BY THE REV. EWEN MACQUEEN, INVERNESS.
THE Apostle in this chapter states (1) what is true of all men as sinners, they live here in a tabernacle, the body will be taken down at death. (2) He states what was true of them as Christians—they groaned in this tabernacle, desiring to be clothed upon with the house which is from heaven. (3) Then he states, Who had wrought them to that same thing and (4) that God had given them the earnest of the Spirit, who made them confident, and gave them the knowledge that while they were at home in the body they were absent from the Lord. For as long as God’s people are in this world, they walk by faith, not by sight, and if they had their choice they would rather be absent from the body and present with the Lord. This, he says, made them labour that whether present or absent they might be accepted of Him: and he gives the text as one of the reasons why they did this—For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. In these words let us observe three things:—
I. Those about whom the Apostle here writes—“All.”
It is clear that he is treating in this place about all men as responsible beings, for in the next verse he goes on to state that because they know the terrors of the Lord they were persuading men, which shows that such men as needed persuading were at last to be before the judgment seat of Christ. The Spirit of God through the Apostle John in Revelation shows us that he saw the dead, small and great, stand before God at the great White Throne, and that they were all judged according to what was written in the books (Rev. xx. 11, 12, 13)—“I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear” (Is. xlv. 23). “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Roms. xiv. 10). In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Christ shows that all nations shall be gathered before Him (verse 23). Therefore, we see that the “all” here stated means all the children of the first Adam, the wicked as well as the righteous. Many in our day do not like to think of this, the spirit of infidelity has taken such a hold of sinners that they want to drive all serious thoughts as far from them as they can: but here it stands, and here it will stand, and we all shall find out the truth of it. Paul found this out for himself in time, and all the Lord’s people have been taught this in mercy. They found themselves before this Seat in the day God, by His Spirit, convinced them of the reality of His own being and attributes, as Creator, Law-giver, and Judge. They were also taught by the Holy Spirit that the Father had given all judgment to the Son. About this they doubt not that all must appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The Psalmist, in Psalm 116, shows clearly that he felt that judgment was passed upon him, and that hell was his portion. The pains of hell got hold on him. Poor sinners, unwakened, unjustified, unsanctified, dream of heaven, but theirs are dreams which a sight of the Judge will banish away eternally. Every awakened man or woman feels that this must be so. That their very condition as responsible human beings demands it: hence many of them desired that they had been of the lower animals, a dog or cat, even a frog, rather than a human being who had fallen so low by sin. Self-destroyed, but responsible beings, therefore, who must appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ. That was what kept Paul three days and three nights in the City of Damascus, without eating or drinking anything, and if all do not realise, it is not because all will not have to stand there, but because all are dead in sin by nature. All must appear—some who will not be willing, who would rather that their bodies would not rise, for their souls to enter into them again to be judged, must appear. All must be there.
II. Let us notice the place where all must appear—the Judgment Seat of Christ.
(1) Let us notice the Person at whose Judgment Seat they appear.
The Person is the promised Messiah, whom the Father had promised, and for whom the twelve tribes were looking—Immanuel, God with us, the Anointed One as Prophet, Priest, and King, about whom the prophets prophesied, He whose praises the heavenly host sang, on the heights of Bethlehem, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. The Godman, having two distinct natures, in one Person for ever. He, who as Prophet reveals to us by His Word and Spirit the will of God for our salvation. He, who as Priest, offered up Himself without spot to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of His people, making peace by the blood of His cross. For by one offering He has perfected for ever them that are sanctified, and who continually makes intercession for His people. He, who as the King, spoiled principalities and powers, making a show of them openly, triumphing over them in the cross. The cross was made by Him, the weapon for battering down the ramparts which the devil had raised about the whole elect. He, who as King, took the sting out of death, and the victory from the grave. The King who went up with a shout to the Father’s right hand. The King to whom the Psalmist refers when he writes:—”Lift up your heads, ye gates, and the King of Glory shall come in.” He is the Person to whom the Father has given this Seat. He glorified the Father upon the earth as the Redeemer and Saviour of His people: the Father has now glorified Him with Himself. For God has highly exalted Him, and has given Him a Name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth, and every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Him has God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour. He is offered to us now as our Saviour, to save us from all sin. His blood cleanses from all sin; those who betake themselves to Him, lost and ruined, no matter how lost, they are welcomed by Him. His name is the only name given under heaven, whereby we must be saved. Our prayers will not save us, our tears will not do it, although we should give our bodies to be burned, that will profit us nothing in this matter. Christ is able to save to the uttermost as long as soul and body are yet together. For He is now offering Himself to us to be our Advocate. But if we refuse Him now to be our Advocate, when we will go to this Judgment Seat we will have to meet Him as our Judge.
