Our Appearance Before Christ's Tribunal, And Final Account There.

Adapted From A Sermon By

Philip Doddridge

We will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

(Romans 14:10-12)

Romans 14:10-12 which, our text this morning, says that We will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. The matter before us will be Our Appearance Before Christ's Tribunal, And our Final Account There.

In Christian circles, the belief in the day of judgment is widely recognized. Most will affirm that such a day will arrive, when Christ will appear in splendor and authority, summoning all humanity to answer for their deeds. Who does not know this? Yet, one may well wonder: who truly understands it as they should?

As a wise man aptly noted, we sadly fail to grasp what we know; we have perfected the skill of remaining ignorant about matters we know best. You claim awareness of the day of judgment: well, when did you last reflect on it deeply? On which day of the past week did you stop sincerely and say, I must account for myself to God? What wrongs have you avoided? What temptations have you resisted with that day in view? What earnest hopes have you felt toward it? What longing, what expectation, what eagerness for the blessed hope and the glorious arrival of the great God and our Savior?

You may feel that you do not need to hear about judgment. But there is a great need to speak of it; to speak of it to myself, if not to you; to fortify me against the temptations of a temporary world, to urge me in the service of my great Lord, to whom I must account for myself and my actions; before whom I now speak, and of whose coming I now solemnly warn you; I say solemnly, for I know the truth of what I am about to proclaim; I know, as Peter states, "we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."{2 Peter 1:16}

And so let us focus our minds entirely and seek all the support of divine grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that we may not only know but feel this profound truth, which the apostle here declares to us; declares, indeed, with a specific purpose, but in very broad and universal terms. If the Christian world had not been so reluctant to learn, and if the hearts of men were not so consumed by pride, self-love, and the prejudice, judgment, and harshness that arise from this harmful principle, it would have learned the most gracious kindness and gentleness of spirit from this very chapter, even if no other words to this effect existed in the entire New Testament, which is filled with such teachings: and it is supported by various reasons, two of the most persuasive being immediately before us; one in the preceding verse, and the other in the text itself: We are the Lord's.  For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that, even though we may have different beliefs is secondary matters, we are, to the best of our judgment, guided by devotion to him; and that situation should unite our hearts. Loving him and living for him, we should not hate, condemn, or persecute one another; and knowing, too, that, as the text reflects, we are nearing his judgment seat as quickly as time can move us.

Now, we will explore the matters clearly presented in this important and wide-ranging scripture; and then we will seek to apply them practically. May God open your ears to guidance and embed this teaching in your hearts; that you may be better prepared for the solemn day of judgment, and that the message I am to deliver about it may not become a regretful part of your account.

I. We begin with the overall meaning of the words.

You will observe in them three main components. The apostle proclaims a universal appearance before the judgment seat of God; he reinforces this proclamation with a significant passage drawn from the Old Testament; and he directly urges us to consider the account that each of us must give on that significant day.

1. He clearly proclaims that all will stand before the judgment seat of God.

We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. He uses similar phrases elsewhere, notably in his speech to the Athenians, where he states that God "has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed:"{Acts 17:31} and the exact words appear in his two letters to the Corinthians: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of God, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."{2 Corinthians 5:10}

You see that the teaching of a future judgment is a central part of the Christian faith. The truths of eternal revelation show an awesome and majestic judge, Jesus, the Son of God. He did not rule on earth but was despised by proud princes; thus, he is called in the prophecies the man whom the nations abhorred, and who was the servant of rulers:{Isaiah 49:7} indeed, he was treated as a slave by them, for what could be more humiliating than crucifixion, considered the greatest insult to inflict upon free men? Yet the following words will then be most gloriously fulfilled: Kings will see and rise before him; princes also will worship him; for he will be their judge, as he told them while they condemned him, "You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."{Matthew 26:64}

He will have a judgment seat then, when all the thrones of humanity are toppled, their crowns melted, their great cities consumed in a single universal fire; then will the throne of Jesus shine in its greatest splendor. The throne of his judgment—what a seat that will be! With what grandeur and majesty it will be established! With what solemnity he will approach to ascend it! To that day will the words of David, spoken only figuratively about God’s appearance against his enemies, be literally applied: "Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth."{Psalm 18:7-15} What a vivid picture!

