God as Supreme Judge

Many people believe that because “God is love,” He will not execute judgment. The Scriptures, however, reveal just the opposite—that “God is the judge” (Psa. 75:7). As the Supreme Judge, He alone judges all nations as well as all individuals. “For He comes to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth” (Psa. 96:13). The apostle Paul emphasized that God is Judge of all: “But you have come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem; and to an innumerable company of angels; To the joyous festival gathering; and to the church of the firstborn, registered in the book of life in heaven; and to God, the Judge of all; and to the spirits of the just who have been perfected” (Heb. 12:22-23).

Christians look forward to the time when Christ will judge the entire world at His second coming. David was inspired to prophesy about Jesus’ second coming and His role as Judge. “Our God shall come and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens above, and to the earth, that He may judge his people. ‘Gather My saints together unto Me: those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.’ And the heavens shall declare His righteousness: FOR GOD IS JUDGE HIMSELF” (Psa. 50:3-6).

It is vital for Christians to understand not only that God is Judge, but to understand just how He judges and what forms the basis for His judgments.

God is Judge of all the earth because, as God, “His way is perfect” (Psa. 18:30)—thus His laws, by which He makes His judgments, are perfect. As David wrote, “The law of the Lord is perfect” (Psa. 19:7). While God is the “high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy” (Isa. 57:15), God also dwells “in truth, in judgment and in righteousness” (Jer. 4:2). God’s truth, judgment and righteousness all go hand-in-hand—they are inseparable.

Truth, judgment and righteousness are actually expressions of God’s love—and are thus the substance of righteous judgment. This—His love—is why God is Judge. When we come before God in prayer, we need to realize that our prayers are going directly to God the Father—with Jesus Christ at His right hand as our intercessor—and that He listens, in loving, righteous judgment.

The fact is, God says that He loves judgment (Isa. 61:8). He also says, in Psalm 11:7, that He “loves righteousness.” Everything that God does is righteous—for the “Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works” (Psa. 145:17). David also declared, “Your judgments are true and righteous altogether” (Psa. 19:9). When we put all these Scriptures together, we can clearly see that God judges righteous judgment.

God Judges Nations Today

When God executes judgment upon a nation, He applies His righteous laws and commandments as the “standard of measurement.” In the book of Jeremiah, God told the prophet: “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them.

“And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in My sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, where with I said I would benefit them” (Jer. 18:7-10).

These verses reveal a very important principle that many people do not understand—that God holds every nation accountable to obey the Ten Commandments in the letter of the law. If this were not the case, then there would be no judgment executed—because “where no law is, there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15). When God judges, He demonstrates His righteousness in that He is not a respecter of persons—or of nations (Rom. 2:1-16).

The account of people of Nineveh—who repented because of Jonah’s warning—is an excellent example of God’s righteous judgment. Because Nineveh repented, God reversed His judgment of evil against the city.

Jonah 3:4-10: “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.’ So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. For the word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, ‘Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything: let them not feed, nor drink water: but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God. Yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?’ And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil that He said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.”

 On the other hand, if there is no repentance—even after a warning message has been given—then God executes judgment. A good example of God’s judgment being rendered would be the case of Sodom and Gomorrah—in which the people refused to repent, undoubtedly after being repeatedly warned by righteous Lot.

In Genesis 18, when God was ready to execute His judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleaded with God because he feared that his righteous nephew, Lot, might be destroyed with the wicked. Notice how Abraham addressed God. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25). God will always do that which is right. Because God is a God of love, truth and righteousness, He spared Lot and his daughters from the judgment He reigned down upon Sodom and Gomorrah, which consumed them in fire and brimstone. There was yet one further judgement executed—against Lot’s wife. The angel that delivered Lot and his family gave an explicit warning that no one was to look back as they were leaving Sodom. But Lot’s wife looked back—and was thus judged and turned into a pillar of salt.

We have clearly seen that God is the Judge—of individuals as well as nations—and that His judgments are always an expression of His perfect, righteous laws and His holy commandments. God always judges lovingly, in truth and holiness. Next, we will see that God expects His people to learn to make righteous judgments, decisions and choices.

