GOD'S LOVE AND JUDGMENT

1.  God Is Merciful and Loving (Psalm 86:15-16; Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 John 4:7-10) 

2. God’s Righteous and Perfect Judgment (Exodus 20:4-6; Psalm 37:37-38; Revelation 20:11-15; 22:12-16) 

3. Why Does a Loving God Judge? (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 7:10-11; Matthew 13:41-43; Hebrews 12:14; 2 Peter 3:9) 

Central Truth: God’s judgment is governed by His love and mercy. 

Focus: Appreciate the balance between God’s love and judgment, and reverently fear Him. 

Evangelism Emphasis: Because God loves all people, He gave His only Son as the sacrifice for sin. 

Text: “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4). 

INTRODUCTION 

In the early twenty-first century secular culture, tolerance and acceptance are the norm. An individual’s right to self-expression is a matter of free speech. One can think or believe whatever he or she wishes, even if it defies logic; or, more to the point, if it defies a faithful reading of Scripture. Generally, people seem to not want to be challenged, held accountable, or told what to do with their lives. A key Biblical text for this generation might be Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” This Scripture verse is often pointed to when Christians attempt to hold to Biblically faithful positions. It is wrongly applied to say Christians who disagree with a sin-tolerant worldview should not have a right to express their beliefs. 

When the idea of God is brought into a conversation, He is often described as loving and accepting of everyone. The idea that a loving God might also be a God of judgment seems foreign to secular thinking. Scripture is reinterpreted and reapplied to soften passages that seem to portray God in this way. We shy away from the idea of any kind of eternal consequence for our choices in this life, preferring to believe everyone, no matter how they lived their lives, ends up together in some heavenly afterlife. 

 It is important for us to learn how to think and speak Biblically about these issues if we are to engage the culture as faithful witnesses. While we cannot make the mistake of thinking ethics and morality are unimportant, neither can we become so focused on sinful behaviors that we forget the fact we are all equally loved by God and candidates for His grace and mercy. This study is designed to help us see how God’s love governs His judgment. From gaining a greater understanding of the character of God, we can better cooperate with the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit as we are being transformed into Christ’s image and empowered to ever more faithfully represent Him to a lost world. 

1.  GOD IS MERCIFUL AND LOVING 

A.  God’s Compassion and Mercy (Psalm 86:15-16; Ephesians 2:4-5) 

 Psalm 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. 

 Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved). 

How can a loving God also be a judging God? These two ideas seem, at least to the modern mind, to be in contradiction. But Scripture clearly reveals a God who is merciful and loving. 

In Psalm 86 we read a prayer of David written when he was in trouble. “Violent men” who recklessly ignored God were trying to destroy David (v. 14). Calling out to God in need of help and forgiveness, David was confident the Lord is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger” (v. 15 NASB). So he cries out to God for mercy, strength, and salvation (v. 16). 

 In his letter to the Ephesian Christians, Paul reminded them how they once lived carnal, rebellious lives, and therefore were “children of [God’s] wrath” (2:2-3 NASB). They were “dead in sins” (v. 5), yet were the objects of God’s “great love” and “mercy” (v. 4). They were saved by God’s grace when they called out to Him for forgiveness. 

God does not just love us from time to time. He does not love us only when we are worthy of it. God loves us because it is His very nature. This is true when we are experiencing the blessings of knowing and walking with Him. But it is also true in those times when we are guilty and are experiencing consequences for our choices. At no time, even in judgment, does God ever stop loving His creation. No matter our situation, our thinking about God must be rooted in the knowledge that He loves us and desires the best for us. 

• How would your life be different if God was not compassionate, merciful, and loving? 

B.  God’s Manifested Love (1 John 4:7-10) 

 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 

Since God’s nature is love and mercy, those same characteristics must be evident in the lives of those who are His. Scripture is emphatic in stating that knowing God in a born-again relationship means we are going to love others. The culture of the Church is to “love one another” (v. 7). The converse of this is also true. That is to say, if we do not love, we do not know God (v. 8). We cannot honestly claim to be in a relationship with a loving God and not, at the same time, have loving relationships with those around us. 

Verse 9 describes the supreme manifestation of God’s love. God loved the world so much that He sent His “only begotten Son into the world” in order for us to have true life in Him. He did not just come for a select few. He did not pick and choose whom He loved. He loved the entire world—even those who ultimately would reject Him. Jesus’ example is the high calling of the Christian as well. The relationships of Christians with one another, as well as with those who have not accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, should be an ongoing demonstration of the love of God. 

