As we look into the topic of Judgment, we see that Hebrews 6 includes judgement 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 OF FAITH TOWARD GOD, AND OF 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 judgement through the main pivotal point of why God sees the need for judgement.
And that it is the desire of God to have sons and daughters who are blameless through Jesus Christ.
This teaching is central to the moving of God that we are seeing sweep 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?
A correct understanding of judgement is necessary as it is part of our evangelism.
So let us first define judgement. Then we will see why God’s loving nature requires it.
What is Judgment and Wrath?
We will take a look at the word judgment in Hebrews 9:27 where it says we are destined to die once and after that to face judgment.
Judgment: krisis; decision (subjectively or objectively, for or against); a tribunal; by implication, justice (especially, divine law): It has been translated into English as — accusation, condemnation, damnation, judgment.
You may realize that this is where we get the root word for crisis from.
Crisis produces fear and worry and can eventually produce terror.
But as we go through this study, we will find that the children of God have no need to fear the judgment of God.
However, we have a one-sided view of judgement in most of the teachings available on this subject by those in public ministry.
Judgment is not necessarily a negative action against a person or persons- it can also be in favor of us.
The wrath of God: orgē; correctly means desire, intense passion, to covet after. It has been translated into English with the implication of punishment: anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.
The wrath of God is a noun not a verb that expresses passion. This teaches us that the wrath of God is something that expresses His emotions, what he feels.
In the parable of the Prodigal son, we see an example of Our Fathers emotions. It should be called the parable of Our Fathers intense desire for His children.
The Father’s desire is for the return of the lost son.
WHY DOES GOD EXPRESS HIS WRATH?
The character of God requires it: God IS love: All His judgments are redemptive in nature. He is not angry with His children, with human beings. His anger has to do with His enemies, that which attacks love, the Kingdom of darkness.
Some of the dark times ahead are the wrath of Satan. That is why I don’t agree with the courts of heaven teachings, I have been in some of these zoom meetings, they are way off.
The accuser of the brethren has been cast down, He has no access to God, and certainly cannot accuse us before Him, because the blood (which is pure bright light) of Jesus cleansed the heavens of Him, He dwells in the atmosphere of the earth.
The character of God, His nature which is LOVE requires it.
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.
We see the passion of God and His desire for us to be in right relationship with Him throughout the word of God. 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 were going to be too destructive to His creation, so He brought judgment.
God saved mankind by displaying His wrath and by destroying the world by bringing a flood that covered the entire surface of the earth.
The Old Covenant with man required it. The consequences of disobeying the law resulted in condemnation.
Law brought judgment and condemnation.
ROMANS 5:18 THEREFORE, AS THROUGH ONE MAN’S OFFENSE 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 is referring to when the bible talks about wrath and what covenant it is under. For example, here it is referring 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.
GALATIONS 3:13 CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW, 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 lives, so the law and the associated curses, do not apply to believers in Jesus Christ.
HEBREWS 8:13 IN THAT HE SAYS, “A NEW COVENANT,” HE HAS MADE THE FIRST OBSOLETE. NOW WHAT IS BECOMING OBSOLETE AND GROWING OLD IS READY TO VANISH AWAY.
Now there is a new covenant, and we are under the administration of grace, therefore, the final action of the wrath of God is delayed until the time of the ‘Judgement before the great white throne.’ found in Revelation 20.
Who Judges Mankind?
Jesus
When Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father, the Father handed all judgement over 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 judgement to Him.
JOHN 5:22 FOR THE FATHER JUDGES NO ONE, BUT HAS COMMITTED ALL JUDGMENT TO THE SON,
JOHN 5:26 FOR AS THE FATHER HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, SO HE HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF, AND HAS GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT ALSO, BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF MAN.
Therefore, this means that 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 FOR WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO CANNOT SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED AS WE ARE, 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 OF 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 OWN 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 passage in Ephesians teaches us that before we become believers, we are dead.
EPHESIANS 2:1 AND YOU HE MADE ALIVE, WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS,
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 go back to the original word for judgment, we remember that it is the word krisis. Therefore, when we are judged as believers, there will be no fear or crisis.
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?
The judgement seat of Christ refers to an elevated place of ascension. It is Jacob’s ladder. It is the place of acceptance or being well pleasing. It is the place of reward, just being there is a reward, even if all the things you think you did for the Lord in His name are burned up.
Judgment occurs at the time of Jesus Death- to those In Hades.
The judgement of the Jews, ending with the destruction of Jerusalem AD 70.
At the end of the age, we are in now – When we stand before the Great White Throne. This is where the book of life is opened and those not found in it, thrown into the lake of fire, the second death.
Every preacher you ever heard probably told you that if you were saved you would not appear there, but it is not what the Bible teaches-Revelation 20:15. What happens right after this is the new heaven and the earth.
Judgment occurred after His Death. Because Everybody before Christ came needed the opportunity to hear the gospel.
Peter Says that Jesus preached to those who were dead:
1 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, 20 who in the past were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water
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. FOR AS THE FATHER HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, SO HE HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF, AND HAS GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT ALSO, 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 it is about to happen shortly. Jesus explained the position of those whom He preached to. This passage is not a parable or story, and it is current at the time of Jesus’ teaching it. This 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 THE PLACE OF TESTING THE PURITY OF, IN HADES, HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND SAW ABRAHAM AFAR OFF, AND LAZARUS IN HIS BOSOM.24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and REFRESH my tongue (that which controls the direction of how we live); for I am CONTIUALLY SORROWFUL in this BRIGHT FIRE.
Daniel explained what would happen.
Daniel 12:2 AND MANY OF THOSE WHO SLEEP IN THE DUST OF THE EARTH SHALL AWAKE, SOME TO time out of mind living being or life, SOME TO disgrace AND the vanishing point of dishonor or contempt.
In this passage the word contempt refers to those who are dead. This is a word that refers to how others see them, not how they themselves feel. Shame is similar. Others see the outcome of their lives as one to be ashamed about.
The Great White Throne of Judgment
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 THERE WAS FOUND NO PLACE FOR THEM.
There are books.
REVELATION 20:12 AND I SAW THE DEAD, SMALL AND GREAT, STANDING BEFORE GOD, AND BOOKS WERE OPENED. 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.
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 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 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 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 Dead Will be Cast Into the Lake of Fire.
REVELATION 20:13-15 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. 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 because they have judged others:
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.
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.”