Created to Make Personal Choices—a Matter of Life and Death

The reality is, life involves choices—and our daily lives are filled with discernment, decisions and judgments. In fact, we could not function without exercising judgment. We must choose or decide (and a choice or decision is really a judgment) when to get up, when to go to work, what clothes to wear, what food to buy and eat, what we read, what we view on television. We have to make decisions, or judgments, as to where we will live, who we will marry, who we will have as friends. We have to make many financial judgments that involve buying or renting a home, purchasing furnishings for the home, buying a car, paying our bills. And of great importance in financial matters, we are to determine our increase and render to God the things that belong to God—and the things of Caesar that belong to Caesar.

In matters dealing with our family, we are always making judgments in our husband/wife relationship—and in rearing children, we are always confronted with decisions and judgments (especially when settling disputes between children).

 When it comes to our relationship with God, we must choose to love God—which is a decision or judgment—with all the heart, all the soul, all the mind and all of our strength. We must choose to pray, and when to pray and what to pray. We must choose to study, as well as what to study and how to study. We must prove all things—which, again, is a decision or judgment—and hold fast that which is good.

In the final analysis, God created our minds for the very purpose of choosing—for making decisions and judgments. That is the very essence of life and death—of why God has given us free moral agency! Our choices and judgments are our own, and will demonstrate our willingness to love and obey God.

God has given us free moral agency—He has set before us life or death—and compels us to choose! The spiritual Word of God is living, and we will live or die by our choices. Notice what God commanded Israel. “See I have set before you LIFE AND GOOD, AND DEATH AND EVIL; in that I command you this day to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply: and the Lord Your God shall bless you in the land where you go to possess it” (Deut. 30:15-16).

For the children of Israel, God’s long-term blessings in the land depended upon their continuing to choose to love God and His ways. For us today, however, the outcome is far greater than physical blessings. We are to inherit the kingdom of God for all eternity, not just the physical land of Israel. God wants us to choose life and His ways through Jesus Christ. If we judge God’s way to be the way to eternal life and good, and choose to love God, then He will bless us with His love and grace now—and ultimately we will inherit eternal life and the kingdom of God.

On the other hand, if we choose to turn away from God and reject His way, and judge our own ways as better, then God will bring upon us evil and death—that is, His judgment! “But if your heart turn away, so that you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that you shall surely perish, and that you shall not prolong your days upon the land where you pass over Jordan to possess it” (verses 17-18).

Heaven and Earth Are God’s Witnesses

The choices that God has set before us are so profound and compelling that He made heaven and earth His “witnesses.” God said, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both you and your seed may live; that you may love the Lord your God, and that you may obey His voice, and that you may cleave unto Him: for He is your life, and the length of days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give them” (Deut. 30:19-20).

Again, the spiritual inheritance of eternal life is so much more important! Jesus said that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would be in the kingdom of God. In contrast, those who made the decision—judgment—not to love and obey God would not be in the kingdom of God. Jesus made that very clear. “And He shall say, ‘I tell you, I do not know you or where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness.’ There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are cast out” (Luke 13:27-27).

God has set these choices before us—life and good, or death and evil. We must choose! We must make decisions and judgments—upon which depend our very eternal lives. God, in turn, judges us by our own choices. The apostle Peter confirms this: “For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it first begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if the righteous are saved with much difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (I Pet. 4:17-18).

The apostle Paul wrote of God’s judgment upon those who reject Him, as well as upon those who seek Him. “[Do] you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the graciousness of God leads you to repentance? But you, according to your own hardness and unrepentant heart, are storing up wrath for yourself against the day of wrath and revelation of God’s righteous judgment, Who will render to each one according to his own works: On the one hand, to those who with patient endurance in good works are seeking glory and honor and immortality—eternal life.

“On the other hand, to those who are contentious and who disobey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish—upon every soul of man who works out evil, both of the Jew first, and of the Greek; but glory and honor and peace to everyone who works good, both to the Jew first, and to the Greek, because there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned within the law shall be judged by the law, (because the hearers of the law are not just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified)” (Rom. 2:4-13).

All are subject to God’s righteous judgment. And, indeed, our individual choices are a matter of eternal life—or eternal death.

To Judge, or Not to Judge?

