Scripture distinctly teaches that the believer will never come into judgment at all. 2 Corinthians 5:10 declares that all shall be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, believers and unbelievers—not, of course, at the same time. But how will believers be manifested? In all the perfectness of Christ Himself. Are they to be judged? Assuredly not. Their judgment is past forever. It was executed at the cross.
If there was a single atom of sin or guilt left unsettled, a single thing—no matter what—that has to be judged, then, most assuredly, we shall be eternally damned. But no, dear friend, it is all settled—blessedly, divinely, eternally settled; and all who believe on the Son of God have passed from death unto life, and shall not come into judgment (John 5:24). Thus much as to the person of the believer. It is as impossible that he can come into judgment, as that Christ Himself can. The members can no more be judged than the Head.
Our work shall be tested. “The day shall declare it.” It shall be tried by fire, and all the wood, hay, and stubble will be burned up. Every man will receive his own reward according to his own labor. What the Spirit has wrought by us, each one has his own reward for, though all be of grace. If we have built wood, hay and stubble we shall be saved but suffer loss.
And, further, when we stand in the light of the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), we shall look back with an enlightened gaze over the whole of our career, and see, as we never saw before, our mistakes, our follies, our sins, our infirmities, our mixed motives. But we shall see also, as we never saw before, the fullness of the grace of God, and the efficacy of the blood of Christ.
With regard to Matthew 12:36, 37, it teaches us that “men will have to give account for every idle word.” So also, in Hebrews 9:27, we read, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” But the believer is taken completely off the ground of judgment, inasmuch as Christ was judged in his stead; and hence, instead of looking for judgment, he is looking for the Saviour.
Is all this precious grace to make us lax and careless? May we speak idle words because we are not to be judged? Far away be the thought! Nay, dear friend, it is just because we believe that Jesus was judged in our stead, and that we shall never, can never, come into judgment, that therefore we judge ourselves day by day, and refuse to justify in ourselves a single sinful thought.
“How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:2).
It is our holy privilege to reckon ourselves “dead to sin.” We have passed through death and judgment, in the person of our Substitute, and
“We may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).
Here lies the grand secret of our peace—the secret of our deliverance from the power of sin—the secret of all holy living.