By Dr Neville van Eerten
Introduction
As we examine the topic of Judgment, we see that Hebrews 6 includes judgment as part of the new believers’ foundational truths.
HEBREWS 6:1 THEREFORE, LET US LEAVE THE ELEMENTARY DOCTRINE OF CHRIST AND GO ON TO MATURITY, NOT LAYING AGAIN A FOUNDATION OF REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS AND FAITH TOWARD GOD, AND INSTRUCTION ABOUT WASHINGS, THE LAYING ON OF HANDS, THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, AND ETERNAL JUDGMENT.
Therefore, in teaching new believers this truth, we need to sift all our teaching on judgment through the central pivotal point of why God sees the need for judgment:
God desires to have blameless sons and daughters through Jesus Christ.
In the teaching Fellowship of the Mystery of His Will, this teaching is central to the reformation we see sweeping the earth.
EPHESIANS 1:4-5 JUST AS HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE HIM IN LOVE, HAVING PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION AS SONS BY JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL
How would a good Father judge His children? Does a heavenly Father make judgments in favor of His children?
In Biblical Evangelism of Gentiles, we found that a correct understanding of judgement is necessary as it is part of our evangelism. So, let us first define judgment. Then, we will see why God’s loving nature requires it.
What are Judgment and Wrath?
Judgment: The word for judgment in Greek is κρίσις krisis; It is defined as: decision (subjectively or objectively, for or against); by extension, a tribunal; by implication, justice (especially divine law): — accusation, condemnation, damnation, judgment.
This is where we get the root word for crisis. Crisis produces fear and worry and, therefore, has a finality that can create terror.
However, as we go through this study, we will find that the children of God do not need to fear God’s judgment. However, most of the other teachings on this subject present a one-sided view of judgment. Judgment is not necessarily an adverse action against a person or persons- it can also be in favor of us.
The wrath of God: The word for wrath in Greek is ὀργή orgē; It is defined as: Desire, violent passion. By implication, punishment: Anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.
The wrath of God is where we get the word orgy from, so we conclude that it is an action that expresses passion. This teaches us that God’s wrath expresses His emotions.
The parable of the Prodigal Son is an example of His emotions. The Father desires the return of the lost son.
Why does God express His wrath?
The character of God requires it: God IS love:
1 JOHN 4:16 AND WE HAVE KNOWN AND BELIEVED THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR US. GOD IS LOVE, AND HE WHO ABIDES IN LOVE ABIDES IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM.
Therefore, any expression of wrath is an expression of love.
Throughout the Bible, we see God’s passion and desire for us to be in the right relationship with Him. Let us look at His dealings with His creation in Genesis. We see that His judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, or His judgment at the flood of Noah, were expressions of His love for His creation. He could see that the consequences of sin would be too destructive to His creation, so He brought judgment. God saved humankind by displaying His wrath and destroying the world with a flood that covered the entire surface.
The Old Covenant with man required it. I suggest reading “The Old Covenant” and “The Law No Longer Applies” to understand this teaching completely. The consequences of disobeying the law result in condemnation.
The law brought judgment and condemnation.
ROMANS 5:18 THEREFORE, AS ONE MAN’S OFFENCE JUDGMENT CAME TO ALL MEN, RESULTING IN CONDEMNATION, EVEN SO THROUGH ONE MAN’S RIGHTEOUS ACT, THE FREE GIFT CAME TO ALL MEN, RESULTING IN JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE.
We need to Identify who the author refers to when the bible talks about wrath and what covenant it is under. For example, it refers to those under the law. HEBREWS 3:11 SO I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.
There were curses under the Old Covenant.
GALATIANS 3:13 CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE LAW’S CURSE, HAVING BECOME A CURSE FOR US. (FOR IT IS WRITTEN, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”),
These curses died with Jesus. The Old Covenant no longer exists, so the law and its associated curses do not apply to believers in Jesus Christ.
HEBREWS 8:13 HE SAYS, “A NEW COVENANT,” HE HAS MADE THE FIRST OBSOLETE. NOW, WHAT IS BECOMING OBSOLETE AND GROWING OLD IS READY TO DISAPPEAR.
