He Will Come to Judge…(The Creed, Part 15)

[This devotion is part of our series on The Apostles’ Creed, you can find all the videos in there series on our Apostles’ Creed Page. The devotions will be added as they are posted.]

Romans 4:25, Romans 4:3, Hebrews 9:27, Acts 16:25-24

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I believe from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. This statement in the Creed confesses that Jesus Christ Himself will return on the last day. He will be publicly seen by all the world, and after he has raised all flesh, they’ll stand before him, divided as sheep and the goats, the living and the dead, the believers and the unbelievers. And he will pronounce judgment, or as we say, final judgment.

For me, growing up as a Christian, I think this was a moment that always kind of scared me a little bit. God would stand up in front of the whole world and then read your life story in front of the whole world. And then I would be standing there in front of so many people and, and what if God says something different? What if I’m not worthy? What if I don’t measure up? Well, today I want to tell you to not be afraid, because that is the final judgment. And there’s actually three other judgments that happened before that we’re going to look at that grant you a wonderful comfort.

So first of all, the very first Judgment Day over the whole world that happened on Easter when God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Paul says in Romans four,

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25)

So Jesus resurrection on Easter morning is God’s proclamation over the entire world, all sinners everywhere, that your sins are already forgiven through Jesus. That’s the first comforting Judgment day.

The second Judgment Day you’ve experienced is the day you first came to faith in Jesus as your Savior. Just as the Bible says,

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3)

Through faith in Jesus, the righteousness, the perfect life that Jesus won for you through his perfect life on earth, his death and resurrection. They were credited to you. You’re covered with Jesus’ innocence the moment you came to faith. In that moment, God declared you personally forgiven. Justified. Not guilty.

The third Judgment Day we’ll face is the day we enter eternal life in heaven, when our mortal life comes to a close, instantly, that soul faces judgment. We’re told that in Hebrews nine

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, (Hebrews 9:27)

Here we think of Paul’s words to the jailer of Philippi, a man who, in fear and uncertainty, believing he was about to die, said, “sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And Paul comforted him and said, believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. (Acts 16:25-24) And for every Christian in their hour of death that believes in the Lord Jesus, who looks on Jesus like the thief on the cross, looked in faith on Jesus will be saved.

Because of those three judgment days that the Christian will already have experienced before the final Judgment Day, that means that you and I, we approach that final judgment with confidence. You already know what the verdict will be. You’ve already been judged three times, not guilty, innocent, forgiven through faith in Jesus. And notice how on the last day, God has already divided the living and the dead, the believers and the unbelievers.

This final judgment is for your benefit. It gives God that opportunity to publicly lift you up and exonerate you before all flesh. If you think of all the people in this world that have looked down on you for your faith in Jesus, who have mocked you because you have spent so much of your life worshiping in an invisible God, going to church, dedicating your life and your faith to someone you’ve never seen and never met. And they might have laughed secretly, but on the last day, the Lord Jesus will lift you up and in front of all flesh, say, well done, my good and faithful servant. Amen.