BEFORE THE JUDGE

 

Ever been in a traffic violation? 

We'll, I was... it was in November last year and to be honest, there was definite reason for me to be locked up. We actually drove to the police station and there's no way I was getting away from this one.  

That was one dreadful drive... it was long, it was scary, it was a feeling I had ever felt inside. There was the guilt, the knowledge that I was on the wrong and that I deserved to be punished... But I still prayed, I still asked God to create a way in what was clearly a cul de suc... a dead end. 

I had this feeling that, in as much as I prayed to God, I was still going down, no way I was going to escape this one. 

Then it all changed, I have no idea how it happened... but we drove out of the station without my name even being written in the occurrence book, I do not know how, I do not know what happened... but have you ever got the feeling of going and not even turning back just because things might just turn back to the way they were before?? That was the feeling... run like Usain Bolt's 100 meters dash and do not even look back. 

I do not know how I escaped it, I can not explain it, don't know how it all happened, all I know is that I walked free. 

Question... does it make sense how, in all my guilt, in all my knowledge of my breaking the law, I still walked away without even a warning... and no, I did not give any bribes. It is in the very nature of Kenyans to take the easiest way out, but God told me not to take that route, and I listened to Him. 

I have known the answer... it is God's Grace...

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us." 1 John 1:9

That is grace... going before The Judge, accepting you are guilty, and The Judge forgives you for it... because He bore all the punishment when He died on the cross. It's hard to understand it, I know.

Now the interesting thing about This Judge we'll stand before, He is still a judge in the end... If you accept your guilt, you stand forgiven, if you do not, then His wrath will be unleashed.

For those He will have forgiven, in love and grace, He provides rescue from His just judgement through Jesus Christ, who was slain and yet triumphant.

For those who will continue to turn away from their Savior, will be destruction, bitterness, loss, pain, anguish, fear and death.

Now, the purpose of God's wrath is not that we suffer, but that we will repent and turn back to Him, that men, women and children will turn back to Him, will turn away from their sinful nature. In any case, rebellion against God will ruin spirituality, sexuality and human relations.

Ive' been studying Revelation, and it comes with the reality of this destruction, the reality of judgement coming upon all those who are not yet branded (link to my previous blog post on Christ's seal). Those in sin will continue to be tormented by the devil while those with the seal of the name of Jesus Christ will be free.

This is an earnest cry to you, if you are not saved, if you have not turned to the gracious judge for forgiveness, He is still waiting in mercy to give you the seal that is the source of salvation, He is just, yes, but merciful as well... turn back to Him before His destruction is unleashed.

Remember this, in a world that prefers the degradation of sin, God's people people are safe as God acts on His holiness