Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Have you ever heard of an “unjust judge”? The Lord Jesus described such a judge in one of His parables in Luke 18:2-8. He presented him as “a judge who did not fear God nor regard man” (Luke18:2).
While the purpose of the parable was to emphasize the importance of persistence prayer as demonstrated by the woman seeking justice from the unjust judge, it also acknowledges the existence of such unjust judges. I’m sure that we all have heard of at least one unjust ruling handed down by judges, whether it be the most powerful judges of the land (the Supreme Court justices) or a local judge in our own city. In our disagreement with such a ruling, we cry out, “It’s not fair!” or “That’s not right!”
Are there any perfect judges? Not on this earth. All those who have been appointed or will be appointed judges under our system of government are fallible men and women who will not always rule accurately or fairly. Our hearts yearn for the day when perfect justice will be done and judges will always make the right rulings. Will that day ever come? God’s Word says that it will. But it won’t be today, and it won’t be under our current system of government.
We have been focusing for more than a year in these studies on the most amazing Person that has ever lived on this earth. We have seen who He is and what He has done. We are currently looking at what He will do in the future. This One, of course, is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God, the Second Person of the Trinity, who came to earth, taking on human flesh. He died on the cross for our sins, rose again from the dead, and later ascended into heaven. The Scriptures declare that He will someday return in the air to catch up His Church. Then, seven years later, He will come to the earth to set up His earthly Kingdom. But what will He do in the future when He comes? There are two very important roles that He will fill, the first of which we will examine now. This answers the question asked by Abraham in Genesis 18:25 when he was pleading with God for the safety of his nephew, Lot: “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth Do Right?”
Who Will Be the Judge? The Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge.
The Father has committed all judgment to the Son (John 5:22, 26-27).
Jesus was ordained by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42-43).
God will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained (Acts 17:30-31).
God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:16).
Christ will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom (II Tim. 4:1; cp. I Pet. 4:5).
Christ is the righteous Judge who will reward His own (II Tim. 4:8).
How Will He Judge? The Lord Jesus will judge as the perfect Judge.
Christ will judge with absolute truthfulness: He will judge according to truth (John 8:15-16; Rom. 2:2-6).
Christ will judge with full knowledge: He knows even the secrets and thoughts of men (Rom. 2:16; I Cor. 4:5).
Christ will judge with absolute righteousness: He fulfills perfect justice (Isa. 11:3-5; Jn. 5:30; Acts 17:31; II Tim. 4:8).
Christ will judge with full understanding: as the Son of man He understands man perfectly (John 5:27).
Christ will judge with His spoken Word: those who reject Him will be judged by what He has said (Jn. 12:47-48).
When Will He Judge? There are times in the future when the Lord Jesus will judge specific groups.
Following His return in the air, He will judge believers in the Church age at the Judgment Seat (Rom. 14:10-12;
I Cor. 4:3-5; II Cor. 5:10; II Tim. 4:8). Believers will be rewarded, not condemned... service, not sin, is the issue.
When He returns to the earth, He will judge the wicked (Jude 14-15; Rev. 19:11-16). He will judge the wicked who fight against Him (Rev. 19:11, 19-21). . . the living Gentiles, separating the sheep (believers) from the goats (unbelievers) (Matt. 25:31-46). . . and likely the living Jews, separating the rebels from the faithful (Ezek. 20:33-38) (the believers among Gentiles and Jews spared to go into the earthly Kingdom—the Millennium).
During the millennial Kingdom, He will judge those dwelling on the earth, providing equity for the meek and the poor, but not allowing open sin or rebellion as He judges it immediately (Isa. 11:3-5) (Jesus Christ Our Lord, John F. Walvoord, p. 280).
Following the millennial Kingdom and the final Satanic rebellion (Rev. 20:1-10), He will judge unbelievers of all ages at the Great White Throne (Rev.20:11-15; Matt.7:21-23). This judgment results in condemnation to the lake of fire--their names not found in the book of life and their works determining degrees of eternal punishment.
While Christ’s judgment is directed toward unbelievers and believers, for the believer the result is not condemnation. Yet to stand before Christ at the judgment seat will be a time of serious evaluation and should motivate us now to live a life of godliness and faithful service for Christ. Daniel Webster, the great statesman in the early years of the United States, was asked a penetrating question, “What is the most sobering thought that ever entered your mind?” Webster replied, “My personal accountability to God.”
To know that we are personally accountable to this righteous Judges hould change our lives. Knowing that we will someday stand before Him should lead us to prepare for that day now. Are you ready for that day?
Because of His Grace—Pastor Charlie