Will there later be a difference in judgment?

All unbelievers will not be judged the same.

But what about the believers…?Jesus made explicit pronouncements about unbelievers. On the day of judgment, it will be more tolerable for the inhabitants of Sodom than it will be for the inhabitants of Capernaum, in as much as they have rejected the Saviour. The same applies to Tyre and Sidon (Matt. 11:20-24). In all those heathen cities the Lord has not revealed himself as among his own people. That makes a difference. The Lord is not unjust.

Though we cannot comprehend how that difference will be. Jesus is the Way, the only Way. Without him no one will ever meet God.

But will there also be a difference in the judgment of God’s children? Is there more or perhaps less glory laid away for us in eternity?

Equal and Unequal⤒🔗

All the workers in God’s vineyard receive the same payment afterwards, the big and the small, the old and the young. Rightly so, that conviction is deeply entrenched among us. Because we never earn anything toward our salvation. In the whole vineyard, only one payment is truly earned, namely the payment through our Lord Jesus Christ, in his life filled with suffering and with obedience. His payment is with him when he comes to judge us. We may share in that.

And we may share that now already, in faith, deep in our hearts. In this, we are all the same, just like we eat of the same bread and drink from the same cup.

And yet, not everything has been said at this point. For this is especially about the question whether we will be saved before God, and on which grounds. We can be short and clear about this now.

Our salvation is only in and through Jesus Christ, and so in this we are all the same.

But a different question is: how you are being saved? How does God look at your life, what does He keep and what does he throw away? What comes along and what does not? Your deeds will follow you (Rev. 14:13). In this we are not all the same.

An Eternal Covenant←⤒🔗

We confess that God in Christ has made a covenant for ever, with us and our children.

A covenant which is expanded daily. Everyone who accepts Christ, has Abraham as father (Galatians 3:29).

For us, eternity is without end. What God gives and promises us here and now, he fulfills right through our death. The tie with him is stronger than death. In everything he is focussed to dress this temporary beginning with eternity. We trust in this, and we sing about this. Even when death is coming closer, he will completely deliver us.

But look at this now from a different angle, from the side of eternity. When we may be there later, by God’s grace, then we will experience in all eternity that God’s covenant began in time. What is said and done there, by God and by us, retains its worth. Especially what Christ has done, in the time that then will be past, is unforgettable for ever.

Also in that way is life in Christ one. Dying becomes a portal, not a closure by which everything is forgotten. Not that we can bring along results, but God lets our deeds follow us. Our deeds will contribute to our fine linen (garment) at the wedding-feast of the Lamb (Rev. 19:8).

Based on these words of God we may say that not only are we in person being saved, but also our life, and the content of our life. God’s covenant is eternal, and it includes everything in your life, the things you do and do not do, your thoughts and your words, your income and your expenditures, your time, and your attention. For him all of this belongs to your life, and it stays that way. Not only are we ourselves washed with the blood of the Lamb, also our deeds are being cleansed of sin. Otherwise, they cannot follow. With God there is only light, no darkness.

What Has Lasting Value?←⤒🔗

In this manner the question becomes interesting: what all needs to be cleansed then, to keep and to follow? What is worthwhile? To say it in a different way: what honoured God in your life, so that it makes sense to be cleansed (and kept)?

Is this a question which lives strongly among us?

Sometimes I have the impression that the reigning thought is that all sins will be forgiven. Then all the bad things are gone. This is a comforting thought.

Yet, then we must ask the question: when all that was dirty has been washed away, what is left of it then? God speaks through Paul about his fire, which will test all our works. Not the fire from hell, because this is to refine things. Not to judge if you will be saved, for these are works of those who build on Christ (1 Cor. 3:10-15). Regardless of the result, every person who built on Christ will be saved through the fire. But in the meantime, it does make a difference if your work lasts or if it burns up in the fire. If you built with gold, silver, and precious stones, much will remain. But if you built with wood, hay, or straw, then your work will burn up and you will suffer damage. What kind of damage? Well, there will not be many works that follow.

All your works are washed in blood and refined in the fire. But you cannot wash emptiness. What has no content, cannot be refined. That is what this is all about, and what makes the difference between a reward and a loss (1 Cor. 3:14-15).

From of old God has shown himself in fire, with which he is aflame for his covenant (Gen. 15:17). In that same fire he will in due time make up the balance of our lives (Mal. 3:17-18 and 4:1). His love, his zeal, his faithfulness, his desire from the heart for the wedding feast of the Lamb will be the measuring rod which He will use to test our lives.

Will he then find gold with us (even when it is dull and tarnished), or silver (even though it is mat), or precious stones (be they rough due to our sins)? Then all of that will appear in splendour! But if he finds wood (strong, yes, but no love), or hay (not even strong), or straw (totally useless in this fire, then all those are gone in a flash. What a loss!

Miraculous is God’s grace, that even with burned works you still can be saved, in Christ. And still, you will be sorry about your messy start of an eternal covenant.

Just Imagine What It Will Be Like←⤒🔗

Now no one should think that the gold is hard to achieve. Perhaps that is the case with earthly gold, but not with God. Whoever through the love of Jesus hands a cup of water to a thirsty soul, will discover to her surprise that the Lord will still remember this later. It was gold!

And the same applies to him who, moved by the Spirit of Jesus, addresses the lot of his neighbour, and so observes and acts, will find his works back all shiny.

There will be much amazement about this, for that was not the reason we did this, to draw attention to ourselves. And exactly therefore the Lord holds on to it as jewelry, meant for him, and He will not forget that, not ever.

Likewise, the wood and straw are very near. Not all that we do can be straightforward labeled as bad. Are you allowed to watch a movie in the cinema? Can you go to a café or bar? Is this allowed, is that allowed? Per question it cannot just be rejected. But all this together can constitute a life in which for God there is not much joy to find.

Jesus will heartily wash away the dirt from your works, but if subsequently there is nothing left of value, what then?

We can criticize the books of Randy Alcorn, that he perhaps goes too far in his fantasies about heaven. I have my doubts for example if C.S. Lewis is indeed busy in heaven writing a new series of children’s books, just to name something. And yet, we go over to the other extreme, when we do not think of our existence later as being a continuation of our existence now. That also sounds much like the here and now.

Therefore, in my opinion, it does no harm when Mr. Alcorn describes how the Lord will go through your life with you later. Whether that happens exactly as he imagines it, is not the point. It is an image-rich description of the truth that our current lives will transform into our eternal lives. A description which may help us to think somewhat more concretely about that, and to give our lives here and now more value for God.

One by One←⤒🔗

At that time, we will enter there, one by one. In a large communion of saints, and yet, your life is looked at personally. It will be remarkable, when you e.g., shared your married life with someone here for 40 years. For years you shared many things, also your relationship with God. But in the end, you will meet him, one by one.

Perhaps that will make someone nervous. For will that ever be impressive and awesome! And who can exist before the Lord?

But this is said on purpose to God’s children, not to his enemies. Their lives will also come to light, no doubt. But especially from his children God likes to see what each work is worth. This is repeatedly written about (1 Cor. 3:13). Does this not resonate with the desire of a Father, who likes to be proud of his children? And the love of the Son, through whom we have become new? And the effort from the Spirit, who is busy with us every day?

We are very worthwhile to God.

We confess that, while we look upon him in thankfulness.

And he likes to see that reflected in us.