Many churches teach that Christians are not to make judgments. Often, certain Scriptures are quoted in an attempt to prove their point—Matthew 7:1 being one of the most used: “Judge not, lest you be judged” (or, better rendered, “Do not condemn others, so that you yourself will not be condemned”). This teaching is then extended to mean that we are not to judge anyone or any thing. But are Christians really to be without discernment and judgment? If such is the case, how can we discern and choose between right and wrong, good and evil, righteousness and sin, or life and death? As we will see, there are times when we should not make judgments, and there are times when we should make judgments.

When Not to Judge. The Scriptures make it clear that we are not to make judgments when an issue is none of our business, or is not within the realm of our authority. If we judge out of place, we too often become judgmental, critical and condemning. More often than not, we judge the heart of the one in question without knowing the circumstances and facts. Such judging and condemning is but opinionated self-righteousness—because those who do so actually believe that they know the thoughts of the one they are judging and condemning. But only God truly knows the thoughts of a person. Therefore, when we judge another person’s heart, we are sitting in the seat of God and taking a prerogative that alone belongs to Him. Remember, only God knows the heart and understands the innermost thoughts.

This is why the apostle Paul wrote that in such circumstances we are not to judge one another. This is especially true if it is a matter of personal conscience based on the Word of God. In the church at Rome, for example, vegetarians were at odds with meat eaters, and drinkers of wine were at odds with non-drinkers. Each party was judging and condemning the other. Notice what Paul wrote: “Now then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Because it is written, “ ‘For as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ ” So then, each one of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore, we should no longer judge one another, but judge this instead: Do not put an occasion of stumbling or a cause of offense before your brother” (Rom. 14:10-13).

Paul makes it clear that in these personal matters of conscience before God, the brother or sister involved is judged by God and not by other men—including those of the local congregation. It is foolish to cause strife and contention over lesser, physical matters. Too often, people who judge and criticize others mistakenly consider such personal choices to be equal to serious doctrinal matters. (It’s as if they are trying to kill a fly with a 105mm Howitzer canon. When they finally kill the fly, they’ve blown up the house and everyone else as well.)

 Because they never seem to get the point, some continue on with their self-righteous judgmental attitudes—destroying lives and congregations. This was exactly the case in the congregation in Rome. Typically, the person who has chosen (as a matter of conscience) to eat or not to eat, or to drink or not to drink, is not the one who has the real problem. Rather, it is the one causing the strife and contention. This kind of hypercritical, judgmental, opinionated, self-righteous attitude can destroy lives. But God wants us to edify and “build up” each other—not tear down and destroy each other. The one who is opinionated and condemning sows the seeds of discord among the brethren, which God says He hates (Prov. 6:19).

Notice what Paul wrote about these matters of personal conscience: “But if, because of meat [food], your brother is offended, you are no longer walking according to love. With your meat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. Therefore, do not let your good be evil spoken of. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking; rather, it is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because the one who serves Christ in these things is well pleasing to God and acceptable among men. So then, we should pursue the things of peace and the things that edify one another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of meat [food]” (Rom. 14:15-20).

This is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “Do not condemn others, so that you yourself will not be condemned; for with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you mete out, it shall be measured again to you. Now why do you look at the sliver that is in your brother’s eye, but you do not perceive the beam in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to remove the sliver from your eye’; and behold, the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast out the beam from your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to remove the sliver from your brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:1-5). These verses are quite clear in their instruction—never be judgmental or condemning.

When anyone is judgmental, they are actually attempting to judge the heart and motives of another—but only God can truly know a person’s heart and motives. It is a complete misapplication of the Word of God for anyone to assume to render personal, hypocritical, condemning judgment of another (which, in reality, is done only to exalt the self). This kind of “judging” usually comes in the form of gossip, because the one doing the judging would not dare bring it face-to-face to the accused.

In Romans 2, Paul leaves no doubt that God will judge those who condemn and criticize others in order to exalt themselves. This is especially true if the one who is judging another is committing the same sins. “Therefore you are without excuse, O man, everyone who judges another; for in that in which you judge the other, you are condemning your own self; for you who judge another are doing the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth upon those who commit such things. Now do you think yourself, O man, whoever is judging those who commit such things, and you are practicing them yourself, that you shall escape the judgment of God?” (Rom. 2:1-3). No! God is a righteous Judge and will render to everyone according to his or her works!

