Judgments, in Bible

Judgments in Scripture

Judgment – Of Jesus Christ, Jn. 12:31

1. Nature: Bearing the believer’s sins, 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:26–28; 1 Pet. 2: 24; 3:18

2. Occasion: Christ lifted up on the cross, world judged, Satan defeated, Jn. 12:31

3. Result: Death of Christ; justification and security of the believer, Jn. 5:24; Rom 5:9; 8:1, 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13

Judgment – Of the believer’s works, 2 Cor. 5:10

1. Nature: Quality of the believer’s life as a servant, 1 Cor. 3:11–15; Mt. 12:36 (in no sense for sins, Heb. 10:17)

2. Occasion: At the coming of the Lord, 1 Cor. 4:1–5; 9:24–27; Rom. 14:10; Gal 6:7; Col. 3:24–25; 2 Tim 4:8

3. Result: Reward for faithful service; loss of reward for unfaithfulness, 1 Cor. 3:8, 14–15; Rev 22:12

Judgment – Of the believer by himself, 1 Cor. 11:31-32; 2 Sam. 7:14-15

1. Nature: The believer’s condemnation of himself for permitting his own sinful ways and habits, 2 Sam. 12:13–14

2. Occasion: Self-judgment of the believer as a son to avoid chastisement by his heavenly Father, Heb. 12:7

3. Result: If neglected, the Father’s chastening follows, but never condemnation, 1 Cor. 11:32; 5:5

Judgment – Of the nations, Mt. 25:31-46; Joel 3:11-16

1. Nature: Point of testing is the treatment of Christ’s ’brothers’, i.e., the Jewish remnant of the end time

2. Occasion: At Christ’s return in glory to set up the kingdom over Israel, Acts 1:6

3. Result: Entrance into or exclusion from the kingdom as individuals in the nations

Judgment – Of Israel, Ezk. 20:33-44

1. Nature: Subjects will be living Israelites at the end time regathered from worldwide diaspora

2. Occasion: Similar on the Israelite plane to the judgment of the nation with regard to the Gentiles

3. Result: Entrance or non-entrance into the land for kingdom blessing, Ps. 50:1–7; Mal. 3:2–5; 4:1–2

Judgment – Of the fallen angels, Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4, 1 Cor. 6:3

1. Nature: Subjects will be the angels who rebelled with Satan, Rev. 12:3–4

2. Occasion: Evidently after the millennium, at the end of history

3. Result: Satan and evil angels relegated to the lake of fire, Gehenna, eternal hell, Rev. 20:10

Judgment – Of the unsaved, Rev. 20:11-15

1. Nature: Only the wicked dead. Perhaps Satan and fallen angels are finally judged also at this time.

2. Occasion: Basis of judgment is according to works to determine degree of punishment of the lost.

3. Result: Second death or lake of fire — not annihilation, Rev. 19:20; 20:10, 14–15

The New Unger’s Bible Handbook, Merrill F. Unger, Revised by Gary N. Larson, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984, p. 497.