God will judge the world based upon righteousness but what about Jesus?

Question

As Christians we all understand that we are judged based upon the Righteousness of God. However nobody will stack up to that righteousness, thus God has given us a righteousness through Faith in Christ.

Furthermore, God has appointed Christ as the judge over all creation. So how will Christ then judge the world? He cannot seem to judge based upon the exact requirements of God, that seems circular. So what will Christ judge us based upon?

Please provide scripture to validate your answer.

Acts 10:42 (NIV) He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.

2 Timothy 4:1 (NIV) In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:

Answer 1

What is righteousness? Since we cannot achieve righteousness on our own, there is but one way to righteousness, which is to accept Jesus' sacrifice for our sins and let Him represent us at the judgment.

In fact, only one sin cannot be forgiven by the sacrifice of the Cross, and it is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which is the denial of the work and sacrifice of Jesus.

So the judgment is all about Jesus in fact, since there is no other way out.

Answer 2

This question gets more interesting when you consider 1 Corinthians 6, where Paul reminds the saints of the doctrine that they will judge the world. It's clearly phrased as a reminder of something they already know, but unfortunately the original source of this doctrine does not exist in the Bible. But it fits the pattern of God acting through authorized servants and delegating power and responsibility to them, as He has in other matters throughout time.

As for the criteria, it seems clear that people are to be judged based on how well they have lived by the knowledge of righteousness that was available to them. (See Romans 2:6 and Revelation 20:11, men will be judged according to their works, and Romans 2:12, only those who sin "in the law" (ie. with knowledge of it) shall be judged by the law.)

Answer 3

The bible never mentions Jesus' judgement directly, however you can compile it from the majority of verses.

It's all about Love

So here's what I have learned, from reading the bible: Faith + LOVE = Righteousness.

Jesus was asked the question multiple times, "How do I inherit eternal life?" Jesus reply was ALWAYS that we needed to focus on Love, not about focusing on Faith, but Love.

We learn in 1 John what GOD defines love as, and His definition of love is obedience to His commands.

1 John 5:3 NIV

3 'This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,'

2 John 1:6 NIV

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

The armor of God is mentioned a few times in the Bible, notice how it's named in these next two verses.

Ephesians 6:14 NIV

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

1 Thessalonians 5:8 NIV

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

I could go on and on about how love is the new fruit that we are the first of all God's creation to bear; Or about how you're nothing but a chiming symbol without Love; Or about love being the fulfillment of the law.

You will be judged by Jesus based upon your ability to Love.

Mathew 25:31+ NIV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

All of the accounts of this judgement day relate the above acts of love to acts and deeds which equate to our righteousness. In Mathew 25, Jesus is literally judging people based on their ability to love one another.

Revelation 20:11-13 NIV

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.

Acts 17:30-31 NIV

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Romans 2:5-11 NIV

5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.

2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.