How Do You Want to be Judged?
It is really getting tough for Christians to trust and to appreciate our judicial system. Laws are being made without the input of the people. That is not what our country’s constitution allows. Interpretations are being pronounced without the support of any godly morality. That is not what our spiritual constitution, the Bible, allows.
But, this is not happening only on the grand scale of the country. It is also occurring in the daily walk of life. People are passing judgments on entire races through the actions of a few individuals of that race. That is not right! People are pronouncing judgments on each other without evidence or without the desire to make the situation better. That is not right.
Here is a question for all of us. How do you want God to judge you? There is no question but that He will judge us one day. “…He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31).
He will judge “in righteousness” (Acts 17:31). God’s judgment will not use any of the standards that we seem to see all the time. He will have an identifiable standard. “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And 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.” (Revelation 20:12).
He will not judge without full understanding of the truth of all the facts. “…God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” (I John 3:20). And, He will not judge us in a group. Our judgment will be personal. “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.” (II Corinthians 5:10). I like God’s system better than ours. Don’t you?
So, what are the details of His judgment standard? His judgment will be based on an external standard. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus addressed His external judging standard and it may not be what anyone would have expected. His main point apparently will be our service to others.
Specifically, He mentions the absolutely necessity of looking out for those who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, clothing-less, sick, and in prison. If I am not attentive to the needs of others, I will suffer on that great judgment day.
He also specified the details of the standard of judgment with a look at the interior. In Matthew 25:1-30, Jesus gave two thoughts that He will be looking for when He judges us at the end of time.
His two words were prepared and profitable. The 5 foolish virgins waiting for the bridegroom were not prepared for his delay. The one servant who failed his master was not profitable. These two things—preparation and profitability—will be an important part of the final judgment. Am I on the right track?
— Mike Johnson