Envision the blaze of lightning! Hear the piercing call of the archangel’s trumpet, awakening the dead; Hear the crash of collapsing worlds, the shouts of his saints, and the cries of his enemies. His brightness is like the light, with rays streaming around him; he stands and surveys the earth, he gazes and scatters the nations; the eternal mountains crumble; the ancient hills bow; the mountains see him and quake; the overflowing waters rush by; the troubled deep roars its tumultuous voice and raises its hands in awe: indeed, the sun and moon halt in their orbits; at the light of his arrows they fade, and at the gleam of his shining spear.{Habakkuk 3:4}

How this thought should stir us! It should move us so deeply that we might almost echo the prophet, who, describing a far less awe-inspiring scene in these lofty terms, said, "I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me."{Habakkuk 3:16} Oh, should each of us say, oh, that I may find peace in that day of trouble! Oh, that I may stand firm in that hour of universal fear, when the heroes of the earth flee, and when the voices of kings blend with those of their humblest servants, crying to the mountains, fall upon us; and to the hills, cover us!

2. The apostle supports this claim that we will all stand in judgment with a powerful passage from the Old Testament. The passage, clearly, comes from the 45th chapter of Isaiah: "By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance."{Isaiah 45:23} These words the apostle closely quotes and applies with greater significance to the current context: "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." This though worded differently, conveys a similar meaning; for when the tongue confesses, it acknowledges God, assuming it does so sincerely, as is suggested here, recognizing his divinity, attributes, and especially his all-knowing nature, power, and justice.

The apostle’s use of the Old Testament passage from Isaiah 45:23 is appropriate and fitting when viewed in its broader context in Isaiah, where God declares himself the only Savior and, it seems, in the person of his Son, invites the farthest parts of the earth to look to him for salvation. Never, indeed, has this prophecy been so completely fulfilled as in the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the messages of grace and salvation through him, sent to the farthest parts of the earth; from where all, and we among them, are invited to look to Jesus for complete salvation. For "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up," that he may be seen from a distance; and for this saving purpose, "that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life:"{John 3:14, 16} and then it follows, "By myself I have sworn," which the apostle renders, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me."

How natural it is to understand this as ultimately referring to the aforementioned connection with this great day: I will send my Son to be my salvation to the ends of the earth,{Isiah 49:6} as he is clearly called shortly after; but if sinners refuse to submit to him through love, they will be overcome by force; and the time will come when every knee will bow before his exalted throne, and every tongue confess, that is, as Paul explains in the letter to the Philippians, "every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."{Philippians 2:11}

Having acknowledged the suitability of the use of this quote from Isaiah, consider how serious and compelling the representation is, according to the perspective from which our apostle quotes these words. You notice that the declaration is presented with a divine oath: "By myself I have sworn," says Isaiah; "As I live, says the Lord," according to Paul’s quotation. God was willing in this instance to provide, on one hand, great confidence to those who would seek refuge by embracing the hope set before them; who would look to Christ from the farthest parts of the earth,{Hebrews 6:18} that they might be saved: and, on the other hand, strong conviction to those who would dare to reject him; and therefore, when he could swear by no greater, he swears by himself. In other words, This event will certainly happen, if I live, if death does not overcome my unchangeable life, and the source of all existence is not reduced to nothing, which is completely unthinkable, this great event will occur: I will ensure that the throne of my Son is established, and that the world is gathered before it.

To me every knee shall bow.

Some will then offer willing tribute, bending their knees with joy. They do so now, not in an empty, false, or hypocritical manner, merely to show their devotion to the Lord of hosts and his worship in front of people; but in their private moments, they kneel, having first humbled their hearts, rejoicing above all other joys that the Lord reigns and that they will reign forever.

Yet others refuse to submit: their knees are as stubborn as their necks, described as an iron sinew, accompanied by a forehead of brass.{Isaiah 48:4} They hear their great King proclaimed, but they refuse to honor him or offer any service. Their pride and arrogance have led them to scorn him and his judgments. But it does not matters: no one has ever hardened himself against God and succeeded. They will then be bound in chains and brought forward, whether they wish it or not; even those who refused his reign over them will be brought forth and judged. For the Lord holds the seat of judgment, and when He comes, He will judge. Indeed, even the devils, with all their defiance and fury, will bow as well. As the apostle stated in the passage cited earlier, "So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth."{Philippians 2:10}

What an example of this was seen in that fierce demon possessed man, who broke chains and shattered fetters; yet, when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran, worshiped, and said, "Jesus, Son of the Most High God, I adjure you by God, do not torment me."{Mark 5:7} Strange words! For God’s sake, spare me. Clearly it was the devil within this wretched man who spoke these words, which are among the most striking anywhere, suggesting a profound sense of anguish and torment inflicted upon the proud spirits of hell when they were expelled from those they possessed; in this light, the words (To me every knee shall bow) are deeply significant.

