Jul 12, 2020
Originally Presented: Nov 30th, 2008
Scripture Reading: Romans 14:1-12
One of the great declarations in the Bible is found in Romans 8:1 … "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." This promise means that Christians will never be subject to the wrath of God . . . not in this life, nor in the life to come. It is an indescribable wonder to be free from the wrath of God because Christ has already borne God's wrath on my behalf on the cross.
To be free from God's wrath is not the same thing as being free from God's judgment. Christians are free from condemnation, but they are not free from judgment. "We [Christians] shall all stand before the judgment seat of God" (Rom 14:10). "For we [Christians] 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" (2 Cor 5:10).
In Romans 14 Paul is exhorting us not to be judgmental toward those who have practical convictions in the living of their lives that differ from our own. We are not to judge each other in these matters, but that does not mean we will not be judged. There is coming a day when Christians will be revealed (this is the verb in 2 Cor 5:10) for what they are and will be rewarded accordingly (cf. 1 Cor 3:11-15; 4:1-5).
It is a sobering thought. John Chrysostom (c. 450-407) wrote: "Let us then imagine Christ's judgment-seat to be present now, and reckon each one of us with his own conscience, and account the Judge to be already present, and everything to be revealed and brought forth. For we must not merely stand, but also be manifested. Do you not blush? Are you not ashamed?"