The apostle James also wrote about the self-righteous condemnation of others. “Brethren, do not talk against one another. The one who talks against a brother, and judges his brother, is speaking against the law, and is judging the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law; rather, you are a judge. But there is only one Lawgiver, Who has power to save and to destroy. Who are you that you presume to judge another?” (James 4:11-12).

James makes it absolutely clear that when anyone takes this kind of stance and attitude toward another, he or she is actually judging God. This was Job’s sin. He was critical and judgmental of everyone else—even judging and condemning God in order to maintain his own self-righteousness. “Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind and said, ‘Gird up your loins like a man; I will demand of you, and you [in answer will] declare unto Me. Will you disannul My judgment? Will you condemn Me, that you may be righteous?’ ” (Job 40:6-7).

Job had an ideological mask, which was his own self-deception. He actually believed that he was more righteous than anyone else—so righteous, in fact, that even God could not find fault with him. By judging and condemning others, as well as God, Job made himself the center of the universe and exalted himself to the highest heavens. This is why God had to personally confront Job. “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and you answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare it if you have understanding. Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? Or who has stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened: or who laid the cornerstone thereof?… Do you know the ordinances of heaven? Can you set the dominion thereof in the earth: Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that [the] abundance of waters may cover you? Can you send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto you “Here we are?” Who has put wisdom in the inward parts: Or who has given understanding to the heart?’ ” (Job 38:1-6, 33-36).

God continued talking with Job, “Deck yourself now with majesty and excellency; and array yourself with glory and beauty [the spiritual glory and beauty which God has]. Cast abroad the rage of your wrath; and behold everyone that is proud and abase him. Look on everyone that is proud and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. Then I will also confess unto you that your own right hand can save you’ ” (Job 40:10-14).

Before Job could see himself clearly, God had to remove the giant beam out of Job’s eye. Once that was done, Job saw himself clearly and repented. Notice: “Then Job answered the Lord, and said, ‘I know that you can do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from you. Who is he [referring to himself] that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that [which] I understood not: things too wonderful for me, which I knew not [because his eyes were blinded because of the beam of self-righteousness]. Hear, I beseech You, and I will speak: I will demand of You, and You declare to me, I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: BUT NOW MINE EYE SEES YOU. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes’ ” (Job 42:1-6).

Job had to learn that it was the height of vanity and self-righteousness to judge God and condemn others—all in order to exalt himself. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “Do not condemn others, so that you yourself will not be condemned; for with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you mete out, it shall be measured again to you” (Matt. 7:1-2).

Now that we have seen when not to judge, we need to understand that there are times when we are to judge. In fact, if we do not practice righteous judgment as a way of life, then we will be held accountable for our lack of judgment.

When Are You to Judge?

There is a time and a right way to judge. In fact, if you read Matthew 7:1-5 carefully, you will see that Jesus also gave instructions for making a right judgment. He said, “[First] cast out the beam from your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to remove the sliver from your brother’s eye” (verse 5). We are to get the beam out of our own eye first. Only then we can make a right judgment and help another with his or her problem—without being hypocritical or judgmental. Jesus wants us to learn to make righteous judgments. But we can only do so if we judge ourselves first, and get rid of any judgmental, self-righteous, condemning attitudes.

The apostle Paul understood this very clearly. He shows how Jesus’ instructions were to be carried out when exercising godly judgment in helping others. “Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in some offense, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).

Jesus Christ said, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). The biggest mistake people make is that they only go by the outward appearance, which is superficial at best. This is why the Scriptures give us specific instructions on how to resolve problems—in other words, to judge righteous judgment.

First, pray about it: If there is a problem between you and another brother or sister in Christ, you are to first pray about it. Perhaps you perceive that the other person is involved in a sin. The apostle John wrote, “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we may ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that is not unto death, he shall ask, and He will give him life for those who do not sin unto death” (I John 5:14-16).

In praying for the other person, we need to ask God to help him or her to see the problem, or sin, and for the person to personally repent and make the correction. This way, with God’s help, the individual makes the right judgment and the problem is solved without you (or anyone else) getting involved. This process may take some time, because God will work patiently with the individual to lead him or her to repentance. This should always be done first. But if it becomes evident that the problem is not being resolved (and perhaps may be getting worse), then Christ instructs us to go, alone, to the individual.

