The Judgment of God

The title of today's blog is not a popular thought.  Most would want the 2nd word replaced with love.  After all, we argue, does not God love all of us?  The answer of course is Yes.  But that does not negate the judgment of God.  Easter is a reminder that God sent His Son to be judged on our behalf.  But if we choose to ignore this, we do so to our peril.

"How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of grace."  Hebrews 10:29(NASB)

If we ignore the work that Christ has done for us, and specifically if we ignore it to the point that we know it and understand our need for it and then go on sinning willfully (See verse 26), we are stomping upon God's gracious gift.

Can you imagine the feelings of someone who loved you enough to give you a thoughtful gift?  Imagine their horror when you take that gift and without truly even opening it, you place it upon the ground and stomp it to bits.  Imagine if that gift is the salvation offered in Christ.  What is God to do when you openly reject His offer of salvation.  But we forget, or willfully ignore these passages of Scripture that remind us just how serious the offer of salvation is.  Life and death offers contain life and refusing to accept them leads to death.  The author of Hebrews reminds us of this truth that is contained in the pages of Scripture.  We want a God who is cuddly and soft and warm and cute.  And Hebrews reminds us that this is not the God whom we serve.

"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  Hebrews 10:31 (NASB)

Perhaps those of us reading this who have not surrendered our lives to God would do well to remember the terror of God!  And those of us who are surrendered to Christ would do well to remember that we have a crucial gospel message that must be proclaimed to save sinners from the hands of an angry God. (my thanks to Jonathan Edwards for this line)