How can we reconcile being perfectly forgiven with giving an account for evil deeds on Judgment Day, as 2 Corinthians 5:10 teaches?
Imagine a family with ten spoiled children. Each day the ten children mistreat their mother, each other, and their house and possessions. Every night the Father returns home from work, hugs each one, and ignores all the wrongs they have done. He tells them how much he loves them and acts as though nothing bad happened. Day after day, year after year, no child ever receives correction or discipline.
Wouldn’t you say something is wrong with that home? Wouldn’t you say something is faulty about that Father’s love? Everything in our sense of right and wrong tells us the head of the home should hold the children accountable and make things right. He should not, with a patient smile, just sweep wrongs under the rug.
2 Corinthians 5:10
On the cosmic scale, that is part of the reason why even forgiven, justified souls will give account to Jesus Christ for every sin of their lives. Scripture does not tell us exactly what that accounting will entail, but Scripture says it will happen. Ashamed of sins, we wish it were not so, but deep down we know it must be true.
Last week we established that it is so by carefully studying 2 Corinthians 5:10 and 1 Corinthians 3:10–15. In today’s post we will seek to reconcile this reality with the inarguable, seemingly contradictory fact that believers in Jesus are perfectly forgiven, justified, blameless, accepted, and saved by grace from all condemnation. How can it be that justified souls give an account for sin—not in the sense of being punished for sin but in the sense of talking with Jesus about them in some way—on Judgment Day?
Not an anomaly
First, we need to see this paradox appears elsewhere in the New Testament.
Exhorting Christians who were suffering persecution, the apostle Peter writes, “It is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17). Peter regarded the suffering of these Christians as ultimately an expression of God’s judgment. But why would forgiven, justified believers in Jesus for whom there is no condemnation experience judgment?
Similarly, Peter writes, “If you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile” (1 Peter 1:17). But why would a forgiven, blameless, justified soul need to fear God’s judgment? How can our Father be our Judge? How can he judge us according to our deeds if he treats us as though we have never sinned (which is a definition often used for the word justified)?
Similarly, Jesus himself says to his church, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19). But why would Jesus reprove and discipline people who claim to be Christians saved by grace and are therefore blameless, forgiven, accepted?
See also Romans 14:10–12; 1 Corinthians 4:5; James 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:6 (3–7); 1 Corinthians 11:27–32.
Your status in Christ versus your conduct
Again and again throughout the New Testament it is undeniable that God deals with his people on two levels. On one level, he treats us according to our status in Christ: forgiven, justified, sanctified. On another level, he deals with us according to our conduct, as we actually are living, in need of admonishment, discipline, training and so on. Both levels are necessary. Though they seem contradictory, neither cancels out the other.
I think this same duality explains what will happen on Judgment Day for a Christian. There are good reasons why Jesus will talk with us in detail through the good and bad of our lives, yet at the same time we will stand before him as his beloved, forgiven, fully accepted saints, free from all condemnation.
So, what are some of the good reasons why forgiven souls will give an accounting to Jesus for both the good and evil in their lives?
Why forgiven souls give account
I believe the purposes for the Lord’s careful examination of a Christian’s life on Judgment Day include the following.
1. Our works will prove our faith (or, in the case of hypocrites, tragically prove the opposite).
James 2:17–18, 22, 24 says: “17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works…. 22 You see that faith was active along with [Abraham’s] works, and faith was completed by his works;… 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
2. Having our sins brought into the light as forgiven will magnify the Lord’s grace and mercy.
Psalm 25:11 (NLT) “For the honor of your name, O LORD, forgive my many, many sins.”
3. Having both our good and evil deeds brought into the light will be good for us. The light will bring healing and wisdom. God calls us to account because of his love.
Romans 8:28 says, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
In Revelation 3:19 Jesus says, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline.”
4. God will be glorified as the perfect Judge, just and fair. Judgment Day will be in all history one of the two greatest manifestations of his holiness, righteousness, wisdom, mercy, salvation, and judgments, the other being Christ’s death on the cross. We will know God’s name far better because of Judgment Day. It will be the greatest display of justice in human history, as well as the greatest display of forgiveness. It will leave us astounded, marveling, worshiping, rejoicing, in awe of God our Savior.
Psalm 9:16 says, “The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment.”
The stark difference between God’s children and God’s enemies on Judgment Day
Although we will talk with the Lord about our sins on Judgment Day, we will not stand before God as lost souls stand before him giving account. We will stand before him with all the benefits of our status in Christ. We will stand before him on Judgment Day as the beloved. We will give an account like a son or daughter gives account for wrongdoing to a beloved father, not like God’s enemies who hate God and proudly reject Christ.
The contrast between God’s children and God’s enemies on Judgment Day will be stark:
- God’s enemies stand before him alone with no one to help them. But God’s children stand before him with the Judge himself as their advocate, mediator, high priest, atoning sacrifice, and Savior.
- God’s enemies will experience his demeanor toward them as he recounts their sins as one of wrath and fury. But God’s children will experience his demeanor toward them as he recounts their sins as a merciful demeanor, like a father correcting his child. First Thessalonians 5:9 says: “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- God’s enemies will be condemned at the end of their judgment to suffer the full punishment of their evil forever. But God’s children at the end of their talk with Jesus will not be condemned (Romans 8:1), but rather, fully forgiven. For them, judgment will end in grace.
- God’s enemies will receive no rewards, but only differing levels of punishment based on the degree of their evil. While God’s children will receive extravagant rewards for even the least of their good deeds and will depart from Judgment Day solely with rewards, not penalties.
- God’s enemies will be cast into the Lake of Fire. But God’s children will enter the beautiful new heaven and earth and will enjoy their rewards forever.
- God’s enemies will pay for their sins forever. But God’s children will never again have their sins remembered. They will be separated from them as far as east from west—for good, forever.
Our way and God’s way
Our way: Fallen souls try to hide sins and avoid God’s light. They deceive themselves to think they can keep their evils secret.
God’s way: God not only forgives us perfectly, he also judges us perfectly. God is light and therefore he brings all things, all sins, all secrets into the light. God’s light is always good.
Life principle: Judgment Day will be a day of divine light shining on all things, a divine light that will heal us and magnify God’s mercy.
Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)