The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1301-R, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 20."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  ©1982. All Rights Reserved.

Question

When I accepted the Lord, I was told that I was judged first and God still chose to save me. Now I’m being told that I have to be judged after my salvation. Can you explain that to me?

Answer

Jesus Christ died for all your sins, all of them, so that’s taken care of, right? So eternally your sins have been judged, Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no judgment to them who are in Christ Jesus.” None.

So that is settled, but there is chastening along the way where the Lord tries to alter our behavior. Psychologists call it "Behavior Modification"; we’re at it all the time with our kids, aren’t we? We’re trying to modify their behavior. So the Lord says, “I’ve forgiven all your sins; they’re all taken care of.” But you still have the flesh. That’s the state you’re in; that’s the perfecting act of God. God has transformed you, covered all your sin. But in the practical aspect of living life, you still have the flesh to deal with, so you sin. So the Lord brings in trouble and chastening, as Hebrews 12 tells us, so that He can perfect you, so that He can modify your behavior. It’s like you do with your children, you know, you discipline them for doing something, and then they don’t do it because they don’t want to pay the price, so that’s the only kind of “judgment” you’ll experience. And it is fair to use the word "judgment" because it’s used in I Corinthians 11, “If we judge ourselves at the communion table, we won’t be judged by God. But it’s not final judgment; it’s not kata krino (Greek) which is kaboom!; it’s the chastening kind of thing.

Now I believe when you go to be with the Lord Jesus Christ, there will be no judgment at all because what will there to modify then?

Question continued

So, come the judgment day, then I’m not the one to be judged?

Answer continued

There is no judgment day for you; you’ve already had yours. When you go to be with the Lord Jesus Christ, it says in I Corinthians 4, “Every man shall have praise from God.” All you’re going to get there is praise. And even though you’ve got a whole bunch of wood, hay and stubble, it’s just going to get burned up. I mean, it’s just kind of removed and what’s left is the gold, silver, precious stone. Everybody’s going to have praise, why? Because there cannot be such a thing as a Christian who hasn’t produced gold, silver and precious stones. And we’re right back to that Lordship thing that was asked about. There can’t be an utterly non-productive Christian. That is to say that the life of God in the soul of a man does nothing; you can’t say that. There has to be a product. But you’ll never be judged; you’ve already been judged.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur's Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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