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The most sobering thought in all of God's word is that Christ will come again to destroy the material world and judge the race of men. It will surely be the most awesome scene ever beheld by mankind.
From the Greed work krino we derive our words judge and judgment. Krino means to separate, to select, choose, to determine and thus "to judge or come to a decision." ( 1)
A recurring theme throughout scripture is that God always judges sin and sinners. Numerous examples are given by the sacred writers. Adam and Eve were punished for their disobedience (Gen. 3:16-19). The antediluvian sinners tasted the bitter cup of God's judgment (Gen. 6:7, 7:23). Sodom and Gomorrah perished in a fiery judgment because of their ungodliness (Gen. 19:24-25). Ancient empires and cities were judged in what the prophets described as a day of Jehovah (Joel 1:15, 2:31). In this lesson we concern ourselves with that day in which God will judge the whole world in righteousness by the man whom he raised from the dead (Acts 17:31).
PROOF OF A GENERAL JUDGMENT
There is no truth more clearly taught in the Bible, no principle of the government of the Lord more firmly established and no declaration of his will more emphatic than that all sin must be adequately punished in the person of the sinner. Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied saying," Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought…" (Jude 14-15). Solomon warned his students, "…but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." (Eccle. 11:9). He then adds, "For God will bring every work into judgment…whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Eccle. 12:14).
"… The injustices of history, the unjudged cases of all sin, the inequalities of life, the unpunished blasphemies of men, the silence of God throughout most of the centuries---a holy righteous God--demand a day of judgment." ( 2)
The existence of a moral government in the universe demands a judgment. "There can exist no law or authoritative rule of conduct for voluntary and accountable agents to which a penal sanction is not attached; and the reason of the penalty is just as intrinsic and immutable as the reason of precept." ( 3)
The moral nature of man demands a judgment. The sentence that God will judge every man is written on everyone's heart. The conscience of man declares that God will sit in judgment upon the soul. Conscience is the "law written in the heart" of (Rom. 2:15). The creation furnishes such a plain revelation of God, that those who worship idols are without excuse (Rom. 1:19-20). He concludes his discussion of these sinners by saying, "Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which practice such things are worthy of death…" (Rom. 1:32 KJV). Man, without immortality and accountability, would only be an animal.
The moral nature of God demands a judgment. A God who could not judge the world would not be God. A God who will not judge a sinful world is not worthy of our allegiance.
Charles Wolfe wrote; "The judgments of God fall often enough to let us know that God judges, but seldom enough to let us know that his judgments are not confined to this world."
"The history of the world is the judgment of the world" (Schelling). If God has consistently judged the men and nations of the world, will he not render that final judgment which will forever settle the inequities of human history? Those who accept the New Testament as their rule of faith have no doubt about a coming day of judgment. Christ announced it in Matthew 25:31. The apostles proclaimed it throughout the Roman empire (Acts 24:25; II Thess. 1:6-9; Rom. 14:10-12; II Cor. 5:10).
Although all ancient peoples believed in some sort of future judgment, the concept of a specific day of judgment was not universally held. "….that there would be one great day, or one definite future period in the history of mankind, when all the souls of men would come before a divine tribunal for final judgment, and the determination of their eternal destiny was a truth utterly foreign to the religion of ancient Greece." (4)
THE JUDGE
The greatest judge ever to preside at a tribunal will mount the bench on that day. "For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). "….and he gave him authority to execute judgment" (John 5:27). Christ's credentials have been certified. God "hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" (Acts 17:31). His qualifications are complete. He has walked in our shoes. His 33 years among men gives him a sympathy and identity with those who stand before him. Precisely for this cause "God gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man" (John 5:27). He has in all points been tempted like as we are (Heb. 4:15). His authority is all encompassing (Matt. 28:18), and thus no creature in heaven or earth is beyond his realm of authority. Even angels and demons he will judge (II Pet. 2:4; Mat. 8:28-29). His wisdom is infinite (Heb. 4:13). "There is no creature that is not manifest in his sight." His righteousness and integrity are impeccable. He is "the Lord, the righteous judge" (II Tim. 4:8). " Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne" (Ps. 89:14 KVJ). The whiteness of his judgment throne symbolizes its purity (Rev. 20:11).
Whenever we deal with human judges there is the possibility that human frailties might mar their ability to judge equitably. All men are fallible, some are corrupt. Some are prejudiced toward a race or cause, others may be incompetent by reason of age or illness, but not so our Judge. "…with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth…" (Is. 11:4). He will "render to each man according as his work is" (Rev. 22:12). Our king will be accompanied by his mighty angels (Matt. 25:1-32), and all his saints will observe and approve of his decision (I Cor. 6:2-3).
