Hi ……..
One thing that deeply concerned me about our conversation the other night was your idea that “judgement & the God who judges is an old covenant idea & It’s not like that in the new covenant.” I believe that is a completely unbiblical concept even to the point of heresy. I’m convinced the idea (that God doesn’t actively judge people & regions anymore) along with the pre-tribulation rapture, are some of the most dangerous & deceptive doctrines circulating right now. Their erroneous because scripture does not teach them & their dangerous because they leave people’s heart completely disconnected from an expectation of things which are shortly & surely to come & which are described as coming from the hand of Jesus Himself (Jn 5:27; Rev 5:7; 6:1,7,8).
What will these idea’s produce in people’s hearts, when the multitudes find themselves in the midst of a season they thought they’d be taken out of, or when they find out it’s Jesus whose doing it & whose leading over it all – even over all Satans works & the antichrist himself (Joel 2:11; Rev 13:7)? Matthew 24:10-12 talks about the love of many growing cold & offense abounding in the body of Christ unto a great falling away from the faith. I believe its doctrines like these that are setting people up to fall away hard now & in days to come.
We don’t need to apologize for God’s actions. We need to agree with them (Rev 15:3; 19:1-2). We weep with those who are hurting, & rejoice with those who we’re saved, but we must not do them the greatest disservice by leaving them disconnected from the Cause of it all, and how to respond in repentance & wholeheartedness in the wake of it.
A (erroneous) doctrine circulating is that the God of the old-covenant is different from the God of the new; that He (acted) differently then from now. That’s true for believer’s in terms of how we worship & approach God (Heb 9:13-14; 10:11-25). But in terms of how God is leading history & the nations unto His Kingdom being established on the earth (Dan 2:44), He’s still the same (Mal 3:6; Heb 12:6; 13:8). He’s the God of the New Covenant. And in the New Covenant He talks about active current judgment just as much if not more than the old. The reason why is because the nations (are) closer to His prophesied day of judgment than before. Jesus Himself spoke of judgment & hell more than any other biblical prophet or writer in the entire bible – note alone in the gospel of matthew how much He spoke of hell, repentance & warnings of judgment. He came full grace & truth – overflowing with it. Grace to freely forgive & give people a way out, & truth to tell them how it is: “you must repent, judgement is real, the Kingdom is coming. (Mt 3:17)”
When He judges He’s not coming as a bitterly twisted & uncontrolled tyrant. He’s coming as a zealous Bridegroom whose burning with a furious longing for the heart of His people to love Him. It’s not because He’s mean hearted judge, it’s because He’s longing for the heart of His people to be freed from all those things which hinder their hearts from connecting at the deepest levels of love with His. Therefore in His kindness He exposes, destroys & removes those things which can never truly satisfy us. He comes with a love that “turns over our tables” to get to our hearts.
Here is a bunch of new testament texts the explicitly talk about Jesus in current, active or future judgment of the nations (or individuals).
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is (currently) revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written,“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.
1 Peter 4:17For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Hebrews 10:26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Revelation 6:19 for the great day of their wrath has come, who can stand? (See Joel 2:11 & Malachi 3:2 in context to this)
John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John 5:27 And he has given him (Jesus) authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man
1 Cor 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.
Luke 21:22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. – Jesus speaking of the end-time conflict around Jerusalem before the 2nd coming when God begins to fulfill all that was written by the prophets & even Mosaic covenant – see Lev 26.
2 Thessalonians 1:5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering.
Also important. When Paul spoke: “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”, he was speaking inclusive of Genesis to Malachi. Keep in mind the New Testament wasn’t written & completed or compiled yet. Therefore, All scripture from Genesis to Dueteronomy & Josuhua to Malachi is to be read with equal authority & bearing on the character & nature of God who is “the same yesterday, today & forever.”
In conclusion, it’s clear from the new testament that Jesus still judges & the administration of the nations is still firmly in His hands (Dan 2:21; Acts 17:26-28; Rev 1:5; Rev 6:1). In light of this we must ask not “if”, but “what & why” He’s judging or actively involved in allowing this shaking to take place. God is always looking to bring forth love & faith toward Him at the deepest levels & justice with righteousness in society. With this in mind …… we’ve got to seek “the presence of God & Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and kingdom.” – 2 Tim 4:1.
With much love,
Nick Badger
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