"But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, AS I LIVE SAITH THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS TO GOD, so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." Romans 14v10-13
The word for judge is "krino" to condemn or criticize with a superior attitude. The word for set at nought is "exotheneo" which means to esteem as nothing; it is a derogatory term, to put a value on a person as zero. Because you disagree with him in one or a few things you will write him off as worthless! It is variously rendered to hold and treat as no account, utterly to despise, to treat with contempt. The word is translated despise in Luke 18v9; Romans 14v3; 1st Corinthians 1v28; 1st Corinthians 16v11; Galatians 4v14; 1st Thessalonians 5v18, It is translated "set at nought" here in Romans 14v10; Luke 23v11; Acts 4v11. In 1st Corinthians 6v4 it is translated "least esteemed." Paul is now hard hitting because it appeared to be a real problem amongst the Roman believers who needed to consider their attitude towards fellow believers on whom they depended for the proper functioning of the body of Christ.
Paul now brings them face to face with the judgment seat of Christ. He says now, you are not the judges! You will not be sitting on the judgment seat. In fact you will be standing before the judgement seat for your life to be assessed by Christ. Quoting Isaiah 45v23 Paul says "as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue confess to God." Paul is referring to the "bema" seat, which is a throne, not for judgment to condemnation, but for the determination of rewards. Says Paul, you have enough to do sorting out your own life without concerning yourself with the lives of others.
There are three major judgments for the human race in the future:
- The judgment seat of Christ - This will take place in heaven sometime between the removal of the church and the second advent of Christ. This will involve only believers. Other relevant scriptures are 1st Peter 1v17; Colossians 3v22-25; 1st Corinthians 3v12-15; 1st Corinthians 4v5; 2nd Corinthians dec5v9-10.
- The judgment of the living nations - This will take place on earth sometime during 75 days following the return of Christ to this earth. The details are in Matthew chapter 25. This will involve both believers and unbelievers who will be separated to their eternal destinations at that point.
- The judgment of the great white throne - This will take place in space, there being no more universe in existence and will involve all the unregenerate dead who will be raised to stand before God. The details are in Revelation chapter 20.
The judgment of the bema seat of Christ will not be a penal judgment; it is not a criminal proceeding, it is more an assessment of our lives since the point of salvation. The point of introducing all this is that we are not to be assessing the value of others, for every one of us will be assessed properly by the only one who is qualified to do so. He seays "every one of us shall give an account of himself to God." The word "account" is the Greek word "logos" from which we get our word "logic." This is a word used to describe the person of Christ as the Revealer or the visible explanation of God (John 1v1-18). "The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." Just as Jesus came to, in detail, declare God to us, we will be asked to declare ourselves in detail. to the Lord at the judgement seat. The power of this should be sufficient to close our judging tongues and to humble ourselves in our thinking towards others. No wonder Paul says as he closes this argument "Let us not therefore judge one another anymore." Paul said writing to the Corinthians "With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea I judge not my own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified; but that He that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." 1st Corinthians 4v3-5
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