Is there a Judgement 

for Believers in Jesus Christ?

 Philipose Vaidyar

 

Yes, the Bible, the Word of God affirms it, all over.

 

Let us start with one reference and see a few more. The Bible references here are for our reading and study and no interpretation is added. There are a few passing comments and questions as heading for better reading and reflection and self-study. In the end, there is a section of quotations as acknowledged.  

 

Romans 2:6-11

⁶ God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”⁷ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life. ⁸ But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. ⁹ There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; ¹⁰ but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ¹¹ For God does not show favoritism. (NIV)

 

Romans 2:16

¹⁶ This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

 

Interpreting the above verses, if we say, “Salvation is by faith alone. It is by God’s grace and faith in Jesus Christ we are saved” It's right.  But if you say, “therefore, there is no judgment for believers in Christ; Whether you go to heaven or hell is dependent on any of these verses above, it’s by your faith Jesus alone”, it is not absolute and can create a lot of doubt, confusion and much more. 

 

If we continue to say, “it means that you do not need to live in fear and doubt until you die; if you had believed in Jesus Christ, you can be sure that you will go heaven”, we are only adding to the confusion. And if we say, “Paul is talking to the Jews that to make them realize that are equal with the non-Jews, they who judge others too are sinful, and it is not applicable to us”, it will be gruesome. 

 

The above two statements are partly correct but it is lop-sided. Those should not be the interpretations or conclusions for the passage in Romans 2 cited above. 

•          The above passage talks about a God who repays justly.
•         It talks about God giving eternal life and wrath
•          It talks about God giving eternal life to those who persistently did good seeking glory and immortality. 
•          It also talks about God giving his wrath and anger, trouble (tribulation), and distress to every human being who is self-seeking, who reject the truth and does evil.
•         It once again affirms glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, as God does not show favoritism.

 

So does it mean that a non-believer in Christ will be saved or will go to heaven?

Not at all!  We have a clear teaching about it by Jesus Christ himself and by the Apostles. 

The point here is about the Christ believers’ judgments and the meaning of the above verses. 

For me, the above verses are clear for the reader and it should not throw us into any confusion. Adding our interpretations inappropriately out of the context will thwart the teaching of the Word. To read and understand, the above passage which has no complex words or difficult concepts there, we do not need to know much of the theological schools of thought.  

 

Salvation by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and not through human good works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

 

However, it's important to follow Paul's full train of thought, instead of taking verses out of context. Paul is building the case for salvation by God's grace through our faith in Christ alone, and apart from anything we could ever do to earn it. Paul's point here sets up the truth of the gospel, it does not contradict it.

 

Having said that, Paul describes something true. God will judge each of us according to our works. For those who are saved, God does judge our works to determine heavenly rewards

“So we make it our goal to please him… For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

 

It is better to interpret scripture with the scripture. I would like to cite a few references from the Bible for your study and to draw applications, yourselves:

 

Who is a believer and who enters into the Kingdom of God?

 

What did Jesus Christ say on this?

  

‘Only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter the kingdom of heaven’

 

Matthew 7:21-23

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

 

Does a mere belief in Jesus make one a Christ Believer?

 

John 2:23-25

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

 

Jesus taught about a mutual relationship and dwelling together between Him and his follower to have an abundant life that grows, be fruitful, and not be cut off and thrown away from Him.  John 15

 

Is turning away from faith possible?  & Who will be saved?

 

Matthew 24: 10-13

“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved”.

What does Apostle Paul or others say…

Colossians 1:20-23

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—  if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Hebrews  3:14

"We have come to share in Christ if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end".

The author of Hebrews is warning Christ-believers about Apostasy (Abandonment of faith or beliefs)

Heb 6:1-9

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, ² instructions about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. ³ And God permitting, we will do so. ⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen^[c] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss, they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. ⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end, it will be burned.

Heb 10:21-31

²⁶ If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, ²⁷ but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”³¹ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

 

Why should we do good work?

