Judgment

To Judge Or Not To Judge

That heading probably has you immediately thinking about whether we as Christians should "judge" others. That is a worthwhile topic, but it is not what I have in view at the moment. I want to consider judgment from a different perspective.

The New King James Version of the Bible still translates John 3:17-18 much like the original KJV:

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

That is a problematic translation which has resulted in some problematic theology for centuries. "Condemnation" is an acceptable translation if we understand what it means. The Greek word is krisis. Can you guess what English word we get from that?

The New American Standard Version (and others) properly translates the text, judgment.

Of the many things Christ made perfectly clear, this issue of God’s judgment is among the most misunderstood. Since the fall of Adam, everyone lives with a death sentence. The sentence has been pronounced and executed. Adam died and as members of Adam’s race we all die. Without Christ’s sacrifice, we are dead in our trespasses and sins. Whether we are in Christ or not, we have already been judged!

There is a sense of finality of that judgment at physical death, but that comes because the opportunity for receiving the gift of faith has passed.

The Greek word for carrying out the sentence is katadikadzo and Luke 6:37 provides the distinction I am trying to make here:

Jesus said that He didn’t come to judge the world but his coming was a judgment:

"For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." (John 9:39)

Notice that He doesn’t say He came to judge but "for judgment." That is a real distinction. Remember the days when mother said, "Just wait until Daddy gets home"? Daddy wasn’t coming home to judge but his coming was a judgment! That’s a pitiful analogy I know, but I hope you get the distinction I’m trying to make here.

If Jesus didn’t come to judge, what did He come to do?

"I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day." (John 12:46-48)

I don’t want to chase a rabbit trail here but I do need to mention John 5:22: "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son." What appears to be a contradiction here is really a need to understand the wider context of these passages. Christ in the flesh did not come to judge the world. Neither does the Father judge independently of the Son. They are one with the Spirit and judge as Lord. We won’t take time to develop that here, so study it for yourself.

You might start with John 8:16: "But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me." Now, you’re on your own!

The issue before us is that Jesus came bringing light so that those who believe are freed from the darkness. Those who believe are not to be judged! We also won’t chase the "last day" rabbit trail here, but understand that it had very specific meaning to those first century believers. They were awaiting the consummation of the ages and Jesus told them it would come in that generation.

Much of the New Testament has a very specific day of judgment in view: the judgment of Old Covenant Judaism and those who abused it. It was never intended to save anyone. It was an instrument God used to lead humankind to reconciliation in Christ. The Jewish leaders rejected their Messiah and enthroned the "heaven and earth" of Old Covenant. Judgment came in A.D. 70.

Nevertheless, we each have an earthly "last day." Those who believe are transformed from "glory to glory" on that day of metamorphosis. That’s a word we’ve talked about before in relation to the English word "transfiguration." [If you are interested in seeing how it played out in the first century, you might want to invest in a book by Ron McRay, Behold I am Making All Things New. You can order it by sending him $8 at P. O. Box 1425, Hawkins, TX 75765. It is a thought provoking study that will challenge your thinking]

Believers are alive in Christ right now! We will never be judged! Because He took our judgment upon Himself, we are free from the curse of sin and death! That IS good news! Listen to Jesus in John 5:24, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."

Will we believe what Jesus says, or will we cling to our traditions?

Updated 09/05/03