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Do we understand how, when and why God judges?
Posted : 12 Oct, 2012 10:51 AM
God has always existed as judge over His creation. But we need to understand how He judges, when He judges and why He judges. Knowing how, when and why He judges helps us understand the kinds of judgment described in the Bible.
When God determined to punish Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins, Abraham recognized that God is the judge of men's actions (Genesis 18:20-25 [20] And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
[21] I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
[22] And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
[23] And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
[24] Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
[25] That be far from thee 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 thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
In this case God passed judgment, issued a verdict and carried out the sentence.
Psalm 75:7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
, "But God is the Judge; He puts down one, and exalts another.' Nebuchadnezzar came to understand this (Daniel 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Daniel passed on this truth to the blasphemous Belshazzar (Daniel 5:21-22 [21] And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
[22] And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
In these cases God is not judging people to determine their suitability to receive salvation, nor is God making right every injustice. These instances show that God will intervene, however, to deal with injustices or sin for the benefit of mankind and to further His purposes.
Judgment is not passed on the majority of people now in this age for the purpose of eternal salvation. This kind of judgment will occur later. Jude tells us that "the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment on all" (verses 14-15).
God's ultimate purpose for man is that he will enjoy eternal life in the family of God. Since God is not calling everyone now (John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
He is not judging every person now to grant or deny him eternal life (John 12:47-48 [47] And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
[48] He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
God reserves this kind of judgment for humans until later, when they will fully grasp God's truth as it is presented to them. Only then can they be fairly judged on the basis of that truth. God will not hold people accountable for what they don't know.
Sin, however, is always judged to be worthy of death (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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