Next to receiving a visit from the Grim Reaper, perhaps the most feared future event for many people is the prospect of facing God after death. Perhaps a majority of us realize that we have failed to live up to God’s standards of righteousness and wonder what he will have to say to us. Many, however, do not believe that God will judge people at all. They hold that God loves people too much to condemn anyone and will benevolently give everyone a “pass.” Such a view has God brushing aside all injustice in the name of love and admitting all to eternal bliss, even those who took pleasure in evil and hurting others. Some do not believe there is a God at all. Materialists think that death is the quite literally the end. What does the Bible have to say?
Does Justice Matter to God?
I know a man who insists that God will never judge or condemn anyone; yet, I have seen this person become very angry over a perceived injustice. Something in him hates when someone is treated unfairly. What gives? Can we have it both ways? Can we believe that a loving God does not really care about injustice, when we care greatly?
The truth is that if God is not just, he is not good.
No amount of love and forbearance can simply overlook crimes against humanity. Very imperfect humans expect more from other humans. Either God is just or he is not good and loving. Can he be both?
The Bible says that God loves justice. It is part of his nature.
The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV)
God’s justice, which is part of his goodness and character, is a blessing for us and poses a huge problem. Injustice is rooted in the human condition. Despite the fact that we universally hate injustice, we are guilty perpetrators of the same.
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Romans 2:1-2 (ESV)
God is good and we are not. God is just and we are not. Therefore, we have a problem. We hate injustice, but we don’t want to have to face up to our own sins and failures. Ultimately, we will answer to God for our own participation in injustice and evil.
Jesus, the Judge
Jesus taught his disciples that he has been given authority to judge all people.
Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:25-29 (ESV)
No one I know has died and come back to life and has the tee shirt; so, any purported knowledge we have about what happens after physical death has to come from another source. Jesus the Lord is the only One who died and rose again, without ever dying again. According to the Bible, he was pre-existent before coming to planet earth (John 1:1), at which time he took upon himself the human condition, in fulfillment of promises made to Abraham (Genesis 22:18) and King David (2 Samuel 7:12-13). Fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah (Isaiah 53:4-6) and John the Baptist (John 1:29), he gave up his life as a sacrifice for sins. Three days later, he rose again, having been vindicated by God. Forty days after that he ascended into heaven, where he now rules as Lord of Lords. (Acts 2:32-36) The Bible says that, at the appointed time, he will return to judge the living and the dead.
And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. Acts 10:42 (ESV)
Jesus’ voluntary sacrificial death can only be understood in light of God’s justice.
Mankind in general and each of us individually owed God a debt of justice against sin that we were completely unable to pay. Bankrupt people cannot pay off creditors. Jesus, who lived in complete submission to his heavenly Father, was the only one with enough spiritual “credit” (righteousness) who could pay the debt, which he did at great cost to himself. In recognition for his incredible act of love and obedience, God the Father elevated Jesus to the highest rank in the universe – Lord of Lords. (Philippians 2:5-11)
Jesus is now the One whose right and privilege it is one day to judge all people in God the Father’s behalf, in order to finally set things right in the universe with respect to justice.
The Gospel of Justice and Judgment
Paul preached these words to onlookers while he stood in the middle of the Areopagus in Athens, Greece.
“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 (NLT)
The announcement that Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead is integral to the gospel message.
Jesus is not the leader of some “feel good” religion, in which we all try to discover our own truth. Rather, he is a very real person, who lived, died, came alive again, and still lives in a glorious body, waiting in heaven until the appointed time for his return, when he will raise the dead and judge all people according to their works. (John 5:19-29)
The Apostle Peter said that Jesus actually instructed his followers to focus on this part of the Gospel message.
And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Acts 10:42-43 (ESV)
Jesus, the only One who really knows what will take place after we die, made it abundantly clear that every person will be judged by him. Jesus has the right to judge mankind because he chose to absorb God’s judgment against humanity on our behalf. All who declare their allegiance to Christ the Lord and believe in his atoning sacrifice are made right with God.
Those who spurn this generous offer condemn themselves to endure God’s just judgment against such arrogant rebellion. They judge themselves to be “unworthy of eternal life.” (Acts 13:46)
Now What?