(2) Let us notice the Seat on which He is said to be seated.
The Seat is called also a Throne (Rev. xx. 11)—a Great White Throne—great because of the great One who sits upon it, and of the great numbers who are to be gathered to it, and of the great decisions to be given from it, sealing the eternal destinies of all created mortal beings; white because He who sits on it is the Righteous One. The Throne is founded on Righteousness. All the judgments from this Throne are righteous. There are four thrones brought before us in God’s Word as belonging to God—(1) The Throne of Grace, (2) the Throne of Mercy, (3) the Throne of Judgment, (4) the Throne of Glory (Hebs. iv. 16; Ex. xxv. 22: II. Cor. v. 10: Rev. xx. 11: Rev. xxiii. 3). To the throne of grace and mercy we are freely called in the Gospel now, “that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in every time of need.” All to whom the Gospel comes are called (Is. lv. 1, Rev. xxii. 17), and it is the rejection of God’s call in the Gospel that will make the Throne or Seat of Judgment so dreadful in the extreme. Death will call the soul to this Seat, and the last trumpet will call both soul and body to it. The dead in Christ shall rise first, to appear there. Then the wicked, however, unwilling, shall appear. They mock the Lord’s people now for their long faces, but we may be sure that a child of God never in this world had such a long face as they will have in that day. They often call this superstition now, but then it will be a most solemn reality to them. This is also called the Judgment Seat, from this the final judgment will proceed, and from the decision there will be no appeal. Oh! friends, make your peace with Christ now: now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. To-day, if ye hear His voice calling to save you, harden not your hearts. For once before this Throne our fate is sealed for ever. This will be the most galling thing to His enemies, that the very Person who had been stretching forth His hands to them, while in time, to save them, will then be the Judge to judge them. To-day He is pointed out to us as the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. But in that day He will be the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. v. 5, 6). We must appear before this Seat, which means that we are not to be there alway. There for a purpose, once, and never to appear there again, for it is appointed unto men once to die, and after death the judgment. Consider this at the end of another year, for you have done more than enough in the time that is past of your lives to dread this Seat. He that believeth not is condemned already. Oh! flee to Him now, that you may not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
III. The reason why we are to appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ—that everyone may receive the things done in His body.
In the body we act in a threefold manner—(1) in thought, (2) in word, (3) in deed. (1) In our thoughts we hate God and the things of God: enemies in our mind Young, unchanged friends, is not this the case with you? Your friends do not see your thoughts now, but all will see them then, if they are not washed away in the merits of the atoning blood of Christ. “The thoughts of the hearts of many shall be revealed.” How often God’s children feel afraid of their thoughts in this world! The very idea of them being revealed often fills them with dismay. They are judged already and washed therefore, their sins are blotted out, never to appear again. Poor, unforgiven sinner, what a stand it will be for you when the books are opened, and your thoughts are read out. Angels, evil spirits, and all men seeing them as you appear at this Seat. (2) As to the words. Oh! how vile the tongues are often with the name of the Blessed Judge in mockery. How their own words will appear like balls of fire to them then, to burn them eternally. You who never said a word on Christ’s side, whose lips were never imploring His mercy, never praising Him for His goodness, how will your words appear to you? He gave you that tongue to glorify Him. What are you doing with it? Is it not time for you, like David, to call it to wake up to praise Him, “That they may receive the things done in the body?” (3) Let us now come to the deeds. According to the Word of God, the first act that is accounted before God is the act of saving faith. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Have you done that, friend. If not you are still under condemnation. Without faith it is impossible to please God. “Faith in Jesus Christ purifies the heart, works by love, and overcomes the world.” It is time for us to consider our ways. Many think if they hide their actions from parents and ministers all is well. Do you hide them from Christ, who searcheth the hearts? May the Lord in His mercy bless His word to us, and enable us to live in the world as those who believed His Word in the past did. Consider the text, and may God bless it to you. Let us not be like the foolish bird we read of, which if it hides its head in the sand thinks that all is well. Let us seek a hiding place in Christ Jesus, who alone is a “hiding place from the storm.” May He bless His Word!
Prize the Covenant of Redemption, which is a better covenant and founded on better promises than that which Adam broke. The Covenant of Works insisted on a perfection of personal obedience; the Covenant of Grace provides and accepts the perfect Atonement and Righteousness of Christ, as ours.—Toplady.