We can, to some extent, gauge by them the homage that they, a legion speaking as one, will be forced to render at the tribunal of Christ; for this was merely the triumph of his humble state, when he appeared as a man, an ordinary man, seeming as one of the lower ranks, a carpenter and companion of fishermen.

It is further stated that every tongue shall confess to him.

This may generally indicate that they will acknowledge his authority, as it is expressed elsewhere, they will confess he is Lord. The tribute of the tongue will accompany that of the knee, making it more profound. However, as Paul himself cites it, it may also mean that all men will admit their sinfulness; at the very least, we know they will do so. Paul demonstrated this in the same epistle, establishing that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin, "so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God."{Romans 3:19}

Certainly, the awareness of guilt will become far more vivid when the majesty of God is revealed in such a striking manner; the majesty of that God against whom every willful sin constitutes high treason, an audacious rebellion. At that time, when the book is opened, when the law of God is fully revealed in all its breadth and purity, shown to be exceedingly vast and unblemished, so that no living person will be justified by its works; since even a single violation, even in thought, suffices to bring eternal condemnation; then, when the records of conscience are also laid bare, and every transgression, along with every aggravating circumstance that has intensified it, is presented in the most compelling light.

And what will I do when God rises up; and when he judges, how will I respond to him? I could not respond at all, were it not for the blood of my Savior and his perfect righteousness to plead. Yet, under this awareness, I will confess my guilt before God with profound humility and contrition of soul; and then, "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,"{1 John 1:9} through the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, which possesses such wonderful power.

But for those who now justify themselves, God will in that day condemn them and compel them to condemn themselves as well; he will silence their mouths, so they cannot deny the charge but must confess that they are sinners and that he is just, just, even when he sentences them to final, everlasting misery. Great is the power of truth, and it will prevail; great is the power of conscience, and God will make it prevail too. Would that sinners would reflect seriously on this, confess to God while hope remains, and turn to Christ that their sins may be removed. You see, then, with what appropriateness this scripture is applied and how many valuable and significant thoughts it inspires. In addition note,

3. That the apostle urges each of us to consider the thorough account we must provide on that solemn day.

So then, he says, each of us must give an account of himself to God. Some may question the need for this repetition, asking whether it was not already implied when he stated earlier, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ."{2 Corinthians 5:10} Indeed, it was. But the apostle, in his wisdom and kindness, deliberately emphasizes this thought, highlighting it with a personal application.

You know that in human courts, many are present not as parties but as observers, and this is appropriate. If justice were not administered openly, it could be corrupted. Likewise, in this great judgment, there will be countless spectators. All the inhabitants of heaven will bear witness, for when Christ comes in the glory of his Father, he will be accompanied by all his holy angels. But every descendant of Adam will stand as an individual in that judgment. Every one of us must be there, and we must be there to give an account of ourselves to God. Every one of us!

The apostle intends for every man who reads or hears this epistle, as long as it endures—and that will be until the end of time—to understand, regardless of his rank, circumstances, or character, that he will face this judgment and must give an account of himself. The greatest of men receive this warning. They will face a significant reckoning, as will all the great, proportional to their status, authority, and unique opportunities to do good. As we hear this, let us pray for them, that they may remember it, even kings and all in authority.

And every common man will be there too, even those who might think, on such an occasion, that like lesser rebels, they could be overlooked in the crowd while their leaders are judged. No; every one of us must stand, whether in a public or private role in life. There will be Paul, and what a glorious and joyful day it will be for him! That day on which his heart was so fixed; how joyful he will find it, surpassing all his expectations and hopes, beyond what he felt when, nearing the end of life, he wrote to Timothy of the crown of righteousness, saying, "the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and," he added, "not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."{2 Timothy 4:8}

Oh, that our soul may be with him! Oh, that we may learn not only his teachings but his disposition; and follow his path, however humbly, guided by the same Spirit and grace that made him who he was. There will be his listeners, those who believed, who will be his joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord;{1 Thessalonians 2:19-20} and those who rejected him in various places, the very men who opposed and blasphemed, among whom he shook his garments and said, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent."{Acts 18:6} That blood will then rest upon their heads; and God grant that none of us fall under the same condemnation.

We must each give an account of ourselves to God. Your lives will be examined, their entire history from the day of your birth to the day of your death. Your sins will be reviewed, those you have forgotten, those you never noticed, those you thought God overlooked. And you will find this a vain and presumptuous notion, as expressed in the psalm cited earlier, "These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you."{Psalm 50:21} You thought it was the silence of indulgence, but you will learn otherwise: it was the silence of wisdom and justice. You will be compelled to say, as Israel did, "You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence."{Psalm 90:8} And what a scene that will be!

