FLAMES OF JUDGMENT

The Judgment Is Serious

The New Testament leaves us in no doubt that the judgment that awaits us is one fraught with the most far-reaching consequences. Paul speaks of certain evil things in Romans 1 and then says that it is ‘the ordinance of God, that they which practice such things are worthy of death’ (Romans 1:32;. ‘the wages of sin is death’, 6:23). Jesus spoke of some who would come forth out of the graves ‘unto the resurrection of judgment’ (which is set in contrast to ‘the resurrection of life’, John5: 29). While we may be sure that the mercy of God reaches as far as mercy can reach we should not be blind to the fact that in the final judgment serious issues are involved.’ Sin must then be reckoned as sin and receive its just recompense. To our generation this is practically incredible. It seems axiomatic to us that God in love will deliver all men.

This is often expressed in the New Testament in terms of the wrath of God. This wrath is sometimes depicted as at work here and now (e.g. Romans. 13:4.), but basically it is an eschatological concept. It is ‘the wrath to come’ Matthew 3:7; I Thessalonians 1:10). Indeed that Day is ‘the day of wrath’ (Romans 2:5). Attempts have been made to show that ‘the wrath’ is an impersonal process in the New Testament. The God of the New Testament does not sit back and let ‘natural’ laws bring about the defeat of evil.

He is actively opposed to evil in every shape and form. Where unpleasant consequences follow on evil-doing His hand is in it. In any case it is difficult to see what meaning can be attached to an ‘impersonal process’ (as applied to moral affairs) in a universe where God is all powerful and omnipresent. If God is a moral God He will certainly take vigorous action in opposition to evil. The wrath of God is a necessary consequence of His holiness, His righteousness, and His love. With this must be taken the thought that the full weight of God’s judgment and wrath has fallen on Christ (Romans  3:24; 2 Corinthians 5: 21; I John 5:10). It is precisely in the context of judgment that the atonement is to be understood.

And if Christ bore such a heavy judgment ‘how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?’ (Hebrew 2:3).

 

Believers May Have Confidence in the Judgment

Though believers, like all the rest of mankind, face judgment they do not face it in the

same way. The New Testament attitude is not one of coward shrinking from it, but of

anticipation in mingled joy and solemnity. The judgment ‘always means the dawn of the kingdom more than the doom of the world’. ‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?’ asks Paul. ‘It is God that justifies; who is he that shall condemn?’ (Romans 8:33). ‘God is not unrighteous to forget your work’, says the writer to the Hebrews, ‘and the love which ye spewed toward his name’ (Hebrew 6:10). Jude’s magnificent doxology looks to ‘him that is able to guard you from stumbling and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy’ (Jude 24.). And John speaks of love being ‘made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment’ (I John 4:17). It signifies the attitude when the words flow freely, when we feel quite at home, Christians will feel at home on that great day, so we must have confidence to face that judgment, for it marks the triumph of their Savior in the kingdom of their Father. Why should they not feel at home as they see His will perfectly done?

The doctrine of final judgment enshrines many important truths. It stresses man’s accountability and the certainty that justice will finally triumph over all the wrongs which are part and parcel of life here and now. The former gives a dignity to the humblest action; the latter brings calmness and assurance to those in the thick of the battle. This doctrine gives meaning to life.

The Christian view of judgment refers to ‘God’s completing act in a fellowship of redeemed souls in a universe which is at once a new world and the perfection of the old’. Judgment protects the idea of the triumph of God and of good.

Judgment means that evil will be disposed of authoritatively, decisively, finally. Judgment means that in the end God’s decree will be perfectly done.