Judgment of the Wicked

The word JUDGMENT is a scary word in the world of religious thought. So I decided to do some studying and thinking about what the Bible says about it. Here is what I found…

The Greek word is “krisis” from which we get our English word crisis. And crisis simply means a critical time where something very important happens or is happening. In other words it is a turning point in time. It seems to me that the equivalent Hebrew word is “mishpat” and is used in the following OT verses…

“…to keep the way of Yahweh to do what is right and duly just (mishpat)." (Genesis 18:19)

“...the Judge of the entire earth, would He not execute right judgment (mishpat)?” (Genesis 18:25)

Scripture views judgment as a turning point where the judge is suppose to do what is right. Judgment made by a human is not always right. But God has given the final Judgment to His Son, Christ Jesus who will do what is right.

“For neither is the Father judging anyone, but has given all judging to the Son.” (John 5:22)

“He assigns a day in which He is about to be judging the inhabited earth in righteousness by the Man Whom He specifies, tendering faith to all, raising Him from among the dead." (Acts 17:31)

He will judge and do what is right, exposing the motives of the heart and then, almost unbelievably, each will receive praise from God.

“Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)

How can that be? How can both good and bad people receive praise from God? I think the answer lies in the following verses…meditate on them for a while….

“…it is I who have created the destroyer to destroy.” (Isaiah 54:16)

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7)

“The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.” (Proverbs 16:4)

The LORD takes responsibility for creating evil, the destroyer, and the wicked. Don't you think he will do the right thing by them in the end - and save them. Are they not lost and are they not included in the prayer of Jesus while hanging on the cross…

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost…Father forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 19:10; 23:34)

Yes God will eventually save all, not because I say so, but because the Scripture could not be more clear...

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.These things be charging and teaching." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

I think it is time for Christians to stop thinking too highly of themselves.

“Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” (Romans 12:3)

When the final judgment is made it will be based on love, for God is love.

“God is love" … "Love is patient, love is kind...and it keeps no record of wrongs...Love never fails….” (1 John 4:8, 18; 1 Corinthians 13:5-13)

In The Beginning...

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth....The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." (Genesis1:1 - Revelation 22:21)

I enjoy reading the Bible and meditating on what it says. I cannot tell you why but it has been my passion for more than 40 years. It is is the most controversial and talked about book in the world.  Millions of people meet each week all over the world claiming to follow its teachings yet never seem to come to a consensus of what that teaching is.

As much as I enjoy it, it has been time consuming for me to distinguish between what it actually says and what the church proclaims it to say.  And after all those years of study it is clear to me that the above verses, representing the first and last verses of the Bible, is what I want my grand kids to know for sure.

1.  God is the creator of all things

2.  The Grace of Jesus, the Son of God, is with all mankind.

I do not want my grand kids to get their understanding of God and his Grace from man made creeds or doctrines, nor from faulty translations and paraphrases of the bible - and they are many.

I would prefer they get their knowledge of God from a sunset or sunrise. From looking into a clear starry night and wondering at the beauty and vastness of space and the wonder of a God who could create such a complex and beautiful place. From looking at insects, reptiles, birds, fish and animals - and wonder at the beauty of creation and its Creator - like most humans who have ever lived. To look around and look up and proclaim...

"Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens...When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8)

But I know they will encounter much in Christian doctrine that will tend to distort the truth about God. So I write down in this blog and tell them what I believe to be the truth about God which I find in the Bible. That truth is summarized follows:

God loves you and nothing you can do will ever change that. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He became a man and died just like all of us will die in order to show us what will happen after death.  God raised Jesus from the dead and he ascended into heaven.  God promised to send Jesus back someday to raise us all from death into a perfect and immortal life. Then together we will explore the wonders of the heavens which He created - that is the good news - allow it to give you hope, joy and peace in this troubled world.

“I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor though you have not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating evil; I am the LORD who does all these. Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, and righteousness spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it.” (Isaiah 45:4-9)

It appears to me that Christianity is in danger of becoming an enterprise whose activity, organized work, and people are called upon to grow and become like any other big successful company. Christians are trained in churches and seminaries to become a part of the enterprise. Its product is salvation, it price is the tithe of time and money, and its employee benefits include eternal bliss in heaven and escape from eternal torture in hell.

God has no such enterprise in my opinion. His business is to create, educate and save mankind…making us into His image. He needs no help, he asks for none, and His end result will be accomplished. What Christianity needs is a change of attitude. Instead of thinking it is the Church who is called to accomplish God’s purpose, it needs to simply JOIN HIM and rejoice and share the good news that He WILL complete His purpose because He is GOD.

King Manasseh "caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists…Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel" (2 Chronicles 33:6-9)

Surely this sorry excuse for a King will not end up saved, but will dwell eternally in the hell of Christianity…right? Well no, actually he was saved after his captivity by the Babylonians by the same Gracious and Merciful God who has promised to save all mankind. By the GRACE of God all mankind will be saved, and become aware of their salvation when they are given Faith to believe Him and trust Him.

“For by Grace are you saved through Faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

"Then he said, this is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him, You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?" (Luke 12:18-20)

Some Philosophers see mankind as creatures of reason, capable of great things while remaining free. They are correct. But great thinkers, builders and entrepreneurs have this in common with the lazy religious and political folks.....they all think too highly of themselves.

So I have put my trust, not in the ability of free thinking men to accomplish great feats, or religious and political leaders to lead, but in my hope in a real, supernatural, omnipotent creator God...capable of raising me from the dead when mankind is finished screwing everything up.

”Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6)