What to Expect At Judgment Day
Believers can anticipate that they’ll be treated like Jesus on the day of judgment. We will not be judged for our sins, nor will God even mention them or bring them up. We can have confidence that we will not be judged for our sins because what Jesus did for us… worked! 1 John 4:17 gives us complete assurance and confidence on the day of judgment:
By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
Why can we have confidence? Because we’re like Jesus. This doesn’t mean we are Jesus; instead this means that we are as righteous, accepted, and holy as Jesus is. This is echoed in 1 Corinthians 1:30 when Paul says that Jesus is our “righteousness, holiness, and redemption.”
The gospel is that Jesus was judged for our sins so that we would never have to be judged for them. He took what we deserved so that we could get what He deserved. That is grace. That is the gospel. That’s why we can have confidence on judgment day.
What’s even more comforting for us is that Jesus will be the final judge (Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27; 2 Timothy 4:1). Do you really think that after becoming our sin and taking the punishment for our sin, He would really judge us again? No way! That’s why when He returns, He will not deal with sin (Hebrews 9:28). He is for us!
There’ll be no movie reel of our sins at the final judgment, nor is God going to pull out our record of sins. Jesus has forgiven us all our sins “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13).
The movie reel—it’s destroyed. The record—it’s torn up. God remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12) and will never bring our sins up again.
This is why we read in John 3:18 (nasb) that the person “who believes in Him is not judged.” All those who believe will be saved and will not perish (John 3:16). Therefore, they will not be judged for their sin, and they will be saved.
Jesus solidifies this thought in John 5:24 (nasb):
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.
The “judgment” in this verse is judgment for sin. We will not be judged for our sins because we believe in Jesus, have eternal life, and have passed out of death into life.
This is why the apostle Paul can confidently say, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). There’s no condemnation for our sins, and there never will be. Why? Because God has already condemned sin in the body of Jesus (Romans 8:3).
There’s no condemnation left. He is not condemning you for your sin now, nor will He condemn you for your sin at the final judgment. God’s grace does not stop at the gates of heaven. What He’s saying now in His word is what He will say at the final judgment. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Christ has accepted us (Romans 15:7). We’re not seeking to earn this acceptance. It’s already ours. This is why on the day of judgment we can be confident knowing that He will confirm His acceptance of us. Further, we are a pleasing aroma to God (2 Corinthians 2:15) because He is not mad at us (Isaiah 54:9).
We are blameless (Colossians 1:22; Jude 1:24; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). This means that we are innocent. This innocence is rooted in the person and the finished work of Jesus. And Jesus, the One who will judge us, is also the One who’ll present us as blameless:
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy. (Jude 24)
He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. (Colossians 1:22)
Do you see why you can have confidence? You are totally forgiven, perfectly clean, blameless, and accepted, just like Jesus! There’s no reason to fear. Jesus will be welcoming you with open arms.
When you see Jesus face to face, expect a smile. A hug. And no judgment for your sins! In the coming chapters, we’ll look at verses concerning judgment, and discover why we can really have confidence. But next, we will look at what else we can expect.
By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
Why can we have confidence? Because we’re like Jesus. This doesn’t mean we are Jesus; instead this means that we are as righteous, accepted, and holy as Jesus is. This is echoed in 1 Corinthians 1:30 when Paul says that Jesus is our “righteousness, holiness, and redemption.”
The gospel is that Jesus was judged for our sins so that we would never have to be judged for them. He took what we deserved so that we could get what He deserved. That is grace. That is the gospel. That’s why we can have confidence on judgment day.
What’s even more comforting for us is that Jesus will be the final judge (Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27; 2 Timothy 4:1). Do you really think that after becoming our sin and taking the punishment for our sin, He would really judge us again? No way! That’s why when He returns, He will not deal with sin (Hebrews 9:28). He is for us!
There’ll be no movie reel of our sins at the final judgment, nor is God going to pull out our record of sins. Jesus has forgiven us all our sins “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13).
The movie reel—it’s destroyed. The record—it’s torn up. God remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12) and will never bring our sins up again.
This is why we read in John 3:18 (nasb) that the person “who believes in Him is not judged.” All those who believe will be saved and will not perish (John 3:16). Therefore, they will not be judged for their sin, and they will be saved.
Jesus solidifies this thought in John 5:24 (nasb):
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.
The “judgment” in this verse is judgment for sin. We will not be judged for our sins because we believe in Jesus, have eternal life, and have passed out of death into life.
This is why the apostle Paul can confidently say, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). There’s no condemnation for our sins, and there never will be. Why? Because God has already condemned sin in the body of Jesus (Romans 8:3).
There’s no condemnation left. He is not condemning you for your sin now, nor will He condemn you for your sin at the final judgment. God’s grace does not stop at the gates of heaven. What He’s saying now in His word is what He will say at the final judgment. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Christ has accepted us (Romans 15:7). We’re not seeking to earn this acceptance. It’s already ours. This is why on the day of judgment we can be confident knowing that He will confirm His acceptance of us. Further, we are a pleasing aroma to God (2 Corinthians 2:15) because He is not mad at us (Isaiah 54:9).
We are blameless (Colossians 1:22; Jude 1:24; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). This means that we are innocent. This innocence is rooted in the person and the finished work of Jesus. And Jesus, the One who will judge us, is also the One who’ll present us as blameless:
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy. (Jude 24)
He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. (Colossians 1:22)
Do you see why you can have confidence? You are totally forgiven, perfectly clean, blameless, and accepted, just like Jesus! There’s no reason to fear. Jesus will be welcoming you with open arms.
When you see Jesus face to face, expect a smile. A hug. And no judgment for your sins! In the coming chapters, we’ll look at verses concerning judgment, and discover why we can really have confidence. But next, we will look at what else we can expect.
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