Ephesians 2:10

"We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do"

 

James 2:14-26

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can faith save him? But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” 

 

Do we deceive ourselves if we do not do good?!

 

James 1:22

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” .

Also, refer James 3:13

 

Titus exhorts us to do good works several times in his short letter:

Titus 1:16

Titus 2:7

Titus 2:14

Titus 3:1

Titus 3:8

Titus 3:14

  

Are Christ-believers judged?

John 5:21-22

²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. ²² Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,

John 5:26-29

²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, ²⁷ and has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man. ²⁸ Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

Romans 14;10-13

¹⁰ You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. ¹¹ It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me;  every tongue will acknowledge God.’” ¹² So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. ¹³ Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

 

1 Corinthians 4:4

"My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me".

1 Peter 4:5 

"But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead".

2 Peter 2:4

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness….” 

Acts 10:42

He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.

Acts 17:31

 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Gal 6:7-8

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

2 Tim 2:11-14

 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.  If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Heb 6:1-9

...Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Heb 10:21-31

²⁶ If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, ²⁷ but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”³¹ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

Revelation 3:11

"I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown".

Revelation 22:12

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done".

 

 Further Reflections…

What is the difference between the Christian’s judgment and the non-Christian’s judgment?

The Judgment Seat of Christ is for the commendation of believers, while the Great White Throne Judgment is for the condemnation of unbelievers. The result of the Judgment Seat of Christ will be eternal rewards, while the result of the Great White Throne Judgment will be God’s eternal punishment. And only those who are saved will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

 “God’s justification exempts us from God’s condemnation, but it does not exempt us from God’s evaluation. After you become a Christian, you no longer have to worry about God’s condemnation, but you still need to be mindful of His evaluation of your life. That is why 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “We [Christians] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Every one of us will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ–no exceptions.

 

In the day that we stand before our Master and Maker, it will not matter how many people on earth knew our name, how many called us great, and how many considered us fools. It will not matter whether schools and hospitals were named after us, whether our estate was large or small, whether our funeral drew ten thousand or no one. It will not matter what the newspapers or history books said or didn’t say. What will matter is one thing and one thing only – what the Master thinks of us”. 

- Reference: www.gracequotes.org/topic/eschatology-judgment-believers 

 

“There is a judgment before us all. Words have no meaning in the Bible, if there is none. It is mere trifling with Scripture to deny it. There is a judgment before us according to our works – certain, strict, and unavoidable. High or low, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, we shall all have to stand at the bar of God and to receive our eternal sentence. There will be no escape. Concealment will be impossible. We and God must at last meet face to face. We shall have to render an account of every privilege that was granted to us, and of every ray of light that we enjoyed. We shall find that we are dealt with as accountable and responsible creatures, and that to whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required”. 

- J.C. Ryle  on Mathew 25

 

“Evidence, evidence, evidence, will be the one thing wanted when the great white throne is set, when the books are opened, when the graves give up their tenants, when the dead are arraigned before the bar of God. Without some evidence that our faith in Christ was real and genuine, we shall only rise again to be condemned. I can find no evidence that will be admitted in that day, except sanctification. The question will not be how we talked and what we professed, but how we lived and what we did. Let no man deceive himself on this point. If anything is certain about the future, it is certain that there will be a judgment; and if anything is certain about judgment, it is certain that men’s “works” and “doings” will be considered and examined in it (Jn. 5:29; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:13). He that supposes works are of no importance, because they cannot justify us, is a very ignorant Christian. Unless he opens his eyes, he will find to his cost that if he comes to the bar of God without some evidence of grace, he had better never have been born”.

            - J.C. Ryle,  Taken from Holiness by J.C. Ryle, Moody Publishers, copyright 2010, p. 58.

 

“A believer’s judgment is not penal, but retributive, not a declaration of doom, but an assessment of worth; eternal destiny not at issue; eternal reward is; an evaluation of faithfulness and service within God’s family; this judgment does not determine entrance into the kingdom, but rather the status of those already admitted”.

- Sam Storms,  Individual Eschatology