If we always want grace for ourselves and judgment for others, we barely understand grace. On the day of judgment, even the most consecrated Christian who ever walked the planet will only have grace to vouch for him.
It goes something like this:
1st Premise: God is righteous.
2nd Premise: A righteous God will judge evil.
3rd Premise: All men are evil.
Conclusion: God will judge all men.
This week, here are some reminders about the justice / judgment of God and what this means for us. This is prep for our study of Mark 14:53-65 on Sunday.
1. “Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder’” (James 2:10-11). There will be no counting of sins at the last judgment. We will be in Christ or condemned.
2. The idea that "a loving God will never judge or afflict you" -- Jesus flatly contradicted it and warned us to get ready (Luke 13:1-5).
3. We judge God's invitation. We judge the messengers he sends. But our judgments are themselves being judged by God (Matthew 22:1-10).
4. A hundred people you see today are a heartbeat away from everlasting pain (Matthew 25:41). That is judgment enough. Be part of the rescue.
5. "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak" (Mt. 12:36). And tweet. How would you treat people if you remembered a) the Lord has given you abundant grace & mercy and b) you'll have to give an account for it?
6. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (Genesis 18:25). No justice in this world. God alone is just.
7. "Each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12) Each. You will have the full attention of the Creator.
8. "I do not even judge myself. It is the Lord who judges me" (1 Cor 4:3-4). Self-judgment is playing God. Only God can discern and judge motives. If we presume to do so, then we are playing God and removing all doubt as to our own arrogance.
9. Hebrews 13:17: Our pastors will give an account for how they pastored us. And church members will give an account for how we treated them.
10. "They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support" (2 Sam 22:19). Men judge recklessly, God supports faithfully.
11. Jesus gave the world a right: to judge unloving Christians as non-Christians (John 13:34-35). Francis Schaeffer said: "If a Christian doesn't show love toward other true Christians, the world has a right to judge that he is not a Christian.” Jesus gave the world the right to judge our authenticity as Christians by our love. If we aren't blowing them away, let's not complain about hard times. Let's love as never before.
12. When the devil and the world call to you, you only have to answer: "You didn’t make me, you didn’t redeem me, and you won’t judge me!" God "the heart-knower" (one word in the original text, Acts 1:24; 15:8). Human eyes cannot judge human hearts. Thankfully, God knows us.
13. "God will judge the sexually immoral" (Hebrews 13:4). Not because sex is dirty, but because sex is a sacred metaphor for The Marriage.
14. To judge the wrath of God as unfair was unthinkable to Paul (Romans 3:5-6). He saw it as essential to the world's better future. Christ's resurrection proves that the world not only has a Savior, but the universe has a King and a Judge! (Acts 17:31). “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2).
