From Thence He Shall Come Again to Judge

It is important to distinguish between “the judgment-seat of Christ” and “the Great White Throne.” They are essentially different.

It seems as though some Christians supposed that the question of their final acceptance with God could not be ascertained until the verdict of the end of the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. Apart from scores of arguments against such an hypothesis, the words of Christ are conclusive, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth Him that sent me, hath Eternal life, and cometh not unto yudgment” (John v. 24, R.V.). Of course not, because the sins of such have been confessed, judged, and forgiven.

Directly the soul identifies itself with Christ, it is reckoned as having passed through His Cross, Grave, and Resurrection, and it would be inconceivable that it should be treated as though its position were in suspense. It is accepted in

the Beloved, adopted into the Family of God, 152 its sins and iniquities are as though they had never been committed, it is called into fellowship with the Son of God, to assist in His Divine Work of putting down all rebellious rule, authority, and power. The Apostle even informs us that we shall act as Christ’s co-assessors, and shall judge angels (1 Cor. vi. 3).

It is likely enough also that the Divine verdict and sentence on other lives than those of His children will be issued long before the final awards of the Great Last Day. Each soul will know long before that time, and perhaps on awakening in Eternity, what the unimpeachable award has been.

Though, therefore, Christian believers need not await the Great White Throne with any amount of alarm, there is for each of them a judgment-seat, “‘ the judgment-seat of Christ,” before which they must all stand to be judged. The Apostle knew that even he could not claim exemption from that enquiry to be held by his Lord. “We must all,” he says, ‘‘ be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad... therefore we make it our aim that we may be accepted of Him” (2 Cor. v. 9, 10).

r11 — (2516)

This clear statement is, of course, in harmony with the Master’s own words. The Lord comes to reckon with His servants, and to apportion them rewards, according to their employment of the talents He had entrusted to them. In the evening hour the Master of the vineyard comes to pay the husbandmen. It is not now a question of salvation or destruction, but of the adjustment of reward; and the reward is adjusted on the principle of Faithfulness to Trust. Where the two talents have been faithfully turned into four, there is the same generous meed of approbation, ‘‘ Well done, good and faithful servant,” as in the case of those who have turned five into ten.

It seems as though these considerations do not enter into the hearts of the majority of God’s people. A professedly Christian man says: “Ts it likely that God will send me to hell because I like a little gay society, or enjoy a quiet game of Bridge, or allow myself occasionally to visit music-halls and theatres?” Certainly God is not likely to send people to hell for such things. But this is the more important question, ‘‘ What is your Master Christ, who redeemed you at such cost, going to say about a frivolous, vain, and empty life, which was destitute of noble purpose and strenuous endeavour, and felt it irksome to be always ‘on duty?’”

What we should fear most — the Apostle Paul called it “the terror of the Lord ’ — is lest at the end of a so-called Christian life, He should shut the door in our face, — the door, not of Heaven, but of entrance into those higher festivities and sacred employments which await us yonder. There is a suggestion of this in Luke xii. 46, in which the Master allots a portion with the unbelievers to the servant whom He had honoured with great opportunities, of which he had proved himself unworthy.