Second, go to the person privately: If after a period of time the situation persists, then you have the responsibility to go to your brother or sister in private and discuss the matter. But first, “cast the beam out of your own eye” and consider your own weaknesses and faults so that the problem may be resolved in the spirit of love and in the bond of peace. Jesus said, “So then, if your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault between you and him alone. If he is willing to hear you, you have gained your brother” (Matt. 18:15). God expects us to resolve problems, if possible, on a one-to-one basis—in an attitude of love and humility. This is how love covers a multitude of sins, so that the matter is not spread any further. But if the problem cannot be resolved on this one-to-one level, then Christ gave these further instructions.

Third, take one or two others to help resolve the problem: “But if he will not listen, take with you one or two others, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matt. 18:16). If it reaches this level, the problem is obviously more serious. However, with the proper attitude of love and humility, ninety-nine percent of all problems can still be resolved at this level—if we practice righteous judgement. This is the responsibility of the brethren among themselves. It is not the responsibility of the ministry to arbitrate such disputes. God expects each of us to personally exercise righteous judgement and resolve our own personal problems. But sometimes the problems are so great that the first three steps do not work—in which case Christ gives us the final step.

Fourth, take it to the church: “And if he fails to listen to them, tell it to the church” (Matt. 18:17). This does not mean that the problem should be taken to the ministry—but that the matter is to be taken before the local congregation, in a special meeting, where the entire congregation is involved in making any needed decisions. The minister is involved—and he would undoubtedly moderate such a meeting—but the congregation is to judge the matter, not the minister. They are to judge righteous judgment. If the problem is not resolved, the congregation also has the responsibility of disfellowshipping the person. “But if he also fails to listen to the church, let him be to you as the heathen and the tax collector” (verse 17).

The decision is bound in heaven: The entire procedure that Jesus gave in Matthew 18:15-17 is of vital importance—so much so that Christ added that whatever is agreed to is thus bound in heaven (or loosed in heaven, depending on the decision). This includes the face-to-face meeting of the two individuals, or the bringing in of two or three witnesses, or the congregational decision. Notice: “Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you on earth shall agree concerning any matter that they wish to request, it shall be done for them by My Father, Who is in heaven” (Matt. 18:18-19).

This is exactly what the apostle Paul instructed the congregation in Corinth to carry out in regard to the man who was committing incest with his stepmother. He was very emphatic in his instructions: “It is commonly reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—allowing one to have his own father’s wife. You are puffed up and did not grieve instead, so that he who did this deed might be taken out of your midst. For I indeed, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged concerning him who has so shamelessly committed this evil deed as if I were present: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, WHEN YOU ARE GATHERED TOGETHER, and my spirit, together with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (I Cor. 5:1-5).

The Saints Are to Judge Righteous Judgment

One of the great failings of the church in Corinth was their lack of godly judgment, and Paul lamented about this weakness because it caused so many problems. For example, brethren were taking each other before the legal system of the world—because the congregation had not learned to exercise righteous judgment in such matters. Paul strongly corrected them: “Does anyone among you who has a matter against another dare to go to a court of law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Don’t you know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you unworthy of the most trivial of judgments?

“Don’t you know that we shall judge angels? How much more then the things of this life? So then, if you have judgments concerning the things of this life, why do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? Now I say this to your shame. Is it because there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who is able to decide between his brothers? Instead, brother goes to a court of law with brother, and this before unbelievers. Now therefore, there is altogether an utter fault among you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? Instead, you are doing wrong and defrauding, and you are doing these things to your brethren” (I Cor. 6:1-8).

When Christ Returns, He Will Give Judgment to the Saints

Paul makes it clear that Christians are to learn to judge righteous judgment. We are to judge as instructed by Christ. But more importantly, Paul makes it clear that the saints will judge the world, as well as judge angels. This is the very reason that we need to learn now how to exercise righteous judgment.

When Jesus Christ returns, He is going to judge the world—but He will give judgment to the saints. In fact, the apostles will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. “And Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I say to you who have followed Me: in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’ ” (Matt. 19:28).

The apostle John wrote in Revelation 20 concerning the time of the Millennium when judgment is to be given to the saints. “And I saw thrones; and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given to them [this is when we will judge the world]; and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and those who did not worship the beast, or his image, and did not receive the mark in their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years…. Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:4-6).

