"who" and "how" and "when" Jesus judges

It's important to know just "who" and "how" and "when" Jesus judges.

Let's start with "who" Jesus judges, and then move on to "how" and "when."

"You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one." Jesus in John 8:15.

“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it." Jesus in John 12:47.

"I judge NO man." Jesus in John 8:15.

"The Father judges NO man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son..." Jesus in John 5:22.

"Now IS the JUDGMENT of this WORLD; now the RULER of this world will be cast out." Jesus in John 12:31.

"...the ruler of this world IS judged." Jesus in John 16:11.

"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8.

The only judgment Jesus exercises HERE is against Satan, his toxic ideas and his oppressive power structures . We need to remember that Satan is the one we need to enforce God's judgment upon, not man. Remove Satanic darkness and influence, then all men will eventually come to the light.

"In whom the god of this world [i.e. Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Corinthians 4:4.

BUT, God WILL judge all of us in the future to come. But, not in the same way Satan judges here and now-- by brutally destroying us, but rather God judges us by painfully purging our souls of the "evil work-identities" we have created for ourselves. Paul describes this process in the following passage:

"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation [with] gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, EACH ONE'S WORK WILL BECOME CLEAR; FOR THE DAY WILL DECLARE IT, BECAUSE IT WILL BE REVEALED BY FIRE; AND THE FIRE WILL TEST EACH MAN'S WORK, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on [it] endures, he will receive a reward. IF ANYONE'S WORK IS BURNED, HE WILL SUFFER LOSS; but HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED, YET SO AS BY FIRE." 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.

This is exactly the same judgment described in in Revelation 20:12-13, where all men are judged "according to their works." Reading these two passages together, we get a clearer picture of God's future judgment. This fiery judgment results in the "false sin-identities" we have created for ourselves being "burned off us" ("he will suffer loss"), but with our essential self still being saved ("but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire").

After Hell is forever emptied in Revelation 20:14, "death and Hell" are then thrown into the Lake of Fire. Then, all the "false identities" which are NOT written in the Book of Life, and which have been burned off of us are cast into the Lake of Fire as well--- our wood, hay and stubble "selves." BUT, BUT, BUT, we ourselves "shall be saved." It is crucial to read Revelation 20 together with the 1 Corinthians 3 passage quoted above.

I believe 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and Revelation 20:12-15 are referring to the same incident of several factors.
----both are referring to a postmortem experience
----both refer to themselves as "the judgment of men's works"
----both explicitly refer to "every man" man being so judged
----both use the imagery of "fire"
----both refer to some sort of dividing of "suffering and loss"

The Corinthians passage above refers to the judgment of "Every man's work" (verse 13). The Revelation passage about the Lake of Fire in chapters 20-21 ALSO refers to the judgment of every man's works: "the dead were judged... according to their works" (Revelation 20:12). So, Paul and Revelation's author were both describing the same event, the judgment of every man's works, but from their slightly different perspectives.

Now, note what Paul says ultimately happens on the other side of every man's work being judged: "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. IF ANY MAN'S WORK SHALL BE BURNED, HE SHALL SUFFER LOSS: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE."

God's future judgments are corrective, restorative and purgative. He does NOT judge the way Satan judges. Satan judges to condemn and destroy ALL that we are. God judges to ultimately PURGE the core of who we are.

The only word in the Gospels for "punishment" with regard to God punishing evildoers is "kolasis," which according to Aristotle, who knew Greek word meanings better than anybody who ever walked the planet, said that "kolasis" is the kind of punishment which "is inflicted in the interest of the sufferer," which means it is for the betterment or improvement of the person being punished. This is contrasted with "timoria," which Aristotle said is the kind of punishment which is "inflicted in the interest of him who inflicts it, that he may obtain satisfaction." (Rhet. 1369b13).

The renowned Greek scholar William Barclay agrees: "The Greek word for punishment is 'kolasis,' which was not originally an ethical word at all. It originally meant the pruning of trees to make them grow better. I think it is true to say that in all Greek secular literature 'kolasis' is never used of anything but 'remedial punishment.'" Barclay was professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism at Glasgow University and the author of many commentaries and books, including a translation of the New Testament and the very popular Daily Study Bible Series.

Bottom Line: don't confuse Satan's current destructive judgments with God's future restorative judgments. They are two VERY different things. The destructive judgments we see out in the world NOW are entirely from Satan. Jesus tells us to NEVER judge other men (Matthew 7:1), but Paul also informs us that we do have the authority to judge dark angels who currently serve Satan (1 Corinthians 6:3). So, in a way, we are called to judge the demons who are seeking to judge us. Or, perhaps better put, we are called to ENFORCE Jesus' past judgment of demonic powers which He already accomplished at the Cross.

So, do not yield to Satan's judgment on your life. It is not OF or FROM God. Resist it, rebuke it, overcome it. This is what spiritual warfare is all about. Resist the judgment of Satan with stedfast faith. Do not fall into "the condemnation of the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6). who accuses and judges all of us day and night. "Now is come salvation , and strength , and the kingdom of our God , and the power of his Christ : for the accuser of our brethren is cast down , which accused [judged] them before our God day and night . And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives (their false identities) unto the death." Revelation 12:10-11.