In our world today the word Judgement for many people carries significant negativity…

• Don’t make snap Judgements
• Don’t Judge on appearances
• Don’t Judge a book by it’s cover

This impacts the way we perceive & understand the “Judgement” that God talks about in His Word. Often times when people think about Judgement in the Bible, they think of it as if it was just an “Old Testament” thing.

Jesus talked alot about Judgement as well. While there is a lot we might not understand about judgement, there is a lot that God’s Word is very clear on.

One of the most important truths is that everyone enters the courtroom guilty and God is the only one who gets to Judge.

Romans 3:23 (ESV)

        “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

If this is true, and both the Believer and Unbeliever will be judged, the natural next question is “What does that judgement look like”? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ #1 – God’s Judgement of the Unbeliever

Matthew 25:31-33

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV)

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Notice what it says – 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.

The unbeliever is judged based off of their works because they have rejected/refused the saving work of Jesus on the cross.

#2 – God’s Judgement of the Believer

2 Corinthians 5:10 (ESV)

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.

Romans 14:12 (ESV)

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

This does not mean that when we stand before God as Believers that our salvation is being judged. Our salvation has already been secured in Jesus.

Romans 8:1(ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The believer is however judged and rewarded based off of what they did with what Jesus had given them.

Matthew 25:14- 18 (ESV)

Parable of the Talents “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

When the master returns, he is frustrated not based on what the return of his investment was, but whether or not they did anything with what was given to them.

A couple things to think about:

1.  Have you given your life to Jesus but still living in Fear of Judgement someday?
2.  Are you confident in what will happen after you die but your life doesn’t reflect a relationship with Jesus?
3.  Are you trying to sit on the fence with one foot in the Kingdom and one foot in the world?
4.  What does this do to how we perceive those around us who don’t know Jesus?

Questions to discuss in Life Group or with your family and friends: Passages to consider: Hebrews 9:27, 28; Matthew 25: 14-30, 31-46; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Revelation 20:11-14

1.  What insights did you gain from the sermon? A)What questions do you have? Remember to email in questions.
2.  Read Hebrews 9:27-28. What do you see in these verses – about man, God and life/death,? (Think about who judges, who gets judged, on what basis, how often, etc.)
3.  As we think about what happens when you die, what questions does this passage answer? B)What questions might this passage raise?
4.  Considering this passage, what you choose to do with Jesus is critical to what happens when you die. There is a critical importance to wrestling with who Jesus is and what he has done, why he has done it and choosing a response to him. A) Where are you in the process of responding to Jesus? B) Who can you be part of helping to know about Jesus and respond to him? Be specific.
5.  Initial judgment after death is based on how someone responds to Jesus’ offer of payment for broken relationship with God. What do 2 Cor 5: 6-10, 1 Cor 3:10-14; and Matt 25:14-30 show about what else a follower of Jesus will experience? (For your discussion you might choose only 1 passage)
6.  How is this increased focus on eternity impacting how you live today? Share what God is showing you.