Isaiah prophesied of Christ’s reign as King of the world during the Millennium. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall JUDGE among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:2-4).

Again, Isaiah prophesied that Jesus Christ would establish His government with judgment. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government will be upon His shoulders: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this” (Isa. 9:6-7).

Jesus Christ is the righteous Judge! When He rules the world and the saints with Him, it will be with righteous judgment. Of Christ, Isaiah also wrote: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, and the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord: and shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins” (Isa. 11:1-5).

These verses reveal the spiritual qualities of righteous judgment. Notice: “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, and the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” These are the spiritual qualities we need to develop through the Holy Spirit of God—to have the very mind of Christ.

How to Develop Righteous Judgment

To truly understand judgment, we must clearly understand the term. “Judgment”—as exercised according to the principles of God’s Word—may be thus defined: “A judgment is a decision or a conclusion based on the spiritual intent of God’s laws, statutes and judgments where the will of God may or may not be specifically stated.” When official judgments are required, the one who is making such judgments must be qualified—according to the standards God has set forth—to clarify, decide, and resolve a controversy.

Issuing a judgment can be a crucial matter, at times having far-reaching and lasting consequences. Christ said, “Judge righteous judgment.” Righteous, godly judgment is really the very first extension of love. The Bible states, “God is love.” It also says, “God is Judge,” and that “all will appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Righteous judgment can only be based on LOVE FOR GOD and LOVE FOR NEIGHBOR. It is impossible to have love without judgment—or to have judgment without love! This is the basic and absolute foundation for judging righteous judgment.

The System of Judges Under the Old Covenant

God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt because He loved them. “For you are an holy people unto the Eternal your God: The Eternal your God has chosen you to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Eternal did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all people:

“But because the Eternal LOVED you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, has the Eternal brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you of the house of bondmen, from the land of Pharaoh King of Egypt. Know, therefore, that the Eternal your God, He is God, the Faithful God which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations…. You shall therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments … and do them that the Eternal your God shall keep unto you the covenant and the mercy which He swears unto your fathers, and He will love you, and bless you and multiply you…” (Deut. 7:6-13).

God’s calling of the children of Israel was of itself an act of love. In turn, He commanded that they love Him and obey His commandments and judgments. To insure the smooth and proper functioning of God’s government, God gave the children of Israel a system of judges. It was through this system of judges that God would govern and judge His people. This clearly shows how love and judgment go hand-in-hand.

Basic Qualifications for a Judge

The basic qualifications for judges were established at the commencement of the system of judges under Moses: “Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them [the people], to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties and rulers of tens; and let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto you, but every small matter they [themselves] shall judge” (Ex. 18:21-22). Those who would judge had to be men of ability, loving God and the truth above everything and everyone else. Later—when God gave his laws, commandments, statutes and judgments—He commanded the people to obey Him and to abide by decisions “as the judges determine” (Ex. 21:22). The judges were to apply God’s laws, commandments, statutes and judgments as the very basis for their judgments.

Through Moses, God commanded the judges to “hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. You shall not respect persons in judgment; but you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s…” (Deut. 1:16-17).

In the New Testament, these same basic character requirements for judging are expanded and amplified for Church leaders and ministers (see I Tim. 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9). This will be covered later, showing that the character of the individual is the key in making judgments.

How the System Worked

The small matters were to be brought to the lower judges. If the matter could not be resolved, it would be brought to the higher judges. If a decision still could not be reached, the final judgment went into the hands of the leading judge and the priest. The instructions from God are as follows: “If there arise a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates: then shall you arise, and get up into the place which the Lord your God shall choose; and you shall come unto the priests and the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall show you the sentence of judgment: and you shall do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall show you; and you shall observe to do all that they inform you; according to the sentence of the law which they shall teach you, and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, and you shall do: you shall not decline from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand, nor to the left. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and you shall put away the veil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously” (Deut. 17:8-13).

The system under the Old Covenant was dual—both civil and religious. The civil part of the government included statutes and judgments with which to govern the people. Laws were also given to regulate the official worship of God—primarily revolving around the first four of the Ten Commandments. However, both the civil and the religious laws functioned hand-in-hand without contradiction—because they were all based on God’s perfect spiritual laws.

