Rom 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ/God.
We sometimes judge and show contempt for each other. Does this verse say God does/will do likewise? I think not…
The “bema seat”, from which the above verse is translated, was a raised platform from which Herod sat at the games to hand out rewards and make speeches.
I suspect because the start of the verse relays human to human condemnation, this has been projected onto Jesus’ position and character.
I think it translates more accurately, “But why do you condemn your brother? For we shall all be considered for reward by Christ”.
And if you’re thinking the “all” above is just for believers, think again, because in the very next verse we are told how “every knee shall bow before Him…”. Romans 14.11.
Consider also:
· God doesn’t change. Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, James 1.
· Jesus only does what He sees the Father doing. John 5.19.
· Jesus does not judge (in the way humans do), John 12.47, John 8.11, John 8.15.
· And if He did, He’d do a better job than we do. John 8.16
Jesus won’t ever condemn, or judge in a worldly sense (being critical of works).
But won’t His vengeance come after the favourable day, Isaiah 61?
Yes, but on whom does His vengeance come? It can’t be humans, given the above, so it must be on other entities, the ones influencing and maligning humans.
In Dan 7.9-11 and Rev 20.11-15, it is Satan (pompous words of the horn) doing the judging/condemning. The “books” plural are Satan’s, where Satan has recorded our works, not God. Satan accuses us according to our works, not God.
God instead, has already got out His own book, the Book of Life.