1 Peter 4:17, commentary and pictures

Judgment starts with God's own household, His professed people and church, who are examined first before the end comes for those who disobey the gospel. It is the investigative judgment and great day of final atonement in which only their cases are considered, just as on the typical Day of Atonement only those who came with confession and repentance had a part. While ministering in the heavenly sanctuary Christ decides first the cases of the righteous dead and then the righteous living for life or death, blotting out their sins and making the subjects of His kingdom complete. Their sins must go beforehand to judgment through overcoming and thorough preparation while He is Advocate, for those not thoroughly converted and not partaking of the divine nature will lose eternal life. The judgment of the wicked who obey not the gospel is a distinct and later separate work, ending in vengeance when the Lord is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels and in everlasting destruction from His presence.

Judgment Begins with God's House

The house of God is God's own household, His own people and professed people and church, and judgment begins with them first before it reaches its end upon those who obey not the gospel. In the great day of final atonement only their cases are considered, just as in the typical Day of Atonement only those who came before God with confession and repentance and whose sins were transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of the sin offering had a part. The judgment of the wicked who obey not the gospel is a distinct and separate work that takes place at a later period. The time is come for this beginning, and believers' trials belong within it. Those who suffer as Christians must therefore remain faithful, and such suffering is distinct from suffering for wrongdoing.

God's professed people are judged first by what they ought to have been and done with the privileges bought by the blood of Christ. Those who trifle with that light, fail to walk in the light as Christ is in the light, fail to represent Christ to the world, and refuse to obey God's voice are deciding their own destiny in their hours of probation. This reckoning comes before the appointed day in which God will judge the world in righteousness when all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. If judgment first begins with believers, the end of those who obey not the gospel will be vengeance when the Lord is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels and everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord.

Judgment beginning with God's people reaches each person, for every person's work is recorded and each receives a sentence under solemn scrutiny. Those entrusted with positions of responsibility must diligently use their abilities and fulfill their duties, because their abilities, duties, and work will be examined in heaven. Those entrusted with possessions and talents are accountable for whether they use them for God's cause and to help others. The unfaithful who withhold entrusted resources are condemned, what was placed in their trust is taken from them, the reward they might have received is lost, and their earthly treasure is swept away, while faithful servants who use their means to help others receive crowns and the eternal reward the unfaithful might have had, with those they helped adding stars to their crowns.

Investigative Judgment and Final Outcome

The verse describes the investigative judgment, the great day of final atonement in which only the cases of the professed people of God are considered. As in the typical service on the Day of Atonement only those who had come before God with confession and repentance and whose sins through the blood of the sin offering were transferred to the sanctuary had a part, so now only professed believers are under review. This work takes place while Christ ministers in the heavenly sanctuary, judging first the righteous dead and then the righteous living. Their cases are decided for life or death, their sins are blotted out, and the subjects of His kingdom are made complete.

Sins must go beforehand to judgment while Christ is Advocate, which requires overcoming and thorough preparation so they may be blotted out when the times of refreshing come from the Lord. Those who answer for their lives before God in this judgment beginning with His people must therefore be thoroughly converted and partake of the divine nature, for without this they will lose eternal life. Trying to save life here cannot preserve it. The time of judging the living is near and about to begin, and that nearness makes preparation urgent and present.

The judgment of them that obey not the gospel, the wicked, is a distinct and separate work that takes place at a later period. If judgment first begins with believers who are judged by what they ought to have been and done, the end of those who disobey will be far more terrible. It will come in vengeance when the Lord is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord.

Call to Faithfulness and Readiness

The nearness of judgment demands readiness, for the great work of judging the living is about to begin and God's people who are judged first must be prepared to meet it. To be unprepared and to stand in the way of sinners is a dreadful condition, and those who belong to God should set a good example instead. No time is to be wasted on pursuits that do not prepare for the needs and dangers of the present day, nor is ambition to distract from that preparation.

Every person's work is recorded and each receives a sentence, so those entrusted with possessions and talents are accountable for whether they use them for God's cause. Those who withhold entrusted resources from God's work are condemned, what was placed in their trust is taken from them, and their earthly treasure is swept away. Faithful servants who use their means to help others receive crowns and the eternal reward that the unfaithful might have had, and those they helped are represented as adding stars to their crowns.

Judgment begins at the house of God and warns what the end will be for those who disobey, so a solemn charge rests on leaders in God's work to have clear discernment. They must refuse to listen to evil speaking and be careful how they question and criticize fellow workers who are walking in the light as Christ is in the light. They must guard against allowing another's feelings and imaginings to shape their teaching or leaven their minds, lest they be disqualified for their position. Those entrusted with positions of responsibility are subject to solemn scrutiny, and must diligently use their abilities and fulfill their duties because their work will be examined in heaven.

God's judgments have begun and fall on the inhabitants of the land and upon the earth and upon those who despise His law, to bring people to their senses. God has a purpose in what He permits, and events that were once unusual but now occur almost daily require spiritual discernment to recognize His work. Because judgment has begun, delay is unsafe.

Those under judgment must now seek the Lord with all heart, soul, mind, and strength, repent and be converted, and die to self. They must fall on the Rock to be broken, give God what remains of life, and acknowledge the supremacy of God in order to find comfort and peace of mind.