The Day of Judgment

During my time at the church of bible understanding we used to ask each other and maybe ones that had left from among us that question. This question was also posed to me in my early stages of recovery when I went by an olde good things store. I really did not know how to answer that. What I kept saying is; I don’t know, all I know is that I am thankful for God’s Grace. Of course in that scenario this can be a trick question, in which you can be condemned for being proud if you appear too confident or if you act unsure you will be told you must not be doing God’s will or you would have a lot of confidence. This type of question can be used to keep members in ”check” or to “get” ones who have left the church.
So let’s consider this question; first is it scriptural? Yes the subject is in the bible, but the way it is used as a question; probably not. As usual it is taking partial truths and running with it, or worse, bending it to suit your case or purpose.
Maybe the question is coming from this scripture in the bible;

By this, love has been perfected with us, that we have confidence in the Day of Judgment that as that one is, we are also in this world.           1 John 4:17

Or maybe from this one;

And now little children, abide in him, that when he appears we may have confidence, and not be shamed from him in his coming.          1 John 2:28

This is what C. H. Spurgeon said about 1 John 4:17;

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have a boldness in the Day of Judgment. That is a wonderful expression, “boldness in the Day of Judgment.” According to some, the saints will not be in the Day of Judgment. Then, what is the use of “boldness in the Day of Judgment”? As I read my Bible, we shall all be there, and we shall all give an account unto God. I shall be glad to be there, to be judged for the deeds done in my body—not that I hope to be saved by them—but because I shall have a perfect answer to all accusations on account of my sin. “Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” If I am a Believer in Christ—“Bold shall I stand in that grand day, for who anything to my charge shall lay? While through Your blood absolved I am From sin’s tremendous curse and shame. “Because as He is, so are we in this world. Happy Christians, who can say that! If you live among men as Christ lived among men. If you are savior to them in your measure. If you love them. If you try to exhibit the lovely traits of Character that were in Christ, happy are you! There is no slavish dread, no spirit of bondage—perfect love casts it all out. May we all have that love and get rid of all fear! If we can be to the world, in our poor feeble measure, what God is to it—fountains of love, dispensaries of goodness—then we need not be afraid of the verdict even of the great Day of Judgment. this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. That is a servile fear, of course, but there is a fear which has no torment in it—that holy fear which even angels feel when they veil their faces in the Presence of the Most high. There is no torment in that reverent awe and, the more we have of love towards God, the more of that filial fear shall we have! But that slavish dread, that awful terror which begets within itself dislike, cannot live where true love is planted within the soul—Questioning, mistrust, unbelief, doubt—all these die when we come truly and heartily to love our Lord! And in proportion as our love to Him burns like a flame of fire, it burns up all this wood, hay and stubble of trembling,

We do see confidence (boldness) in the bible and we do see judgment in the bible. Let’s look at biblical confidence and biblical judgment:

1. Judgment;
​yes there is a judgment, the bible clearly states that. But who is this judgment for?
It is appointed for man to die once and after that comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27).
No man will be able to escape the judgment of God. This is what Jesus Christ said;
The one who hears my word and believing the one who having sent me, has everlasting life and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24)
We can escape the judgment of God? For one; why would there be a judgment in the first place? There would have to be some sort of charges, wouldn’t there? What are the charges against us? Our sins have made a separation between us and our God. But Jesus died for our sins.
Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. (Romans 4:7+8) Ones who are forgiven, there is no more charge against them, so no reason to come into this judgment.
Jesus also said;
Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:28+29
What Jesus presents in Matthew 25 concerning the last judgment; separating the sheep from the goats. Sheep on the right, goats on the left; and then he will say to those on the right; come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Then he will say to those on the left, depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:31-46)

What did Jesus say to the thief on the cross alongside himself? Today you will be with me in paradise. ( )
Where is the judgment part there?
All the times Jesus talked with his disciples about his second coming or them being with him in his kingdom, did he ever mention that they had to pass through judgment first? I don’t see any scriptures like that. But I see scriptures that speak of what Jesus says they will be doing in his kingdom.


2. Confidence, boldness
On what do you rest this confidence of yours? Others might ask. Why would a Christian be confident? There is and can only be one answer why we are confident.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.                                                                   Romans 5:18+19

There is only one reason; Jesus died for my sins, he paid the penalty. He took the judgment that was against me because of my sins and made me righteous before God. Therefore there are no charges against me! Amazing Grace.
We have this confidence. That is the way Paul presents it in Hebrews, just hold it fast (Hebrews 3:6), you have it (Hebrews 10:19), don’t throw it away (Hebrews 10:35), and with the same confidence/boldness we approach the throne of Grace, looking for mercy and Grace.

So what becomes of the question?
Do you have the Faith to believe that Jesus Christ died in your place and for you?
That what Jesus did was actually for you. There is all the confidence you’ll ever need right there in what Jesus did. And the more that flame of believing in Jesus burns brighter and brighter, the more it consumes all the doubts, fears, unbelief and everything that stands in the way. Not that your confidence increases, although it will appear as such, but instead that you are getting rid of the “junk” and what is really there becomes apparent.

                   “Boldness for the Day of Judgment”

3. In conclusion;
Yes, we all will be there on Judgment Day, but for different reasons. Some will come for the judgment of condemnation and some for the resurrection to life. The righteous Judge will separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the chaff, the righteous from the unrighteous, the holy from the unholy.
And those who have been washed with the blood of the lamb, dressed in their wedding garments although not deserving any of it, will enter into the joy of their master, by the Grace of their Lord.

I would say this is not a good question, because either you have confidence because you believe that Jesus died for you or you don’t have confidence because you still are in your sins.
Or you may have "phony confidence", based on your works or some believe in your goodness you have, but that will fall apart at judgment and will not be accepted and will not be good enough,
THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, JESUS CHRIST'S SACRIFICE, HIS SHEDDING HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS, THAT'S THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE !


Do you have confidence for the day of judgment?