I did make an outline—a hard copy outline—if you want to hold it and take notes. If you would like one, there are copies available. You can raise your hand and I'm sure Tom would give you one. There are also some in the narthex; Scott can get those for you.
The Word of God and the Five Judgments
In 1982, my parents gifted me with this Bible. It is the New American Standard Study Bible, and it has been my go-to Bible since that time. It contains the Word of God, and there are also Christian study outlines in it. I wanted to share one of those outlines with you today.
Most people, when they think about God's judgment, might stiffen a little. But I hope that some of what I say today will round that out for you, so that you can see how wonderful God's judgments are.
I think most people—even on the street—understand that one day, they are going to have to give an account to God for their lives. This outline describes five different judgments. I used to think, "Yes, Jesus is coming, and my life is going to be judged, and I’ll give an accounting." But this outline shows that there are actually five different judgments, and they differ in time, place, and purpose. What they have in common is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge. God the Father has given all authority of judgment to Jesus the Son.
Don’t worry—I’m not going to talk about all five today. I’ll talk about three.
Judgment #1: The Judgment of the Believer's Sin (Justification)
To begin with: God is holy. He is perfect in justice. He is great in mercy. He is all-loving, and His judgments are just as wonderful as He is.
Anything less than holiness is sin. It must be paid for and atoned for by death to be made right. This is God’s standard. He wants us to live by a high standard.
The first judgment is the judgment of the believer’s sin. The verse here is John 5:24. Jesus says:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life."
Notice—it says those who believe have passed out of death into life. That’s spiritual death.
This judgment happened 2,000 years ago on the cross. It also happens afresh every time a person repents and is born again.
You might ask, “How can something that happened 2,000 years ago affect me today?” Well, God is supra-time—He is outside and above time. He encompasses time. He’s not limited by it.
Scripture tells us, “To God, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
So God, who is holy, requires righteousness. Unrighteousness has a cost—death. God cannot be pure and wink at sin, no matter how small we think it is. Grace is costly. Anything less than good must be redeemed.
Purpose: The purpose of this judgment was to redeem all of humanity from the curse of the Fall—for all time.
Adam and Eve had the perfect place, perfect relationship with God, and perfect spouse. But they were tested and failed. Spiritual death came immediately; physical death followed later. Everyone born from Adam has a spirit dead to God—disconnected from Him.
But Jesus is the second Adam. He passed the test. He resisted Satan. He humbled Himself and surrendered His perfect life on the cross. He took our sins, died the death we deserved. The perfect Lamb of God, pierced and crushed for our iniquities.
The cross is the greatest act of love ever known.
The debt of sin is paid—not in part, but the whole: past, present, and future.
Jesus triumphed over evil. The cross is where the greatest love met sin and death—and love won.
Think about the events of the cross:
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The veil was torn
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The sky darkened
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The earth shook
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The tombs opened
All sin was laid on Jesus, and He paid the price. The victory is won.
“He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of light…” (Colossians)
Jesus has redeemed paradise lost. He’s opened the doors of heaven. He’s given believers the everlasting gift of God’s grace.
"There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
This first judgment is summed up in one word: Justification.
It’s "just as if I never sinned." God made Jesus—who knew no sin—to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God. That’s who we are.
Resurrection Power and New Identity
Jesus’s resurrection is our resurrection. His sacrifice didn’t just clean up our mess—it took care of the root of the mess: our unregenerated, stony heart.
Now, resurrection power lives in us. Our old self was crucified, and now we have the Spirit of the living God inside us to become more like Jesus.
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are."
We are adopted into God’s family. That’s why we can claim righteousness.
We are saints. We are a new creation. A royal priesthood. Born anew. No longer in Adam’s family—we’re in the family of God, the Kingdom of Light.
And God longs for every person to receive this eternal life.
Judgment #2: The Judgment of the Believer's Self (Sanctification)
1 Corinthians 11:31–32 says:
"But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world."
Place: Our heart
Time: Ongoing
Purpose: Sanctification—fullness of maturity in Christ
If our sins are forgiven, what’s our relationship to sin now?
We know sin still happens. Christians fail. We disobey. But our relationship with sin is now different.
Sin is still sin. It’s evil, deceptive, and destructive. But now we are not condemned.
We are convicted, not condemned. Conviction is being convinced by the Holy Spirit of our sin. Before Christ, sin flowed from a sinful heart. Now, our heart is new. Sin brings dissonance.
Now, our job is to put off the old self, be made new, and be transformed into the image of Christ.
"Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We are not our own; we were bought with a price."
Sin is more than disobedience—it hurts the heart of God.
1 John 1:9 is for believers:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
That restores fellowship with God. This is part of the growth process.
Illustration: Parent and Child
A child born or adopted into a family belongs there. They bear the name and receive all benefits—guidance, protection, discipline, provision, and love.
When they disobey, fellowship—not relationship—is broken. That disobedience creates a barrier. But when the child repents, fellowship is restored. Same with God and us.
Sin doesn’t break our relationship with Christ—but it breaks our fellowship. Restoration comes through confession and agreement with the Holy Spirit.
We must examine ourselves, be shaped more into the likeness of Jesus.
Jonathan Edwards said he resolved every night to review where he had failed.
Charles Spurgeon, John Wesley—all emphasized that justification without sanctification is not salvation. They are inseparable.
Judgment #3: The Judgment of the Believer’s Works (Evaluation and Reward)
This is the judgment of the believer’s deeds. Not sin—but deeds. It’s about reward or loss.
2 Corinthians 5:10:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
This is not about eternal destiny. It’s about evaluating how we lived as redeemed people.
We’ll give an account of:
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Our time
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Our opportunities
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Our resources
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Our gifts
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Our use of grace
There will be differing rewards.
God won’t compare me to Billy Graham or Jimmy Carter. He’ll evaluate me based on what He gave me.
Metaphor: The Builder
1 Corinthians 3:11–15 says:
"No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, their work will be shown for what it is… If it survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss—but will be saved, even though only as one escaping through flames."
So are we building with eternal materials or temporary ones?
Good deeds done with compassion, love, wisdom, and integrity—those last.
Deeds done for selfish reasons—those burn away.
Good deeds are the natural outflow of a redeemed heart. They are the proof of true faith.
Judgments 4 & 5 (Brief Mention)
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Judgment of the Nations – Christ separates sheep and goats.
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Judgment of the Wicked – Great White Throne Judgment; the wicked dead judged.
Summary
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The debt is paid.
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Your sins are forgiven.
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You have a new life and a firm foundation—Jesus Christ.
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You are called to examine yourself.
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You will receive rewards.
Let us love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Amen.
