JUDGMENT

1. A legal decision, 2. Misfortune looked upon as a punishment from God,
3. Opinion, 4. Bible justice, 5. Short for last judgment. This is the meaning as found in most current dictionaries.

In the biblical sense judgment means, 1. Verdict [and in context justice],
2. To pronounce sentence, 3. Rule [What the ruler decrees]. It is implied that the judgment can be either favorable or unfavorable.

In relationship to God, judgment is not a place where guilt or innocence is determined. Judgment is the execution of the verdict.

Let's look at an example. Exodus 12:12, "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast and against all the gods of Egypt I will EXECUTE JUDGMENT: I am the Lord." The preliminary hearing is over, the case has been heard, both prosecution and defense have rested, the Judge will now EXECUTE JUDGMENT. He has pronounced the sentence [from which there is no appeal]. Execution of that verdict is at hand.

Court is NOW in session for You and I. God, the Righteous Judge, is presiding over the Court.

Our crime: we have sinned. The penalty: death.

Satan is the prosecutor and he is determined that we be found guilty. He wants the death penalty for us. He tries to entrap us. He entices us to continue in sin. He tries to seduce us with the pleasures of this life.

Jesus is our defense attorney [Advocate]. He is on OUR side. He has done everything possible so that we need not receive the death penalty.

The Witness is our words and works. Our heart is testifying either for us or against us. Our works day by day are the testimony in our behalf or against us.

By His Grace the Judge of the Universe holds a full Pardon. It is ours to take. Don't you want that pardon?

"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." See Matthew 12:36. This is the part that frightens most Christians. But look at the context, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things", Matthew 12:35. Shall "the good man fear?

"So then each of us shall give account of himself to God." Read

Romans 14:12. The context beginning in verse 10 through 13 is:
1. judging a brother wrongfully, 2. showing contempt for a brother, 3. causing a brother to sin. That person rightfully is fearful. Shall the one who has bowed the knee to the Lord and the one whose lifestyle confesses that Jesus is Lord fear?

"They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead", I Peter 4:5. Read who the 'they' is in verse 3 and 4. 'They' have a reason to fear.

Matthew 25 is devoted entirely to the great judgment day. In verses 1-13 Jesus talks about those who are prepared and looking forward to His coming--they have no reason to fear.

In verses 14-30 Jesus shows that using our talents, no matter how many we have, is what really matters. Those who use their talents have no reason to fear. Those who don't use their talents have every reason to be fearful.

In verses 31-46 Jesus shows us as we do those things that He talks about, to the 'least of these'--v. 40, we will be accepted. We must practice mercy whether the person is king or pauper. The one who does not practice mercy has every reason to be fearful.

Court is now in session. Guilt or 'judged' innocent is determined by our attitudes and actions in this life.

The great judgment day is a day of sentencing. It is the day of the execution of the verdict for the guilty or 'judged' innocent--the right-hand for the 'judged' innocent and the 'I never knew you' for the guilty.

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son continually cleanses us from all sin", I John 1:7.

"For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified", Hebrews 10:14.

I John 4:17-18, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have BOLDNESS in the DAY of JUDGMENT; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall make smooth your paths", Proverbs 3:5-6.

"But we know that the judgment of God is ACCORDING TO TRUTH against those who practice such things." See Romans 2:2. There will be no one who will escape by legal maneuvers. There will be no legal technicalities. God's judgment will be according to truth.

God's judgment is RIGHTEOUS judgment. See Romans 2:5. God will do what is right. He will not be influenced by someone in an earthly high position.

"For judgment is WITHOUT MERCY to the one who has shown no mercy. " See James 2:13.

"For we shall ALL stand before the judgment seat of Christ." See Romans 14:10. No exceptions. No one will sneak past judgment.

"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." See II Corinthians 5;10. No second chance after this life to correct the things done in this body. "And as it is appointed for men to die once but after this the judgment." See Hebrews 9:27.

"Behold the Lord comes with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners sinners have spoken against Him." See Jude 14, 15.

What about those who have not acknowledged Jesus as Lord in this life? "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the NAME of Jesus EVERY knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth and that EVERY tongue should CONFESS that JESUS CHRIST is LORD to the glory of God the Father." See Philippians 2:9-11.

All this has been said to warn the unsaved. What about the saved?

James 2:13. "Mercy triumphs over judgment."

I John 4:17, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness [confidence] in the day of judgment."

Judgment is a day of execution of the verdict AGAINST the ungodly--eternal banishment.

It is also a day of execution of the verdict IN FAVOR OF the godly--eternal fellowship.

It is the day of glorification of the saints. It is the day of humiliation of the ungodly.

It is a day of rejoicing for the saints. It is a day of mourning for the ungodly.

No wonder Felix trembled.  How about you?

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