Prejudged At The Cross

How can I have boldness before the judgement seat of the Lord Jesus Christ? Why, I am the same as my Judge—and while in this world too. “As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly” (1Co 15:48). It is the same truth. What a thing that is! What a salvation it is—not merely mercy that forgives sins. It is a perfect salvation; a deliverance which has taken us, as in the lord Jesus, out of the position in which we were, and has positioned us into another, and that other is the “Last Adam.”

It is true that we shall all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ; everything must be brought out there. But even so—I am like Himself! What is He going to judge? How do I get there at all? Because the Lord Jesus has come and fetched me. I am going, He said to His disciples, “to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

So that when I come to appear before His judgment seat, it is because He has so loved me that He has come to fetch me there; and in what condition? I will be in glory, body (new—NC) and all, before I get to the judgment seat. Everything there will be brought out, and with immense profit and gain to us—to say nothing of the glory to Him. We shall know right and wrong then, “even as we are known” (1Co 13:12). We will be manifested, but manifested before Him who is in the presence of the Father as the warrant of our salvation. We shall not fully bear the image of the Lord Jesus till the time of glory (resurrection—NC). But even now, as to our position before the Father: “As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.”

Our Father has brought us into this position, making the Lord Jesus to be my life, and I am “hid” (Col 3:3) with Him in my Father. The practical realization of it is another thing, and may be hindered through failure or infirmity. You begin to search, perhaps in yourself, and find such and such a thought contrary to the Lord Jesus (there is nothing, even all the evil within believers that is not Blood-covered and therefore all is ever clear between them and the Father—NC). But I say, that is “the old man.” If you take yourself by yourself, there is no righteousness before God (only Christ can claim self-righteousness, of which even those reborn are absented—NC), and therefore you cannot stand an instant in His sight. I must look at the Lord Jesus to see what I am in my Father’s eyes, and I say, “As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly”; and that is what I am in the presence of my Father (same now as latter—NC). There is no veil: we are to walk in the light as He is in the light.

- J N Darby



Excerpt from MJS devotional for December 5:

“The standard and measure of spiritual leaders has to be ahead of others, and as human nature generally likes not to be disturbed, but would seek the easy way, the pioneer is often a bit too much for people. His is not the easy way, and because the whole nature of man is either downward or to a quiet and happy snugness, the leader is not always popular. The pioneer is therefore not always appreciated, but often very much otherwise. He is quite contrary to this mediocre gravitation. A part of the price of leadership is loneliness.” -T A S
None But The Hungry Heart

 

Thanks for your reply. Judgment means to determine a conclusion, so it can result in good or bad. In paragraph 3 of the article this "seat of Christ" (2Co 5:10) is that which all will attend. For the believer it is judgment received from good, i.e. grace; and the unbeliever from bad, i.e. condemnation.

Rev 20:11-15 as you may know is judgment in the "resurrection of damnation" (Jhn 5:28, 29), because they had no "part in the first resurrection" (v 6). I find it interesting to note that the unbelievers will also rise in an indestructible body.

Blessings!