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In the Bible, judgment is presented in these seven ways: (1) the sentence, or decision of a judge (1 Kings 3:28); (2)the spirit of wisdom,
which enables us to know or discern right from wrong (Ps. 72:1); (3) the righteous statutes and the commandments of God (Ps. 119:7);(4)
justice or equity (Is. 1:17); (5) God's decrees concerning individuals or nations (Rom. 11:33); (6) the courts of judgment (Mt. 5:21); and
(7) the last judgment (Mt. 25:31-33).
Throughout the pages of the Bible, we encounter the divine judgments of God sent in various forms and sundry ways. Here are
a few of them: (1) plagues (Ex. 7:20), (2) disease (2 Kings 5:27), (3) pestilence and drought (2 Chron. 7:13-14,James 5:17), and (4) death
(Acts 12:23).
As we engage in the study of this tremendous subject, let us approach it in three ways. First, let us study the judgment of the unsaved.
Second, we shall consider the judgments of the saved. Third, our attention will be directed to our judgment of one another.
(1)When people think of the judgment of the unsaved, sometimes referred to as "the lost," they usually think of that great and final
day of judgment. As Paul reasoned with Felix, he did so concerning righteousness, temperance, and judgment, and he described it as
"judgment to come" (Acts 24:25). It did not exclude all other judgments of God upon them for there had been judgments from God
which came upon people in former times, as there are also judgments of God which are being experienced by individuals in our present
age. Even so, there is going to be a day of final judgment. It is yet to come, and beyond it I can see no judgment taught in Scripture.
It is the judgment which will take place after all experiences of death will have ended (Heb. 9:27).
Sometimes people wonder why the ungodly prosper. (Read Ps. 73:3-9, 18-19.) While they may seem now to prosper in the vilest of sins,
yet the day of judgment will come in which they will be sentenced and consigned to endless destruction (2 Peter 2:9). Peter declared,
" ... But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men" (2 Peter 3:7). It is a singular day when all the unsaved shall stand before God to receive the reward of their
deeds. John said, "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there
was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their
works" (Rev. 20:11-12). They will be found wanting and God's judgment of their sinful lives will consign them to eternal anguish
and punishment. This will be done at the second coming of Jesus Christ according to Jude 14-15. As there is honor to earthly magistrates
who sentence vile criminals to justifiable penalties, so God's judgment of sinners will be to His glory.
(2) The saved will not be judged at that time except in Christ, and they will be proclaimed righteous. The reason is that Jesus paid our
sin debt and we shall stand in righteousness before God on that great and dreadful day of the Lord. It will be as though Jesus stands between
us and God, and God, viewing Jesus and His work of redemption, will not further judge us. The judgment of saints is experienced on
a day-to-day basis while we live here in time. God is now judging us even as a loving father judges the behavior of his children and
chastens them accordingly. Notice Heb. 12:5, "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son,
despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." God spoke through John similar words, saying, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be
zealous therefore, and repent" (Rev. 3: 19). Even though our judgment takes place now and not at "the last day," it is still "a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31). We are to fear the judgments of God and repent of our sins. When we remember
that the sword never passed from the house of David (2 Sam. 12:10), when we are reminded of the judgment of leprosy which fell on Elisha's
servant (2 Kings 5:27), when we see King Saul lose his throne because of disobedience (l Sam. 15:26), and when we also see people die a
physical death as God's judgment for sin (Acts 5:5, 10 - Ananias and Sapphira), then how dare we take lightly God's judgments upon us?
Moses did not enter and enjoy the promised land, being denied entrance was God's judgment for his disobedience. Many today are
suffering anguish or pain as their judgments for sin, and no prayers we pray will free them. "For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor.
5: 10). Remember that all the saved are involved in this judgment and we are judged as to whether our sins were willful or unintentional.
The writer of Hebrews said, "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice
for sins. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries": "For we know him
that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people" (Heb. 10:26-27,
30). "And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning
here in fear. .." (l Peter 1:17). It is true that God is merciful and gracious, but because He loves us He will chasen us as needed (Heb.
12:6).
(3) Both the saved and unsaved receive judgment (2 Tim. 4: 1). Since the judgment of both is left to Christ, then neither group has the
duty of judging the other. Thank God that judgment is not left to men, for we are not capable of judging who is saved or lost nor of
discerning the hearts and motives of others. Even though judgment is not our responsibility or privilege, we sometimes tend to judge one
another by deciding the right or wrong of others. Because of this tendency, God asks this profound question, "Who art thou that
judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand"
(Rom. 14:4). Because we are saved by God's grace (Eph. 2:8-9) and belong to Him (l Cor. 6:20), we are servants of God and Jesus is our
Master John 13:14).Jesus must therefore judge us; it matters not what others think, only what God knows, and by His judgment we either
stand or fall. Because we are all judged by Jesus, we can and should stop our judgment of each other. When we insist on judging others,
feelings are hurt by our criticisms. "Therefore thou art inexcusable, o man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest
another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things" (Rom. 2:1).If we injure others by our unjust judgments,
we shall surely be judged by the just judgments of God.
One factor that makes it impossible for us to accurately judge others is the fact that sometimes there are situations where we did not see
what happened and therefore cannot understand. For this reason we are partially in the dark and the part we know is not ample information
for us to formulate an accurate judgment of the individual. "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will
bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of
God" (l Cor. 4:5). James reminds us that "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?"
Games 4: 12). Remember that Jesus said, "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and
with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again" (Mt. 7:1-2). Paul said, "Let us not therefore judge one another anymore:
but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way" (Rom. 14:13). When we insist on judging
each other, we risk creating situations which hinder others in their service to God. If we leave judgment to God, we become more willing
to yoke ourselves as laborers in the kingdom of God.
There are times when we may seem to be judgmental but actually are not, for we merely perceive a fact about someone. If we know
that someone has done something that is plainly condemned by God, then we are not judging. On the other hand, when we see only part
of the picture and assume the rest, we have formed a judgment. Remember that innocent people sometimes appear guilty based on
the circumstantial evidence available. You may have thought someone guilty of sin which he did not commit, but God will never make a
mistake in judgment, nor will His punishment be unfair. Since we are not God and do not possess His perfect knowledge, let us refrain
from judging one another and leave that task in the capable hands of God, where it belongs.
As we have considered God's judgment of all men and our inability to judge each other, I pray that it will cause us to focus more attention
upon ourselves and judge our own conduct rather than that of others. I hope it will also help us to recognize the need to live purer
and more consecrated lives so that we shall not fall under the just judgments of God. It is He who knows and judges whether what we
do is right or wrong. Remember this, "...all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Heb. 4:13). He is the
divine Judge before whom we live daily.
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