The idea of judgment indicates condemnation. Although that is a part of the process, there is a positive side to the judgment.

This series addresses the concerns we all have: the concern for sin, evil, death, dying, and what happens after we die. Is there hope after death? When God created us, humans, he intended for us to live forever in a loving, peaceful relationship with him. But this relationship has been broken by sin.

Here, we address the origin of sin and look more closely at death and dying.

But, instead of looking at death negatively, we look at it in the context of hope, the promised hope based on what Jesus did for us when he died and came back to life again. 

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From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 4: Sabbath.School (See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School)

Let Us Pray

God Most High you are Holy, you are Fair, and you are a Righteous Judge. We look forward to your day of judgment when we will be declared not guilty. In Jesus’ Name Amen

Many people think of God’s work of judgment as being all about punishment. But punishment is only a part of God’s work as Judge.

God’s judgment has a positive side in that it is a time when God also announces that His people, those who obeyed Him and accepted His Son aren’t guilty. Daniel talks about this part of God’s judgment as a work in which God judges “in favor of the saints of the Most High” in (Dan. 7:22, NKJV)

 So, God’s work as Judge includes two things: 

• Punishment for the wicked, those who disobeyed God and rejected his Son’s death as a penalty for their sins.
• Reward for the righteous, those who obeyed God, and accepted His Son’s death as a penalty for their sins.

 We see these two important factors in Solomon’s prayer to God 1 Kings 8:32:

32 Then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness (1 Kings 8:32, NKJV).

Take time to read Matthew 25:31–46 and John 5:21–29.  Both let us know that God’s final work as Judge includes both punishment for the wicked and reward for the righteous.

“ ‘is not judged’ ” (John 3:18 NASB) and

“ ‘will not be judged’ ” (John 5:24, NIV) may appear to mean that God’s people aren’t judged at all.

But instead, this is an indication that God’s followers aren’t condemned in the judgment. So, what Jesus is saying is that God’s people are not condemned. They “ ‘are not judged guilty’ ” (John 3:18, ERV).

In other words, our destiny at the time of judgment is determined by how we live our lives now. What we do in this life shows our decision to accept or reject everlasting life.

Those who live in harmony with God’s word and have accepted Christ have their acquittal at the judgment already guaranteed, while those who do not accept Christ remain under condemnation.

Therefore, God will announce that His people are innocent when He does His work as Judge.  In contrast, the people who refused to accept Christ are pronounced guilty.

This is what Jesus talks about in Matthew 25:31–46. He mentions that there will be two groups of people: goats (wicked people) and sheep (righteous people).

Moreover, indicating that both the righteous and wicked will be judged Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:10 states:

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10, NKJV).

When thinking about God’s work as Judge, we should always remember that God saves us by His mercy and His grace as indicated in Isaiah 55:1. It is freely given. It is without money and without price.

1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1)

 It is a gift, we cannot obtain it by works according to Ephesians 2:8–10.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Our faith in God’s mercy and grace makes us holy and innocent, it justifies us just like our ancient Father Abraham in Genesis 15:6

6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

and according to Romans 5:1 which indicates that we are made righteous by our faith.

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)

Nevertheless, the indication of our acceptance of the gift is based on what we do. If we say we accept the gift but live a life that indicates otherwise, then in reality we have not accepted our Lord’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Thus, in the judgment, we will be condemned to death.

We are judged by our behavior, and how we live our lives now according to Ecclesiastes 12:14

14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

And in Matthew 25:31-46 in which Jesus describes the judgment in relation to the shepherd separating the sheep from the goats. (Split)

 And Revelation 20:11–13 in which John was allowed to see the judgment: He declares

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. (Revelation 20:11-13)

What law will God use to Judge our acceptance of his grace? The following scriptures indicate which law God will use in the judgment:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

James 1:25

25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:25)

James 2:8-17

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:8-17) (Split)

We will be judged by the Law of Liberty, God’s Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments that he wrote on tablets of stone with His own finger, and were given to Moses at Mount Sinai as recorded in Exodus 20.

Thus, our obedience to the Law of God demonstrates that our relationship with Jesus is for real. It is the external indication of our Love for God and our love for our fellow human beings. Therefore, God will look at our behavior in His work as Judge. (Split)

Remember, God doesn’t force people to be saved or lost. No one is preordained to be saved or lost. God has not elected some to be saved and others to be lost. The decision to be saved or lost is our choice.

In other words, God’s work as Judge is not the time when He accepts or rejects us. His work as Judge shows the final choice that we made to accept Him or reject Him. This choice is manifested by our obedience to his commandments. How we respond to Him and how we treat his creation. It’s our choice!

As expressed on Day 1, which you can review

 @ SabbathSchoolDaily.com,

there are three phases of the Judgement: the pre-judgment, the millennial judgment, and the executive judgment. When does the prejudgment begins and what happens in the prejudgment? Find out on Day 3 The Pre-Advent Judgement

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