One of the clearest teachings of the Bible is the coming Judgment of God. There have been many smaller judgments throughout history upon individuals, cities and nations. But there is another one that includes every person of every nation and every generation.

Jesus said, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats." (Matt. 25:31-32.)

One of the earliest statements in the Bible about the Judgment is this one: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" asked Abraham when he interceded for Sodom. (Genesis 18:25.) Even Abraham could not avert the destruction of Sodom, because ten righteous people could not be found there! David added, "God judges the righteous, and He is angry with the wicked every day." (Psalm 7:11.)

Our sense of justice demands that such a judgment exist. We deceive ourselves into thinking that other people ought to fear and tremble at the thought of such a judgment, but not ourselves. There is so much that needs to be taught about the coming great White Throne Judgement, (Rev. 20:11), of our Lord, but I want to emphasize just one thing today; that is, the things that might cause us some problems at the Judgment. Those things would be helpful to know ahead of time. It is best for us not to wait until that day to find out what is going to cause us "some problems" with the Judge! I should say rather, the things that will cause, not might cause, us some problems at the Judgment.

Jesus taught things like this during his lifetime. He said in that great Sermon on the Mount, "Not everyone that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21.) Prior to this statement, He said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be that go in thereat. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads unto life and few there be that find it." (Matt. 7:13-14.)

The words that we speak may give us some trouble in the Judgment. Jesus said, "For by thy words, thou shalt be justified and by thy words, thou shalt be condemned." (Matt. 12:37.) Our words reflect the condition of our hearts. This is why our words will either condemn us or justify us.

It is important to know who the Judge will be. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus Christ will be the Judge of all.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. 5:10.)

"For the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which hath sent him." (John 5:22-23.)

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he shall sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations." (Matt. 25:31-32.)

The Bible is clear on this point. Jesus will be our Judge. There are two important things that follow from this truth. Since this is so, we should know what his will is for our lives. What does he expect of us? The same One who died for us will also judge us. Our Savior will be our Judge---how fitting that this is so. He has made it possible through his life and death for everyone to be saved. His own righteousness is offered to everyone as a robe for us to wear both now and on that occasion. Secondly, what a mistake to think that someone else is going to judge us. A Gospel song says that Mohammed will not be sitting on that throne, neither Hira Krishna, nor old Buddha. Joseph Smith will not be our judge, nor Moses of old. Mary Ellen White will not judge us, nor the Dalai Lama. What a mistake to think that anyone other than Jesus Christ the Son of God will judge us! If we live our lives seeking to please these people and they are not our judge, what will it profit us?

Having secret sins will cause us problems at the Judgment. There are only a couple of passages that refer to secret sins, but they are important words to remember.

At the end of Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrote, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole (duty) of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." (Eccl. 12:13-14.) One translation says, "Upon every concealed thing."

"In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel." (Rom. 2:16.) In the previous passage, Paul wrote, "Their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another." (verse 15.)

"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart, and then shall every man have praise of God." (1 Cor. 4:5.)

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light." (Eph. 5:11-13.)

From these passages, two things are involved in the secret things that will be judged. Secret or concealed things refer to the things that are known by our own conscience, even when others do not know. Our conscience either excuses or accuses us. Another part of the concept is that it refers to those things that belong to the world of darkness. The light of the Gospel will reveal the hidden things of darkness. Men often do their evil deeds during the hours of darkness. But the darkness does not hide the deed from God.

David expressed it well. He wrote, "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hides not from thee, but the night shines as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike to thee." (Psalm 139:11-12.)

Over the centuries of time, evil men had committed grievous sins that were hidden to the eyes of men. Some have committed murder and were never arrested or punished. Others have embezzled money that belonged to others. Someone said that the most dangerous sin that we can commit is the one that we get away with. But we must remember these words. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the good and the evil." (Prov. 15:3.) And, "Be sure your sin will find you out." (Numbers 32:23.)

We should do good deeds in secret. Pray in the closet and God who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Matt. 6:6.)

