Our Adventure Bible Reading today [Read Revelation 20:1-15], and Good Friday, each focus on God's ultimate judgment and justice. The devotional reading reminds us that there will come a day when all people will stand before God Almighty seated on "The Great White Throne" and be judged by two criteria: 1) How their life was invested, or "according to what they had done,""and 2) If "...their name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life." Unbelievers will be condemned for their sins. Believers in Christ, whose names are written in the Lamb's Book, will enter into "a new heaven and a new earth" (Revelation 21:1ff -tomorrow's devotional reading) because the names in that book are of those who have been redeemed by "the Lamb who was slain" (Revelation 13:8) for their sins. The believers' recorded deeds attest to their trust in Christ and are also the basis for determining their rewards. The Apostle Paul speaks of this when he writes, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil" (2 Corinthians 5:10). This is the proverbial "Judgment Day."
But thank God for that other Judgment Day - the one we now call Good Friday and celebrate today. It is because of that day almost 2000 years ago that we do not need to fear the coming Judgment Day. Christ took on himself the judgment for our sin (Isaiah 53:5,6,11),
He was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned - every one - to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
...And he shall make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned - every one - to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
...And he shall make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
How you respond to the first Judgment Day (Good Friday), will determine your experience at the second and final Judgment Day, as well as your eternal address (Revelation 20:15). Thanks be to God, "Everyone who believes in Christ will not be put to shame....for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:11-13)!
"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.... We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:1, 37-39).
It's Friday, but Sunday's a Comin'!
Peace, Friends....
Pastor Paul
"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.... We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:1, 37-39).
It's Friday, but Sunday's a Comin'!
Peace, Friends....
Pastor Paul
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