THE GLORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE – a thought.

I am attending a video study called “Driven by Eternity” by John Bevere during our Sunday School hour. This is a very intense study that has the potential of shaking ones faith down to the core and I only recommend it if you are truly hungry to grow up in Christ. The basic point of the study is to open our eyes to the fact that even as professing believers in Jesus, we will stand before Jesus as He judges us according to what He called us as individuals to do. This is not a judgment to determine our salvation, but a judgment that holds us accountable for our actions, thoughts and intentions after we acknowledge that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Jesus is our Lord (King) and has called each one of us to walk a path of obedience during our life time. This is not a path of obedience to tradition, but a path that we follow when walking in open relationship with our King. Some He calls to be pastors and missionaries and some he calls to be mothers, blue collar workers and professionals. We will not be judged by our success in the eyes and understandings of the world, but we will be judged according to the call of God that is upon our lives.

Below is just a very small percentage of the scriptures John Bevere expounds on during this study and following that is a description of what my thought was when contemplating what it will be like to stand before the Righteous Judge.

I am He Who searches minds (the thoughts, feelings, and purposes) and the [inmost] hearts, and I will give to each of you [the reward for what you have done] as your work deserves. Revelation 2:23, AMP

We know that God has said he will punish and take revenge. We also know that the Scriptures say the Lord will judge his people. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God! Hebrews 10:30-31 CEV

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ…So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:10, 12

We would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So our aim is to please him always, whether we are here in this body or away from this body. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies. It is because we know this solemn fear of the Lord that we work so hard to persuade others. 2 Corinthians 5:8-11 NLT

I believe that when we stand before the righteous judge, the Spirit of Truth will be the very atmosphere of the courtroom. When we enter that room, the revelation of our shortcomings will begin to roll over us in waves and our conscience will begin to convict us before the Righteous Judge even opens his mouth.

I believe that when He begins to speak, His words will only clarify & confirm what the Spirit of Truth has already revealed to our hearts and minds and we will find ourselves at his feet in awe of the great mercy He shows us by allowing us to even stay in His Kingdom.

I believe we will see that He truly was the one who built His church because no matter how hard we tried, our efforts fell short, and He will receive all the glory, honor and praise for we will see that we are just grass.

I believe we will understand that all of His judgments are just and that even in His courtroom, mercy triumphs over justice and we will know that even if He gives us the smallest parcel of land that is found in the most distant part of His kingdom, it is more than we deserve.

I believe our fear of the Lord will be based on the awesome greatness of His mercy and love that He bestows on us who deserve nothing. The final vestiges of our own self righteousness will be stripped away in that day and our Fear of the Lord will be based upon His incomprehensible Love for us instead of our fear of rejection that is based upon a hope of our own worthiness to be loved. With this revelation we will finally be at peace with God and we will rest in the acceptance of our Lord.