The hypocrite, who, because he has the cunning to hide his wickedness from man, gives no thought to the eye of God, what shame, dismay, and horror will overwhelm him in that day when we must all be revealed, as some interpret the word we translate as appear. All our efforts will then be examined; our works tested for it is explicitly stated, "The fire will test what sort of work each one has done."{1 Corinthians 3:13}

All our talents will also be reviewed; it will be held to our account that we received such advantages—of intellect, education, honor, worldly possessions, power, and authority—and God will inquire not only what we have done for him but what we have accomplished relative to what we received. Give an account of your stewardship, he will then say to each one. I hope some of us will then be able to say, I have not been entirely unfaithful; my talent has gained, if not five, then two: but it has not gained half or a tenth of what it might have, had I been as diligent as you might reasonably have expected.

Therefore, I renounce any claim to merit. Lord, forgive what I have done wrongly and accept my humble efforts, the results of your grace through Christ. But what of those who have buried their talent, who have squandered it? May they consider this in time and fall at the feet of their wronged Master before he rises to bring them into judgment.

We will now close with a few remarks by way of application, which is what was proposed as the second main point.

Now the following conclusions may naturally be drawn, and the following encouragements built upon what has been stated. We may conclude,

1. That opposition to Christ and his kingdom is completely futile and, indeed, deeply destructive. You see that it is established by the word, by the oath of God. He has sworn, even by his own life, that to him every knee shall bow; and will you dare to imagine that this will not happen? Will you presume to take a chance on the outcome? Listen now as Moses said to the Israelites, and consider what you are likely to gain by your rebellion. Has he not promised that he will rule his enemies with a rod of iron and shatter them like a potter’s vessels?{Psalm 2:9} Where will all your reckless opposition lead? Will it not end here, at his judgment seat, in standing—or rather, in falling—before his tribunal?

2. It must be of utmost importance to gain the friendship of Christ. Not only should we avoid, as far as possible, any conflict or opposition to him; that alone is not enough: we need his support and protection. He is to be our judge, and who would not want a judge to be his friend? It is true that he will not compromise justice for the sake of friendship; however, he has received a commission from God his Father to declare all his friends pardoned and blessed. May we all take this seriously to heart. Seek his friendship while there is still time. What can you do without it? What will you have to fear if you are fortunate enough to secure it? And can it not be secured? Yes, praise God, it can; for he waits to show grace, lingering patiently on the throne of his grace before he ascends the tribunal of his judgment, and says, "Come to me..."{Matthew 11:28} This naturally leads to note,

3. That it is entirely reasonable that each of us should consider how our account will stand on that day. The event is certain to come; it is, in effect, near, for each of you will soon face your own reckoning, in such a way that your fate will be sealed. How many who were among us just a few years ago have already faced their judgment, their destiny fixed for heaven or hell? You know, as surely as you know you are alive, that your own judgment may come soon.

Reflect seriously, then, on what you will do. Will you claim innocence? I am certain that you will not consider such a plea. You have broken God’s law, and you cannot make up for that offense. Your future actions will be imperfect, and even if they were perfect, they could not make amends for past wrongs. Thus, there is only one plea, which I apply to myself and urge upon you: to fall on your knees before God today and say, Lord, I confess all that your justice can charge against me: Lord, I am a wretched sinner: I have committed countless offenses: I have squandered numerous talents: my best days, hours, and duties are tainted with sin. I am guilty, and I could be cast into hell. But a great act of grace has been granted, and I plead that.

Your Son has died for sinners, for all who believe in him; and I believe in him. I entrust myself to him: I desire to be saved by him, from sin as well as from hell; and to devote the brief remainder of my days, whether long or short, to your fear and service. I desire that the love of Christ may so govern my heart that I may continually honor his authority, trust his grace, and thus be accepted in him as the beloved.

