So when it comes time for us to be judged at the end of our lives, who will be on the other end of the gavel? We might ask this question in many different ways. We might ask, how we know if our life matters, really matters. We might stand at the grave of someone we love and ask the question if our life had been a good life, like Private Ryan.
Jesus holds judgment in His hands. When He chooses to forgive, He has the right to withhold that judgment.
In John’s gospel, it is recorded that Jesus healed a paralyzed man. “Get up, take your mat and go home.” The problem for the religious leaders was that Jesus was doing this on the Sabbath. They defined both what Jesus did and the man carrying his mat as work. And you can’t work on the Sabbath.
Jesus does not back down from the confrontation. Instead, He says that the Father is working and so is He. Some of that work is raising the dead, giving them life, judgment, and receiving the honor that is due God. In the following verses these assertions are confirmed, emphasized and expanded. Jesus will judge the world.
There is one exception to this judgment power. When someone believes in Jesus, then judgment ceases. In that moment we pass from death to life. We move from the camp where those who will be judged live and into the camp where those who experience life live. To state in like a gamer would say it, we get indestructibility.
This truth about Jesus being the Judge is carried throughout the rest of the New Testament. It is expanded and explained in more detail in the following verses, if you want to explore this some more. (Rom 14:10; Rev 19:15; Acts 17:31 Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:1; 1Pet 4:5)
So what does the mean to me today? Why is this important? Very simply, we don’t have to fear judgment! Jesus took the punishment we should have received and we get His reward in exchange. The One who had the right to judge has taken the punishment away. If we are His, then judgment is not in our future. No gavel will fall declaring us guilty.
This does not mean we go on a crime spree, stealing jewelry and expensive cars. We might still go to jail here on earth. But eternal judgment is not in our future.
The Arnold Journey 