It seems to me from what I've read here that there is a sharing of the rulings/judgments. God was the judge of Christ during His life on earth and at the cross. No one else could do that and Christ certainly couldn't be His own judge in that instance.

They both have to be Judging because Jesus made us a promise...Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Getting back to those who question you about Jesus being a judge, sometimes answering a direct question isn't the best way to communicate the truth. This is especially true if the question is asked on a false premise. For example if someone asks you to explain, "Why did God take my child?"

I wouldn't answer that question because we know that this is not God's doing. Rather I would point them to God's love and explain at the appropriate time that God's will is not being done in earth as it is in heaven and show them the Lord's prayer so they could see it for themselves. They should be able to relate to it because just about everyone has heard it, at least in Canada and USA.

So to answer someone who is questioning you about Christ being a judge I personally wouldn't answer that question but take it from a discussion level to a personal level. Friend, how would it go for you if your name came up in judgment? That's the real issue, who is judging them is not as important to their salvation and you'd be doing them a favor because you would be causing them to evaluate their own lives and relationship with God..


Norman

Norman pointed out that the priests determined who was clean or unclean. This reminded me of the SS lesson on leprosy a couple of weeks ago. The suspected leper went to the priest to be inspected. The priest checked the symptoms and decided the person's fate.

That is pretty close to what I believe Jesus does in the IJ. Every sinner passes before Him and He inspects the symptoms, then He decides their eternal fate. Why Him instead of God? As John 5 says, God "has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man." Of the three Eternal Dignitaries, only Jesus is the Son of Man.

So in what sense does God "preside" over the Judgment? Perhaps it is in the sense that the Supreme Court "presides" over the entire U.S. judicial system. Most trials do not have a Supreme Court Justice present, but they are under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

WDYT?

Norman, people who ask me this generally aren't sincere people interested in the truth. They generally are EGW critics interested in pitting her against the Bible.

Good. I liked the explanation.

The quotes with God as Judge are usually in the context of Jesus being judged. The quotes with Jesus as Judge are usually in the context of sinners being judged. Is that significant? Maybe.