172. I. A Future Judgment.
I. A Future Judgment.
1. Explicit Words of Scripture.—The deeper idea of a future judgment is that of a present probation under a law of moral duty; the special idea, that of a future accounting at the divine judgment-seat for the deeds of the present life. That such is the view of the Scriptures a few appropriate texts will sufficiently show.
“Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 11:9; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Present moral duty and future amenability to the divine judgment are plainly the meaning of these texts. Just when we shall so answer is not stated; but the texts can hardly mean an earlier time than the termination of our present life. “For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (Corinthians 5:10). These words are very explicit. There is the same idea of a present probation under a law of duty, and the same fact of a divine judgment-seat at which we shall answer for the deeds of our life. Further, as we read this text in the light of many others which relate to the same subject, it clearly means a judgment subsequent to this life.
Other texts definitely represent the judgment as in a future state. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:1). The dead, as here named, must comprise all who shall have tiled prior to the judgment. Hence there must be a judgment of men in a future state. There are other very similar texts which confirm this view (Acts 10:42; 1 Peter 4:5). Then we have these explicit words: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). The same truth is in the words of our Lord, wherein it appears that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Tyre and Sidon, and of Nineveh were amenable to a judgment still future (Matthew 10:15; Luke 10:14; Luke 11:32). Already these people have long been in the state of the dead; hence there must be a judgment subsequent to the present life.
2. Judgment after the Resurrection.—There is in many texts the proof of a judgment subsequent to the resurrection; but a few will suffice to make our proposition clear and sure. “For the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-29) It is true that the judgment is not formally named in this text, yet the meaning of it is there, as manifest in the rewards rendered to the good and the evil; for judgment must precede such rewards. And this judgment follows the resurrection. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered lip the dead which were in them : and they were judged every man according to their works” (Revelation 20:12-13). Part of this text, if it stood alone, might be limited to disembodied spirits, which, however, would little affect the doctrine of the judgment as a futurity; but the reference to the dead from the sea allows no such limitation. That reference means a resurrection of the subjects of the judgment.