When will believers be judged

[GuardianAngel1337]

Hello, I have a question concerning the judgment of believers.

Paul says, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Is this talking about the judgment of the whole world? I can't believe that, for the following reasons:

Imagine we die and are with the Lord. Wow, good. Glory. Happiness. Joy. But then, we will still be judged in the future? That doesn't make any sense to me. It's completely irrational, in my view. Glory has to follow judgment. I can't imagine waiting in glory for a still future judgment to come for me. I know that my body will be resurrected in the future, okay, but that has nothing to do with another judgment.

How do we reconcile this?

 

[Joshua]

Some help, perhaps, from our confessional standards (my emphases added):

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WCF 33​

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I. God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ,a to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father.b In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged,c 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.d​

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a. Acts 17:31. • b. John 5:22, 27. • c. 1 Cor 6:3; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 1:6. • d. Ecc 12:14; Mat 12:36-37; Rom 2:16; 14:10, 12; 2 Cor 5:10.​

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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;a and of his justice in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient.b 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:c 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.d​

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a. Mat 25:21; Rom 9:23. • b. Rom 2:5-6; 9:22; 2 Thes 1:7-8. • c. Mat 25:31-34; Acts 3:19; 2 Thes 1:7. • d. Mat 25:41, 46; 2 Thes 1:9.​

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WLC​

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Q. 86. What is the communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible Church enjoy immediately after death?​

A. The communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible Church enjoy immediately after death, is, in that their souls are then made perfect in holiness, and received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory; waiting for the full redemption of their bodies, which even in death continue united to Christ, and rest in their graves, as in their beds, till at the last day they be again united with their souls. Whereas the souls of the wicked are at their death cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness; and their bodies kept in their graves, as in their prisons, until the resurrection and judgment of the great day.​

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Heb. 12:23; 2 Cor. 5:1, 6, 8; Phil. 1:23; Acts 3:21; Eph. 4:10; 1 John 3:2; 1 Cor. 13:12; Rom. 8:23; Ps. 16:9; 1 Thess. 4:14; Isa. 57:2; Job 19:26-27; Luke 16:23-24; Acts 1:25; Jude 1:6-7.​

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Q. 87. What are we to believe concerning the resurrection?​

A. We are to believe, that, at the last day, there shall be a general resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust: when they that are then found alive shall in a moment be changed; and the selfsame bodies of the dead which are laid in the grave, being then again united to their souls for ever, shall be raised up by the power of Christ. The bodies of the just, by the Spirit of Christ, and by virtue of his resurrection as their head, shall be raised in power, spiritual, incorruptible, and made like to his glorious body; and the bodies of the wicked shall be raised up in dishonor by him, as an offended judge.​

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Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:21-23, 42-44; Phil. 3:21; John 5:27-29; Matt. 25:33.​

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Q. 88. What shall immediately follow after the resurrection?​

A. Immediately after the resurrection shall follow the general and final judgment of angels and men; the day and hour whereof no man knoweth, that all may watch and pray, and be ever ready for the coming of the Lord.​

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2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 1:6-7, 14-15; Matt. 25:46; Matt. 24:36, 42, 44; Luke 21:35-36.​

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Q. 89. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?​

A. A. the day of judgment, the wicked shall be set on Christ’s left hand, and, upon clear evidence and full conviction of their own consciences, shall have the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them; and thereupon shall be cast out from the favorable presence of God, and the glorious fellowship with Christ, his saints, and all his holy angels, into hell, to be punished with unspeakable torments both of body and soul, with the devil and his angels for ever.​

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Matt. 25:33; Rom. 2:15-16; Matt. 25:41-43; Luke 16:26; 2 Thess. 1:8-9.​

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Q. 90. What shall be done to the righteous at the day of judgment?​

A. At the day of judgment, the righteous, being caught up to Christ in the clouds, shall be set on his right hand, and there openly acknowledged and acquitted, shall join with him in the judging of reprobate angels and men, and shall be received into heaven, where they shall be fully and for ever freed from all sin and misery; filled with inconceivable joys, made perfectly holy and happy both in body and soul, in the company of innumerable saints and holy angels, but especially in the immediate vision and fruition of God the Father, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, to all eternity. And this is the perfect and full communion, which the members of the invisible Church shall enjoy with Christ in glory, at the resurrection and day of judgment.​

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1 Thess. 4:17; Matt. 25:33; Matt. 10:32; 1 Cor. 6:2-3; Matt. 25:34, 46; Eph. 5:27; Rev. 14:13; Ps. 16:11; Heb. 12:22-23; 1 John 3:2; 1 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 4:17-18.​

 

[YeshuaFan]

Hello, I have a question concerning the judgment of believers.