There is a new covenant, and we are under the dispensation of grace. Therefore, the final action of God’s wrath is delayed until the ‘Judgement before the great white throne’ found in Revelation 20.
Who Judges Mankind?
Jesus
When Jesus sat down at the Father’s right hand, the Father handed all judgment to Him.
2 TIMOTHY 4:1 I CHARGE YOU THEREFORE BEFORE GOD AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO WILL JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD AT HIS APPEARING AND HIS KINGDOM:
Jesus overcame sin. Because Jesus overcame sin and learned obedience, the Father has committed all judgment to Him.
JOHN 5:22 FOR THE FATHER JUDGES NO ONE BUT HAS COMMITTED ALL JUDGMENT TO THE SON,
JOHN 5:26 AS THE FATHER HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, HE HAS GRANTED THE SON LIFE IN HIMSELF AND HAS GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF MAN.
Therefore, no one can say, “God does not know what it is like to be human.” Because Jesus does know what it is like to be human, His judgement will be fair.
HEBREWS 4:15 WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO CANNOT SYMPATHISE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES BUT WAS TEMPTED AS WE ARE AT ALL POINTS, YET WITHOUT SIN.
Who Does Jesus Judge?
The sons of disobedience:
COLOSSIANS 3:6 BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS, THE WRATH OF GOD IS COMING UPON THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE,
The sons of disobedience are called children of wrath:
EPHESIANS 2:2-3 IN WHICH YOU ONCE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT WHO NOW WORKS IN THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE, AMONG WHOM ALSO WE ALL ONCE CONDUCTED OURSELVES IN THE LUSTS OF OUR FLESH, FULFILLING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND THE MIND, AND WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, JUST AS THE OTHERS.
The children of the devil are the religious spirits controlling the Jewish religious leaders at that time, who then persecuted the believers:
JOHN 8:44 YOU ARE OF YOUR FATHER, THE DEVIL AND THE DESIRES OF YOUR FATHER YOU WANT TO DO. HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING AND DOES NOT STAND IN THE TRUTH BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE SPEAKS A LIE, HE SPEAKS FROM HIS RESOURCES, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF IT.
Jew and Gentile alike:
ROMANS 2:12 FOR AS MANY AS HAVE SINNED WITHOUT LAW WILL ALSO PERISH WITHOUT LAW, AND AS MANY AS HAVE SINNED IN THE LAW WILL BE JUDGED BY THE LAW.
Whether Jew or Gentile, judgement will be fair and just.
Believers in Jesus Are Not Judged.
Those who do not Believe in Jesus are Dead. The Ephesian passage teaches us that we are dead before we become believers.
EPHESIANS 2:1 AND YOU HE MADE ALIVE, WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS,
The New Birth brings Eternal Life
JOHN 5:24 “MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, HE WHO HEARS MY WORD AND BELIEVES IN HIM WHO SENT ME HAS EVERLASTING LIFE, AND SHALL NOT COME INTO JUDGMENT, BUT HAS PASSED FROM DEATH INTO LIFE.
When we become sons and daughters of the Father, we enter eternal life by the Spirit of adoption. We do not experience ‘eternal life -and then death – and then eternal life.’ The believers’ eternal life starts at the new birth. If we return to the original word for judgment, we remember it is a crisis. Therefore, there will be no fear or crisis when judged as believers.
As believers, we still receive Discipline. This does not mean Abba Father will not discipline us if we stray from walking according to the truth of God’s word:
HEBREWS 12:7 IF YOU ENDURE CHASTENING, GOD DEALS WITH YOU AS WITH SONS; FOR WHAT SON IS THERE WHOM A FATHER DOES NOT CHASTEN?
When Does Judgment Occur?
1-At the time of Jesus’ Death- to those In Hades
2-The Jews’ judgment ended with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
This is found under The Comings of Jesus.
3-At the end of the age, we are in now – When we stand before the Great White Throne.
Jesus’ Judgment After His Death
1-Everybody before Christ needed the opportunity to hear the gospel. God would not be just if those before Christ died without hearing the gospel.
