'J'

by Hallie Gipson

As I was preparing for the latest installment of “The Names and Attributes of God”, one ‘J’ word that helps define the character of God came to mind --- ‘Judge’.

This word is not one I am prone to dwell on when using God’s names and attributes in praise of Him. I prefer the ones that sound loftier to my ears --- Excellent, Great, Alpha, Creator, Prince of Peace, etc. But what about God as ‘Judge’? Well, there’s nothing like a dose of experiential reality to bring a word into sharp focus and give that word depth of meaning! And in my case, that’s just what happened.

I had occasion to accompany someone to court as a ‘substitute’ family member. My role was to be one of support -- both emotional and physical. Having no previous experience in a court room, not even jury duty, I had never given much thought to what court would be like in reality. Several things immediately came to my attention as we sat and waited for her case to be called: the starkness and discomfort of the furnishings; the sternness of the environment; the harshness of the bailiff as he gave the rules of court behavior; the faces and demeanor of not only those facing charges, but also of those accompanying the offenders; the hushed atmosphere; the attorneys as they conferred with clients or other attorneys; the judge; and the bench.

My stomach was in knots and I wasn’t even guilty of a punishable offense or crime! No one in that court room could point a finger at me and accuse me of breaking any law, and yet the angst was there. Isn’t it amazing what feelings an environment can evoke?

As I sat there trying to process my surroundings, I was overcome with gratitude that on Judgment Day, I will not have to fear the outcome. Yes, I will have to stand before the judgment seat of God and give an account of myself, but I will not be condemned to eternal punishment and separation from God.

• Matthew 12:36 –-- “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”

• Romans 14:12 --- “So then every one of us will give an account of himself to God.” 

• 2 Corinthians 5:10 --- “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

•  Hebrews 4:13 --- “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

Why won’t I be condemned to eternal punishment and separation from God? Because Christ paid my sin-debt when He died on the cross for the sin of the world, rose again, and now lives to intercede for me before the Father. Hebrews 7:25 --- “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

The person I accompanied received a ‘continuance/delay’ of her case that day because all decision-making parties involved were not present. But there will be no continuance or delay when the unsaved of this world stand before God on Judgment Day! By then, every knee will have bowed and every tongue will have confessed that Jesus is The Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Eternal punishment will be meted out and no second chances allowed. Everyone who has not already professed Christ as their Savior will be condemned and sentenced to an eternity in hell – forever separated from God! And who will be the Judge? God!

• Psalm 50:6 -- And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge.  

• Psalm 96:12b-13 -- Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord, for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.    

God will judge through Christ.

• Acts 17:30b-31 -- God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.   

• 2 Timothy 4:8 -- In the future there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.   

• James 4:12 -- There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy . . .

So my question for you is --- Do you know my Savior? Do you have a personal relationship with the Son of God, Jesus Christ? Has there ever been a time in your life that you can say for certain that you received Christ as Lord of your life? Do you believe in His finished work on the cross for your sin and His resurrection which assures us of eternal life? Do you know without a doubt that you would spend eternity with Christ if you died tonight?

John 3:16 tell us that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

When we confess our sin and turn away from our sin in repentance, we have the peace of God because we have peace with God. The only way we can have peace with God is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It is Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that cleanses us and opens the door for us to fellowship with God the Father and to claim His promise of eternal life.

If you cannot answer ‘yes’ to those questions, then I urge you to decide for Christ! Don’t wait! God will accept you just as you are --- He doesn’t expect us to clean up or live a perfect life before we come to Him. He does the cleaning up in our lives through the blood of Jesus Christ!

So come just as you are, dear reader! Jesus Christ is waiting with open arms!