The Standard in the Judgment - 1

A friend sent me a list of probing, difficult questions. I am going to work my way through them one at a time.

Question: Are people judged on the basis of an objective, eternal standard or are they judged as they judge?

To begin processing my response to this question I ran through the gospel of Matthew looking at passages that seemed relevant:

"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 5:17

"You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. 5:21-22

"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others.* The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.*

Footnotes:
* Or For God will judge you as you judge others.
* Or The measure you give will be the measure you get back. 7:1-2

"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. 7:12

Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. Matthew 7:21

I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day. 10:15

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn't repented of their sins and turned to God. "What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. "And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you." 11:20-24.

And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you. 12:36-37

The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen. 12:41-42

"Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" Jesus replied, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." 22:36-40

"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' 25:31-36

In Matthew, there is no statement that neatly declares the law is the standard in the judgment. So then I considered the rest of the Bible. It's just as nebulous there. Adventists (and I right along with our tradition) have celebrated the role of the law as the great standard in the judgment. But this idea is not a theme in the Bible. The Bible does make numerous statements about people being judged according to their deeds, their words, their faith. There are statements that everything about a person's life will be scrutinized. But there is no clear statement that the totality of a person's life will be measured by the law. Instead we will be measured/evaluated/assessed/judged by the judge.

What criteria does the Judge use? According to Matthew: how we treat naked, hungry, imprisoned people. Whether or not we did the will of the Father. By our words. By our response to the preaching and/or person of Jesus. By our standard for judging others. By how we treat our brother.

This is a very diffuse “standard.” It seems to give the Judge wide latitude for his own personal assessment. In Matthew, the emphasis is on ethics not religion, compassion not ritual/ceremonial/parochial concerns.

If the criteria of judgment in Matthew is pushed as an absolute norm—measure up or else—it would be a counsel of despair. I don't think that was Jesus' purpose or the purpose of the author of the book.

I will continue this in the next blog.