Everyone Will Be Judged

Yesterday we studied the first of two universal dispositions of God for all people in eternity: the resurrection of the dead. The other great appointment of God in eternity for all men is judgement. Paul warned the people of Athens that the whole world must one day face the judgement of God.

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all, by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

God’s appointment of judgement is made with the world at large, with the whole human race. This is why all men are commanded to repent, because all men will one day be judged.

Paul warns Christians that they, too, must be prepared to stand before God’s judgement.

“But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’” (Rom. 14:10-11)

Here Paul is writing to Christians. Therefore, the phrase “your brother” denotes a fellow Christian. Similarly, the phrase “we shall all” denotes all Christians. Furthermore, that there are no exceptions to judgement is indicated by the universal application of the two phrases “every knee shall bow” and “every tongue shall confess to God.”

Later in this series of devotions we shall examine in detail God’s programme of judgement for all men, and we shall then see that there will be different scenes and purposes of judgement according to the various categories of men to be judged. Meanwhile, this basic principle has been established, that all who die will be both resurrected and judged.

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement.” (Heb. 9:27)

Here the phrase “it is appointed for men” includes the whole human race. We may say, therefore, that for every human soul who, through death, passes out of time into eternity, there remain two universal, irrevocable appointments of God: resurrection and judgement.