God’s judgment is inescapable, universal, revealing, righteous and impartial; and something that I honestly do not want to even think about!
Strange as it may seem, however, I feel oddly dignified by the prospect of giving an account of my life to God.
If my understanding of the gospel is correct, my past sins will not be brought into God’s holy light, but I will give an account for what I have done as a Christian “whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).
I tremble with the realization of God’s holiness, yet am comforted by the depth of His love.
I am tempted with shame, but it is beaten back with the knowledge that “each man’s praise will come to him from God (1 Corinthians 4:5).
A healthy perspective re-humanizes us. It tells us that our lives have immense significance…that our thoughts matter…that the smallest of deeds has incredible weight in God’s eyes. I know the power of denial, the insane attempt to escape feeling judged by God by denying what I have done or what I am. Yet, God has placed a moral judge inside of each of us, in the conscience. Though God gave us His Law, written on tablets on stone (the 10 commandments), he has also placed a less complete, yet still powerful, awareness of His law by inscribing them onto the conscience of humanity. But our sin hardens our hearts and the voice of conscience is silenced by the choice to not listen…what are we to do?
Circumcision is a weird thing, if you ask me. Of all the things God could choose to represent the Jewish people of the Old Testament as His people…why circumcision?! Why not a special flag or a secret handshake? Instead, in the time before Christ, God chose physical circumcision to represent the cutting away of evil from our hearts. Now, in the times of the New Testament, when we believe in Christ, the evil is cut out of our hearts, through the work of the Holy Spirit- “circumcision of the heart” (2:29). The Holy Spirit, re-creating the human heart, this "spiritual circumcision," is what makes our hearts soft to God and enables what we desire as believers.
Now, we actually can walk with a clean conscience.
Now, we actually can live without the internal Judge bringing only condemnation.
Now, our hearts can remain soft and responsive toward God who loves us.
If anything, Christianity is a religion of the heart.
13 Comments:
Well actually, I think circumcision is a cool symbol. Well, sort of. Think about it -- God's man was to be different. Different in the most secret, hidden, inner, and personal of ways. Different at the very center of who they were as men. Circumcision is a perfect picture of that. Not one I'd stand in line for, but hey, it's a great picture.
Different in the most personal of ways...that's how ALL of us (male and female) now are to be. Different. Different at the very center, the very core of who we are as men and women, and that takes the Holy Spirit to do the "surgery".
It's kind of an embarrassing symbol but I think if we can keep from cringing or blushing, it's a pretty good picture of what God does in our lives.
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"Kilts Rock", at 5:21 PM
I find great comfort in knowing God's judgement is righteous and equal. This means that we are all judged the same... life is fair after all. Having a father who will in fact judge what I have done here, means that I have a personal responsibility to try. I have a purpose to my life. If there wasn't a purpose to our life, there would be no reason for God to keep tabs. I don't know what the meaning of life is... and I really don't need to know. I sleep good knowing there is a loving God who cares enough about me to pay attention. I'm a Father myself... my kids are some of the sweetest, most well behaved kids around. Not because I'm strict, but because I set boundaries, pay attention to them and give them all the love in my heart. There are consequences for bad behavior, but it is all out of love. I care about my children and it shows... God cares about all of us and I hope we can strive every day to make him proud. I can't control what everyone else does... but I want him to be proud of me when I come home... I may have sin... I may be imperfect in a million ways, but I am as good as I can be, despite all of my defects. Thank you God for loving us so much and being involved in our lives!
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Anonymous, at 10:08 PM
I like what you (the anonymous dad) said about having purpose in life -- you kind of nicely paraphrased it..."to glorify God and enjoy him forever". But maybe I don't understand what you meant by life being fair. I don't think it's fair at all. Jesus died for my sins, not his. He bore the unchecked rage of God that was intended for me. I now wear his righteousness. That isn't fair at all, and I thank Christ every day that he was willing to take upon himself the judgement that was meant for me, even though it wasn't fair and that when I appear before him, I'm going with his record of his perfect performance, not my own record, and, standing there clothed in that perfection, hear for myself "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL-PLEASED". Now THAT is amazing (considering how completely damning my own record would be). I thank God every day that some things are NOT fair.
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"Kilts Rock", at 8:39 AM
Sorry I was anonymous. I just figured out how to add my name. :)
I was refrencing the equal judgement to all his children. There aren't any "favorites" among his children. He created us all and inherently gave us all the same gifts. That speaks volumes to me about how fair God made life. Fair doesn't mean lack of suffering to me... or perfect. We are all born and judged the same in his eyes.
To adress what I have come to feel in my heart about Jesus and why he went to the cross... I don't find nearly as much seperation as I used to between God, Jesus and the holy spirit. I beleive they are all God, just in different forms. I don't think they exist seperate from eachother. So, in the light of that, God did not inflict his wrath on a poor human victim, to absorb all of our sin... he bestowed it on part of himself. God is all powerful and even his own wrath is not devastating to him. Jesus suffered immensly according to a human standard... but he is God. That doesn't take away my gratitude or lessen my awe for what he did at all. It just helps me to understand how Jesus made such a selfless demonstration and went so courageously to the cross. Jesus had no fear and total faith in humanity... how else could he have done this with everything humanity was doing to him and themselves? He is God and sets a shining example of how we should be treating eachother even when we are mistreated... of the courage we should strive for through faith... of what is possible through God. Jesus knows that there is always hope for this world. This is what I strive for... I refuse to let this world take away my hope or to cause me to close the door to my heart and stop showing love. Jesus has faith, hope and love for us every single day. When I realize this in spite of everything humans have done... I am totally in love with God. I appreciate being cared for in such a loving way so much I can hardly comprehend it myself. Being a Dad has given me perspective on how a Father can love something so much more than himself. How a Father can forgive mistakes and love unconditionally. I am human and only capable of loving a little, compared to what God must be capable of... I love my kids to the moon and back and would gladly lay down my own life for theirs... I really can understand why God did the same for his children.
