“Lesson 24 Class Preparation Material: Trusting Jesus Christ as Our Judge,” Jesus Christ and His Everlasting Gospel Teacher Material (2023)
“Lesson 24 Class Preparation Material,” Jesus Christ and His Everlasting Gospel Teacher Material
Lesson 24 Class Preparation Material
Trusting Jesus Christ as Our Judge
Imagine the thoughts and feelings you might have if you were invited today into the presence of the Lord. Someday “each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts” (“The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org; see also 2 Nephi 9:15). How we experience being in the Savior’s presence will depend on how we have prepared ourselves (see Alma 5:16–25). As you study, consider what you can do so you will feel comfortable and confident in His presence at the Final Judgment (see Doctrine and Covenants 121:45).
Section 1
Why can I trust Jesus Christ to be my judge?
Because of the Savior’s divine nature and His infinite Atonement, we can be assured He will be a “righteous Judge” (Moses 6:57) when that day comes that we stand before Him to give an account of our lives (see Romans 14:10–12). He will perfectly determine the degree of glory we are qualified to receive. In the book of Psalms we read, “He shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness” (Psalm 9:8; see also 96:13).
Speaking of the Lord’s qualifications to be our judge, Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:
Jesus Christ possessed merits that no other being could possibly have. He was a God, Jehovah, before His birth in Bethlehem. His beloved Father not only gave Him His spirit body, but Jesus was His Only Begotten Son in the flesh. Our Master lived a perfect, sinless life and therefore was free from the demands of justice. He is perfect in every attribute, including love, compassion, patience, obedience, forgiveness, and humility. …
I testify that with unimaginable suffering and agony at an incalculable price, the Savior earned His right to be our Redeemer, our Intermediary, our Final Judge. (“The Atonement Can Secure Your Peace and Happiness,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 42)
President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency, who was a former Utah Supreme Court Justice, said of the Savior’s unique position to judge us:
His omniscience gives Him a perfect knowledge of all of our acts and desires, both those unrepented or unchanged and those repented or righteous. Therefore, after His judgment we will all confess “that his judgments are just” (Mosiah 16:1). (“The Great Plan,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 96)
Ponder in Preparation for Class
Think of an attribute of Jesus Christ that increases your confidence that He will be a righteous judge. For example, you might consider how He is loving, all-knowing, all-powerful, wise, merciful, just, compassionate, long-suffering, meek, or forgiving. Be prepared to share the attribute you selected with your class.
Section 2
How will I be judged?
Thinking about the Final Judgment can feel both awe-inspiring and overwhelming. Sometimes we may wonder if we will ever feel prepared to be judged by the Lord. The book of Revelation provides important truths about how the Lord will judge us.
Study in Preparation for Class
Read Revelation 20:12, looking for one way in which we will be judged.
President Harold B. Lee taught:
The “books” spoken of refer to the records [of our works] which are kept on the earth. … The book of life is the record which is kept in heaven. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 226–27)
In a vision of the celestial kingdom, the Prophet Joseph Smith gained additional insight into the Final Judgment. The Savior taught: “For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts” (Doctrine and Covenants 137:9; emphasis added). The prophet Alma taught that we will also be held accountable for our words (see Alma 12:14).
President Oaks taught that the Final Judgment is more, however, than an assessment of our thoughts, words, and deeds:
The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. … The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become. (“The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32)
It is important to remember that no matter how diligently we strive to live the gospel, without the Lord’s help, we can never become what Heavenly Father desires us to become. Thankfully, Jesus Christ is not only our judge but also is our “advocate with the Father” (Doctrine and Covenants 110:4; see also 1 John 2:1).
President Russell M. Nelson taught that advocate means “a voice for” or “one who pleads for another” (“Jesus the Christ—Our Master and More” [Brigham Young University devotional, Feb. 2, 1992], 4, speeches.byu.edu). As our Advocate, Jesus Christ “knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted” (Doctrine and Covenants 62:1). He will plead our cause and intercede on our behalf as we exercise faith in Him (see Moroni 7:28; 2 Nephi 2:9; Hebrews 4:15–16).
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said of Jesus Christ’s role as our Advocate:
Christ’s advocacy with the Father in our behalf is not adversarial. Jesus Christ … would not champion anything other than what the Father has wanted all along. Heavenly Father undoubtedly cheers for and applauds our successes.
Christ’s advocacy is, at least in part, to remind us that He has paid for our sins and that no one is excluded from the reach of God’s mercy. (“Choose You This Day,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 104–5)
In a revelation the Prophet Joseph received in 1831, Jesus Christ described the role of His Atonement as He advocates for those who believe in Him.
Study in Preparation for Class
Read Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5, looking for how Jesus Christ pleads our cause.
Ponder in Preparation for Class
Imagine hearing the Savior pleading your cause before the Father. How might you feel listening to Him speaking on your behalf?
Section 3
How can I better evaluate my preparations for the Final Judgment?
President Oaks taught, “The purpose of this Final Judgment is to determine whether we have achieved what Alma described as a ‘mighty change of heart’” (“Cleansed by Repentance,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 93). This change is achieved through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and sincere repentance.
When Alma taught the people of Zarahemla, he asked them questions so they could assess the condition of their hearts and determine how prepared they were to be judged by the Savior (see Alma 5:14).
Study in Preparation for Class
Read Alma 5:15–16, 19, 26–27, and take some time for honest self-reflection as you consider your answers to the questions asked. Identify one question in particular that suggests an area where you could improve right now.
As you think about what you can do to better prepare for the Final Judgment, remember the following wise counsel from Elder Larry R. Lawrence of the Seventy:
The Spirit can show us our weaknesses, but He is also able to show us our strengths. Sometimes we need to ask what we are doing right so that the Lord can lift and encourage us. … He rejoices every time we take a step forward. To Him, our direction is ever more important than our speed.
Be persistent, brothers and sisters, but never be discouraged. (“What Lack I Yet?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 35)
Record Your Thoughts
Take a few minutes to write a response to the question you identified from Alma’s words that suggested something you can work on right now. You could also identify a question that suggests something you are doing right and write a response for that question as well.