As we broach the subject of God’s judgment, I’d like to make it as logical as possible. There are a few realities that leave humanity unable to say, “We didn’t know!” One of these areas of general revelation is the creation:

Romans 1:19–23 – For what can be known about God is plain to [men], because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Humanity has always looked at the natural world and attributed its existence to a creative cause. There is truth here. The creation that screams of a creator.

Another one of these realities that leave us without excuse is an innate knowledge of wright and wrong. We know that right and wrong exist – in a way that transcends the social construct. Right and wrong – as absolutes – exist.

Romans 2:14–15 – For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them…

If right and wrong exist, if law exists, there must be a law giver. And since right and wrong do exist from a law giver, we have the reality of justice – dealing with the wrong or making the wrong right. We know these things – there is a first cause, there is right and wrong, there is a law-giver, justice is a real pursuit. Right/wrong and the pursuit of justice are foundational to humanity, to any society, to our healthy existence. And, in this country every year, we spend billions of dollars to pursue justice. We, as humans, think that the pursuit of justice is a noble thing. I think – I hope – that you think the pursuit of justice is a noble thing. Without the pursuit of justice, evil wins.

James 4:12a – There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy.

SHOULD WE PURSUE JUSTICE?

Matthew 23:23 – “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

We should pursue justice here – it is right for many reasons. The problem is that we cannot fully achieve justice here.

THERE WILL BE A FINAL JUDGMENT

There will come a day when each person will stand before the judgment seat of God (Rom 14:10). In this final judgment the judgment will be real – it is not earth-bound. This judgment will be at a level that makes our earthly courts look absolutely feeble. This judgment will not simply look at your sin against your brother. In this judgment it moves to sin against the Holy God of all reality. The judgment here will look into the heart.

Romans 3:19–20 – Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Hebrews 9:27 – …it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…

BE VERY CAREFUL IN YOUR PURSUIT OF JUSTICE

We can be easily deceived about this issue. While we should pursue justice here, it is not possible to achieve it here. God will judge perfectly – we cannot. Because we are sinful, prideful people we can easily see ourselves as judge with the power of justice in our hands.

Nahum 1:2 – The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.

Romans 12:19–21 – Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 5:39 – But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Luke 6:27–28 – “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”

WHAT ABOUT ME?

One of our great and horrible tendencies is to somehow justify our own sin. We work it around in our brains so that it is not sin, or we compare ourselves to the worst case saying, “Well, at least I’m not as bad as…”, or we simply deny our sin. We longing for the day when justice comes – and we assume it will mean problems for others, but not us.

2 Chronicles 19:7 – Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.

Romans 3:9–12 – What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

Have you sinned against God? Of course you have.

Romans 3:23 – …all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

Have you ever been in a situation where you ask yourself, “Can this really be happening?” I think of the Howe family – years of Dale being with them and now he’s not? Can this really be happening? YES – what we all knew would happen at some point is now reality. There will come a day of judgment before God – all will be transparent – no more excuses – no more self-righteousness.

Jesus came to be the substitute before God for all those who would take him as their substitute. Jesus came in order to absorb God’s judgment for the sin of all those who trust him as their only hope of survival. I can face God alone or I can take Jesus as my Champion.

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 6:40 – For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

John 11:25 – Jesus said to [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…”

1 John 4:10 – In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the [wrath absorber] for our sins.