In difficult matters of judgment, the High Priest held the final appeal to God. In such cases God would make His judgment known through the “breastplate of judgment” and the “casting of lots” (Ex. 28:15, 30; Num. 27:21). In Joshua, chapter 7, we find an account showing how God worked through the High Priest to make known his judgment concerning Achan.

God made the decisions of the judges absolute, binding the people to obey—which was essential for the smooth functioning of God’s government in Israel. But whenever a breakdown in the system occurred, trouble would soon arise. If the people were not willing to obey the judges’ decisions, then every man would be compelled to do what was “right in his own eyes.” Anarchy and rebellion would result—which is exactly what is recorded in the book of Judges: “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

God’s Word—the Vital Key to Righteous Judgment

The most important factor in any system of judging is the righteousness of the one who has been placed in the position of authority for the specific purpose of making binding decisions. This was true when the nation of Israel was under the leadership of judges, as well as when God finally allowed Israel to be under kings. It is vital that all such judging be based on God’s WORD, for God is to be the true Authority in any judgment. The requirements and commands for such judging certainly apply to the Church today—for God has given specific commands, instructions and warnings for those responsible for rendering judgments. When followed, these instructions and commands assure that righteous, godly judgment will be administered.

Commands and Instructions for Judges

The individual character of each judge is a vital factor in his ability to make proper judgments. We have seen in Exodus 18 that the FEAR of GOD and the LOVE of THE TRUTH are basic qualifications. Of great importance is impartiality: “Hear the causes … judge righteously between every man…. You shall not respect persons in judgments” (Deut. 1:16-17). This is a basic character quality of God Himself, as He shows NO partiality! All must be treated fairly and given the same chance and opportunity. Not “respecting persons” is the very foundation of salvation! This character quality must be in every Christian today, so we can make wise and just decisions. This is why God has given instructions for those who are in the role of judge. Notice: “You shall hear the small as well as the great….” Every case must be heard, every question answered, and all details considered. The attitude of the individual, whether good or bad, does not bind or release anyone from making a godly decision or giving a righteous answer. JUDGES ARE BOUND BY GOD TO HANDLE EVERY MATTER, WHETHER SMALL OR GREAT, TO HEAR EVERYONE WHETHER HE IS KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, LIKED OR DISLIKED, OF LOW ESTATE OR HIGH ESTATE. “You shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s!” (verse 17).

Christ told the apostles the same thing. “And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven….” Christ gave the Church and the ministry the authority to make binding judgments based on the laws of God. “And whatever you may bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you may loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:19). God commands every minister and overseer, as well as all the Church, to remember that such judgments ARE OF GOD, and not man! ALL JUDGMENTS MUST BE BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD! Every judgment must be righteous, fair, just, loving and merciful!

One of the reasons Christ rejected the Pharisees, scribes and lawyers was because they ignored the righteous judgments of God. They made their own judgments, based on their traditions instead of God’s laws. Jesus condemned them because they overlooked the weightier matters of their responsibilities: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, but you have abandoned the more important matters of the law—judgment, and mercy and faith. These [judgment, mercy and faith] you were obligated to do, and not to leave the others undone” (Matt. 23:23).

The scribes and Pharisee had degenerated to such a state because they did not have the love of God. Jesus said, “I do not receive glory from men; but I have known you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves” (John 5:41-42). Thus, their judgments were hypocritical, because they were not based on God’s Word and His love. In His condemnation of the Pharisees, Jesus revealed that they were void of true judgment and love. Notice: “But woe to you, Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint and rue and every herb, but you pass over the judgment and the love of God” (Luke 11:42). We should also take this as a warning—so we will not fall into the same trap and snare of neglect and injustice as did the scribes and Pharisees.

Additional Commands for Judges

God also commands that judges “shall judge the people with just judgment. You shall not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift does blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is altogether just shall you follow…” (Deut. 16:18-20).

“You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: you shall not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty, but in RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL YOU JUDGE YOUR NEIGHBOR” (Lev. 19:15). “If there be controversy between men … [the judges] shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked” (Deut. 25:1). These laws and commands for the judge were given to insure that God’s people would be judged righteously and justly at all times.