By what will man be judged?

     Society judges an individual based upon many subjective standards.  How one dresses, those with whom one associates, what kind of automobile one drives are all factors used by society to determine the status of an individual.  Failure to meet or exceed the “norm” in specified criteria results in exclusion from certain groups, and a societal label which may or may not be a fair representation of those to whom these labels are given.  Will the same criteria be used when our spiritual lives are examined?  Does God use such fluctuating standards in judging man’s soul?  What, exactly, is the standard by which the souls of men will be judged, and who is it that will pass this judgement?  Let us see what the Bible has to say about these important questions.
     Let us first notice the standard by which the souls of men will be judged.  One’s status in the eyes of society will not be the standard by which man will be judged.  Those who seek the praises of men have their reward in that praise (Mt. 6:1-5), but this is not the standard for eternal judgement.  One’s wealth will not be the standard for eternal judgement.  Man may pass judgement based upon one’s wealth, or lack thereof (Jas. 2), but God does not.  Man’s eternal destiny does not rest upon such fickle standards, and we should all thank God for that!  The final, and most important judgement will be based upon an immutable, purely objective standard—God’s word.  Jesus pronounced to the world that the word he spoke would be the canon of judgement for the entire world (Jn. 12:48).  Man will be judged based upon his acceptance of, and obedience to the word of God, or his rejection of it.  If we accept God’s word, and live according to His word, we can rest assured that we will spend eternity in heaven with God.
     Now, let us notice who it is that will pass this all important judgement upon man.  While on Mars’ Hill, Paul told those to whom he spoke that Jesus Christ had been appointed by God to judge the world (Acts 17:30,31).  However, on more than one occasion Christ made the statement that he did not come to judge the world (Jn. 3:17-19 [ASV]; 12:47).  Is this a contradiction?  Not at all.  When Jesus said he did not come into the world to judge the world, he was saying that he did not come to condemn the world.  The world was already condemned!  The world was steeped in sin, without hope of salvation—that is, until Christ came into the world.  When Christ came in the flesh for the purpose of dying on the cross, he gave all those who were under condemnation because of sin the chance to be saved.  Those who rejected the offer of salvation in Christ condemned themselves.  At the last day, Christ will merely pass sentence on all men.  Those who accepted the offer of salvation in Christ by obeying the gospel will enjoy eternity in heaven.  Those who rejected Christ will have thereby condemned themselves to an eternity in hell.