The Judgment Seat of Christ

The Judgment Seat of Christ

2 Corinthians 5:9-11

7-11

• Mathew 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged"
  
• Years ago John 3:16 was the most popular bible verse, now it is Mathew 7:1-
  
• The only sin that is still considered a sin is being "judgmental of other people's sins.
  

This is the great offense – but we should look at other scriptures that deal with judgmentalism.

Jesus had to deal with people judging him – he was criticized for being "the carpenter - the son of a carpenter"

They said he cast out devils and worked cures by the power of Belzebub – here Jesus warned his critics to be careful lest they blaspheme the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was accused of having bad company eating with tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners. Accused of being a glutton and a wine bibber.

On one occasion he was criticized for not having a proper education.

John 7-14-19 verse 24

"Do not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment."

In Mathew 7, the same chapter in which Jesus says, Judge not. He commands his followers to use discernment. – Mathew 7- 15-20

If we don't "judge with righteous judgment", we won't be able to call out or identify false prophets.

Paul the apostle asks the church:

"I speak to your shame, is it so that there is not a will man among you? Is there not one who is able to judge between his brethren?" 1 Corinthians 6:5

In this case a man of the Christian community created a public scandal by carrying on an affair with his father's wife.

Paul preached to Felix -

Righteousness, self control and judgment to come – Acts 24:25

People have been hurt and turned away from God – by judgmental Christians.

But one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to judge our hearts

    Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will come to convert the world of sin and righteousness and of judgment. – John 16:8

We face judgmental people all the time-

A CSM told me that it was his job to be judgmental

He was trained to be judgmental at the Sergeant Majors Academy.

I was walking to the DFAC and I talked to a soldier – he told me he was the "Uniform Nazi"

We have NCOERs, OERs and other judgments about ourselves we must face.

We have standard – they need to be enforced and we can all stand to be corrected.

Sometimes we can learn from correction- but that's the problem – what's the motivation behind the criticism?

Sometimes righteous judgments are made. We know how men judges sometimes, falsely or with prejudice, but what about God?

When Samuel was sent to anoint a son of Jesse as king, he looked upon Eliab and said surly this is the Lords anointed. The lord said to him "do not look at his appearance or his physical appearance because I have rejected him. For the lord does not look at the outward appearance. The lord looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:6-7

And so the despised David was chosen as king – and not the mighty Eliab. – David who was viewed as being important enough to be there.

God is holy but a just judge. One of the roles of Jesus Christ is that of judge.

In John 5:22

Jesus said, "For the Father judge no men – but hath committed all judgment into the Son.

John 5:27

And hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the son of man.

Mathew 16:27

The son of man will come in the glory of his father with his angels, and then he will judge each according to his works.

Acts 10:42

And He commended us to preach to the people and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God - to be judge of the living and the dead.

To Him all the prophets witness that through His name. Whoever believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins.

We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be judged for our works – but we have a choice now to choose to face Christ as our judge or our redeemer.

Let's look at the story of the woman taken in adultery-

John 8

Jesus offered mercy and compassion and forgiveness but he didn't say adultery was OK. He said go and sin no more.

Everyone will stand before Christ in Mathew 25:31-

All nations - the sheep and the goats

Jesus told his followers Lay not up for yourselves treasures in earth , where moths and rust corrupt and thieves break in and steal – lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15