The Four Great Judgments.

GRACE does not set aside government. The grace of God and His government go hand in hand. Indeed grace rests for its righteous foundation on government. God would not be God were it not so.
We, believers, rejoice in the wonderful grace of God. But what enhances it in our estimation is the manner of the grace. It is not a slipshod slurring over of man’s guilt. “Grace reigns through RIGHTEOUSNESS unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 5:2121That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)).
The cross is the outstanding testimony to the grace and government of God— grace, that would proclaim pardon to a guilty world; government, that would make the offer the result of the full settlement of sin at the cross. Were it not so, grace would rest on an utterly insecure foundation, indeed it would be no grace at all, and unworthy of the God presented to us in the Scriptures. It is the glory of the grace of God that it is founded on the immutable basis of absolute and divine righteousness.
For our immediate purpose we consider
The Judgment of sin at the cross,
The Judgment seat for believers,
The Judgment of the living nations,
The Judgment of the wicked dead.
3. The judgment of the living nations will take place prior to the setting up of the millennial kingdom (Matt. 25:31-4631When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:31‑46)).
The Judgment at the Cross.
Nothing can exceed this in solemnity. The cross is the center on which all God’s purposes turn. Behold the Son of God, the Creator of the universe, the Sustainer of all things, become Man in the wonderful condescension of His love to sinful men, dying on that cross! The very sun refused at high noontide to look upon His grief and anguish, as He cried, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Grace, grace abounding, nay super-abounding grace, was there seen: government in all its stern inexorable demand for satisfaction was seen there also. Amazing scene that strikes us dumb with astonishment!
Once and for all and forever was the sin question settled. “IT IS FINISHED,” were the triumphant words of the Saviour ere He expired. The rent veil, the rending rocks, the earthquake, the opened graves of the saints that arose from the dead, — all attested the triumph of the Son of God, Heaven and earth and hades alike united in this amazing testimony.
The judgment upon sin at the cross took place that the believer might be forever freed from that judgment. So we read the very words of the Lord Himself, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall NOT COME INTO CONDEMNATION [literally judgmental; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)), Will the reader please note carefully the Lord’s emphatic words to the believer, “SHALL NOT COME INTO CONDEATION”? Nothing can contradict these words. The reason we emphasize this will at once be apparent.
The Judgment Seat for Believers.
We read,
“We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)).
On hearing this read for the first time, the young believer may ask, “How is it that the believer is to be judged, and yet the Lord with His own lips assures the believer that he will never come into judgment? Does there not seem a contradiction?”
We answer, The Lord’s words stand good in all their blessed meaning, the fruit of the cross. The believer will NEVER COME INTO JUDGMENT. We can rest assured as to that. The Lord will be true to His own word.
“How then,” we may ask, “does the believer stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and yet never come into judgment?”
The answer is very simple, The believer’s person will never come into judgment, but his deeds will be manifested, deeds of the flesh will suffer loss, deeds of the Spirit will be rewarded. The person of the unbeliever will come into judgment at the great white throne. The person of the believer, according to the words of the Lord Jesus, will NEVER come into judgment.
When the judgment seat of Christ is faced by the believer, he will already be glorified in the presence of the Lord, be like the Lord and with Him forever. There can be no possible doubt as to his position in the glory, for that depends on the finished work of Christ on the cross. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from ALL sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). “By one offering He hath perfected forever them [believers] that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)). To bring the believer’s person into judgment would be to go back upon the clear assurances of Scripture as to the efficacy of the atoning work of Christ. It would be a denial of the very character of God Himself.
An illustration may help to a clearer understanding of the matter. Some years ago the writer was in the city of Leeds. At that time the assizes were being held, no less a person than the Lord Chief Justice being the Judge. At the same time there was a large flower show being held in the city.
At the assizes there was a great murder case. When the jury retired to consider their verdict we can well realize the awful feelings that filled the prisoner’s mind. The case was clear and there was a sickening dread in the prisoner’s mind that the verdict must be “Guilty.” Look at him as the jury return, and the foreman utters the dread word, “Guilty.” He knows full well that his person is being judged, that in his own body he will have to bear the due reward of his dreadful deed.
