The Basis of Judgment

There is much confusion today about the basis of this judgment. Why will men be held accountable? The Bible teaches a number of reasons for such accountability. Men reason that they are innocent and not accountable. But they judge and evaluate themselves on a sliding scale, a relative scale that uses the worst of sinners as the standard and thus see themselves as not so bad. God bases judgment differently.

First, there is the issue of federal headship.

In Gen. 3:1–24 is a second record of the sin of Adam. This recording is not meant to offer an alternative reading, but to underscore the effect or impact of Adam’s sin. Note that the effect is described not only as personal, In fact, that is not the focus of the account at all.  It is largely corporate. That is, Adam is pictured as having acted in such a fashion as his actions affected the entire race that would follow.

There are many aspects and implications to the idea of Federalism in the Bible, but for our purposes, we are concerned with the truth that God ordained that Adam, in the garden, acted for all men and that all men bore the results and consequences of his actions. We might also refer to this under the topic of the imputation of Adam’s sin. The point is that Adam acted for all just as Christ would act for all men. In this, both acted as “head” of the race.

Rom. 5:12–21 thus makes a lot of sense when Paul tells us:

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Very clearly the first basis of God’s judgment on every man is thus that every man is a descendant of Adam and therefore bears the stain of his sin imputed by God to all of Adam’s children. The important idea in this, I think, is that unless Adam had acted as the head of the race, Christ could not have either!

This personal responsibility is summarized eloquently by Ezekiel in Ezek. 18:1–18. He then turns to a conclusion in verse 19ff. to a discussion of responsibility and judgment and concludes in verse 30 that God will judge every single person

Then there is the issue of man’s faithfulness to the God

The One Who who made and “owns” them. In Matt. 25:14–30 we have the familiar parable of the Talents.

14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Master gives gifts to His servants, to some more and to some less. Then the Master departs and goes elsewhere. Yet, at some unannounced point He returns and demands an accounting of them. Not just an accounting, but it is also important to see that the Master not only desired accountability but also increase from His investment.

It is important to see that this parable was spoken to the nation of Israel. That is very clear from the context. Jesus said this as a part of the Olivet discourse. One might argue that these ideas are to be applied to nationally and thus are not applicable to anyone but they as a unit. This is one of the great cries of the Dispensationalist camp. They make the argument that there is a sharp and impenetrable barrier between the two, Israel and the Gentiles. While we surely agree that there is a distinction between the two, it must be acknowledged that, convenient as it might be, there is no neat compartmentalization such as is implied many times.

This passage is a case in point. It seems clear that the preceding context is directed as Israel and has their history in mind. Yet, it is immediately preceded and followed by clear references to all men in general. It is not unreasonable, then, to understand the Gentiles as a part of the group addressed here as well.

Men, in general, have been given a trust by God. The enumeration of that trust is the entire point of General Revelation. Men know that there is a God, He is more powerful than they, and that they will answer to Him. Their faithfulness to that committed trust is thus a matter for which they will give account.

There is also the matter of of knowledge.

Luke 12 contains what is commonly known as the Parable of the faithful Steward. The concept of the parable is similar to the Parable of the Talents already discussed. Specifically verse 46-48 says:

46 …the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Of this we will speak more shortly…