The Judgment of God

One of the concepts that is not frequently preached from the pulpit is the understanding of the judgment of God. Preachers are quick to talk about the Blood of Jesus, His Resurrection from the dead, and our going to heaven when we die (as well they should). But eternal salvation is not the only aspect of the character of God that we need to be familiar with if we're going to experience a fruitful relationship with the Father. We must understand that the God we serve is a God of judgment.

Let's first clarify the concept of Judgment. Judgment is not punishment. Judgment is deliberation, evaluation and assessment. When a teacher gives a student a grade, that teacher is not "punishing" the student. The teacher is giving the student a grade based upon an evaluation of the work performed in the class. If students do well, they get an A. If students do poorly, they get an F. That's not punishment, that's judgment. When a court renders a verdict or a judge gives a sentence, that's not punishment. The judge or jury looks at evidence to conclude whether a person is guilty or not guilty. That's not punishment, that's a judgment.

The God we serve is a God of judgment. Because He is the Creator of the universe and the Author of all life, all creatures and living beings are accountable to Him (Acts 17). This includes human beings, saved and unsaved. Therefore, God judges every human being that walks the face of the earth. And what the church needs to understand so that we can have an appropriate witness is that God doesn't just wait until after a person dies to render judgment on that person's life. Just like there are mid-term exams, final exams and even pop quizzes, God looks at our lives on a daily basis and evaluates and deliberates as He Sovereignly sees fit. 

For this reason, we have "the right" to live any way that we choose. We are all accountable to the judgment of God.