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How to Influence the Way the Lord Will Judge Us
Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 11-13-17 | Msgr. Charles Pope

Posted on 11/14/2017 8:09:32 AM PST by Salvation

How to Influence the Way the Lord Will Judge Us

November 13, 2017

This is the seventh in a series of articles on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.

Works of Mercy, Pieter Bruegel

In the past several posts, we have been considering the judgment that awaits us. Not only must we be ready in the ways we have described, but should allow our looming judgment to help our attitude today.

Scripture says, Always speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the Law that gives freedom. For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful (James 2:12-13). Herein lies a way that we can influence the standard by which the Lord will judge us.

The key teaching from the Lord here is this: the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you (Luke 6:38). This statement comes at the end of a long discourse in which the Lord summons us to be generous, forgiving, merciful, patient, and reluctant to condemn others severely.

Consider this a kind of “mathematics” of the Kingdom of God.

In effect, the Lord says, “Do the math. Realize that if you are merciful, you will be judged with mercy, but if you are harsh and critical, you will be judged by a harsh and critical standard. If you refuse to forgive, you will not be forgiven.”

Like it or not, this is the mathematics of the Kingdom of God. It does not mean that we earn salvation, but it does mean that we have a lot of influence over the standard by which we will be judged.

So, if you are going to need mercy and grace on that day (and we all are), it is good to do the math of the Kingdom and store up mercy and grace for that day.

One day, we will all answer to God. That day, as Scripture repeatedly teaches, is a day about which we should be sober. Sadly, there are many who give little thought to this truth and some who outright scoff at it.

Remarkably, we can influence the manner in which God will judge us, the standard he will use. Here we speak of the manner of God’s judgment. That is, whether He will be strict or merciful. We do not refer to the content. It is an obvious and axiomatic truth that God will judge our deeds. Hence, we should avoid wickedness and grave sins, and repent quickly when we commit such sins.

On the one hand, it would seem that we could have no influence at all on the manner in which we will be judged, for it would seem that God is no respecter of persons, and judges with perfect justice.

On the other hand, there are passages in Scripture that do speak of ways that we can influence the standard God will use, the manner of His judgment. Let’s look at four areas in which we can have influence and consider a few biblical passages.

Whether we show mercy to others

Jesus says, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7). James says something similar and develops it a bit when he says, Always speak and act as those were going to be judged under the law of freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. So mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:12-13). Thus we are taught that by observing mercy and patience in our relations with one another, we will influence the manner in which we are judged.

Sometimes in life, particularly if we are leaders or parents, we will need to punish and/or assign consequences to those who transgress moral laws or legal limits. Passages like these do not mean that we should never accompany correction with punitive measures. Such a way of living would be unwise and could confirm people in bad behavior. Even when punitive measures are needed, though, it makes sense to be lenient when possible and to attempt less measures before firmer ones are employed.

It is also clear from these biblical texts that it is highly foolish to go through life with severity toward others, with a lack of compassion or a harsh and unyielding attitude. We are all going to need a lot of grace and mercy at our judgment. Therefore, how misguided, how foolish it would be for us to be harsh and unmerciful toward others! For indeed, these text tell us that the merciful will be blessed and the unmerciful will be shown no mercy. Can you or I really expect that we will make it on the day of judgment without boatloads of mercy?

Now, therefore, is the time for us to seek to invoke the promise of the Lord: Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.

Whether we are strict or lenient with others

In a related text, the Lord Jesus says, The measure that you measure to others, will be measured back to you (Mark 4:24). If we hope for and need a merciful judgment, if we want a merciful measure or standard to be used, then we must do the same for others. The Lord makes it clear that He will use the measure or standard that we have used for others when He judges us. Have we been strict? If so, then He will be strict with us. Have we been merciful? If so, then He will be merciful to us. Be very careful before demanding that sinners and others who transgress receive the strongest penalties. There may be a time for such penalties, but it is not necessary that the most severe punishments always be used.

In John chapter 8, the Pharisees wanted to exact the most severe penalty (stoning) on a woman caught in adultery. Jesus reasons with them, telling them that before they demand that He “throw the book at her,” they might want to recall that there are a few things about them that are also written in the book. One by one they drift away, seemingly after considering the foolishness of their demands for the most severe penalty. They finally realize that the measure they want to measure out to her will in turn be measured back to them.

Whether we are generous to the poor

Luke relates the following text more specifically to our generosity: Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure that you measure to others will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38). This leads us to a second area in which the Scriptures teach us that we can influence the day of our judgment.

