Judgement

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One element that is so sadly lacking from modern day Christianity, churches and evangelism is preaching on judgement.

Almost completely gone are the so-called ‘fire and brimstone’ preachers of old.

A good parent would warn their child of coming danger. We would expect it to be so.

Good friends would warn their friends of danger. And we would rightly expect it to be so.

Yet Christian ministers, pastors, and Christians in general, no longer warn their family or those people they meet of the danger of God’s judgement.

It is almost like Christians have replaced the God of the Bible with a ‘god’ of their own making. One who is completely love and mercy and would not possibly judge people and send them to hell.

Yet reading the Gospels Jesus spoke many times of ‘hell’. Usually in the form of a place of ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’. Or ‘lake of fire’. Or ‘fire and burning sulphur’. Or ‘fire and brimstone’.

Yes, God is loving and kind and patiently shows mercy.

And yes, absolutely, God is good!

But because He is good, He will judge evil and separate the righteous – those who have their faith and trust in Jesus as Saviour and Lord and live according to the commands of God – from the disobedient and unrighteous.

Just read the following few verses on what God has to say on the matter of His judgement:

“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” (Malachi 3:5 NLT)

“They will be My people,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be My own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” (Malachi 3:17-18 NLT)

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have – Jesus Christ.

Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.

If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NLT)

“And I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from His presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne.

And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead.

And all were judged according to their deeds.

Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15 NLT)

There is definitely going to be judgement of all people.

And the basis of whether you pass judgement and live eternally with God is whether or not you have accepted Jesus as Saviour, and whether or not you live your life for God in a way that is pleasing and honouring to Him.

In other words, in a manner that truly shows the Jesus is just your Saviour but is genuinely Lord (Master) of your life.

It honestly surprises me that as a rule we, Christians/the church, have been so successful at teaching people John 3:16, so much so that most Christians know that verse by heart, even many non-Christians know the verse.

Yet a mere 20 verses over hardly anyone knows John 3:36 exists, and even fewer people know what it says.

And it is in exactly the same chapter just 20 verses away. If John 3:16 is the Word of God, so is John 3:36

Why are we not preaching and teaching it and sharing it with our family and friends?

Why are we not using it in our evangelism?

People’s eternal lives depend upon it.

“He who believes and trusts in the Son and accepts Him [as Saviour] has eternal life [that is, already possesses it]; but he who does not believe the Son and chooses to reject Him, [disobeying Him and denying Him as Saviour] will not see [eternal] life, but [instead] the wrath of God hangs over him continually.” (John 3:36 AMP)

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