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This section focuses on various dimensions of judgment -
whether the judgment is being done by individuals, by groups (such as nations)
or by God. It includes the judgment of self, as well as the judgment of
others.
Human judgment comes in many forms. It is necessary - and
required by God. Yet ultimately, we need to remember that it is imperfect.
Injustice also exists (and is condemned by God). We must strive to attain
a righteous judgment, but we must do so with humility, knowing that our best
efforts - though necessary - may be less than perfect. Ultimately, we must
commit all things to the perfect judgment of the final Judge, Jesus Christ, who
will make all things right.
Many people have a distorted concept of mercy and justice.
They treat them as opposites, and under the guise of "mercy," actually
create
injustice. In the Bible, these concepts complement, rather than
contradict, each other. Someone still has to "pay" for the sins committed - even
if the one who committed them isn't the one who is paying. This is illustrated
by what Jesus did on the cross: Rather than ignoring sin (a distorted concept of
"mercy"), Jesus took the punishment that we deserve. He traded places with us
and paid the cost. Because of this, God is both just and merciful.
Some comments about God's judgment
We live in an age in which many people get offended by the
word "judgment" - especially when it is used in the context of God's judgment
against sin. Some people claim that a "God of love" wouldn't (or
couldn't) judge people; others get angry, as though God's judgment was
itself an act of sin. Very few people give any thought to the fact that God's
judgment gives us only what we earn - the wages that we work for.
For God, judgment and justice are the same.
Random Comments About Judging |
Whether or not we should judge someone is a complex
issue, because both actions are commanded in Scripture - depending
on the circumstances - and judging, when it must occur, has to be
done in the manner that Scripture requires. Also, certain things must
be done prior to judging others (such as dealing with our own sins)
and other truths of Scripture (such as the expression mercy, as
defined by Scripture) must not be neglected. This
article is a collection of comments related to the issue of judging. |
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CONSCIENCE |
God gave us a conscience for a purpose. This is a New
Testament word study that focuses on the word translated
as "conscience." We learn various things about
"conscience" - including about keeping it "good" or "clear." But
just as important, we learn about our relationship to the conscience
of others - and this is very important! |
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Americans Want Justice... Or
Do They? |
The sins of our nation (the United States) are MUCH
worse than those of the terrorists who destroyed the World Trade Centers.
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Reflections on 9/11 (on the
Anniversary of the Event) |
On that day, more people were murdered by American
citizens, than by foreign terrorists... Yet who cares? We should be
outraged at this fact, as well as for the hypocrisy of the situation.
Most people don't want to deal with their own sins. |
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Responding to the Apostasy
of Our Nation |
We need to begin with our own lives, before we can
become "salt" and "light" to the world around us.
This article focuses on the priorities we need to have, if we want to be
followers of Jesus. Only then, can we make a genuine, positive
difference in the world around us. |
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The Bible says (about God's judgment)...
For he [God] has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man
[Jesus Christ] he
has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from
the dead." (Acts 17:31)
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