Tuesday, June 30, 2015

How Will God Judge the World?

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How Will God Judge the World?

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If you or I were to seriously harm another person (hypothetically speaking), in the Western world we would be brought before a judge and jury to receive an appropriate punishment. The prosecuting attorney would emphasize the tragic condition of the innocent victim, and the defense lawyer would point out any extenuating circumstances in a plea for the perpetrator. Motive would be argued by these two lawyers.
Any witnesses would be called to testify either for or against the accused. The judge would disallow inappropriate testimony. Finally the jury would retire to consider the case in private. In due time, if they had been convinced by the prosecutor's arguments, they would return to court with a guilty verdict. The sentence would be handed out by the judge on a later date.
This oversimplified fictional scenario pretty much sums up the way in which many conceive of the subject of judgment—usually with undue emphasis on the final verdict and sentencing. The popular concept runs very negatively.
But what does God's inspired Word teach? The rendering of “eternal judgment” in the Bible is a far more serious matter than, say, ruling on the petty misdemeanors that normally characterize a Judge Judy courtroom. Our final destiny is seriously at stake! Just what does Scripture say regarding God's judgment of the world?

God is the Judge

In pleading for any righteous individuals in wicked Sodom, the patriarch Abraham asked God, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25 Genesis 18:25That be far from you to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from you: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
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). There were not even 10 righteous persons in Sodom, but God spared “righteous Lot” (2 Peter 2:7 2 Peter 2:7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
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) and his two daughters from the catastrophe that followed.
The New Testament also tells us that “God [is] the judge of all” (Hebrews 12:23 Hebrews 12:23To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
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). Jesus Christ revealed that God the Father is “Lord of heaven and earth” (Matthew 11:25 Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes.
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). As always, He remains the ultimate authority, presiding over the entire universe and everything in it, visible and invisible. Our eternal destiny is in His capable hands.
Yet the Father delegates the awesome responsibility of judging human beings to His beloved Son: “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son”(John 5:22 John 5:22For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son:
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, emphasis added throughout). This is because Jesus actually lived as a human being Himself (verse 27), showing God's eminent fairness. Of course, Jesus is of the same mind as the Father, declaring, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30 John 10:30I and my Father are one.
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).
The context of this passage shows that the resurrection from the dead intersects with Christ's coming judgment: “Most assuredly I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live” (verse 25). Everyone who has died will hear Christ's voice (verse 28).
Humanity will be resurrected from the dead. We have Christ's absolute guarantee preserved in His inspired Word to mankind. The resurrection will occur! And numerous passages link this with a time of coming judgment.

The plan of salvation

God planned His whole creation. He thought things out well in advance. Human beings figure prominently in the awesome future God is working toward. He made men and women in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27 Genesis 1:26-27 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
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) with the ultimate goal of bringing them into His divine family. People have sinned, but God's purpose is to redeem and save them.
The Bible reveals God's master plan of salvation. It begins and ends with Jesus Christ. Notice what the apostle Paul stated: “He [the Father] raised Him [Jesus] up from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:20-21 Ephesians 1:20-21 20 Which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
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).
Earlier in this chapter Paul told the Christians at Ephesus, “He [the Father] made known to us his secret purpose, in accordance with the plan which he determined beforehand in Christ, to be put into effect when the time was ripe; namely that the universe, everything in heaven and earth, might be brought into a unity with Christ” (verses 9-10, Revised English Bible).
Judgment is a major part of that divine plan. “Eternal judgment” follows the “resurrection from the dead” in the listing of six major biblical doctrines that lay a foundation for going on to perfection in Hebrews 6:1-2 Hebrews 6:1-2 1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
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. It begins with those whom the Bible calls the firstfruits of God (Romans 8:23 Romans 8:23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
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; James 1:18 James 1:18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
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; Hebrews 12:22-23 Hebrews 12:22-23 22 But you are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
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).
These relative few are privileged to be made aware of God's plan of salvation well in advance of the vast majority of mankind. They will be in the first and better resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:23 1 Corinthians 15:23But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
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; Hebrews 11:35 Hebrews 11:35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
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). God the Father and Christ the Son are laboring to bring the firstfruits to eternal glory (Hebrews 2:10 Hebrews 2:10For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
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). As we will see, judgment plays a major role in that work of salvation.