WHO WILL BE JUDGED?
John tells us that "the dead, the great and the small" will stand before his throne and be judged" (Rev. 20:12). In the resurrection, which immediately proceeds the judgment, every grave will be emptied, including all of those buried at sea. Hades itself will surrender all of its occupants that they might appear before the judge in their resurrected bodies (20:13-14). As already noted, fallen angels and evil spirits will give account to the Son (II Pet. 2:4; Matt. 8:28-29). The judgment scene of Matthew 25 shows us that even the saints will stand before the judge in that day. For it is then that they shall receive their eternal reward of initiation into the Father's presence (Mat. 25:24). It is not that they will be in jeopardy of losing the salvation they enjoyed in this life. If they die in the faith, like Lazarus they will immediately go into a state of Paradise (Lk. 16:22). Only when the soul has been reclothed with a resurrected body, suited for eternal existence, will they go unto the Father's presence (I Cor. 15:50-54).
One reason why some recoil from the idea of a judgment for the righteous is that they misapprehend what the judgment will be. They think in terms of worldly court with lawyers to argue the case and a judge who is unsure of the outcome until the evidence has all been presented and the case argued. A chief hermeneutical rule for analogies is that they not be pressed for too many points of likeness. While we all will stand before the judge, it will not to be to have our fate decided. At death every human leaves this life either saved or lost (Lk. 16:22-23). No adjustment will be made in our case in the after life (Lk. 16:26). After death cometh judgment (Heb. 9:27). At the judgment day we will receive our sentence from the judge. The verdict of guilt or innocence was decided at our last breath. The standard of judgment being the deeds done this body (II Cor. 5:10). When this body breathes it last breath our destiny is set. What could be more appropriate than that He who died for the saved should appoint for them their eternal reward of glory before the face of all men who refused his gracious offer of salvation.
It appears from Matthew 25:31-46 that the righteous will be judged first and declared to be justified by Christ's blood. Having been acquitted and pronounced heirs of the Kingdom they will sit with Christ as the judgment of the wicked is completed (Cor. 6:2--3; Rev. 2:25-27). When it is said that men are judged by Christ, more is meant than that Christ will personally preside in judgment and announce their destiny. It also suggests that Christ is the standard of comparison by which character is estimated and destiny to proceed.
THE RULE OF JUDGMENT
To be judged there must of necessity be standard by which to measure men's conduct. When John saw the resurrected dead standing before Christ's throne, he saw "books opened…. And the dead judged out of the thing written in the books" (Rev. 20:12). Of course we have here figurative language, for the Judge of the world, who infallibly knows all things, has no need for literal books to be opened to prevent mistakes or assist memory. For our benefit, God shows that the proceedings of judgment will be accurate, just and well founded in every way.
He speaks of books being opened, several books come to mind that will be used that day:
A. The book of God's remembrance. Malachi mentions such a volume in 3:16 of his prophecy. This is simply the record of all our words, thoughts and deeds which God will bring to light in that day. Nothing will be forgotten or overlooked. For the wicked, it will be an indictment, but for the saved a memorial.
B. The books of Scripture. Paul wrote, "As many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law" (Rom 2:12). Thus all those Hebrews who lived and died under Moses' Law will be judged by it. Jesus said, "The word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). This is the standard by which those living in the Christian age will be judged.
C. But what of those who lived under neither of these written laws of God; i.e., the Gentiles who lived before Christ's coming? It would surely be unjust to measure them by a law they knew nothing of and with which they were not provided. Paul deals with this situation in (Rom. 2:14-16:). "When Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these having the law, are the law unto themselves; in that they show the work of the law written in the hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith and their thoughts one with another accusing or excusing them; in the day when God shall judge the secrets of man….." Thus we see that the book of human conscience will be opened. This book all men have always had in their personal possession.
D. Yet one other book is mentioned in scripture, the book of life. Paul spoke of Christian workers "whose names are in the book of life" (Phil. 4:3). Any man or woman whose name is not recorded in this God's record of the saved will be "cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15).
FOR WHAT SHALL WE BE JUDGED?
A. Our deeds. Paul says, "For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (II Cor. 5:10). John says we will be judged according to our works (Rev. 20:12).
