SINS must be judged. There is no alternative; for God is just. Nothing that defileth can come into His presence, for He is of purer eyes than to behold evil. He is a sin-hating God, for He is holy. Every sinner must therefore have to do with God about his sins. From this there is no escape; and sins cannot be hid from His all-seeing eye. Through God’s unutterable mercy, sins have been judged on Christ for every one that believeth; but those who believe not must bear their own judgment, when every one will be judged according to their works. How solemnly true this is, and yet how few seem to lay it to heart!
We have been sorrowfully struck with the difficulty many have in replying to the searching question, “Have your sins been judged?” But how is it possible that a sin-convicted soul can have rest of conscience before God, who does not know that Jesus answered for all His sins in the death of the cross? It is true that some have accepted as a divine truth that Jesus did something by His death to save them from their sins, without understanding how it was accomplished. But many who speak about “pardon of sin,” “forgiveness of sins,” &c., seem little aware of the true ground and character of the forgiveness. Hence such have a difficulty in replying to the question, “Have your sins been judged?” or, “When were your sins judged?” And this difficulty is increased by their having received the popular, but erroneous doctrine, that there is to be one general resurrection, and then that everyone will be judged, and, as we have lately road, “acquitted or condemned according to their works;” and many add to this, that “until this great assize, no one can be sure of salvation.” Perhaps few religious doctrines have been more damaging to souls; for the believer’s assurance is undermined by being thus kept in a state of uncertainty as to his salvation; and the unbeliever is deceived by the thought that as no one can be sure till then, there may be, as he says, “some chance for him.” But all this uncertainty, though many do not know it, denies the value of what Christ has done on the cross, and sets aside the divine authority of scripture, which so plainly shows the present blessings, new relationships, and perfect security in Christ and through His blood, of every one that believeth.
But while we have found many unable to reply to the question at the head of this paper, some have most readily and heartily responded. Such as, for instance, — “Have your sins been judged?”
“Oh, yes; I am thankful to say.”
“When were they judged?”
“On the blessed Jesus, when He died on the cross eighteen hundred years ago.”
“Then you now stand before God cleansed from sin?”
This surely is the language of faith; for faith always cleaves to the authority of God’s word, and rejects every other ground of confidence. And this word assures us that “Christ His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)); that “He once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)); that “God condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)); that “God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Romans 8:3232He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)); that “He was delivered for our offenses” (Romans 4:2525Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25)); that when bearing our sins, and suffering the unsparing judgment of God for our sins, God forsook Him, so that He cried out, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:3434And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Mark 15:34)). We are also told that His blood was shed for many for the remission of sins (Matt. 26:2828For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:28)); and that He has “by Himself purged our sins.” (Hebrews 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3).) From these scriptures then it is plain, that on the Cross God really judged sins in the person of His spotless Son, and that He there righteously met all the claims of infinite holiness and divine justice, so that sin is put away, the conscience of the believer purged, and set at rest in God’s most holy presence. The love of God’s heart can now therefore freely flow out to justify by His grace every one who avails himself of the infinite value of Christ’s finished work. God, too, declares that He is so fully satisfied with the atoning work of Jesus for us that He says, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17).) Thus it is that all God’s attributes combine to justify the believer. If God forgave the sinner without judgment of his sins, there would be love, but to the sacrifice of righteousness and holiness. But “God is light,” and “God is love;” He is also “righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works;” and all these divine characteristics have been manifested, in Christ putting away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. The ground therefore on which God pronounces remission of sins to everyone that believeth is that their sins have been judged on the Cross. His own children, too, who confess their sins, are told that “He is faithful and just to forgive,” no doubt in virtue of Christ’s atoning work.
But, further, it is the believer, and the believer only, that is entitled to say he has remission of sins; “for to Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43).) Observe, it is not simply pardon, but remission—sins completely blotted out from the eye of God. Nor is this all; for the believer is also justified from all things. “By Him all that believe are justified from all things.” (Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39).) All this is not said of him that worketh, or of him that feeleth, but of him that believeth; for when we are justified by His blood, it is only in the way of faith, which always ascribes all the glory to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and such, too, have present peace with God. (Romans 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1).)
And yet more. If I know that my sins have been already judged by God on the Cross, and that I am now justified from all things, how can I be looking for what is called the general judgment, or great assize, before I know whether I shall be “condemned or acquitted?” The idea is preposterous. Nor does Scripture give us any warrant for supposing that any who are judged at the “great white throne” are saved. How could any be, if judged according to their works? Instead, then, of the believer being taught in Scripture to expect a general resurrection and judgment, he is instructed to “look for the Saviour,” to expect to be “caught up to meet Him in the air, and to be forever with the Lord.” Then there will not be one unbeliever raised from the dead, only “the dead in Christ.” For the believer, after this, to be manifested at the Bema or judgment-seat of Christ, to receive reward, is another thing.
But, as we have said, sins must be judged. Such, therefore, as refuse the good news of sins being; borne by and suffered for by Christ instead of them, must have them judged by the Judge of all in their own persons. How dreadful is the thought, but how soon it may be an awful reality, that it is said, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
“The blood of Christ has spoken
Forgiveness full and free;
Its wondrous power has broken
Each bond of guilt for me.
“The blood of Christ is pleading
Its virtue as my own;
And there my soul is reading
Her title to the throne.
“O wondrous power that seeketh
From sin to set me free;
A precious blood that spoaketh―
Should I not value Thee?”