Divine Judgments

       Judgment is a complex matter & the scope of this short essay can only scratch the surface. There is a civil judgment which is serious as jail & the gallows. Then what I call “petty judgment” which is assessing others unfairly & w/o facts or mercy. It’s not very serious - just petty. Then we have DIVINE JUDGMENT which is a Biblical matter & eternally serious. Now Divine Judgment has eight distinct divisions, * but only five can be touched here:  
1)   Judgment of the Cross – The world is condemned when Jesus Christ said, “It is finished” John                 19:30.  M.F. Unger, a leading Bible scholar of the last century – “In the person of the Divine                     Substitute, the one who believes on Christ has been hauled to court, sentenced to condemnation             and executed in the Person of his Substitute.” John 5:24 (below)
2)   Judgment of Believers – This is where “judgment begins in the house of the Lord.” 1 Peter 4:17 The         inspiration of the Apostle Paul explains it as Divine correction & chastisement. 1 Corinthians 11:31-           32 (below)
3)   Judgment Seat of Christ - Only for Christians & not about forgiven sins, but about their individual          commitment, works & service. Eternal rewards or losses are involved. 2 Corinthians 5:10 (below)
4)   Judgment of Angels - Fallen angels (demons) are eventual losers, even though many people embrace        their desires, and serve them. See link 51 “Being Your Own Boss”. But until the end of time, we have        to contend with their lies & schemes at every level. Jude 1:6 (below)
5)   White Throne Judgment - Deals with eternal judgment of all unsaved of all ages. All who are not            found in the “Book of Life” are cast into “the lake of fire”. Rev 20:11 (below) 
--   John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has                  eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”
--   1 Corinthians 11:31-32 “But if we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged. But when we are          judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”
      2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one              may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body.”
--   James 2:13 “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy;...” (Is this a reference          to “petty judgment??)
--   Jude 1:6 “And the angels that did not keep their own position but left their proper dwelling have              been kept by him in eternal chains in the nether gloom until the judgment of the great day.”
--   Revelation 20:11 “Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth        and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.” (vs. 12-15 are intense also.)
      I am grateful for the scholarship of M.F. Unger and others in the content of this sober subject. In the matter of judging others, which we all do (petty judgment), I would say “take the high road” - forgive & pray for those “thorny others” - don’t judge & condemn them. That’s God’s business . . . In the matter of Divine Judgment, I would say be personally prepared – it’s coming at all of us according to the Word of God. And there is a kind of judgment on sinners for walking contrary to God & neglecting his call while alive – see link 66 “The Blessing & The Curse”. Choose Jesus, He is Alive. And be judged with the winning team.

* The other three are Judgment of Self, Judgment of Nations, and Judgment of Israel.

Many other Titles:  www.gospelnotes.org                                                                       * * F. J. Stone * * 
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