Thegreatestjudgement

To illustrate the judgment, Jesus told the story of a king who made a marriage feast for his son. He sent his servants to call those who were invited to the feast, but they ignored the invitations and continued doing other things. Some even murdered those who were sent to call them. So the king destroyed their city and the murderers. Then he told his servants to go everywhere and invite everyone to the feast, both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Each guest was given a wedding garment that would cover whatever he or she was wearing. When the king came in to be with the guests, there was one who had not put on the wedding garment, and he was cast out into darkness. This story is told in Matthew 22:1-14.

The wedding garment represents the perfect righteousness of Christ that God freely offers each one of us. If we refuse it and stand before the King in our own righteousness, we will not be accepted into fellowship with God. But if we accept the garment of Christ's righteousness that is freely offered to us, we will stand with joy in the judgment. For many, the day of judgment will be a day when all their past sins will come back to haunt them, but for those who love and follow God, the judgment is not something to be feared. God is for His people in the judgment, taking their side and covering them with the garment of His own righteousness.

Another example of God's judgment is in the story of the children of Israel in Egypt. Just before their Exodus from bondage, the children of Israel were spared the judgments that fell on Egypt through ten terrible plagues. The final plague, which took the firstborn of every household in Egypt, did not harm any household of the Israelites who followed God's instructions and put the blood of a lamb on the door post.

It was the blood of the lamb and not their own condition that saved them from disaster. The blood represented the atoning sacrifice of the Saviour to come, who would offer His perfect life--His righteousness--in behalf of all sinners. The people had nothing to offer for their deliverance, but when they in faith followed God's directions, they were spared because they were covered by the blood.

Jesus gives a picture of judgment as He describes His Second Coming: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." Matthew 25:31, 32, NIV. The sheep are the saved and the goats are the lost.

Jesus tells of two men who prayed to God at the temple. One, a Pharisee, told God of all his virtues and good deeds. He was sure he was on the right track because of his own perceived goodness. The other man was a tax collector, burdened down with so much guilt that he couldn't even look toward heaven, but he said, " God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Jesus said the tax collector went home justified rather than the Pharisee. This is recorded in Luke 18:9-14, NIV.

The man who saw his great need, and went to God for forgiveness and mercy, received the blessing of salvation. The man who didn't feel he really needed God because He had enough righteousness on his own was really the man in jeopardy, although he probably didn't even know it. Salvation in this story was not based on good works, but upon accepting the amazing grace and love of our Lord. We can be justified (declared righteous) simply by surrendering our lives and hearts to Jesus Christ. The thief on the cross said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom," and Jesus said, "You will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:42, 43, NIV.

Another story of Jesus that seemed to turn things upside down was about people that were hired to work in the vineyard. Those who worked one hour were paid the same wages as those who worked all day. The story is in Matthew 20:1-16. Jesus made it clear that the length of time worked in the vineyard was not an issue. God is generous, merciful, and loving, and He gives the same full measure of reward to all who choose to work in His vineyard, no matter how early or late they start. God's grace is for all who will accept it and at any time they accept it.

Paul spoke of judgment in no uncertain terms: ". . . we will all stand before God's judgment seat. . . . So, then, each of us will give an account of himself to God." Romans 14:10, 12, NIV. The most important question that will be asked about every individual in the judgment is "Has this person accepted the provision of God for our salvation (the Lamb of God--Jesus Christ)?" Those who have not accepted Him will be judged by their own works, and the verdict will be against them. Those who have accepted Him will be judged by the perfect works of Christ, their Substitute, and the verdict will be in their favor.

The Bible makes it clear that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. No one is worthy to be saved. Even so, we are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:24. If we accept it, Jesus took the penalty of our sins on Calvary, and gave us His righteousness. So there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

"Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Romans 8:33, 34, NIV.

Our works are significant in the judgment, not because we earn anything by them, but because they show our love and attitude toward God. We love Him because He first loved us, and our acceptance of His amazing grace is the part we play in our survival in the day of judgment.

1 John 4:10, 17 (NIV), tells us, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. . . . In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him."

Christians should not fear the judgment. We should await it as a day of joy. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24, NIV.

The outcome of our judgment has already been settled. Because we are in Him we have already received the verdict of "not guilty." Our future is secure in knowing that when the King comes, we already have on the wedding garment of Christ's righteousness. We know we will be sheep instead of goats. Yes, we face a judgment day, but we welcome it because in that day we will go home with our Lord to our home in the paradise of God.

The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.