Escape CondemnationJudged Part 2

In “Dead and Judged”, we concluded that everyone faces judgement. There is a judgement and with a judgement, comes a verdict. There are no ‘hung juries’, God alone will judge. That means there are two alternatives - ‘not guilty’ and ‘guilty’.

“God is a God of Love - He would not sentence me to damnation!” It is an Absolute Truth - God is Love! That statement is definitive, but incomplete. God IS Love, He is also righteous, and perfect. God will judge everyone by the same standard - His. The ‘evidence’ God will use in judgement is the life one has lived. He will not sentence one to damnation, unless they have damned themselves. “For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”” (Romans 14:11) God’s judgement of each individual is purely dependent on what that individual has done.

“I’ve lived a pretty good life and tried to do the right thing, so I’m okay!” Unfortunately, living a good life is not ‘good enough’. Romans 3:23 tells us, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” That means, no matter how ‘good’ a life one has led, one has fallen short somewhere. The tiniest infraction, no matter how small, is enough to damn one. Go ahead, look in the mirror - look yourself square in the eye. Can you honestly say that you have NEVER done ANYTHING wrong - never told a ‘white lie’, never disobeyed an authority figure or law, never been unkind to someone? Do not ‘rationalize’ it; just remember everything you have ever done. Can you honestly say, “I have NEVER done ANYTHING wrong?”

He explains very clearly that the ONLY way into His House is through righteousness. No one that has ever done anything wrong is righteous. God will most certainly condemn anyone that is not righteous to eternal separation from Him - He will only allow righteousness in His House.

“But He’s the God of Love - how can He sentence me to condemnation?”
Again, God is Love, and He proves it:
John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Romans 5:7 puts it in a little better perspective, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.”
That is a good definition of love - sacrificing one’s self for one’s friends or sacrifice for a ‘good man’.

God shows us how much greater His love for us is by this definition.
Many have heard and quoted John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
That gets a better handle on God’s love for us…He gave His own Son to die for ‘the world’.

Get an even better understanding.
Let us take a closer look at that sacrifice:
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

Wait a minute, not for a friend, or a righteous man, “for the ungodly”.

Make it even clearer:
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
Again, He did not die for a ‘good man’, a ‘friend’, or a righteous man, but for “sinners”. We know from Romans 3:23 that includes everyone.

“But He is love, He will not really condemn me!”
GOD DOES NOT WANT TO CONDEMN ANYONE!
John 3:17 tells us that, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
God does love you. God does not want to condemn. He provided a way to be ‘righteous’ so the curse of Romans 3:23 “all have sinned” can be lifted.

However, understand this, there is only ONE way to lift that curse - the blood of Jesus Christ!
"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." 1 Timothy 1:15

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." John 5:24

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

"And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,” Acts 16:30-31


Fall on to your knees, and face the facts:
You will be judged.
There are only two possible outcomes - Communion with God or Separation from God.
God loves you and does not want to condemn you!
He has to condemn you if you have ever done anything wrong.
He has provided the means to escape that condemnation - Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

All it takes to be judged righteous is belief, acknowledgement, repentance (confession), trust, and acceptance!
We believe that God’s promises are true, that we need His redemption.
We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God; that He came to earth as a man in order to live the sinless life that we cannot live; that He died in our place, so that we would not have to pay the penalty we deserve.
We confess our past life of sin -- living for ourselves and not obeying God.
We admit we are ready to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
We ask Jesus to come into our heart, take up residence there, and begin living through us.

A simple prayer (talk to God) for salvation*:
“Dear God, Thank you for hearing my call. I believe your Word is true and I need redemption. I acknowledge Jesus Christ, your Son died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. I know I have sinned, that in your eyes I am unworthy. I ask you now, to forgive my sins, because you promise that your Son’s sacrifice is able to do that. Jesus Christ, I ask you save me, I cannot save myself. I accept your sacrifice in my place, and having cleansed me from sin, enter my life, make me new, help me to abide in You, serve You, and worship You. Be Lord of my life. Thank you for your wonderful gift.”

Even simpler*:
“Dear Lord Jesus I am a sinner. I believe that you died for my sins. Forgive my sins. Right now I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I receive you as my personal Lord and Savior. Through the help of the Holy Spirit I will serve you all the days of my life.”


*There is no ‘magic formula’ prayer that guarantees ‘Salvation’ -a verdict of ‘not guilty’. The words of the prayer themselves are not important, it is their meaning… It is in your heart: You acknowledge you are guilty. You believe God promises to relieve that guilt. You believe that Jesus Christ already paid the price to make you righteous. You ask Him to forgive you for your sins. You ask Him to make you righteous. You ask Him to accept you as you accept Him. You trust His word is true.

Do a ‘Google’ search “Prayer of Salvation” - there are hundreds of ‘prayers’ listed - most acknowledge the same thing: - Believe in the sacrifice of Christ because without it there is only condemnation.

COMMENTS (from previous posting)

Mark 1:17 said...

Awesome Post!
God is Love, but He is also Just!
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but through Him!

Thanks,
David


Unchained Slave said...

Mark 1:17 is Correct,
God is Love
God is Righeous
God is Perfect
& Among other attributes,
GOD IS JUST


loren said...

Hi David,

I think some people have a hard time accepting the fact that even one sin is enough to condemn them. They don't understand that God's purpose in doing it this way is to have mercy on all.

To illustrate this point, we need only focus on the opposite. Okay, go ahead and live that perfect life if you can, since you want the chance to prove yourself. One sin? Let's get real!

By confiding all under sin in this way, God has actually removed the burden of utter merit from our lives. Instead He placed that burden on one Man, Jesus Christ, who alone was able to live so perfectly.

When we believe in Jesus, our life is joined with Him in the death that He died for us all; and in the likeness of His resurrection we will live again through Him.

This is a very great mercy. Those who are reluctant should understand God's love and generosity in doing it this way. But how will they escape if the neglect so great a salvation?

I hope this helps your readers.

ADDENDUM (Already Judged)

Those who have accepted the Gift of Life from Jesus Christ are already judged righteous!
We will NEVER have to ‘be judged’ righteous again! Not at death, not at the ‘Rapture’, not at the ‘White Throne Judgement’

“and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Acts 13:39

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),” Galatians 3:13

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13 (Ephesians 4:30).

Let us try to be 'true' to the spirit of this blog - Let us keep it simple; “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29 (Romans 11:25-33)
It does not get much simpler than that...

(Psalm 37:28; Matthew 19:29; John 1:12-13; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:37; John 10:27-28; John 14:16-17; John 17:11; Acts 13:39; Romans 4:6-7; Romans 6:2 -7, 18, 22; Romans 8:2-4, 30, 38-39; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:30; Colossians 3:3; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:18; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:17; Hebrews 12:2; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 1:4-5, 23; 1 John 3:2; 1 John 5:13; Jude 24)



Thanks to “Mark 1:17”, David Blissett at "Get Out of The Boat" for this excellent link: "50 Reason why a Saved person can never be Lost!"



Stay tuned. In "Judged - Part 3 Addendum we address why, if Christians are already judged 'NOT GUILTY' why we do 'Good Works'.