Judgment

Author's note: I originally used forms of determine where forms of discern should have been used.

We judge that the penalty for sin has been paid in full for all [Really Good News]. No account remains to be balanced. There are no charges to be read. No penalty remains for any of God's creatures. Therefore, judgment does not concern sin.

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. [2Co 5:14-15 ASV][Ed note: Love controls us - not the fear of hell. He died and rose for the sake of all.]

So what is judgment?

For we must all be made manifest before the judgment–seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. [2Co 5:10]

Judgment is the task of discerning truth, bringing the truth to light so that a discernment may take place. The bema, or judgment seat, is the place where this takes place for Christ's Body. What is it that is being brought to light here? It cannot be sin, for that has been dealt with. Who must discern? It cannot be Father or Jesus, for they already know all.

Is it not those who have been in the dark? Those who could not see past the flesh? Would that not be us? Will we not be brought to the Light for just that purpose?

And what must be discerned?

Can the flesh produce anything of value? Do all the "good works" I perform "for God" purchase me anything from Father? Is there anything the flesh has that Father wants? Does Father want anything from us? In the Light of the bema seat we receive the answer. The works done in our bodies that were really living for ourselves will be distinguished from Father's work in us, which is living for Him. Doesn't the flesh convince us that we can and must perform good works for Father? But the truth we will finally see is that it is only Father's work in (and through) us that has value. Is it not He who will finish the good work He began in us? Is it not He who works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure? Is it not His life given to us that has value? How can we tell the difference between our "good" work and His? We cannot. We must wait for Him to bring us to the Light.

The hardest thing for us to lose is the robe of our own righteousness. In that Light Jesus will discern to us its true value. And though it be painful, like Paul, we will gladly suffer the loss of all things done in the flesh.

Father has given us living illustrations of this in the scriptures. It is the point of the book of Job. It is also an underlying theme of the book of Esther. Isaiah paints the most moving and inspiring portrait of the marvelous outcome of all people brought out of darkness into the Light.

And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. [Isa 25:6-9]