AT THE JUDGMENT BAR OF GOD
By John O. Corliss
Every Individual Has a Case Pending — The Verdict Will Determine Where Each Shall Spend Eternity
IN the Judgment, not only will every outward act of the life be considered, but we are told that "God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12: 14. Even the secret motives of every heart will be uncovered, "that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Cor. 5: 10. This at once precludes the idea of a sort of general, wholesale work, in which some may possibly get through without rigid scrutiny of their lives. To do such a work as the Bible represents, demands an exact record of one's life in every particular. Who makes this? And why is it necessary? Does not God know each of us altogether? And will He not be able to pronounce a righteous judgment on all, without such a minute record? — Most certainly He could; but God will not condemn any without giving them an opportunity to know why He does thus. Things do not always appear to us in their proper light; and a record of this kind will open our eyes to see that the decision rendered in our own cases is just and right. Recorded by Angelic Secretaries
THE angels of God are sent to earth for man's benefit. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Heb. 1: 14. But what is the nature of their ministration? We know that they camp round about those who fear God, to help them in trouble. Ps. 34: 7. But we may gather something more of the work they do, from the following: "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" Eccl. 5: 6. From this, it is quite evident that whatever is said or done before the attendant angel, is recorded, and is used by God in dealing with the case. It is in this way that in the final award, every one is judged out of the things “written in the books, according to their works,” as shown in Rev. 20: 12. In such a work, it is not necessary for each one to appear personally and answer as to why his case stands as it does, since with his deeds is recorded the motive for their performance. BUT there is mention of another book besides those from which the people will be judged, and that is "the book of life." Mysterious volume! Why is it required in the Judgment work? — Because spread upon its pages are the names of those who are candidates for eternal life. When they started in the race, their names found a place on the roll of aspirants for that honor. When the Saviour imparted power to His disciples over all their enemies, He warned them not to feel elated about having that power, so much as that their names were "written in heaven." Luke 10: 20. Not every one, then, has this privilege. Yet some do. Among those whom the apostle Paul recommended to the church were Clement and other fellow laborers, "whose names are in the book of life." Phil. 4: 3. But the Judgment not only determines who among the dead shall have part in the first resurrection; it also concerns those who will be alive at the coming of Christ. The righteous among these will not sleep, but will be caught up alive — translated, as were Enoch and Elijah — to meet the Lord in the air. 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17. These, however, must stand the test of the Judgment, as well as the others, before being taken to heaven. The test which these must endure will be more solemn than that which any others have met. Those in the grave — many of them, at least — passed their last moments of probation away from the busy scenes of the world's activities, and could review their lives, and look up to God for forgiveness. Not so, however, with those who are alive during the time of that Judgment. When the cases of the dead have all been passed, the living must then meet that ordeal while moving about among men, and subject to strife and temptation. For any to pass that solemn test under such circumstances, will mean for them such a work as has never been put upon the human family. The Judgment in Progress Now
BUT will God bring men to such a test without warning them of its approach? — Certainly not; for that is not the way He deals with men. The final Judgment is, without question, the greatest event, and carries with it the most far-reaching results, of anything which has ever happened to the world since the death of Christ. The day of Judgment was already appointed in the time of Paul, as we learn from Acts 17: 30, 31. This being so, will God withhold from men a knowledge of that time, and thus let them come up to it without opportunity for a preparation? — This could not be, when He is so anxious for men to be saved that He is constantly calling them to come to Him. Among the closing scenes of the world's history, the last message of warning from heaven is given. In Rev. 14: 6, 7, we find it announced: "I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His Judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." While space will not permit us to deal with this prophecy in detail, we may say that it sets forth plainly a time when a message will be proclaimed that "the hour of His Judgment is come." Coupled with that must be the warning with which we find it connected; namely, that against receiving "the mark of the beast" in the forehead or in the hand, as so forcibly set forth in Rev. 14: 9-13. The next verse, depicting the coming of the Son of man, with a golden crown upon His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand, with which to reap the harvest of the earth, shows the order in which the work is to be carried out. The Judgment must precede His coming. When the decisions of the Judgment have been rendered, deciding who are to be taken up at the advent of the Lord, then He comes to execute those decisions, as is brought to view in Jude 14, 15. Remember, then, that the real test in meeting the Lord, is not at the moment of His appearing, but in the Judgment, which takes place before He comes. We are already in the time of that Judgment. When the moment comes to meet our life account, we cannot put off the time. Our unbelief will not be able to delay the event. The message regarding this matter is just as true, and will be as surely realized, as was the message of Noah to the antediluvian world. Are we ready for it? Let us answer these questions before God; and if any feels undone and lost in view of the Judgment that is fast hastening, we beseech you, "in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." J. O. C.