Judgment begins with the Church of God

The apostle Peter firmly stated: “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 1 Peter 4:17For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
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). Then Peter asks, “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear?” (verse 18).
Does this passage then mean that truly converted Christians will just barely make the first resurrection into God's family? Not at all!
The word “scarcely” is translated from the Greek adverb molis, meaning “with difficulty” (Strong's no. 3433). In fact, the few other uses of this word in the New Testament indicate the meaning to more specifically be “with such difficulty as to seem that success would be unlikely.” Indeed, Christ said that the way to salvation is a narrow and difficult path (Matthew 7:14 Matthew 7:14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it.
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). Yet even what is impossible for men is possible with God (Matthew 19:26 Matthew 19:26But Jesus beheld them, and said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
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).
One of the overriding principles of sound biblical study is that we search out all the relevant scriptures bearing on a particular subject. In his second letter Peter points out a number of Christian attributes that we should all be developing: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.
He then concludes: “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11 2 Peter 1:10-11 10 Why the rather, brothers, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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). This majestic event occurs at the time of the first resurrection when Christ returns to planet earth (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
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; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
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).
In the meantime, the Church is going through a period of judgment—which means a time of evaluation and of disciplinary consequences for disobedience. Such helpful chastening is part of the difficulties a Christian must endure (Hebrews 12:7 Hebrews 12:7If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not?
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). In stating what he did in 1 Peter 4:18 1 Peter 4:18And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
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, Peter was referring to Proverbs 11:31 Proverbs 11:31Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.
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: “If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner?”

Awaiting a future judgment

Indeed, what about the ungodly and the sinner in today's world—including those who cavalierly cast aside the Ten Commandments with little regard for the hurt and destruction they cause themselves and others? Clearly such rebellion carries grave consequences. But are such people—most of humanity, in fact—lost forever with no hope of salvation?
The apostle Paul was inspired to write in the Bible of converted Christians: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”(Romans 5:8 Romans 5:8But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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). Would not our just and merciful God also demonstrate His love to other sinners in desperate need of real repentance and His merciful forgiveness? God gave His Son because He loved the whole world (John 3:16 John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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).
Peter points out, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
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). This is the loving nature of our God who is filled with mercy. He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
Paul writes of “God our Saviour, whose will it is that all should find salvation and come to know the truth”(1 Timothy 2:3-4 1 Timothy 2:3-4 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
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, REB). A false, satanic gospel has denied many people access to the truth of God.
Jesus Christ said: “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth [crucified], will draw all peoples to Myself”(John 12:32 John 12:32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me.
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). Christ is going to straighten out this world in His coming reign on earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with the assistance of the resurrected and transformed saints (Revelation 20:4 Revelation 20:4And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
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).
That is why God is calling them as the “firstfruits” of His divine family during this age of man: “Of his own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:18 James 1:18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
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).
Many more will be called to salvation during Christ's millennial reign and just on beyond. A future second resurrection to judgment will occur just after the Millennium (Revelation 20:5 Revelation 20:5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
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, 11-12). For the most part, this future judgment will not be to condemnation or damnation. Other scriptural passages strongly indicate that the majority of all those who have ever lived will be given the opportunity for salvation—and most will gladly accept it.
Read Ezekiel 37:1-14 Ezekiel 37:1-14 1 The hand of the LORD was on me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the middle of the valley which was full of bones, 2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, see, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, you know. 4 Again he said to me, Prophesy on these bones, and say to them, O you dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus said the Lord GOD to these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live: 6 And I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD. 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8 And when I beheld, see, the sinews and the flesh came up on them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9 Then said he to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus said the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live. 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceeding great army. 11 Then he said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus said the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall you know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, said the LORD.
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, which describes this time. The resurrected Israelites described in this passage think their hope is lost—that they are cut off from God (verse 11). But their Creator will give them hope. They will have their opportunity for salvation, and most will receive the Holy Spirit and be saved (verse 14). Centuries after Ezekiel wrote this prophecy, the apostle Paul firmly stated, “All Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26 Romans 11:26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
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).
This is true judgment—godly evaluation of human existence with righteous discernment and great mercy (see Isaiah 11:3-4 Isaiah 11:3-4 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
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; James 2:13 James 2:13For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has showed no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment.
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). Unlike a human judge of this world, our Judge loves us! He gave His life for us!
As we might expect, there will be a stubborn few who simply will not repent and turn from sin even after God has given them every opportunity. Even then, however, the permanent penalty will not be everlasting punishing in the fires of hell. The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23 Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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)—the diametric opposite of life.
After burning up in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14 Revelation 20:14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
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), they will simply cease to exist. This is the second death (Revelation 20:14 Revelation 20:14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
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). You can learn much more by reading our free booklet Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach?

God's magnificent purpose for humanity

The awesome result of our Creator's activities on this earth lies “in bringing many sons to glory”(Hebrews 2:10 Hebrews 2:10For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
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)—the Greek term here includes daughters as well. As the apostle Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
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, God accomplishes His plan in stages: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order.”
God is enlarging His family in His own way and according to His own timetable. Many assume that today is the only day of salvation and that the ultimate judgment for humanity at large is determined solely by what happens in this life.
The Bible, however, reveals something far different. The first resurrection represents the first fruits of God's salvation. Judgment for them occurs in this life. But a much larger group, representing the greater part of all who have ever lived, will be offered salvation some 1,000 years later. They will go through their judgment period then. For only then, in that great later harvest of mankind, will they receive their opportunity for everlasting life in the Kingdom of God. GN

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