JUDGMENT. It is a word we see thrown around quite a bit. Whether it be from casual sinners telling other Christians to “Judge not,” or the hardened heart declaring, “Only God can judge me,” it has become all too common of a word. My fear, however, is that the commonality of the word may be causing us to lose our fear of it. I have even heard judgment being mocked by atheists as they laugh about the party they’re planning on throwing in Hell.
Of course, all of this is to be expected to some degree. After all, how can one care of judgment if they first care even less of God? We live in a fallen world where, of ourselves, there is not one righteous among us (Romans 3:10). In our natural state, we simply lack the ability to understand the things of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14) and, instead, desire the will of our father, the devil (John 8:44). In such a state, is it any wonder we reject the things of God and choose to mock His authority?
Ultimately, mocking holds no value or authority. Nor does the power and authority of God wane because of it. No, such scoffers will indeed be held accountable. They will be judged with a righteous judgment that should be feared. But what of the Christian? Does this mean our fear should subside and be replaced with apathy? Certainly not! If anything, we should have an even greater fear because our eyes have been opened. By Scripture, we know what judgment entails and the very thought should shake us to our core. It should move us in such a way that we give thanks to God with no less gratitude than that of a man would thank someone for saving his life. In fact, even that level of gratitude would be insufficient as God chose to sacrifice His own Son in order that our lives would be saved. If that doesn’t move you, nothing will.
With the plethora of movies out there that aim to depict the horrors of Hell, they all pale in comparison to the reality of what the lost will one day find. Scripture describes judgment as a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Luke 13:28), a furnace (Matthew 13:42), melting (Psalm 112:10), outer darkness (Matthew 8:12), and unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43). Through fire and brimstone, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their perversion and rejection of righteousness. Yet, when Jesus spoke to the people of Capernaum, he said even the judgment of Sodom would be more tolerable than what awaited them (Matthew 11:24).
What does this mean exactly? It means no amount of earthly disaster could ever compare to the eternal misery and death that awaits those who will be held accountable for their sin. In Luke 16:19-31, the rich man pled that he might warn his five brothers in order to prevent them from joining him in his place of torment, and that wasn’t even Hell (NOTE: perhaps a topic for another time). We have the luxury of still being here to warn others. On top of this, as I stated earlier, we should be so moved with emotion to do so that it flows from us like a broken tap. We don’t need to wait until it’s too late. The time is now!
Hell is not reserved for the worst of the worst. One need not commit genocide in order to receive final judgment. It merely takes a denial of the Son. Scripture is clear that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and all have done so (Romans 3:23). The Reformer, John Calvin, did not mince words in his distinguishing between mortal and venial sins. He took the heretical teaching of Catholicism and turned it on its head in a way we should all hold dear.
Here they take refuge in the absurd distinction that some sins are venial and others mortal; …. Thus they insult and trifle with God. And yet, though they have the terms venial and mortal sin continually in their mouth, they have not yet been able to distinguish the one from the other, except by making impiety and impurity of heart to be venial sin. We, on the contrary, taught by the Scripture standard of righteousness and unrighteousness, declare that “the wages of sin is death;” and that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die,” (Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:20). The sins of believers are venial, not because they do not merit death, but because by the mercy of God there is “now no condemnation to those which are in Christ Jesus” their sin being not imputed, but effaced by pardon.
John Calvin, (Institutes, III.4.28)
The only refuge for one moving toward judgment is that which is found in Christ. While it is true that believers and unbelievers alike will be judged, the believer has been justified through faith and is pardoned as he rests in Christ’s active obedience. On the other hand, the unbeliever will face judgment with no advocate to come to his defense. As he rejects the Son, so the Son will reject him and judge him (John 5:22). My plea is that you won’t skip your next opportunity to warn your loved ones of the judgment they will face apart from Christ. When you see a stranger mocking judgment, pray that God will give you a spirit of boldness (Acts 4:31) and gentle correction, that he might turn from his wicked ways and seek Christ. Scripture is clear there is only one way to escape judgment. Don’t let it be your hidden secret!
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 5:24, NASB
~ Travis W. Rogers
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