Paul says, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Is this talking about the judgment of the whole world? I can't believe that, for the following reasons:

Imagine we die and are with the Lord. Wow, good. Glory. Happiness. Joy. But then, we will still be judged in the future? That doesn't make any sense to me. It's completely irrational, in my view. Glory has to follow judgment. I can't imagine waiting in glory for a still future judgment to come for me. I know that my body will be resurrected in the future, okay, but that has nothing to do with another judgment.

How do we reconcile this?

Saved shall appear before Bhema Seat of Jesus, and will be judges for the good works done while here On earth. Right motivations will earn eternal rewards, while works done for bad reasons get burned up.
The Lost go to the Great White Throne, where all judged for sins

 

[GuardianAngel1337]

@Joshua

Thank you for the quotes, but I am not sure how that addresses the topic.

Saved shall appear before Bhema Seat of Jesus, and will be judges for the good works done while here On earth. Right motivations will earn eternal rewards, while works done for bad reasons get burned up.
The Lost go to the Great White Throne, where all judged for sins

Yes, something like that would be a way out of this dilemma. So the "judgment seat of Christ" Paul speaks about is only for believers upon their death.

But the text (2. Cor 5:10-11) says that we receive according to what we have done, good or evil, and then Verse 11 says that Paul knew the terror of the Lord, and therefore he tries to persuade man.

So, in my opinion, this sounds like this judgment seat of Christ is for both the good and the bad. I don't see how it speaks of believers only.

 

[MyCrows]

On the final day, believers sins are revealed to be covered by the blood of Christ, whereas the sins of the wicked will be revealed as yet deserving of God's wrath.

It will be a day that brings tears of joy to those in Christ, as even their most secret deeds are revealed, and yet they are shown to be the recipients of God's mercy, in contrast to those who recieve their just desserts for their sin.

 

[EvanF]

Resurrection precedes judgment, so I don't see how the dead saints could avoid judgment along with the living.

 

[Joshua]

@Joshua

Thank you for the quotes, but I am not sure how that addresses the topic.

My apologies, Mario. Your signature said WCF minus Church Polity, and I thought the standards rounded out your concerns (particularly the portions emphasized) according to your own profession, showing what we confess from the Scriptures that happens to a saint upon death, then awaiting the resurrection, the subsequently the judgment, which includes all men who have ever lived, one group being sent to their eternal dessert, the other manifesting God's mercy to sinners, openly acknowledged and acquitted before a watching world, having been finally and perfectly conformed to the image of Christ. RE: When will believers be judged.

 

[MW]

How do we reconcile this?

The problem in modern thought is that judgment is only conceived in negative terms. Hence the inability to cope with the idea of it. Read the Psalms. "Judge me, O God." The Christian awaits vindication. That is not possible without judgment.

 

[Ed Walsh]

Paul says, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Is this talking about the judgment of the whole world? I can't believe that, for the following reasons:

Imagine we die and are with the Lord. Wow, good. Glory. Happiness. Joy. But then, we will still be judged in the future? That doesn't make any sense to me. It's completely irrational, in my view. Glory has to follow judgment. I can't imagine waiting in glory for a still future judgment to come for me. I know that my body will be resurrected in the future, okay, but that has nothing to do with another judgment.

Short answer. Matthew 25:31-46

You figure this out. I'll tell you something to look for but I think you can come to your own conclusions.

The goats are on the left. What is the nature of their judgment from God?

Then note carefully the "judgment" of the sheep.

Figure out the difference and you'll have your answer. Surely we all must appear before the Judgment seat of Christ. I can't wait.

 

[John Nyberg]

God is glorified in the judgment and vindication of his saints. Salvation is all his; our vindication will magnify the glory of his sovereign grace in us.