Volume 26, Issue 7
Page 14
WisconsinChristianNews.com
Judgments Are Coming
By Dr. Mike Spaulding Year-End 2025 Chapter 10 of the book of Acts is an amazing narrative for many reasons. We find a Gentile by the name of Cornelius
blind.’ Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, ‘We are not blind too, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.’” What this phrase in Acts 10:42 and the two passages in John tell us is that there is a com- ing judgment. In fact, there are several promi-
Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” We derive bema from the Greek for judgment seat. One important point must be emphasized – the Bema Seat judgment is related to our works post-salvation. Paul discusses this in 1 Corinthi- ans 3:10-15. Sin has already been judged in the
“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eter- nal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will an- swer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the ex- tent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’” To be clear, Jesus’ return means that those living at that moment will have their eternal des- tinies forever sealed. Those who trusted in Jesus for everlasting life during the Tribulation are the righteous Jesus commends for their treatment of these brothers of mine (Matthew 25:40). Who Jesus is referring to as His broth- ers is an important question to answer. It seems that Jesus’ brethren are not simply all the right- eous but specifically His Jewish brethren. This conclusion is strengthened by the fact that Jesus speaks to all the righteous about their treatment of a specific and smaller group among the righteous – those Jewish people who trusted in Jesus as Messiah during the Tribulation. The result of this sheep and goat judgment is that only believers enter into the millennial reign of Jesus, that one-thousand- year period of time before the eternal state. As author Ron Rhodes notes, this passage and the interpretation that best explains these events presents a serious problem for other es- chatological views, notable post-tribulational- ism. “Within premillennial eschatology, Matthew 25:31-46 is properly interpreted as referring to the judgment of the nations. The nations are comprised of the sheep and the goats, repre- senting the saved and the lost among the Gen- tiles. According to Matthew 25:32, they are intermingled and require separation by a spe- cial judgment. This judgment follows the sec- ond coming of Christ, since it occurs ‘when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the an- gels with Him’ (Matthew 25:31). However, this judgment seems somewhat infeasible (as well as unnecessary) if, as post-tribulationists hold, the rapture takes place at the Second Advent. At a post-tribulational rapture, a separation of the saved from the unsaved would take place at that point. Accordingly, most post-tribulation- ists either ignore this passage entirely, or relate it to the final judgment after the millennium.” Continued On Page 15
and the apostle Peter both receiving visions that would shake the early Church and the evangelistic efforts of the apostles. In the midst of Peter’s sermon at Cornelius’ house, we find a statement worthy of our con- sideration and exploration. Peter makes this in- teresting statement in verse 42 – Jesus has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Jesus said this very thing as John records in 5:22-23. “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” In John 9:39-41 Jesus states again that He is the Judge. “And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become
nent judgments coming. The Judge who presides over these coming judgments is Jesus Christ the King. There are three primary judgments Christians should be aware of. The first is called the Bema Seat judgment. Paul describes this as the judg- ment seat of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
believer’s life at the cross of Calvary when Jesus took upon Himself our sins. The second significant judgment is called the “sheep and goat judgment.” This is found in Matthew 25:31-46. This judgment is sometimes called “the judgment of the nations” and occurs after the Tribulation and at the inauguration of the millennial reign of Jesus upon the earth from Jerusalem. Of interest to Christians is what Jesus says is the basis for this judgment. Here is the text: “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gath- ered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, in- herit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will an- swer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
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