In today’s world, it is not popular or politically correct to announce that Jesus will come again to judge people, assigning them either to eternal blessedness or eternal damnation. This generation has largely rejected God and his truth. They demand tolerance for their sins and cannot imagine that God is so intolerant! People who reject the gospel ask what right do we have to think that Jesus is the only Way to God? Nevertheless, that is the clear teaching of Jesus in the Bible (John 14:6) and is part of the gospel message. If Jesus is who the Bible says he is, there is no other way to God, no other way to escape condemnation at the last judgment. He is the only One who took our just condemnation upon himself so we don’t have to endure hearing God consign us to hell.
Gospel means “good news,” and there cannot be any really great news unless something really bad is hanging over us.
Most of us are familiar with the photos taken at the announcement that the second World War had ended. Joyous celebrations erupted. People rejoiced exuberantly because of how bad that war had been. It is only when we understand our predicament of having to face a holy God’s justice as sinners that we appreciate the good news that Jesus already did it for us.
One of the main deceptions of Satan is to convince people that they have no need of what Jesus came to provide for us.
The siren song of Satan is “I’m okay and you’re okay. Don’t worry. Be happy. When you die, your existence is over. Don’t fret yourself about it.” Reality is that this life is our opportunity to learn to trust God. Use it or lose it. If we reject God’s offer of salvation through Christ, there will be hell to pay. After all, it’s what we sinners deserve anyway. No one goes to damnation without choosing it. To reject the gospel is to choose to face God’s wrath against sin and end up in the lake of fire for eternity. This is a no brainer.
The Bible says that, as a result of sin, people come into this world without God and without hope. (Ephesians 2:12-13) It says that we are dead in sin and enemies of God. (Romans 5:6-11) Jesus said that eternal suffering awaits those who reject his message. (John 8:23-24 and Mark 9:43) Paul declared that the future for such people will be an eternity separated from God’s presence. (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10) I don’t know about you, but that all sounds very bad indeed. Are we truly able to dismiss such dire warnings with a wave of the hand, affirming that we do not believe in God or the afterlife? Some do just that, but what we believe will not alter what is actually true.
Many at one time believed that the world was flat, but their certainty about that matter did not for one instant make it so. I would rather believe one person who circumnavigated the globe than ten thousand who merely theorized about it. I choose to believe the one Man who actually rose from the dead, rather than any number of those who have not yet died.
One day we will all know first hand whether or not the Bible is right when it speaks about the coming judgment! Then it will be too late. Now we have a chance to escape.
The Only Way to Escape the Coming Judgment
But, if we do accept that all people will eventually stand before God, what are our prospects at this last judgment? Jesus taught his followers that those who put their faith and allegiance in him will not be condemned.
I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. 25 “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. 26 The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. 27 And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. 28 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29 and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. John 5:24-29 (NLT)
Putting our faith and allegiance in Jesus will give us a “pass” from ever being condemned for the bad things we have done! Imagine that! How can that be? It’s really very simple: he already underwent judgment on our behalf. He stood before Pilate as an innocent man, but was condemned to die. The just One died in place of those who actually deserved to die, thus winning our release from condemnation. Debts cannot be justly paid twice.
The logic is inescapable, but it requires that we lay aside any notion of our own worthiness before God, which should not be too difficult for any honest person. Once we grasp just how bad we are, we will be overjoyed to accept God’s provision of his innocent Lamb, who died to take away the sins of the world.
Prayer
God, please forgive me for arrogantly dismissing your judgment that I am a hopeless sinner. I recognize that, without your help, I am lost forever because I can never repay the debt of injustice I owe you. I ask you to forgive me on the basis of what Jesus accomplished through his death on my behalf. I receive all the blessings he won for me. I accept your eternal life and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Thank you for restoring me to a right relationship with you and making me your child. Thank you for setting me free from the things that previously enslaved me. Thank you for delivering me from ever being condemned for my sins. Now, help me to live the remainder of my life in your service. I recognize that Jesus is the Lord of Lords and Coming Judge, to whom I owe all my life and allegiance. Amen.
If you prayed the above, I encourage you to join a Bible believing local church where you can be baptized in water and continue your journey as a follower of Christ and fisher of men. If you live in the Alamance County, NC area, we invite you to connect with LifeNet. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus.
