# Are believers still judged by God?



## shackleton

I have heard many Christians say that believers are still judged by God, not for sin since that was taken care of by Christ, but for the deeds done in the body. They use this verse as proof. 
2 Cor. 5:10"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."
Is this true? Or is this just our human nature wanting to feel like we need to earn something?


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## Coram Deo

Aren't there different rewards for believers in heaven?


I believe that the judgment for believers are based on their deeds and will receive greater or lesser rewards in heaven depending on their life.....

I know some disagree... I heard our previous Reformed Baptist Pastor say that believers will not be wailing in tears for their sins they committed in life during the judgment seat and that there is no rewards of greater or lesser in the kingdom of heaven.. My wife and I just looked at each other and knew each other thoughts, "How could he say that".

I do believe there will be tears of for the sins we have committed against our Lord, but they will be short lived knowing that they are washed away by the debt paid, I also believe depending on our lives there will be greater or lesser rewards.....



shackleton said:


> I have heard many Christians say that believers are still judged by God, not for sin since that was taken care of by Christ, but for the deeds done in the body. They use this verse as proof.
> 2 Cor. 5:10"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."
> Is this true? Or is this just our human nature wanting to feel like we need to earn something?


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## PuritanCovenanter

(1Co 3:13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

(1Co 3:14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

(1Co 3:15) If any man's work shall be burned, he *shall suffer loss*: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.


G2210
ζημιόω
zēmioō
dzay-mee-o'-o
From G2209; to injure, that is, (reflexively or passively) to experience detriment: - be cast away, receive damage, lose, suffer loss.


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## Coram Deo

That sums it up well.... Thank you..





puritancovenanter said:


> (1Co 3:13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
> 
> (1Co 3:14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
> 
> (1Co 3:15) If any man's work shall be burned, he *shall suffer loss*: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
> 
> 
> G2210
> ζημιόω
> zēmioō
> dzay-mee-o'-o
> From G2209; to injure, that is, (reflexively or passively) to experience detriment: - be cast away, receive damage, lose, suffer loss.


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## CDM

Of course Christians are judged by God. _All_ men are going to be.



> 2COR 5:10 For we must *all* appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.





> ECC 12:14 For God shall bring *every work* into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.





> ROM 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? *for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.* 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.





> MAT 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.



Indeed, God will judge us [Christians] by the "judgment seat of Christ"

WCF, Ch.33, _Of the Last Judgment_

I. God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ,[1] to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father.[2] In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged,[3] *but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.*[4]

II. The end of God's appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of His justice, in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient. For then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of joy and refreshing, which shall come from the presence of the Lord; but the wicked who know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.[5]

III. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin; and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity:[6] so will He have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come; and may be ever prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.[7]

---
[1] ACT 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

[2] JOH 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

[3] 1CO 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? JUD 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 2PE 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.

[4] 2CO 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. ECC 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. ROM 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. MAT 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

[5] MAT 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. ROM 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: ROM 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. MAT 5:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ACT 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 2TH 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe(because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

[6] 2PE 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 2CO 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 2TH 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, LUK 21:7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. ROM 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

[7] MAT 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. MAR 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. LUK 12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they say open unto him immediately. REV 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.




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## shackleton

I know this is an age old question but...
If everything is determined, and life is just the plan of God playing out in time sequentially, are we not just playing out the hand God has dealt us? If not does that give us some measure of freedom as to how we will turnout? 
i.e. God made everything the way it is, then judges people based on how he determined they would be, which is a part of his eternal plan that was laid out prior to the foundation of the world.


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## PuritanCovenanter

Don't confuse Predestination with Providence or the fact that God ordains all things.


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## A5pointer

puritancovenanter said:


> (1Co 3:13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
> 
> (1Co 3:14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
> 
> (1Co 3:15) If any man's work shall be burned, he *shall suffer loss*: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
> 
> 
> G2210
> ζημιόω
> zēmioō
> dzay-mee-o'-o
> From G2209; to injure, that is, (reflexively or passively) to experience detriment: - be cast away, receive damage, lose, suffer loss.



This does not seem to be a good proof text. A close look at the text seems to indicate Paul has in mind leaders/teachers and their works seem to be their teaching or possibly even their professing converts.


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## PuritanCovenanter

A5pointer said:


> This does not seem to be a good proof text. A close look at the text seems to indicate Paul has in mind leaders/teachers and their works seem to be their teaching or possibly even their professing converts.



I am not so sure it is just about teaching as the text leads to a discussion of glorying in men or their association with men and not just teaching. But I do believe the works Paul mentions involve what is done in building on the foundation also. That does include more than teaching. It also includes how one conducts himself in the Body of Christ or the Temple of the Holy Spirit.


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## Staphlobob

Unbelievers: A judgment of condemnation.
Believers: A judgment of evaluation.

However, In my humble opinion, I do not think believers, in heaven, shed any tears for their previous sins.


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## MW

A memorable Puritan distinction (from Dr. Manton I think) -- we are judged as children by a father, who spares His own as a father spares his son who serves him, and not as criminals by the magistrate, who is bound to enforce the law to the letter (or something to that effect).


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