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Judgment of Christians


Many may wonder if such exists. Aren't Christians forgiven all of their sins in Christ in a blanket manner?

Two kinds of Christians


Many will find that a scripture immediately comes to mind:
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor hight, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Webster)

We must be careful to mind what is said and not make false assumptions with possible fatal outcome in regard to our salvation. The above scripture addresses God's side. He will not fail, he will keep loving us through Christ, his son.

What does God teach us?
Hebrews 10:26-27 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (KJV)

1 John 5:16 If any one see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life, for those that do not sin unto death. There is a sin to death: I do not say of that that he should make a request. (Darby)

Indeed, God never fails in loving us, but some of us fail in loving him after having been ransomed. This is where the damned leave God.

May the Christian be condemned to death by Christ? The account in Acts when Ananias and Sapphira his wife sinned against the Holy Spirit ought to wake most Christians up. (Acts 5:1-11) Those two wrongdoers were killed on the spot.

Thus there are Christians who sin fatally – damned ones – and other faithful Christians that while sinning unavoidably always strive for holiness and purity. (Heb 12:4-8)

Judgment of the Faithful Christian

Punishment for Sins Unavoidable


As shown on The Ransom page. There are two kinds of sins that a faithful Christian may commit, the Adamitic kind and the sin that is credited to the individual proper. Christ's ransom pays for Adamitic sin, but does it also cover the sins credited to each individual Christian?

The answer is – not entirely! Of course, scriptures will back this statement up. First, it should be emphasized that sins carry a penalty for the Christian. Ezekiel 18:4 shows that God's judgment is for the sinner to die.

Well, fortunately for us, John chapter three and Romans 6:23 shows that Christians get the free gift of eternal life through Christ. So between the two it should come as no surprise that God cannot let sins go unpunished.

Verification may be found many places, but here are a few:
Colossians 3:25 And he who does wrong will be recompensed what he did wrong, and there is no partiality. (ACV)

Job 34:11 . . . far be it from God, [that he should do] wickedness; and [from] the Almighty, [that he should commit] iniquity. 11For the work of a man he shall render to him, and cause every man to find according to [his] ways. 12Yes, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment. (Webster)

Proverbs 11:31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed upon the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner. (Webster)

Judgment – Who, Where, When, What purpose and Why

Who Judges?
Thus we read that Jehovah judges Christians through his elected judge Jesus.
John 5:22-24 . . . for neither does the Father judge any one, but has given all judgment to the Son; 23that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He who honours not the Son, honours not the Father who has sent him. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, that he that hears my word, and believes him that has sent me, has life eternal, and does not come into judgment, but is passed out of death into life. (Darby9
Where?
Notice the scripture just quoted in Proverbs above! It shows that Christian and wicked alike all shall be "recompensed upon the earth" – that means during their lifetimes. How the punishment of the wicked and the faithful differ is not discussed here.

When is the Christian punished?
When do parents punish their children? Before the child commits an offense, or right after? The answer is self evident!

Let's look at two relevant scriptures:
Job 34:23 For man does not have a date set him to go to Deity for a trial. (Byington)

Ecclesiastes 8:6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment; for the knowledge of a man is great to him. (AB)
At first glance, they seem diametrically opposed, but that is an illusion. As any parent knows, it is usually not possible to predict when a child may misbehave so badly that punishment is required. However, once the deed is done, it's judgment time. Thus it is with God, he knows not when we shall sin, but when we do, that is the time for judgment, and thus "there is a time and a judgment" for all things.

What is the purpose with the punishment? Why are Christians punished?

Christians are punished for two reasons. One reason should be obvious. We are punished with mercy so as to make us understand that we must stop sinning, that we must purify ourselves. Thus a faithful Christian will when suffering purify himself, drawing ever closer to God in prayer and holiness – he realizes that some kinds of suffering are a result of God's discipline.
Psalm 103: 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. (KJV)

I Peter 4:1 . . . for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; (KJV)

James 4:7-8 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

The second reason is perhaps even simpler. It has to do with accounting, Christ -- God's tax man where it concerns sins -- needs to punish us for our sins so that Christ may show God the tally demonstrating that the Christian has gotten the benefit of the ransom where applicable and has paid for all the sins he could pay himself with suffering thereby causing his purification to holiness.

Is this true?
Look for yourself!
Hebrews 12:4-8 For you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin: 5And you have forgotten the consolation, which speaketh to you, as unto children, saying: My son, neglect not the discipline of the Lord; neither be thou wearied whilst thou art rebuked by him. 6For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth; and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7Persevere under discipline. God dealeth with you as with his sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not correct? 8But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are made partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons. (DRC)
I Corinthians 11:32 But whilst we are judged, we are chastised by the Lord, that we be not condemned with this world. (DRC)

II Thessalonians 1:4-6 . . .so that we ourselves make our boast in you in the assemblies of God for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations, which ye are sustaining; 5 a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that ye should be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the sake of which ye also suffer; 6if at least it is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to those that trouble you. (Darby)
In this manner, the Christian through punishment, through the exercise of faith in the ransom, is rendered worthy of God's kingdom whether he has a heavenly or an earthly hope.



 
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