Let your thoughts travel to the flower show. The moment has arrived for the Judges to begin their work. Everyone knows that they are not there to judge the exhibitors, but the exhibits, not to judge the persons of the exhibitors, but their works. The word, Judges, does not raise any fears as to policemen, prisons, punishment, and the like, but we can well understand the feeling of the exhibitors as they watch the Judges eyeing their exhibits. They wonder if all the care and labor of weeks and months will receive a commendation, a well-done, a reward, or will all their labor go for nothing?
So at the judgment seat of Christ. In bodies of glory, with the flesh left behind forever, there will be no question as to whether it is to be heaven or hell. The work of Christ has settled that once and for all for the believer, but it will be a question of the Lord giving us His own judgment as to all that we have done in our bodies on earth. How solemn and salutary is it to know all this!
It may be asked, Will our deeds before conversion come out for manifestation, as well as those after conversion. The answer is, “the deeds done in the body” will come up for review, and that covers the whole of our lives.
All the deeds of the believer will be brought into the light and be tested as 1 Corinthians 3:11-1511For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:11‑15) shows us. verse 15 of that passage proves conclusively all that we have been saying. It supposes a case where the deeds done in the body of the believer are burned by fire, and then it says, “But he himself shall be saved: yet so as by fire.” The believer is saved because the indestructible foundation is there, but how sad that so much that engaged his attention should be destroyed in judgment, and fire be really his salvation. It is not a question here of eternal salvation through the atoning merits of the cross, but governmental salvation from the entanglements that would hinder the soul from entering upon its heritage.
May not Lot be an example of being saved so as by fire? Ile made unholy links with Sodom. The fire came. To save his life he had to flee from Sodom. The entanglements were burned, and fire was in reality his salvation from Sodom with its unspeakable filth and wickedness. Lot was saved in his person, but his works were burned.
Matthew 25:14-3014For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:14‑30) and Luke 19:11-2711And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. 22And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 24And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 25(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 26For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 27But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. (Luke 19:11‑27) set forth the rewards that are given to the faithful servants. Let it be stated that rewards are not meted out in reference to gift, but on the ground of devotedness. So we find the one, whose two talents earned other two, receiving the same reward as the one, whose five talents earned other five. What was committed to each differed in amount, but there was equal diligence, in so far that each doubled what had been committed to his trust. The reward is not given in relation to the amount of gift, but on the ground of devotedness. The amount given to each depends on the sovereignty of the Giver, devotedness is the exercise of the recipient.
May the solemn light of the judgment seat of Christ for the believer exercise its salutary, purifying; effect upon each one of us.
The Judgment of the Living Nations.
After the church has been caught up by the Lord Himself, the Spirit of God will be active in blessing among the Jews, and through their testimony among the nations. The coming of the Lord will be inexpressibly solemn for the vast amount of mere profession in Christendom, as illustrated by the position of the foolish virgins being refused admission to the closed door, the opportunity for salvation being over forever for those, who professed Christianity, and were in the light of it, and yet refused it in its reality. Further, there will be the “strong delusion,” according to 2 Thessalonians 2, affecting men’s minds.
But God’s grace will go out to the Jew. A remnant will be converted and will evangelize the nations in view of the return of the Lord to reign’ upon the earth.
Just prior to the setting up of His kingdom He will bring the nations to His judgment seat, as narrated in Matthew 25:31-4631When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:31‑46). Then the test will be how they have treated the message, the gospel of the kingdom. Those who have received it will be among the sheep, and go into everlasting life, that is the millennial reign of Christ, which in due time passes into the eternal state. Those, who refuse the message of the Lord’s Jewish brethren, will be among the goats, and find their portion in everlasting punishment. Solemn thought indeed!
The Judgment of the Wicked Dead.
In turning to Revelation 20 we find there will be two resurrections, one occurring BEFORE the millennium, at the second coming of the Lord, when all the believers, Old Testament and New Testament, will be raised, the living saints changed, and with the raised saints pass into the presence of the Lord.
The other resurrection will take place AFTER the millennium, after the last uprising of Satan, at the end of this sinful world’s history. The heavens and the earth will flee from the face of Him, who sits upon the great white throne, and the wicked dead will stand before Him. On the very threefold of eternity will this last great assize take place. The books will be opened and the dead judged therefrom. Only one result will take place, they will be cast into the lake of fire forever. All will be doomed, who stand there. Solemn indeed is this reflection, which should make us very zealous in the preaching of the gospel.
A. J. Pollock.