Romans 14:10-12 “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (11) For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." (12) So, then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”
We have seen thus far that believers will not experience the judgement of condemnation that the unbelievers will incur, for we have already passed from death to life. Nevertheless scripture also clearly teaches us that as believers, we will be judged. In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit is speaking to believers when He tells us that we will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. And so we see that as believers, although we will not be judged with regards to our salvation, for the blood of Jesus has already saved us, nevertheless it is our works which will be judged on that day, for the Holy Spirit clearly tells us that each one of us will give an account of ourselves to our Lord Jesus on that day.
James 2:12-13 “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. (13) For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
In the passage of scripture quoted above the Holy Spirit through the apostle James very clearly tells us that we as believers will be judged. He goes on in this passage to tell us that as believers, we are to conduct our lives on earth in a manner that will meet the required benchmark by which we will be judged. The benchmark that he refers to is the law of liberty, which is the New Covenant. The fact that the Holy Spirit mentions that we should show mercy to others in this life so that we can expect to receive mercy on that day, gives us a little bit of insight as to what our day of judgement will be like. In other words, for various reasons, some of us will need the Lord to be merciful to us on our day of judgement.
2 Corinthians 5:9-11 “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (11) Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”
The above quoted passage of scripture is written to believers, not to unbelievers. In this passage the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul teaches us that all believers should make it their aim to live lives that are well pleasing to the Lord. He says that the reason we should do this is because we all must appear before the judgement seat of Christ to receive the things we have done in the body. In other words we will receive from the Lord on that day according to our works (Revelation 2:23). I want you to notice that the Holy Spirit teaches us that we will be judged according to the works that we have done “in the body”. What that means is that it is only the works done in this life that will be judged; for once the saints leave this life they cease from their works and enter into the Lord’s rest (Hebrews 4:10). I also want you to notice that in this passage of scripture that the Holy Spirit reveals to us that we will receive from the Lord what we have done in this life, “both good and bad”. Make no mistake; the believers’ judgement will be completely thorough and also completely impartial, for God shows favouritism to no man.
Michael E.B. Maher
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