When the Lord appeared to Abraham and the 3 visitors came to him, to tell him that Sarah would have a son, the Lord told him he would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah with the wicked and the righteous together. Abraham called Him 'The Judge of All the Earth." But the "Judge" was able to still bring destruction and spared Lot and his two daughters. God is a Judge of All the Earth has not changed, 6000 years later!
Since that day, God appointed judges to oversee, to decide, to rule, and to save people, like the Israelites from their enemy nations. Their role was to help the poor, the widows, and orphans. They were not to take bribes from the foreigners. As these judges began to take more authority, they were like kings taking supreme authority. Before they would appoint local judges some of them priests and elders in the land. When the kings were no longer authority figures, The High Priest would become the supreme judge. When Jesus appeared, the Sanhedrin became the Supreme Court of Justice foe the Jewish nation.
However, Jesus had some words to say about that! (Luke 6:37) "If you judge, then you will be judged." And James 4:12 says, "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, to one who is able to save and destroy. But you -- who are you to judge your neighbor?"
Now, that we have acknowledge The Lord as Judge, the question is when, and how, and where? God will judge the living and the resurrected dead, and the Lord Jesus as He sits on the throne, He will be God's Agent to bring judgement. "The Day of the Lord" or the In the last day it will happen. It will occur when their is an attempt to restore justice on earth, their will be a cosmic last judgement.
The Second Coming of Jesus will bring the beginning of God's kingdom reign, including a final judgement of the wicked and the righteous. The judgement is imminent or delayed as mentioned in the Gospels. Before the Judgement comes their will be a period of persecution and affliction and catastrophe. Those being judged will be a people who believe or who do not believe.
One that day, believers will be saved from the wrath of God and given eternal life. while thos obey wickedness will suffer wrath and fury. God knows and judges the secrets of men's hearts. God has given His Son to sit on the throne(Judgement Seat) and His role is to judge with the saints judge the world.
The visions of the Apostle John shows the Judgement of God as He is on a white horse who will judge and make war. The dead will be resurrected for judgement, and the saints will be rewarded a new heaven and a new earth. (Revelation 20:5) (Alexandra Brown)
CONCLUSION: I have received Jesus Christ as my Savior, so am I not going to be judged?
You will not be judged in regards to your salvation. That is a gift of God.
But each one of us are going to face the judgment seat of Christ for what we do in terms of our rewards in heaven.
That is for everyone of us. And because God is a judge, we should stand in Awe of Him because of his judgment and authority over us.
And as a Christian, even more so, we should stand in awe of God our judge.
