This is an interesting verse.
Jn 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
This almost makes it seem that there is no judgement for us at all but what about this?
2 Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
How do we reconcile these two verses? I have an idea and I will share it after I hear back from a few.
@Episkopos @marks @amigo de christo @Lizbeth @ProDeo
Dear shepherdsword:
Before I respond to your verses, I want to present some foundational truths.
All mankind has sinned and is "condemned already":
John 3:18 He (child of God) that believeth on him is not condemned: but he (child of the Devil) that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
To understand what this scripture above is stating, one must understand the process of conversion and why it is necessary.
Conversion is the spiritual process of
spiritually changing a person from a
child of the Devil into a
child of God. During that process, the child of God will be
born and the child of the Devil will
perish.
The verse below shows the process of conversion:
Jer 18:4 And the vessel (child of the Devil) that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel (child of God), as seemed good to the potter to make it.
The verse below shows the death of the child of the Devil (the original vessel) which occurs during the
judgment portion of the conversion process:
Isa 66:16 For by fire (judgment) and by his sword (Word of God) will the LORD plead with all flesh (all mankind): and the slain of the LORD shall be many (all mankind).
Since all mankind has sinned, all mankind are the children of the Devil who are "condemned already". Nothing can change the fate that awaits all mankind. But since God loves mankind, the Father sent Christ into the world to save mankind (
1John 4:14).
To save mankind, Christ will make each person into a
new creation BEFORE they perish from the penalty of the Law. This new creation is a child of God. This is mankind's salvation.
Now for the verses that you quoted in your post.
Here is the first verse as it should be translated:
Jn 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has age-during life (the sheep), and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
The next and final age will begin with everyone who has ever lived appearing before the Judgment Seat of Christ. A few have been converted into children of God but most have not. As each person appears before Christ, He will separate them as sheep from goats. The sheep are the children of God and the goats are the children of the Devil.
The sheep will receive the reward of life during the final age and the reward of reigning with Christ.
The goats will be condemned because of their sins and will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
The Lake of Fire is a spiritual symbol for
judgment. It is not a place of literal fire.
This verse also applies:
Mat 25:46 And these (goats) shall go away into age-during punishment: but the righteous (sheep) into age-during life.
Let's look at your next verse now:
2 Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Since the sheep are without sin, they will only receive rewards. The goats who have sinned will be punished by the Law; the end of which is death.
This verse also applies:
1Cor 3:13 Every man's (all mankind) work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he (sheep) shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he (goats) shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
In this present age, Christ is only converting the blessed individuals who have been chosen for an early salvation. They are the Elect/sheep. But because Christ loves all mankind and is not willing that anyone should perish (
2Pet 3:9), He will not omit justice, mercy and faith when He judges the goats in the final age.
The verses below apply to Christ's judgment of the goats:
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain (Early and Latter Rain) on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Christ will show mercy to the goats in the Lake of Fire by freely giving them both the Early and Latter Rains of the Spirit. With the Spirit indwelling a person, they will then have faith and be made into a new creation/a child of God. The newly born child of God will then be gathered to heaven, leaving the child of the Devil to perish in the Lake of Fire. This death will satisfy justice. This is conversion.
After the last person of mankind is converted, the verse below will be testified to be true:
1Tim 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Joe