After rebuking the Scribes and Pharisees for their severity and extreme legalism, Jesus says to them (who were obsessing about cleaning the outside of the dish), You fools, did not the one who made the outside of the cup make the inside also? But if you give what is inside the cup as alms to the poor, everything will be made clean for you (Luke 11:40-41). In the light of the theology of grace, this is a daring text. It almost implies that we can somehow “purchase” forgiveness. But of course it is the Lord Himself who says it, and He does not say that we can somehow purchase forgiveness. Surely, though, He does teach that generosity to the poor will in fact influence the day of our judgment.

Later in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus develops the thought, saying, I tell you, use your worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings (Lk 16:9). It is a complicated text, but Jesus seems to be saying that our generosity to the poor will surely gain advantages for us at the day of our judgment. Indeed, blessing the poor gives us powerful intercessors, for the Lord hears the cries of the poor. The picture painted here is of those poor welcoming us into our eternal dwellings.

Scripture elsewhere warns, If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be heard (Proverbs 21:13). Once again, it would seem that we can have some influence over the manner, measure, or standard that will be used by God at our judgment. To the merciful, mercy will be shown. The generous will experience that their cries are heard, for they heard the cries of the poor. The Lord more than implies that those who have been generous to the poor will have powerful advocates praying and interceding for them on the day of judgment. Indeed, a number of the Fathers of the Church remind us that in this life the poor need us, but in the life to come we will need them.

Whether we forgive others

A final area to explore in terms of how we might have influence over the manner of our judgment is in the matter of forgiveness. Just after giving us the Our Father, the Lord Jesus says, For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14 – 15).

Later in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells the terrifying parable of a man who had huge debt that was forgiven him by his master. When the man then refused to forgive his brother a much smaller debt, the master grew angry and threw him into debtors’ prison. Jesus concludes the parable by saying, This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you, unless you forgive your brother from your heart (Matthew 18:35).

So yes, it would seem that we can have some influence over the manner in which God will judge us, the standard He will use. While it is true that God will judge us by our deeds (cf Romans 2:6), the manner in which He judges us, whether with strictness or leniency, does seem to be a matter over which we have influence.

We are all going to need a lot of grace and mercy, for if God judges with strict justice and strict standards, who can stand? We will all have much to answer for. All the more reason for us to follow the teachings of the Lord in His Scripture, so that we can be sure that on the day of our judgment, mercy and the grace of leniency will prevail in abundance. Do we want mercy? Then we must show mercy. Do we want a gentle standard? Then we must measure out gentleness. Do we want forgiveness? Then we must offer forgiveness. Recruit some intercessors for the day of judgment by giving to the poor. They will be the most powerful intercessors for us as we leave this life and go to our judgment.

Indeed, God has shown us how we can store up a treasure of mercy, waiting for us in Heaven at the judgment seat of Christ. There are some good lessons here to heed.

In the next article in this series, we will turn our attention to Heaven, another of the Four Last Things.

Here’s an amusing video illustrating that the measure we measure out to others will be measured back to us:


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Moral Issues; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; death; judgment
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Video
1 posted on 11/14/2017 8:09:32 AM PST by Salvation
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To: nickcarraway; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ArrogantBustard; Catholicguy; RobbyS; marshmallow; ...

Monsignor Pope Ping!


2 posted on 11/14/2017 8:10:39 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
The Mystery of Life and Death
On the Fear of Death
And Death Is Gain: A Reflection on the Proper Christian Sense of Death
Pondering Judgment, One of the Four Last Things
Parables by Jesus on the Day of Judgment and on Our Need to be Ready
Preparing for Judgment
How to Influence the Way the Lord Will Judge Us

3 posted on 11/14/2017 8:14:08 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

There is a distinction between judgement for salvation and judgment for rewards. Many people confuse the two.......................


4 posted on 11/14/2017 8:44:06 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
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To: Salvation

Those who are saved have already been “judged” innocent through the sacrifice of Jesus - free to live at one with our Creator - just as Adam was before he sinned.

Stop the scare tactics.


5 posted on 11/14/2017 8:45:16 AM PST by impactplayer
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To: impactplayer

It always makes my skin crawl when people talk about people who have been “Saved”.

We do not know who has or hasn’t been saved. Just because someone says they have been saved does not make it so. That is not what I am writing about though.

The article has a great deal of truth but, it is hard to extrapolate from what The Lord said at one time the entirety of the Gospel.

