The word “judgment” as used in John 5:29 “ the resurrection of judgment”, is from Strong’s # 2920, in the Greek, “krisis,” decision, a “turning point”, subjective or objective, for or against, a tribunal, the process of trying or testing the fitness, truth, strength, or other quality of a person or thing, and thus the PROCESS of judgment.
The word “judgment” as is found in 1 Pet 4:17, Strong’s # 2917 is “krima,” the result of judging, (the) final decision (or conclusion), conclude, determine, sentence to, thus the judgment (PRONOUNCED).
Thus the word, judgment includes the idea of a trial time (krisis) as well as a decision based upon that trial (krima).
For example when Adam was tried in the Garden of Eden, this was his “krisis” period, (or testing period) to determine whether or not he would obey God, he felled and thus came the judgment or “krima”, the sentence of death. “…Dying thou shall die.” (Gen 2:17)
The term day, both in the Scriptures and in common usage, though most frequently used to represent a period of twelve or twenty-four hours, really signifies any definite or special period of time.
Thus, for instance, we speak of Noah’s day, Luther’s day, Washington’s day; and thus in the Bible the entire time of creation is called a day, where we read of “the day that Jehovah God made the earth and the heavens” (Gen. 2:4)–a long, definite period. Then we read of “the day of temptation in the wilderness”–forty years (Heb. 3:8, 9); “the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2); also the “day of vengeance,” “day of wrath” and “day of trouble”–terms applied to a period of forty years in the close of the Jewish age, and to the period of trouble in the end of the Gospel age.
Then again we read of the “day of Christ,” the “day of judgment,” and “his day”–terms applicable to the Millennial age, in which Messiah will reign over, rule and judge the world in righteousness, granting trial (krisis) as well as rendering sentence (krima). And of that period it is written:
“He shall judge the world in righteousness and in his day shall show who is that blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords”. (Acts 17:31; 1 Tim. 6:15)
Why any should suppose this day of judgment to be of but twelve or twenty-four hours, while recognizing the wider meaning of the word day in other similar cases, is beyond comprehension, except upon the supposition that they have been influenced by tradition, without proper evidence or investigation.
Those who will carefully consult their concordance of the Bible with reference to the Day of Judgment, and note the kind and amount of work to be accomplished within that period, will soon see the absurdity of the common view, and the necessity for giving to the term day its wider significance.
While the Scriptures speak of a great judgment or trial day yet future, and show that the masses of mankind are to have their complete trial and final sentence in that day, they also teach that there have been other judgment days, during which certain elect classes have been on trial.
The first great judgment [trial and sentence] was at the beginning, in Eden, when the whole human race, as represented in its head, Adam, stood on trial before God. The result of that trial was the verdict (or Krima)–Guilty, disobedient, unworthy of life; and the penalty inflicted was death–“Dying thou shalt die.” (Gen. 2:17, margin) And so “In Adam ALL die.” That trial time in Eden was the world’s first judgment day, and the decision of the Judge (Jehovah) has ever since been enforced.
“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness.” It may be seen in every funeral procession. Every tomb is a witness to it. It is felt in every ache and pain we experience–all of which are results of the first trial and sentence–the righteous sentence of God that we are unworthy of life and the blessings originally provided for man when obedient and in God’s likeness. But mankind is to be recovered from the sentence of that first trial by the one sacrifice for all, which the great Redeemer provides.
ALL are to be rescued from the grave and from the sentence of death–destruction–which in view of this redemption is no longer to be considered death in the full, everlasting sense of the word, but rather a temporary sleep; because in the millennial morning ALL will be awakened by the Life-giver who redeemed ALL.
Only the Church of believers in Christ are yet in any sense released or “escaped” from this original sentence and penalty; and their escape is not yet actual, but only so reckoned by faith. “We are saved by hope” only. Our actual release from this death penalty (incurred in Adam and escaped from by getting into Christ) will not be fully experienced until the resurrection morning, when we shall be satisfied to awake in our Redeemer’s likeness. But the fact that we who have come to a knowledge of God’s gracious plan in Christ “have escaped the corruption that is [still] on the world,” so far from proving that others will have no future hope of escape, proves rather the contrary of this; for we are first-fruits unto God of his creatures.
Our escape from death in Adam to life in Christ is but a foretaste of the deliverance of whosoever wills to be delivered from the bondage of corruption [death] to the liberty of life proper to all whom God shall recognize as sons. All who will, may be delivered from death to life, regardless of the distinctions of nature God has provided for his sons on different planes of being. The Gospel age is the trial-day for life or death to those called to the body of Christ, to the divine nature. (A 138-141)
Continued with next post.