This is the sinner’s preparation for judgment, and may God instill it in our hearts. We may further conclude,

4. That it must be our great wisdom to live each day mindful of this account in the ongoing conduct of our lives. Since every one of us must give an account of himself to God, we should take great care not to live recklessly, as if no such serious event awaits us. Let it be our particular concern that we do not live for ourselves in any deliberate act of disobedience, that we do not seize the throne of God by judging our brethren, and that we do not neglect the service of God or the improvement of the talents entrusted to us.

i. In light of what we have heard, let us ensure that we do not live for ourselves in any known act of disobedience. Remember, you must account for it; God will not, indeed cannot, forget it. Therefore, when tempted, say to yourselves, How shall I commit this great wickedness and sin against God? Would I commit such a sin if I knew I would face judgment for it within a week or a day? Indeed, it will carry the same weight before the judgment seat as if that judgment were tomorrow. Strive, therefore, to keep the thought of this great judgment ever-present in your mind, summoning it in your imagination whenever you face moments of particular temptation.

ii. Let it also be our concern not to seize the throne of Christ by judging our brethren. "Who are you," says the apostle, "to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls."{Romans 14:4} My brother is Christ’s servant; what right have I to judge him beyond what Christ has appointed? It is true that some men’s sins, as the apostle states, are open, going before them to judgment; and it is not seizing Christ’s throne to expel wicked members from his church. Indeed, this is carrying out his commission and obeying his commands. For he desires the memory of the final judgment to be upheld in the world, not only through formal judicial processes against those who violate civil law but also through church discipline against those who behave unworthily of a Christian profession.

As a sign of his ultimate casting out of unrepentant sinners from his kingdom, he requires us now to remove such wicked persons from among ourselves. These are his own words through the apostle Paul.{1 Corinthians 5:2} Yet, by judging a person in this way, we do not definitively judge his state. We do not claim to know how far even a good man may fall into specific acts of wickedness; we only judge that if he does fall into them, he is unfit to remain in Christian fellowship until his repentance and reformation are evident.

Even less do we judge that because a person may currently lack grace, he will necessarily remain so. God may yet convert a sinner still in an unregenerate state. If we are not to judge even those whom Christ authorizes and commands us to discipline and separate from his fellowship in this absolute manner, how much less should we hastily judge and condemn those who, on the whole, behave uprightly but may not interpret certain scriptures as we do, cannot express their faith in our preferred human forms, or do not share our views on particular external rites of divine worship. To do so is meddling beyond our sphere. It is also dangerous, for our great Master and Judge has explicitly forbidden it and warns against it: "Judge not," says he, "that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged."{Matthew 7:1, 2}

Let us, therefore, judge ourselves: let us reflect on our many faults, our weakness in resisting temptation, our vain, unfruitful, and wavering lives; how little good we accomplish each day; how little control we have over our appetites, our words, and our thoughts; how our hearts stray from God in prayer, and how much formal hypocrisy threatens to taint our worship. Let us consider how these things may be reformed and how our hearts may be more focused on Christ and on heaven; then we will have less time to judge our brethren, and our Master and Judge will deem us far better occupied.

iii. Let us also be diligent to improve the talents entrusted to us, knowing the strict account we must give for them. Let us examine our resources, reflecting on what they are, not to take pride in them but to be humbled for past negligence and to strive to use them better in the future. Let us ask ourselves daily, What have I done for God today? How have I used my time? How will my account for this day stand in the book of God, where it is already recorded and will remain intact, even if not opened for centuries?

Carefully consider how you have benefited from sermons and ordinances. Frequently ask, How am I better for the sermon I heard last Sunday? Have I, for instance, been more ready to stand for God this past week than before; if not, what was the purpose of hearing the sermon? Reflect on your expenditures in this light, as well as your time and your worldly abundance; for all these, as already stated, must be accounted for. My great hope and prayer to God for you that each of you may then hear, Well done, good and faithful servant. And finally,

5. We may infer it will be our wisdom to seize every opportunity that arises to aid our reflections on this great and serious day. Consult your own consciences, and say whether this is not a vital subject for contemplation; I also appeal to your consciences, whether each of you is not too prone to neglect it. At times, worldly business pushes it from your mind, and at other times, worldly pleasures do so; often, such trivial distractions occupy you that one would marvel a rational being could give them any attention, yet those very distractions are pursued while the great day of reckoning is forgotten.

And now, while we are in a time of worship, it is all the more fitting that you reflect on this time of accountability, so that your hearts do not become overly consumed by worldly concerns and its temptations do not divert you from your duty.

Every one shall give an account, not to a mere man but to God. His eyes are like a flame of fire; his guards will be angels and radiant cherubim; his trumpet will awaken the dead; before his tribunal, the entire world will be gathered; not a single sinner will be able to avoid appearing, pervert or evade justice, or survive the sentence.

For all the unrepentant, it will be a sentence of eternal death; but the merciful smile of grace, amidst the sorrows of that day, will shine upon the believers, will shine upon my soul if I am among that blessed number. May the Lord grant that it be so for each of us and that you and I may find mercy from the Lord on that day.

Mercy must be the plea of even the most distinguished saint; and if sought in time, it may serve as a refuge even for the greatest of sinners.