Christ judges not only those who die at their death; but, He judges the living during their lifetime. His judgment happens in heaven at the “Throne of God.” Most confessions state that Christ will judge the dead in the future; however, the Bible shows clearly that judgment was, is, and will continue into the future. Christ’s judgment is an everyday reality.
The beginning uses the word “whence” or “thence.”The word “whence” or “thence” is not used in today’s English. It simply means “from where” or “from there.” Christ judges from heaven now and not in some distant future. Our God our savior, Jesus Christ, will judge everyone from God’s throne in heaven. The book of Revelation visualizes from where judgment occurs.
“And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
(Rev 20:11-15 NAS)
The Bible teaches God alone judges all of the world and humanity.
“Gather My godly ones to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge.”
(Psa 50:5-6 NAS)
The one and only judge is God.
“For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
(Heb 10:30-31 NAS)
“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?”
(Jam 4:12 NAS)
The Apostle Paul taught that God the Father placed Christ as the judge of all things living and dead.
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom.”
(2Ti 4:1 NAS)
The Father gave all judgment to the Son to the glory and honor of the Father.
“For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
(John 5:22-23 NAS)
God will judge all creation including the Angels and Humans.
God’s final judgment will be executed upon the Angels in heaven. Peter states that the Angels will be judged by God.
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment.”
(2Pe 2:4 NAS)
Paul states that all people will stand before the judgment seat of God, which is God’s throne.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
(2Co 5:10 NAS)
“But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
(Rom 14:10 NAS)
When does God judge?
Gods Judgment is an ongoing process that started at the beginning of creation and will continue till there is no more judgment to be rendered. The Psalms show God’s judgment was happening from heaven already.
“Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; The earth feared, and was still, When God arose to judgment, To save all the humble of the earth. Selah.”
(Psa 76:8-9 NAS)
Judgment happens during everyone’s life.
“For Thou hast maintained my just cause; Thou dost sit on the throne judging righteously.”
(Psa 9:4 NAS)
The Apostles taught that, when you die, you are judged. After death, people are either cast into hell or pass into life.
“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!”
(Luke 12:5 NAS)
“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. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live.”
(John 5:24-25 NAS)
The John 5:25 quote states, “AND NOW IS” the time when this is happening. There is no waiting period, no purgatory, or far away future event that people are waiting for. Judgment is happening NOW as we speak. Not only is it happening now, judgment happened yesterday and will continue to happen tomorrow.
Christ judges the living and the dead
God our Savior, Jesus Christ, will judge those who are living during their lifetime and finally after they have died.
“And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.”
(Acts 10:42 NAS)
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom.”
(2Ti 4:1 NAS)
“And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you; but they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”
(1Pe 4:4-5 NAS)
The word “living” is referring to all living beings. During everybody’s life, they are being judged by their deeds. Nobody will escape the judgment of God in this life or in death.
How does God judge the living?
The Apostles taught that everyone will be judged according to their deeds. Both the righteous and the unrighteous people will be judged.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
(2Co 5:10 NAS)
“I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.”
(Ecc 3:17 NAS)
God does not delight in the wickedness of humans. All the misery and evil that man does to God’s creation will by no means go unpunished.
“I, the LORD, have spoken; it is coming and I shall act. I shall not relent, and I shall not pity, and I shall not be sorry; according to your ways and according to your deeds I shall judge you,” declares the Lord God.’”
(Eze 24:14 NAS)
There is no reason why God should feel sorry or have any remorse to unrepentant sinners who think that they are righteous for their ungodly deeds. Especially when God gave them an entire lifetime to reflect on it.
God’s judgment is righteous.
God does not judge people because He loves to condemn people. His judgment is righteous.
“For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”
(Eze 18:32 NAS)
“God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day. If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready.”
(Psa 7:11-12 NAS)
He shows no partiality, nor does He judge unreasonably.
“Surely, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice… Who shows no partiality to princes, Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands?”
(Job 34:12,19 NAS)
“For there is no partiality with God.”
(Rom 2:11 NAS)
“This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.”
(2Th 1:5 NAS)
If God did not repay those who acted wickedly, He would be neglectful as a judge. Justice is “the process or result of using laws to fairly judge and punish crimes and criminals.” If Criminals and criminal acts went unpunished by God, He would be uncaring towards the victims of crimes.
Christ judges the intent of the heart
Nothing is hidden from God’s sight or knowledge. All things people do is fully known by God.
“The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”
(Ecc 12:13-14 NAS)
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
(Heb 4:12-13 NAS)
A person who does not care about God’s commandments will be separated from God forever.
Those who do not repent will have their heart hardened.
God gives people over to their own destruction. Leaving them in their sin.
“Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.” (Rom 1:24 NAS)
“He has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them.” (John 12:40 NAS)
This is seen in the Old Testament when God sent Moses to free the Israelites. God hardened the Pharaoh’s heart from changing his mind about releasing the Israelites.
“And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.” (Exo 4:21 NAS)
Paul explains how God used the Pharoah as a demonstration of His power. God hardens people to damnation in God’s judgment.
“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”
(Rom 9:17-18 NAS)
God’s judgment upon humanity is His hardening of the heart of those who will not believe. Those who do not believe God are said to be judged already.
“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
(John 3:18 NAS)
This is shown in the story of Moses and the Pharaoh. Because Pharaoh did not believe in God, and set himself up as god, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
“And the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.”
(Exo 9:12 NAS)
Those who arrogantly oppose God will be hardened by God. God slowly closes the door during the wicked person’s life so as to never attain eternal life at death.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”
(Rom 1:28 KJV)
God’s final judgment is after death.
When a person dies, they are immediately judged by God our savior, Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews states,
“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”
(Heb 9:27 NAS)
This is discussed further in the lesson on “The resurrection of the body.” Christ’s judgment is not limited to a distant future event—it is a continual and present reality. As Judge of both the living and the dead, Jesus Christ examines every deed, thought, and intention. No one escapes His righteous and impartial judgment, whether in life or after death. Therefore, we must live with reverence, repentance, and faith, knowing that God’s judgment is just and ongoing.