Judgment

Hebrews 9:26b-28 “But now, once for all time, [Christ} has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.”

 

The Gospel explains that men and women, created by God, lived in sinless relationship with their Almighty Maker, but our original parents listened to the devil’s lie, doubted God. Their sin brought death and decay into the world. By the grace of our Creator, God implemented a plan of Salvation through a substitutionary sacrificial death by the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, to redeem sinners who believe, accept and receive Him (God incarnate). John 1:10-14 tells us, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” How many receive the gift of God in Jesus Christ?

 

Matthew 7:13-14 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Jesus Christ was God’s plan of salvation, the divine vehicle to redemption of the world, the deific instrument to reconciliation with their heavenly Maker, and the abundant life led by the Good Shepherd to all who received Him. But Scripture is clear that few accept the gift of God and face Him on Judgment Day. Judgment Day is defined as: The last day, or day when final judgment will be pronounced on the subjects of God's moral government. Revelation 20:11-12, 15 says, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” 

 

Philip Doddridge in his book titled “The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul” defines “religion” as, in the most general view, is such a sense of God in the soul, and such a conviction of our obligations to Him, and our independence upon Him, as shall engage us to make it our great care to conduct ourselves in a manner which we have reason to believe will be pleasing to Him. Today, as in 1745 when Doddridge wrote those words, we see in those who reject the authority of their Creator in defiant unbelief have no appearance of love to God, no reverence to His presence, no desire of His favor as the highest good: there is no cordial belief in the Gospel of salvation; no eager solicitude to escape that condemnation which we have incurred by sin; no hearty concern to secure that eternal life which Christ has purchased and secured for His people, and which He freely promises to all who will receive Him. 

 

John 3:17-19 tells us, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Therefore, John 3:36 concludes, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Escape the judgment. Repent and be born again to new life and life eternal. 

In Christ, Brian