We have been told by The Lord that we should “judge not that ye be not judged”. That does not mean that if someone is running at us with a sword that we shouldn’t assume he has bad intentions.

If you want mercy you definitely should give mercy but, there are things that will condemn you no matter how much mercy you give. If you are an unrepentant sinner then forgive who you will I don’t think it will be much help.

Statements taken out of the whole of The Gospel can easily lead us astray.

Yes, I think it will be easier for The Lord to believe us when we say we follow Him if we are forgiving to our neighbors. If we aren’t striving to follow Him then it really won’t make much of a difference who we forgive.


6 posted on 11/14/2017 9:32:31 AM PST by JAKraig (my religion is at least as good as yours)
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To: JAKraig

I can “know” I am saved without judging if others are saved - and no longer fear judgement - it really is that simple.


7 posted on 11/14/2017 9:34:42 AM PST by impactplayer
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To: Salvation

There it is: Ol’ arch- pope reveals he doesn’t understand the Gospel, Scripture, nor a believers standing in Christ.


8 posted on 11/14/2017 10:08:39 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: Salvation

The LORD sees beyond what we do...

PROVERBS 16:2
People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.


9 posted on 11/14/2017 10:09:32 AM PST by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:12)
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To: JAKraig

“We do not know who has or hasn’t been saved.

The Apostle John makes it clear your understanding needs improvement.

1 John 5:12-13

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.


10 posted on 11/14/2017 10:12:28 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: aMorePerfectUnion
“We do not know who has or hasn’t been saved.

The Apostle John makes it clear your understanding needs improvement.

1 John 5:12-13

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

______________________________________________________

Here is my point. Today you know you have Eternal Life.

Tomorrow maybe you will suffer like Job and unlike Job you will curse The Lord. I'm not saying you will, but, The Lord gives us a choice. The choice is not made only once it is made continually.

In the Garden of Eden God told Adam and Eve to not eat the fruit but gave them the ability to disobey, He gave them agency.

You can give your life to The Lord, you can praise Him and follow Him every day and you do well to do so but, you must endure to the end or it may all be for naught.

11 posted on 11/14/2017 10:51:14 AM PST by JAKraig (my religion is at least as good as yours)
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To: JAKraig

“You can give your life to The Lord, you can praise Him and follow Him every day and you do well to do so but, you must endure to the end or it may all be for naught.”

You left out His Words about being sealed by the Spirit as a pledge. About having eternal life. About *all* sins being forgiven. About being the righteousness of Christ.

This is eternal life. Not a feeling, nor a change in feelings.

I am His. He is mine. He holds me in His hand and will lose none.


12 posted on 11/14/2017 11:06:56 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: aMorePerfectUnion; impactplayer; JAKraig

Your comment about knowing that you are saved is based on this Bible passage:
1 John 5:12-13

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

While you claim to know that you are saved before death and judgement, yet many ignore and do not believe in these words of Jesus:

John Chapter 5; 51-53

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”a

53Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.

You may also listen to St Paul In Phillippians 2:12
So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.*


13 posted on 11/14/2017 11:34:54 AM PST by ADSUM
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To: impactplayer

Just tell us about purgatory and how many indulgences and special masses it takes to spring someone free.


14 posted on 11/14/2017 11:45:21 AM PST by Old Yeller (Auto-correct has become my worst enema.)
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To: JAKraig
You can give your life to The Lord, you can praise Him and follow Him every day and you do well to do so but, you must endure to the end or it may all be for naught.

Works based salvation 101
15 posted on 11/14/2017 11:48:19 AM PST by Old Yeller (Auto-correct has become my worst enema.)
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To: Old Yeller

“We do not know who has or hasn’t been saved.

The Apostle John makes it clear your understanding needs improvement.

1 John 5:12-13

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

________________________________________________________

I have said nothing about works. Works save nobody! Works can however be an indication of faith and commitment.

There is nothing wrong with works, works are an indication of your faith and sincerity.

I suppose Judas thought he was saved, Jim Baker Likewise, I could go on but it isn’t important who did what because we are not called to judge someone, that is the job of Christ.

I don’t know if Jim Baker is saved or even Judas, it just isn’t my job to know but, I do know you can fall from grace. For years Jim Baker was paying Jessica Hahn to to keep her mouth shut to tune of over a quarter million dollars of church money. A sin to cover a sin is not something I would consider a “good work”, it is also not something that would keep you from falling from grace.

