accepting Jesus as your Saviour it’s too late. You don’t have the right of appeal after your death. Therefore today is the day of salvation.

Titus 2: 11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (NIV)

Before we can receive the grace of God we are all in the state of fallen man, and under the curse of sin. In the world when you commit a crime and are found guilty, you must pay the price. We deserved the punishment for our sins and to spend eternity in torment. So for us to receive the grace of God someone had to pay and that someone was Jesus.

Legally we were dead in our sins, but Jesus has legally paid the price for our redemption. All we need to do is appeal to God to forgive us. Then we are legally and literally free from our past sins, our present sins and our future sins. This has happened by God’s free gift and the amazing thing is we did not need to do anything to warrant God’s benevolence towards us.

This is the same God from the Garden of Eden, and all Adam and Eve had to do was to say, “Sorry” and God would have forgiven them. But their act of disobedience caused them to harden their hearts.

It was because of this hardening of their hearts that their literal and legal position changed. They were legally and literally in the Garden, but now they were literally and legally outside the Garden. They could not come back into the Garden. Only God could bring them back legally.

Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)

Finally, on the subject of Judgment, it is easy to see the judgment of the world’s legal system. It is literally and legally on the same plane. Do the crimes, do the time, or live an honest life and stay out of trouble.

On the other hand, the spiritual dynamics of judgment are different. You are literally on this earth, but legally you are in heaven.

It is in the world where we can change our spiritual standing. We need to do our business with God while we are in this life. After death and the resurrection there is no appeal. Your outcome will be sealed by the action or inaction of your free will towards Jesus Christ. If you are a non-Christian, today is the day of salvation. You need to take a step of faith in Jesus.

Man could avoid the final judgment if he would only compare his life to the word of God and be his own judge. God has made His judgment and it cannot be changed after the resurrection of all mankind nor can it be changed in the grave. God is your worst judge.

If you are a Christian you need to use your time on this earth to share the saving grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible, so that others do not have to face the terrible Day of Judgment.

“Let’s not be a Church of regrets, but be a Church that gets.”

5 Judgment of Self

Is on the next post.

7. Augustine’s Photocopied Error by Dr Ian Traill