If we have secret sins, so-called, we will face a serious problem in the Judgment Day.

The children of Israel prided themselves in their circumcision. It separated them from others. David called Goliath an uncircumcised Philistine! God established the covenant of circumcision with Abraham. But it was intended to be much more than a fleshly rite; it was symbolic of the tenderness that God wanted in the heart.

David wrote, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 51:17.) Joel, the prophet of Israel, cried, "Rend your heart and not your garment." (Joel 2:13.)

Paul wrote, "For circumcision verily profits, if thou keep the Law. But if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the Law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the Law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly and circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." (Romans 2:25-29.)

We do not have the covenant of circumcision with God today. However, baptism is described in that fashion in Colossians 2:11-12. The point is this---If we have done primarily the outward things of our religion and faith, but failed to possess the inward traits, we are no different from the Jew with only outward circumcision. We will have a problem at the Judgment if we have only "physical circumcision."

The Bible refers often to the kind of example that we should be---from those who just obeyed the Gospel to the oldest Christians. Listen as Paul writes to a young evangelist, Timothy.

"These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. Till I come give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine." (1 Tim. 4:11-13.) Young Christians can and should be a good example to others in the local church. Their sincere faith and energy often do inspire and encourage the hearts of those who are older. Older Christians are not the only ones who should be a good example to others.

Christian wives should be a good example to their husbands who have not obeyed the Gospel. The apostle Peter wrote,

"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that, if any obey not the Word, they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands." (1 Peter 3:1-5.)

If you say things today, like these that Peter wrote, some wives will just laugh at you and make some cute remark about being in subjection to their own husbands. Some wives have no intention whatsoever of ever being in subjection to their husbands.

Paul added that wives should be in subjection to their husbands as the church is subject to Christ in all things. (Eph. 5:24.) A wife who has taken the leadership away from her husband is no different from a church who disregards Jesus Christ as its head! Such a woman will be in trouble in the Day of Judgment!

It is equally true that husbands who are not good examples to their wives and children will be in trouble. Paul wrote that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. (Eph. 5:25.) Many men do not lead their families spiritually. They have abdicated their responsibilities. They have no interest in things spiritual. Paul said that he could trust only Timothy to do the work at Ephesus. He said that "all seek their own and not the things which belong to Jesus Christ." (Phil. 2:21.)

Many members of local churches are not good examples to others! They are indifferent to the work of the church. They are not dependable; do not participate; and are not good examples.

A preacher once was trying to get the members, especially the men, to become more involved in the work of the church. One was asked to teach a class, but that one refused. Another was asked to lead singing (they had good singing ability), but that one also refused. One man was asked to serve at the communion table on the Lord’s Day. Another was asked to serve as an elder; another as a deacon. When the minister was turned down again and again, he decided to call a meeting of all the men to reprove them. He asked them why they refused to serve in the Lord’s work. They began to level with the minister saying, Well, I like to party with my friends; another said that he like to drink ever now and then; yet another said that he liked to flirt with other women. One said that he did not attend Sunday School, so he did not want to teach a class. They finally said to the young minister, Listen we do not want to serve in these ways. We like to drink, chew tobacco, cuss, flirt and sleep late on Sundays. We do not want to be elders, deacons, Bible teachers. We just want to be regular, faithful, dedicated members of the church!!!!

Being a "regular" member of the church is going to cause many people trouble in the great Day of Judgment! You can be sure of it! Many Christians seem to think that as long as they do not commit adultery (sexual sins are regarded as the worse ones) and do not rob banks, they are Christians. But they are covetous, proud, selfish, insincere. . . . Diotrephes’ problem was not lust, materialism, or drunkenness. It was his love for preeminence in the church.

Those who do not obey from the heart the form of doctrine will have trouble in the Day of Judgment!

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:17-18.)

No one should go before God without having put on Christ Jesus the Lord as his robe of righteousness. If we do we will be bound hand and foot and cast out into outer darkness. (Matt. 22:13.)