Judging the Saints

One of the most comforting verses for believers is Romans 8: 1. For it says that there is no hellfire  or second death in store for those in Jesus.

Over and over in the Bible this is confirmed. Why this is so is because Jesus is sinless, innocent, perfect, and complete. And we know that God sees us the same way. For we are made complete in Jesus (Colossians 2: 10); this by way of having His righteousness both imputed and imparted to us.

As a result, we’re told that on the day of judgment, we can be confident in the knowledge that as Jesus is, so will we be (1 John 4: 17).

Why then, already declared innocent, justified by faith, must we go through a judgment trial? Why must we stand before God’s judgment seat as the unrepentant wicked will have to do?

It’s because of Satan’s accusations. Behind his complaints is the reasoning that because we are sinners like him, we shouldn’t be saved; that we deserve to die the eternal death—the wages of sin. He accuses God as being unfair because if we are let into eternal life, then he should be let in too.

So God, being fair, will allow Satan to make his charges against us in court with all heavenly powers looking on. One by one, each sin we’ve committed will be brought up by the evil one. Even the fact of our human nature being sinful, he will enter as evidence that we are guilty.

Letting Satan get it all out, God then makes His case. His response to the accusations is to first acknowledge the fact that, yes, we are sinners.

However, Jesus, with all humanity spiritually incorporated within Him, paid for our sins and our sinful nature with His death. And all within Him are resurrected into righteousness. Therefore, all sinners who believe in Jesus are saved. (Read In Jesus.)

The reason, then, that we the saints are put on trial, is to bring Satan’s unfounded accusations to an end.

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