Reflecting this broader definition of judgment as a matter of understanding and having the opportunity to spiritually mature, Peter wrote: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” ( 1 Peter 4:17).įor members of the Church of God, who understand God’s laws and who have committed to keeping them, their day of judgment is now. While judgment leads ultimately to a sentencing, this part of the judgment of God does not occur until we have had time to understand His instructions and build righteous character by striving to live as He desires. God watches how we mature and grow in our understanding and service to Him over time. But the biblical definition is broader than that. God watches how we mature and grow in our understanding and service to Him over timeMany assume that judgment in the Bible only means condemnation. “For the LORD will judge His people and have compassion on His servants” ( Deuteronomy 32:36). On the other hand, if we love God and serve Him, He promises to be merciful and compassionate. Of course, if we do evil, it is indeed “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” ( Hebrews 10:31). What we can determine from these passages is that the judgment of God we will all experience is not necessarily something to fear because it is also our opportunity to become part of God’s eternal family. The book of Hebrews adds that Jesus “will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” ( Hebrews 9:28). As John explained: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” ( John 3:16). Many understand that Jesus Christ came to earth some 2,000 years ago to give His life to pay the penalty for our sins. But God in His mercy has established a plan whereby our sins can be forgiven through repentance and baptism ( Acts 2:38). (See our booklet Change Your Life! for a biblical study of this process.) Scripture explains that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” ( Romans 3:23) and, since “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), all humans deserve death. Unfortunately, humans have not successfully ruled over their sinful desires. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” ( Genesis 4:7). And God had reasoned with their son, Cain, saying, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. Even prior to Enoch, God had instructed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In the context of explaining what will happen to wicked men, Jude wrote: “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him’” ( Jude 1:14-15).Īs Jude explained, the teaching that all people will face the judgment of God stretches back in time to man’s earliest beginnings. With righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity” ( Psalm 98:4, Psalm 98:7-9, emphasis added throughout). … Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it let the rivers clap their hands let the hills be joyful together before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth. “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. The great joy and excitement people should have for Christ’s return is depicted in Psalm 98: After all, it is these prophesied events that will finally bring justice and peace to our strife-torn world. Inhabitants of the earth have long awaited the coming of Jesus Christ to our planet to establish the Kingdom of God and to judge mankind.
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