The Judgment of the Believer

INTRO

Reasons for not judging on secondary issues are:
1) God had accepted him (v. 1).
2) You have no right to judge the servant of another (v. 4).
3) Each believer eats or does not eat for the Lord (v. 6).
Today: 4) Each believer will be judged by God (vv. 10-12).

A. RHETORICAL QUESTION: WHY DO YOU JUDGE YOUR BROTHER? (v. 10a)

1) To the weak: “Why do you judge your brother?”
2) To the strong: “Why do you regard your brother with contempt?”

Notice the emphasis on brother.

B. REASON FOR NOT JUDGING OUR BROTHER (v. 10b)

1) The Lord alone will judge each believer.
2) All will stand before the judgment seat of God.

“judgment seat of God” –

C. REASON IS BASED ON SCRIPTURE (v. 11)

Isa. 45:23:

“every knee shall bow to Me” – total submission to Christ’s lordship
“every tongue shall give praise to God” – total acknowledgement of Christ’s lordship.

D. REVIEW (v. 12)

On this day of judgment, we will not be called in as witnesses in accusing our brethren, we will not give testimony about the faults, errors, of others; rather we will be called in to give an account for our own lives.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE
JUDGMENT OF THE BELIEVER

1) We will all stand before the judgment seat of God/Christ. Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10.

2) We will all give an account of himself to God (Rom. 14:12).

actions – Rev. 20:11-13; Mt. 16:27; 2 Cor. 5:10
thoughts – Heb. 4:12; 1 Chron. 28:9
speech - Mt. 12:36-37
motives of heart – 1 Cor. 4:5

3) We will all be recompensed for our deeds (2 Cor. 5:10).

“Recompensed” –

4) Precious building materials will receive a reward (1 Cor. 3:13-14).

a) Rewards will be given based on our labor for Christ. – 1 Cor. 3:8
b) Rewards will vary. 1 Cor. 3:8
c) These rewards are by God’s grace. Eph. 2:10.
d) Rewards will be based on our building materials. 1 Cor. 3:11-13
e) Building materials which remain after being tested with fire will receive a reward. 1 Cor. 3:13-14.

Nature of the rewards: Matt. 25:23 (praise), Luke 19:17 (authority).

5) Common building materials will be burned up (1 Cor. 3:15).

a) Common materials will be tested with fire.

b) Common materials will be burned up and he will suffer loss.

(1) “Saved through fire” does not refer to purgatory
(2) What is the nature of this loss?
Not condemnation (Rom. 8:1).
Loss of rewards (1 Cor. 3:8, 14).
Loss of praise (Mt. 25:23).
Some do not get a “full reward” (2 Jn. 8).

CONCLUSION