2-Peter Says that Jesus preached to those who were dead:
PETER 3:18-19 FOR CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED ONCE FOR SINS, THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST, THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD, BEING PUT TO DEATH IN THE FLESH BUT MADE ALIVE BY THE SPIRIT, BY WHOM ALSO HE WENT AND PREACHED TO THE SPIRITS IN PRISON,
3-Jesus referred to this:
JOHN 5:25-28 MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, THE HOUR IS COMING, AND NOW IS WHEN THE DEAD WILL HEAR THE VOICE OF THE SON OF GOD, AND THOSE WHO HEAR WILL LIVE. AS THE FATHER HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, HE HAS GRANTED THE SON LIFE IN HIMSELF AND HAS GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF MAN. DO NOT MARVEL AT THIS, FOR THE HOUR IS COMING IN WHICH ALL WHO ARE IN THE GRAVES WILL HEAR HIS VOICE.
Note that Jesus uses the term hour because He is about to preach to those in Hades shortly. They will soon hear His voice.
4-Jesus explained the position of those whom He preached to This passage is not a parable or story; it is current when Jesus taught it. It refers to those who were dead before the start of the new age. Some were in ‘Abraham’s bosom’, while others were in Hades.
LUKE 16:22-23 SO IT WAS THAT THE BEGGAR DIED AND WAS CARRIED BY THE ANGELS TO ABRAHAM’S BOSOM. THE RICH MAN ALSO DIED AND WAS BURIED. AND BEING IN TORMENT IN HADES, HE LIFTED HIS EYES AND SAW ABRAHAM AFAR OFF AND LAZARUS IN HIS BOSOM.
5-Daniel explained what would Happen.
Daniel 12:2 AND MANY OF THOSE WHO SLEEP IN THE DUST OF THE EARTH SHALL AWAKE, SOME TO EVERLASTING LIFE, SOME TO SHAME AND EVERLASTING CONTEMPT.
In this passage, the word contempt refers to those who are dead. It relates to how others see them, not how they feel. Shame is similar. Others know the outcome of their lives as something to be ashamed of.
The Great White Throne of Judgment
A-Jesus is on the Throne.
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 NO PLACE WAS FOUND FOR THEM.
B-There are books.
REVELATION 20:12 AND I SAW THE SMALL AND GREAT DEAD STANDING BEFORE GOD, AND BOOKS WERE OPENED. ANOTHER BOOK, THE BOOK OF LIFE, WAS OPENED. AND THE DEAD WERE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS, BY THE THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS.
C-There is the book of life.
REVELATION 20:12 AND I SAW THE DEAD, SMALL AND GREAT, STANDING BEFORE GOD, AND BOOKS WERE OPENED. ANOTHER BOOK, THE BOOK OF LIFE, WAS OPENED. AND THE DEAD WERE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS, BY THE THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS.
D-The dead are judged according to the books.
REVELATION 20:12 I SAW THE DEAD, SMALL AND GREAT, STANDING BEFORE GOD, AND BOOKS WERE OPENED. ANOTHER BOOK, THE BOOK OF LIFE, WAS OPENED. AND THE DEAD WERE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS, BY THE THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS.
The Dead Will Be Cast Into the Lake of Fire.
REVELATION 20:13-15 THE SEA GAVE UP THE DEAD IN IT, AND DEATH AND HADES DELIVERED UP THE DEAD WHO WERE IN THEM. AND THEY WERE JUDGED, EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS. THEN DEATH AND HADES WERE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH. AND ANYONE NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.
The Dead will have no excuse at the Great White Throne
ROMANS 2:1 THEREFORE YOU ARE INEXCUSABLE, O MAN, WHOEVER YOU ARE WHO JUDGE, FOR IN WHATEVER YOU JUDGE ANOTHER YOU CONDEMN YOURSELF; FOR YOU WHO JUDGE PRACTICE THE SAME THINGS.
They will have no excuse on judgment day because they have judged others. We need to remember this when we are persecuted. They have no excuse for their eternal separation from God.
The Dead Will Then Die Spiritually.
REVELATION 21:8 BUT THE COWARDLY, UNBELIEVING, ABOMINABLE, MURDERERS, SEXUALLY IMMORAL, SORCERERS, IDOLATERS, AND ALL LIARS SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE WHICH BURNS WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.”
The second death is eternal separation from God. There is no evidence in Revelation 21 that they will suffer for eternity. We will look at Hell in detail in another lesson.