At the Judgement — Part 1

Do you ever think about the Judgment?  I’ve thought about the Judgment at times, but it’s not something I’ve liked to think a lot about.  I know there will be rewards given.  But I also know there will be fear and loss, as well.  The ‘wiping away of all tears’ and the ‘no more crying,’ etc. come after the later Great White Throne Judgment of the lost.

So, I have looked forward to the believers’ Judgment Seat of Christ with equal parts joy and trepidation.

When I think of my life being brought before the throne of God, I tremble. How about you?

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What will it be like to stand before complete and perfect holiness?

…Knowing the sins I harbored in my heart and committed in my life?  Knowing all the opportunities to love Him through service that I forfeited?

Great awe, and then great fear come to mind.  I believe it will be something like what Isaiah experienced when he saw God upon His throne.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.  

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.  Isaiah 6:1, 5

Knowing that I will experience the fear of the Lord like never before, I am even more thankful to know that salvation does not depend upon my good works (good thing, huh?), and that none of my bad works can change my eternal home.  I am saved and will be living with Jesus for eternity no matter the outcome of my judgment.  Praise the Lord forevermore!

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.  1 Corinthians 3:15

Nevertheless, I also know that I shall experience great regret and sorrow for all the times I disappointed and grieved the One who loved me so much.  So much that He left Heaven’s glory and came to earth, taking on lowly human flesh, in order to die in my place and pay for my sins for me!

But then my next thought about the Judgment is, “Oh no!  Will all my sins be revealed to everyone?”  Oh, the shame!

I don’t know about you, but I have sins in my life that I don’t want others to know about.

Or, what about this thought?  …Mama!

How many of you would want your Mama to know and see some of the things you’ve done?  I am pretty sure there is not one among us who doesn’t have something in their past they’d rather Mom not ever learn about.  Am I right?

In my reading of Hosea this week I came across this verse—

And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.  Hosea 7:2

This verse is referring to the fact that God has not forgiven Israel’s idolatry…as they have refused to repent and return to Him.  And will be bringing His judgment upon the nation.

But the verse got me to thinking again…does God remember all my sins, my wickedness?

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, will the believers’ sins be brought back up and judged?

Turns out, I don’t have to wonder about that anymore.  God’s Word is clear.

Our sins, the believers’ sins, are gone! To be remembered no more!

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.  Isaiah 43:25

God has chosen, even in His omniscience, to forget our sins…for His own sake.  They are forgotten!  And what God does, He does completely.  (Ecclesiastes 3:14)

Our sins are completely gone!

How, then, could they possibly be brought back up to accuse us at the Judgment Seat of Christ?

And besides that, who is the accuser?  Certainly not Jesus!!  (Revelation 12:10)

 

Upon our salvation, we are cleansed of our sins and justified.

Jesus has paid the price for our sins and, upon our faith in Him as our Saviour, washed us clean in His precious blood.  Hallelujah forevermore!

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  1 John 1:7

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

Our sins are gone.  Washed away.  They no longer exist!  Therefore, Jesus will not be able to bring up all that dirt again at the Judgment to accuse His brethren.  We will stand before Him clean, justified…“just as if I’d never sinned.”

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  1 Corinthians 6:11

“are justified”  is present tense. 

I am justified NOW!

Justification doesn’t take place after our sins are brought back up again to be dealt with at the Judgment.  They’ve already been dealt with! 

 

Jesus said, “It is finished.”

If Jesus’ blood had not been able to completely cleanse us, we’d still be needing to offer sacrifices.

There would still be a remembrance of sin before God.  But Jesus’ sacrifice was the satisfaction for my sins and for your sins!

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;…And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.(Hebrews 10:10-12, 17)

Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.”  His work took care of our sins, “once for all.”  Therefore, there is…

No. More. Remembrance of sins!

What freedom!  Freedom to serve God with joy and love and extreme thankfulness.

Like the chorus to the song, Amazing Grace, by Chris Tomlin, says—

Instead of living and serving God any longer in fear and dread—Rejoice!  And serve Him from a heart filled to overflowing with gratitude and praise! 

 

Drawing nigh to Him,

Teresa

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT.

Do you still have questions?  Such as — But what about those verses that say things like we will give account of every idle word, etc.?  Check out Part 2 of this post—At the Judgment-Part 2.

Are you like me?  Have you ever worried about the Judgment?  What are your thoughts about the Judgment?  Was this post helpful to you?

RELATED POSTS:

At the Judgment-Part 2

I Want God to be Just Most of the Time

3 Reasons Good Works Won’t Get You Into Heaven

Are You 100% Sure You’ll Go To Heaven?

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