The Judgment Seat Is the Throne of Grace

We have seen who is seated on the throne: the Father and the Son, together, in charge of the judgment. Now comes the question that changes everything—what is that throne actually called?

If Jesus is sitting on a throne, then He has a seat. And that seat has a name in Scripture. Turn to 2 Corinthians 5:10:

Somebody just got a little nervous reading that. Fear rises the moment we learn that the seat Jesus sits on is a judgment seat. The heart cries out, “Lord, I don’t want to stand before the judgment seat—please don’t make me come before it.” But is that really the response God wants when we hear this seat called the judgment seat? What is its true purpose?

The Seat Is the Throne, and the Throne Is the Seat

Remember what we established: the judgment seat is the throne of God—the throne of the Father and the throne of Christ. The seat is the throne and the throne is the seat; they are one and the same. And if that seat is a throne, then we should ask what else the throne of Christ is called in Scripture. We already saw it named a judgment seat. But turn to Hebrews 4:16 and watch what else it is:

Not the throne of harshness. Not the throne of punishment. Not the throne of paying you back for all the wrong you have done. It is the throne of grace. So hear this clearly: the judgment seat of Christ is the throne of grace.

A God We Too Often Misjudge

Many of us hold a very hard view of God. We think of Him as a harsh, exacting creditor who, because of the things we have done, is bound to pay us back. And it is true that if a person refuses to repent, he will one day answer to the living God. But too often we fix our minds entirely on the end and forget to bask in the glory of the now. We stare at a judgment to come, when the judgment we should be living in has already begun. The Bible says the hour of His judgment is come—it is here, it is going on right now—and this throne of judgment is also a throne of grace.

So consider what that means. If the throne of grace is where you obtain mercy, then God is judging in grace and mercy. The foundation of this investigative judgment is not retribution for our sins; it is grace and mercy. Many of us assumed the foundation was God settling accounts, coming with His retributive judgments. But Scripture tells us that the foundation of God’s judging, from His throne, is mercy and grace.

Mercy and Grace Always Travel Together

Mercy and grace are never separated in Scripture; they travel together. Consider how the Bible describes our God. Psalm 103:8 says, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” Psalm 116:5 says, “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.”

When God describes Himself, He gives us, as it were, His list of ingredients—and the first items on the list of the Lord God are that He is merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands. Mercy and grace stand at the very top of who He is.

What Mercy Actually Means

What does mercy even mean? The dictionary describes mercy as “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” That is mercy: I could destroy you, but I will not. A second definition adds another layer—mercy is “an event to be grateful for, especially because its occurrence prevents something unpleasant or provides relief from suffering.”

Now put that definition where it belongs. The foundation of this investigative judgment that God is conducting in the world is exactly this. It means I can come to Him precisely because I know He is a God of mercy and grace, who gives unmerited favor. Though it is within His power—and He would be just—to shut me out, He will not do it. He gives mercy instead. That is how the Lord is judging us in this time of investigative judgment. And the answer to “is this really true?” is yes.

A Throne Established in Mercy

The throne of God is established in judgment, but the foundation of that judgment is mercy and grace. Isaiah 16:5 says it plainly:

So when I realize that I am being judged, do I run from the judgment? No—that is not what the Bible tells me to do. It tells me to come boldly before the throne of grace, to come before God and let Him give me mercy in my time of need. And here is the truth every one of us must own: all of us need some mercy. Not a single person is exempt. All of us need the mercy of God.