What does the Bible say about when God will judge us?

Answer

There are two distinct judgments. Believers face judgment at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10-12). Each believer will give an account of themselves, and the Lord will evaluate the choices they made—including those related to matters of conscience. This judgment does not determine salvation, which is through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), but rather is the moment when believers must explain their lives in service to Christ. Our standing in Christ is the “foundation” referenced in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. What we construct on this foundation can be the “gold, silver, and precious stones” of good works in Christ’s name, obedience, and fruitfulness—devoted spiritual service to honor God and edify the church. Alternatively, what we build on the foundation may consist of the “wood, hay, and stubble” of worthless, superficial, and spiritually empty activities. The Judgment Seat of Christ will bring this to light.

The gold, silver, and precious stones in believers’ lives will withstand God’s refining fire (v. 13), and believers will receive rewards based on those good works—how faithfully we served Christ (1 Corinthians 9:4-27), how well we obeyed the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), how victorious we were over sin (Romans 6:1-4), how effectively we controlled our speech (James 3:1-9), and so on. We will be called to give an account for our deeds, whether they truly reflected our position in Christ. God’s judgment will completely consume the “wood, hay, and stubble”

Of the words we spoke and things we did that had no eternal value. “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God” «So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. », (Romans 14:12).

The second judgment is for unbelievers who will face the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). This judgment does not determine salvation. Everyone at the Great White Throne is an unbeliever who rejected Christ in life and is already doomed to the lake of fire. Revelation 20:12 states that unbelievers will be “judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Those who rejected Christ as Lord and Savior will be judged based on their works alone. The Bible tells us that “by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” «knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. », (Galatians 2:16). They will be condemned. No amount of good works or keeping God’s laws can atone for sin. All their thoughts, words, and actions will be judged against God’s perfect standard and found wanting. There will be no reward for them, only eternal condemnation and punishment.