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Brent "Smiley", at 9:29 AM
Sorry if I got a little side tracked from the spiritual circumcision discusion John... I'm going to have to think about that connection for a while. Somehow I'm hung up on you saying it makes our souls softer... that's hilarious!
and you said I was weird?!? LOL
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Smiley, at 9:47 AM
Well.... uh, I am struggling here. My eyes are watering for two reasons. On the lighter side the thought of circumcision make my eyes water!! But really, to know that Christ was my circumcision has humbled me to the point of tears. I am trying to deal with this whole issue of Jesus doing what He did for me. I feel so unworthy of such a gift. I praise Him and live in that wonderfully glorious, undeserved sacrifice for my soul. Thanks you my Father and my God!!!
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Christian Marks, at 2:02 PM
'If my understanding of the gospel is correct, my past sins will not be brought into God’s holy light, but I will give an account for what I have done as a Christian “whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).'
I am confused at this statement/verse. So, everything I did before I got saved will not be judged as what I have NOT done as a Christian? So, if I fail to love my family or I hold grudges or I judge harshly or I cheat on my taxes (It was just one little extra write off...Just Kidding!) God will look at that and "condemn me to a life in hell." That doesn't make sense?
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Tiffany, at 10:30 AM
Once you are saved, you cannot be condemned to a "life in hell." Your sins past, present, and future are forgiven. When God holds you accountable for what you have done, it is not in a condemning way. This is part of the Judgment of believers -- which determines your rewards in Heaven. At least that is how I understand it.
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David M. Staples, at 10:51 AM
It's kinda like the Judge has taken off his robes and said "You're part of my family now and I will never cast you away." We have passed out of that judgment and we will never face it, and our sins are...gone! But we will still give an account to the Lord for our lives. What is at stake is not our eternity (see 1 Cor 3:12-15) but our receiving praise. What judgment is intended to create in us, as believers, is a sense of the awesome significance of our lives, not a fear of condemnation; we will never be condemned...great question, by the way...appreciate the comments too
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John Hever, at 5:08 PM
I’ve often thought that my sins were taken away by Christ so I won’t be judged for them, but that I would be rewarded at the end for my good works; that THAT is what is judged for me as a believer – my good works, not my sin. But what “good work” am I doing that Christ does not have a part in motivating, coercing, empowering and inspiring? If living out this Christian life were all left up to me, I’d still live in the completely self-absorbed, sinful mindset that I did before I became a believer. I know that because it’s hard enough WITH Christ in my heart to do ANYTHING motivated by true selflessness and love. So if the good I do is really motivated by, taught by and empowered by CHRIST in my heart, then what is there for me to be rewarded for?
Jesus said, "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "
So what “reward” do we get? What is there to be rewarded? Has anyone in this or any church done ANYTHING from completely pure motives? And if not, then how can that be rewarded? Doesn’t this turn into a sort of “judged by works” mentality?
If we are rewarded, and the Bible says we will be, then I think ultimately it will be based on Christ’s work on my behalf won’t it, and not my work on his behalf? And it seems to me that the ultimate reward is Jesus himself. He’s all I want and all I need.
Anyway, for what it’s worth, that’s just my opinion.
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kilts rock, at 8:25 AM
I appreciate your thoughts...a lot. There is a sense in which, apart from Christ, I could do nothing. But it is also true that the Spirit does NOT due what He does in our lives, apart from our will. Yes, none of our motives is absolutely pure, and yes, God is over, under, behind, before, and in all our motivation...yet, not in a mechanical way. He works relationally, such that, ultimately, we know it is Him, yet in reality, He is doing it authentically through us.
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John Hever, at 1:20 PM
Yes, I totally agree. And I think THAT is the biggest miracle of all...me actually WANTING to start thinking God-thoughts and DOING God-actions.
My point is just that even THAT is not worthy of "reward" per se, since it's God that's given me the freedom to and inclination to want to do those things now and the new heart that wants to please him. So my will is definitely involved in this, and it sometimes really does want to obey Christ, but even that -- my will wanting to obey Christ -- that's a GIFT of GOD. His Holy Spirit in me, the longings of a "new man" as Paul puts it...that's all from him.
But no, I didn't mean any of this in a robotic sort of way. I genuinely want to obey Christ sometimes. And that's when I feel the "most free", not like I'm coerced or being a robot. My point is only that that wanting to obey Christ is in and of itself a work of God, that it doesn't just come from a heart that is just naturally inclined toward him, because my heart is NOT naturally inclined toward him. My NEW heart IS, but that heart was created by him. I didn't just evolve it. So even there, he gets the credit. Christ, from first to last.
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kilts rock, at 4:47 PM
And therefore, beign able to recognize godly desires within us, a heart longing to obey or even wanting to take the first trembling step of trusting God...is an opportunity for awe and worship...because, in reality, we are in the presence of God; the Holy Spirit is moving upon our will and energizing it, not in a robotic way, as you say, but in a very intimate encounter...all that to say recognizing what God is doing is an opportunity for worship, seeing that it is, as you say, God's work, from first to last.
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John Hever, at 6:52 AM
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