Eternal Judgment

By Sidharth Mohandas

Introduction

Eternal Judgment is a topic that is rarely discussed in contemporary churches; yet it is one of the six foundational doctrines of Christianity, mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-2. I personally can testify that whenever I study the topic of judgment, I am brought to an awareness of accountability to God and it leads me to a personal evaluation of myself in the light of God’s Word.

First and foremost, we must realize that God is the judge of all (Hebrews 12:23 ESV). God has the final say in everything. However, unlike us, God never uses flippant remarks or praises, nor bases His judgments on that which is seen or heard in the natural. His judgments are eternal. Two individuals could do the same work in the natural but one could be praised and the other rebuked, because God’s scale is based on the unseen (Matthew 6:6, Matthew 6:18).

God’s Purpose of Judgment

Later in this series, Titto will share with you how God deals separately with the righteous and the wicked. The purposes of judgment for each category are different too.

When it comes to the righteous, God sees judgment primarily in the positive sense. In other words, God wants to judge us so that He can praise us for what we have done for Him. [1 Corinthians 4:5b NIV]

Judgment for the things we did not do for Him or for the wrong we did is secondary in God’s judgment. As I was examining how God judged the seven churches in the book of Revelations, I found that in each of them He first commends them for their faithfulness and service, and then rebukes them for the times when or instances where they fell short of expectations [with an exception of the church at Laodicea, which is outside the scope of our study].

When it comes to the judgment of the wicked, historically we see that God’s heart was not geared to punish the wicked, but to protect the righteous. In fact, a judicial system that is concerned only with punishing wickedness is not a just system according to God’s Word. “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.” [Psalm 82:2-4]

However, note that, in eternity, the judgment of the wicked is for condemnation.

God’s Reluctance to Judge

Scripture clearly teaches us that God does not delight in judging the wicked. His reluctance to administer judgment is expressed in the way His judgments are ultimately carried out. Let’s examine this point in detail.

In the first instance and by sovereign eternal right, judgment belongs to God the Father. The apostle Peter speaks about the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work (1 Peter 1:17). Here, judgment of all men is declared to be the office of God the Father.

However, in John 5:22-23 and John 5:26-27 we are told that the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son. Here, it is explicitly stated that the office of judgment has been transferred from the Father to the Son.

Well, the transfer of rights does not stop here. So gracious and merciful is the divine nature of the Son, as in the Father, that Christ, too, is unwilling to administer judgment that He transfers the final authority of judgment from His own Person to His words (John 12:47-48)

Therefore, all the standards and principles of God’s judgment are contained within His Word. God’s eternal judgment therefore is based on our response to His Word. May we raise our standards of judgment today — judging our motives, attitudes and conduct soberly by God’s Word.

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