B. Our words. Jesus warns "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matt. 12:36).
C. Our thoughts. Solomon declared that "God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Eccle. 12:14). "God shall judge the secrets of men… by Jesus Christ" (Rom. 2:16). The Hebrew writer tells us that Christ discerns even the thoughts and intents of the heart" (4:12). Such solemn warnings should prompt us to guard our every word, thought and deed, lest it bring us eternal sorrow in that great day.
WHEN WILL THE JUDGMENT BE?
Scripture plainly declares that God "hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world…"(Acts 17:31). Revelation 20:13 shows us that the day of judgment will follow the resurrection. Both the resurrection and the judgment are said to occur at "the last day" (John 11:24; 12:48). The resurrection will occur at Jesus' second coming (I Thess. 4:16-18), at which time he will destroy the material world with fire (II Thess. 1:7-9; II Pet. 3:7). This last verse says that "The heavens that now are, and the earth by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and the destruction of ungodly men." The Lord himself tells us that "of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only" (Matt. 24:36). He further adds that there will be no signs or omens of that great day. Rather it will come as a thief comes, unannounced and when least expected (Matt. 24:44). Faithful saints are content to believe the facts set forth in God's Word, even though the specific time will remain a mystery until its occurrence. To go beyond this, as many have, is the height of folly and can only be dangerous speculation.
THE PLACE OF JUDGMENT
We all must stand before the judgment seat of Christ (II Cor. 5:10). When John saw a vision of the judgment, he saw the material heavens and earth having fled away (Rev. 20:11). We notice in II Peter 3:7 that the natural universe will be destroyed by fire when Christ comes in judgment. This leads us to conclude that judgment will be in the eternal realms. First Thessalonians 4:17 says that when resurrected we will be "caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
THE CONSEQUENCES OF JUDGMENT
An awesome and indisputable judgment will be handed down at that day. "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:34,41). Since our judge is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, there will be no higher court to which appeal may be made. Since he is omniscient, no errors in his judgment will be detected, no extenuating evidence will be brought forward. The decision will stand for the eternal ages.
Will there be degrees of punishment in Judgment? Scriptures seem to indicate that to be the case. No less an authority than the Lord himself said, "And that servant, who knew his Lord's will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more" (Lk. 12:47-48). This demonstrates the fairness and equity of God's justice. Not all sinners are equally depraved. In our own judicial system heinous crimes receive much more severe punishment than petty crimes. This should not, however, be taken as a reason for the sinner to gamble with his soul, that he might cling to a favorite sin hoping to get only minimal punishment. To miss heaven in itself will be a catastrophe of immeasurable consequences. Even the choicest spot in hell is a punishment no sane person would want to risk. No evidence is found, no hint is given of degrees of reward in heaven. To be forever in the Father's presence is of such magnitude that nothing more could be added to it. The greatest degree of guilt and punishment will be for those who abuse and neglect their gospel privileges. So Jesus taught when he scathingly condemned Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. I will be more tolerable for the people of Tyre and Sidon (pagans who never had Jesus in their midst) than for his Jewish contemporaries who rejected his gracious offer (Matt 11:20-24). (See also Heb. 2:1-3, 10:28-29).
CONCLUSION
God is righteous, his law is righteous, He demands righteousness of His creatures. He sent his righteous Son to save us and soon we will stand before that righteous Son to be judged. This final, public act of judgment is the complete vindication of God's justice both to those who are judged and to all the moral universe. We have seen that the judgment described in the Scripture is consistent with mercy, consistent with love and necessary to spur the human conscience to faithfulness. In his earthly ministry Christ did not appear as a judge (John 3:17). His role as judge belongs to the future (Acts 17:30-31). He who stood condemned at Pilate's judgment seat will then judge the world. He who once extended mercy and grace will then judge those who rejected it. To judge the world will be the last act of Jesus' administration, for then he will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father (I Cor. 15:24). Rather than being a mystery among the doctrines of one faith, Judgment Day is a doctrine, which more than any other, solves the riddle of the problem of evil in the world.
In his Notes on Virginia, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "I tremble for my country when I remember that God is just." So should we tremble when we contemplate the judgment of our just God. May each reader so order his life that when the trumpet sounds we may rise to meet the Lord with gladness.
FOOTNOTES
(1.) W. E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, (Westwood, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1965) p. 280.
(2.) Wilbur Smith, Therefore Stand, (Boston: W. A. Wilde Co., 1945). p.455
(3.) A. A. Hodge, The Atonement, (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1967,) p. 62, 63.
(4.) Wilbur Smith, op. cit. p. 438
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