When we look around us, even our human hearts cry out for justice. Although, at times we may confuse what is true justice in a situation. Because we cannot see everything or judge rightly, we sometimes feel outraged unjustly. Still, our hearts desire what is right and just. That desire: however, convoluted it may have become in this world is resounded forth by our youngest children screaming, “That’s not fair.” If we want or demand justice, then why would we ever say that an All-powerful, All-seeing, Sovereign God of Grace and Love would never really demand Judgement? We quickly stand up in defense when someone offends us. Yet so many of us want to say, “If God truly loves then He could never condemn us for our sin?” How is that just or fair? Why would Jesus come and die to pay our penalty for sin unless justice was required?
Furthermore, do not we humans scream at God to fix the injustices of this world? We so often really demand judgement to fall on everyone else; but feel righteously smug within our own selves. So, how can these human hearts determine what is just and right? How can we understand the truth of mercy, grace, and love, while still understanding justice? Or is that the key? Once we understand the truth of justice, only then can we understand the depth of mercy, grace and love it took to forgive a sinner such as I. It is then that we may begin to understand the patience with which God has dealt with humanity both individually and as nations. That is when we can begin to understand that a God of Grace and Love must really demand Judgement of people and of nations.
A Nation Under Judgement
How many years and with what patience has God always dealt with Israel as a nation? He continues to do so today. Yet, we know throughout their history, it became necessary to for God to really Demand Judgement against Israel as a nation for their persistent rebellion and hardness of heart toward God. It was necessary to destroy the evil sin that invaded the nation, to protect the remnant of true worshippers of God. Like the wickedness that pervaded the world in the days of Noah, people who refuse to worship God or draw near to Him, drift farther and farther into depravity until that depravity threatens to destroy everything else around them. They “exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25).
So, it is that as Jesus is heading to the cross to die, paying the penalty of sin for all who would believe and accept Him as LORD and Savior, He also presented the case of why a God of grace and love must really demand judgement. Condemnation against the nation of Israel came once more just as God demanded in 70 AD. Yet, a remnant was saved. History repeated itself and will repeat itself again in the future. Love cannot be genuinely love, unless it stands firm on truth, justice, and righteousness. Otherwise, everything and everyone would self-destruct over time. We have witnessed that repeatedly during history. Self-centered, self-exalting humans who are unwilling to bow before their creator in awe and wonder, always grow in the depth of depravity their own pride-filled hearts produce.
God allows them to have what their hearts choose. Hence their hearts become hardened. Their eyes become blinded to seeing the truth. And their hearing is dulled until they do not even know what is real or true.
Why God Must Demand Judgement
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel [c]of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who [d]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is [e]manifest [f]in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like [h]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Because they Chose
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their [i]women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the [j]men, leaving the natural use of the [k]woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, [l]sexual immorality, wickedness, [m]covetousness, [n]maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 [o]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, [p]unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
The fact that humanity has not annihilated itself completely is due to God’s hand of grace sustaining the world. When God’s hand releases a people to do as they desire, chaos and destruction always follows.
Deuteronomy 32: 35-36 Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.’
“For the Lord will judge His people
And have compassion on His servants,
The Parable of the Vineyard from Luke 20
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to [b]vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 Now at [c]vintage-time hesent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ 14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is theheir. Come,let us kill him, that the inheritance may beours.’ 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard andkilled him. Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard toothers.”
And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”
Their response is that of people today regarding God when we tell them judgement will come. They too, cry out “Certainly not!” Yet, it just that which God did as He sent the gospel forth first to the Jew and to the Gentile as the church age was born. Still there is the remnant of true worshippers saved and the nation of Israel will rise again as God’s people in the end times. Meanwhile, we are bid to come and follow Him. Why is God justified to really demand judgement? Has He not dealt will all with a magnitude of patience and grace? Much more than you or I ever have toward others. Let us look at Isaiah 5:
What More Could God Have Done?
Now let me sing to my Well-beloved
A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:
My Well-beloved has a vineyard
[a]On a very fruitful hill.
2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also [b]made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.
3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
4 What more could have been done to My vineyard
That I have not done in it?
Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,
Did it bring forth wild grapes?
5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;
And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
6 I will lay it waste;
It shall not be pruned or [c]dug,
But there shall come up briers and thorns.
I will also command the clouds
That they rain no rain on it.”
7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,
And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.
He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;
For righteousness, but behold, [d]a cry for help. (Isaiah 5)
What more could God have done? God who has waited with patience, long-sufferingly awaiting each person to turn, repent and seek Him? But alas, often to no avail for their hearts desire only themselves to be exalted above all else. They desire to seek their own pleasures and powers, regardless of the cost to everyone else.
So, now what?
Luke 20: 17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will bebroken; buton whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they [d]feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.
Will judgement come upon our nation? It appears we are there. What about our world? There too evil, lies and destruction are everywhere. So much confusion of truth, destruction, while evil appears to win. So, what about the individuals? What about you or I? Either we fall upon Jesus with broken, repentant hearts seeking Him or be crushed by the weight of the stone when God really demands judgement.
Conclusion: The Good News
Here though is the good news of the gospel message! For all who believe that Jesus Christ is God Incarnate, the son of God who died on the cross and rose again the third day, we may run to the cross, lay our filthy garments at His feet in exchange for His Robe of Righteousness. When I acknowledge my utter inability to earn my own salvation. Come to Him, humbly bowing before Him. Then, He saves me. And much more, He takes it upon Himself to complete the work He began in me. Hallelujah! What a Savior.
Then we can cry out with Paul.
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,”
And 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, (In other words NOTHING) shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So, yes, the fact that God is full of Grace and Love, He really must demand judgement. But He also provided a way of escape from that judgement for all who choose to worship Him. That is the good news of the gospel. What we could not do, God did for us—if only we would believe in Him.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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Disclosures
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)