We must all stand before Christ to be judged (2 Corinthians 5:10; NLT).
Introduction
We will all be subject to judgement. However, this judgement may not be quite what we have traditionally been taught to expect. Today’s blog details what was recently shown to me in prayer.
Choices
During our time on earth, we make many choices about how we relate to God, other people, events, experiences, our planet and even ourselves. These choices shape the person we become at every stage of our lives. After death, we will all face judgement before Christ.
What is judgement?
Judgement is a profoundly just, merciful and loving consideration of a combination of factors:
- The body and life situation God gave us at birth.
- All we experienced during our exile here.
- Everything we felt, thought, said and did.
- What we made of ourselves, our opportunities, and our suffering.
- Who and what we became during the course of our lives.
Several stages
Judgement is a process with several stages. It will include:
- Looking directly at every aspect of our life, choices, behaviours, attitudes, speech, thoughts and actions. This will be like looking at ourselves in a crystal-clear mirror, and seeing right to the inmost core of our soul, with the eyes of Christ.
- Fully understanding why we decided on the choices we made.
- Recognising with complete honesty everything we faced and dealt with during our lives.
- Admitting all the hurt and damage we caused to others, and repenting fully.
- Asking ourselves how much we accepted, loved and helped, all other people, including the poorest and least powerful.
- Considering the overall value of our life objectively.
- Seeing clearly, and acknowledging fully, what we amount to in total.
This might sound alarming, perhaps even terrifying. However, throughout the whole process, we will be standing before Christ, fully supported by God’s Spirit of love, understanding and mercy.
Reacting to our judgement
In response to seeing and fully understanding ourselves, our choices and our lives, we will inevitably react by experiencing a mixture of profound emotions, including shame, sorrow and repentance. This healing process includes catharsis, purgation and purification.
I believe that through this healing process we will receive God’s forgiveness and love. It will also enable us to forgive and to love both ourselves and others completely.
Conclusion
Whether we know it or not, we are indissolubly one with God from the eternity before our birth, during our exile on earth, and for eternity beyond our death. Our judgement will take place within the context of this oneness.
As a result of our judgment we will experience forgiveness, healing and complete reconciliation with God. This is salvation, paradise and eternal bliss.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:2-5; NLT).
Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43; NLT).
References
Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely (1 Corinthians 13:12; NLT).
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40; NIV).
You, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness (Psalm 96:15; NLT).
To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness (Daniel 9:9; RSV).
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7; NLT).
Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool (Isaiah 1:18; KJV).
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing (Isaiah 35:5; KJV).
The spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).