Why is there a final judgment if Jesus has already died for your sins?

Answer 1

Much of modern professing Christianity has appropriated Jesus' blood sacrifice as a "license to sin" when it only blots out the sins of our past... not of the future. When it comes to "religion" many people leave practicality and common sense out of the equation. For too many folks... their religion has no practical application in "real life."

Consider it, however, from the standpoint of a "sound mind"... from the viewpoint of real life.

You are a person on death row for capital crimes you have committed in the past. So has all of humanity earned the death penalty for their sins (transgressions) against God's law, the Ten Commandments, God's Ten Capital Laws that we break and commit against Him and our fellowman.

But, if you repent of your crimes... if you display a change of heart and mind and are truly sorry and deeply regretful of what you did... the Governor has the power to commute or change your sentence and "pardon" you.

Now, while this is difficult for men to ascertain, not being able to read minds and hearts... God, who can read our thoughts, can see instantly whether or not our regret is genuine or fake. And like a state governor... Jesus Christ is able to "pardon our past crimes and commute our death sentence"... and "blot out our sins." That wipes the criminal's PAST record clean... and he is able to start his life over.

"...being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus... to declare His righteousness for the remission of SINS THAT ARE PAST..." (Rom.3:24-25).

In the same manner is a "Christian," now dead to sin, set free - free to "begin his life anew IN CHRIST." That is... to begin living his new life and conducting himself in accordance with God's law, the Ten Commandments.

"...even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Rom.6:4)

A state governor doesn't pardon a criminal with the intent that he may return to society to continue breaking the law. He pardons him with the understanding that he live "within the law." To be "law-abiding." Not to come "under the law" again - under its penalty, death.

This is only common sense that too many denominations of professing Christianity seem to ignore.

And so, is a "Christian" required to "change" his ways once Christ has forgiven him. As it has always been from the beginning... God has always required man to obey His Commandments. SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW - I John 3:4. Adam and Eve "sinned"... they broke God's Commandments and chose the god of this world over Him. They "coveted" and "stole" what was not theirs. They "lied" about it later, trying to pass their responsibility for their actions off onto someone else:

"...the man said, The woman whom thou gavest me, SHE GAVE ME OF THE TREE... the woman said, The serpent beguiled me..." (Gen.3:12-13).

Adam as much as blamed God for giving him Eve, he was so terrified at being caught for his crime. But none of them "repented" of their crimes.

Jesus' blood only "justifies" the faithful believer. It "reconciles" the believer, which blots out his past record, and he may begin life anew with a "clean slate."

But his life isn't over, yet. He's still flesh and blood and subject to sin. He will make mistakes and sin again... and again... and again. It's from this point that a Christian is being judged... by how he conducts the rest of his life "in Christ." And it's from this point that the "Living Christ" sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven - our High Priest at the very throne of God, intercedes for us. If we don't forsake our responsibility to obey Him... if we don't "give up" and "quit" trying overcome our fleshly weaknesses and the pulls of the world and give up trying to obey God's Commandments.

In other words... there is a Judgment coming at the "Last Day" for all of mankind. But those whom God is calling now are being Judged now, following their conversion and repentance. The called (elect) of God will resurrect and rule a thousand years with Christ. They are being "pre-judged" before Judgment Day at the end of the thousand year rule.

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (I Peter.4:17)

Jesus died for our PAST SINS... but He LIVES to help us overcome our future ones that we might live eternally:

"...when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we SHALL BE SAVED (future tense) BY HIS LIFE." (Rom.5:10)

Not by His death.

The final Judgment is for the majority of mankind at the end of Christ's thousand year rule (Rev.20). But God's "elect" are being judged now, until their life ends... or until Christ returns... whichever comes first. The believer's past sins are blotted out... but then, a growing, developing Child of God, struggling to be born begins.

"And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron..." (Rev.2:26-27).

"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of His Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." (Rev.20:6)