I’m sure that at some time Jim Baker thought he was saved and could not fall. That is what Satan wants you to believe. It causes pride, and then it is easy to fall.

Beware of pride. When you state that you are saved and that you know you are The Lord’s why not be safe and add “today” to that sentence. Then go and work on tomorrow.

Love The Lord with all your heart mind and strength, love your fellow man in the same way. If you do those things you won’t have to look for works they will follow you. If you do those things you will never have to tell anyone you are saved, they will know.


16 posted on 11/14/2017 12:29:07 PM PST by JAKraig (my religion is at least as good as yours)
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To: Old Yeller
Just tell us about purgatory and how many indulgences and special masses it takes to spring someone free.

Aye, right on! A good'ole fashion Heaven's Prison jail break! Afterwords, we could all crash the big meal that's planned and kidnap a few popes that got to bypass purgatory as demigods.

17 posted on 11/14/2017 12:55:12 PM PST by VaeVictis (~Woe to the Conquered~)
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To: ADSUM

Hi Adsum,

“Your comment about knowing that you are saved is based on this Bible passage: 1 John 5:12-13

Actually, no. This is just a simple and clear passage that teaches salvation and eternal life is in the Son. When we have Him, we have eternal life.

The assurance of my salvation is based of faith in the totality of God’s Word and His character.

“While you claim to know that you are saved before death and judgement, yet many ignore and do not believe in these words of Jesus:

I do not claim. I know.

I trust His Word and His character. I do not ignore any part of inspired Scripture. It simply doesn’t mean what you’ve been taught

“work out your salvation with fear and trembling.*

It says work out. It never says work *for*

Kind regards to you


18 posted on 11/14/2017 1:18:37 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

Hi,

Your comment: “I do not claim. I know.”

All that we do is respond with faith and obedience to God’s offer of grace in Christ. We insist that this is a lifelong commitment that should grow over time. God’s grace grows within us as we trust in God more and follow his commandments. The final outcome of a life of faith and obedience is eternal life with God.

We believe that salvation is a process by which we come closer to God throughout our whole life as we participate in the sacraments and the grace that comes through them. But it is not true that man plays as important a role as God. God the Father planned our salvation, not man. God the Son gained our salvation by his death and resurrection; no one else did these things. And God the Holy Spirit infused the very love of God into our hearts by his presence (cf. Rom. 5:5). This is beyond our human ability. Still, we must cooperate with God’s grace to find eternal happiness with God. If we don’t, we will be cut off from God forever.

Your comment: “I do not ignore any part of inspired Scripture. It simply doesn’t mean what you’ve been taught”

You may say that, but is it the truth?

I realize that the Truth will always offend some people.

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.

Peace be with you.


19 posted on 11/16/2017 9:23:13 AM PST by ADSUM
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To: ADSUM; Mark17

“All that we do is respond with faith and obedience to God’s offer of grace in Christ.

All God declares is that we accept His Indescribable Gift to have eternal life now - or reject it and spend eternity in hell.

“We insist that this is a lifelong commitment that should grow over time. God’s grace grows within us as we trust in God more and follow his commandments. The final outcome of a life of faith and obedience is eternal life with God.”

Don’t know who “we” is, that you continue aligning yourself with in these statements.

God declares that those who entrust themselves to Christ:

Are born from above
Have eternal life now and forever
Are His forever
Are baptized into the Body of Christ
Have every sin - past, present, and future - paid for 100% now
Are the righteousness of Christ
Are saints

NOW.

“We believe that salvation is a process by which we come closer to God throughout our whole life as we participate in the sacraments and the grace that comes through them.”

No sacraments provide grace that grants salvation according to God’s Words

“ If we don’t, we will be cut off from God forever.

The one who has entrusted himself to Christ alone is never cut off.

“Your comment: “I do not ignore any part of inspired Scripture. It simply doesn’t mean what you’ve been taught. You may say that, but is it the truth?

Absolutely.

God’s Words tell us salvation and eternal life is in Christ alone, apart from merit, works or any way of self-righteousness. Certainly, eternal life will never come from beads, scapulars, nor sacraments.

I know Him and have trusted a Him alone. I have both eternal life and full assurance of my salvation now - based on His Words.

If you do not have salvation and assurance of salvation, that is because you are listening to “we”, instead of Him.

Do you have salvation now?
Do you want to know you have eternal life?

If not, why???????

Peace be with you.


20 posted on 11/16/2017 10:17:21 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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