It is a tragic misrepresentation of God’s love when the Church suffers with internal strife and division. This is why Jesus said the sons and daughters of God are “peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9). Our world is divided along so many lines. It seems some nation somewhere is always on the brink of war. We see evidence of fallen humanity in the terrible things people do to one another in striving for power and control. When someone walks into a church, the atmosphere should be one of love and unity. Church should be a place where there is no division because of ethnicity or social status, and where holy love is manifested in all aspects of community life. Even when a church member is guilty of sin and in need of correction, it should be done in a spirit of love and restoration. This type of atmosphere is foreign to humankind outside of God’s kingdom. It is made possible through the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells among and in us (1 John 4:13) because “the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (v. 14). 

Necessary Tension 

Tension makes us uncomfortable, and we prefer to resolve it one way or another. But sometimes, tension can be helpful. For example, a rubber band is useful only when we hold its tension. If we resolve the tension of that rubber band either by relaxing it or breaking it, the rubber band is no longer able to do what it is meant to do. In a similar way, we cannot try to resolve the tension we feel when it comes to understanding such ideas as God’s love and mercy coupled with His judgment. We must hold onto both sets of truths in proper relation with one another if we are to remain faithful to God’s revelation of Himself in Scripture. 

2.  GOD’S RIGHTEOUS AND PERFECT JUDGMENT 

A.  A Present Reality (Exodus 20:4-6) 

 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 

In spite of God’s merciful and loving nature, it is a sad fact that many still reject worshiping Him as God. Instead, they choose to lead lives making ethical decisions without having the moral grounding in a relationship with a holy God. When we speak of judgment, we often think of it as merely a future reality. But the fact is, the judgment of God is also a present reality in which He allows us to experience the consequences of our choices. 

In Exodus 20, we read what is commonly referred to as the “Ten Commandments.” Our lesson text is taken from the second commandment, which forbids God’s people making any kind of “graven image” meant to reflect God (v. 4). The term for making a graven image is idolatry. Not long after this command was given to Israel, they violated it by forming a calf out of gold and worshiping it (32:1-8). The judgment of God on His people was immediate (vv. 27-35). Much was at stake, and He would not allow the well-being of His people to be compromised by those who had rebellious hearts. 

 Idolatry is not just an ancient problem. It has been an issue throughout human history. We tend to want to fashion a God which makes sense to us. We prefer to worship a “manageable deity” rather than the Creator of the universe who has revealed Himself to us, particularly in the person of Jesus Christ. Although they may not be carved out of stone or precious metal, it is still a form of idolatry when we give our love and worship to such idols as money, work, success, image, materialism, and sex. Our tendency is to fashion idols which look and think remarkably like ourselves and justify the moral and ethical choices we want to make. We may even dress our idol up in spiritual language and attempt to use Scripture to defend it. But our idolatry is a manifestation of our destructive desire to be the captain of our own destiny, doing what we want to do when we want to do it, so we can have the outcome we demand. 

There are consequences for our sinful idolatry. God has created this world in such a way that our decisions and actions will impact more than just ourselves. We are far too interconnected for the consequences of our sin to be isolated. Our sin may be personal, but it is not private. It affects those around us. In particular, our choices affect those closest to us, potentially having a ripple effect through multiple generations (Ex. 20:5). It is right for us to understand this phenomenon as God’s judgment. 

The opposite of this is also true. If we live in the light of God’s love, serving Him faithfully and obediently, we will see God’s blessings in our life, the lives of those around us, and those who follow us. We can rejoice in the fact that, according to verse 6, God’s blessings toward His faithful servants will affect a thousand generations to come! 

• Why are we tempted to worship things we make with our own hands? 

B.  A Future Reality (Psalm 37:37-38; Revelation 20:11-15; 22:12-16) 

 Psalm 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 

 Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 

So far, we have noted God’s very nature is love and compassion, which is a present reality no matter the circumstances of our life. At the same time, God allows us to experience His judgment as a present reality in both a negative and a positive sense as we live out the consequences of our decisions, whether they lead to blessings or heartache. 

God’s love and judgment are also to be understood as a future reality. What we experience in this earthly realm is not the end of the story. There is a time to come in which the trajectory we set in this life will determine our eternal reality. In Scripture we are told there will be a final judgment declared at the end of this age. Psalm 37:37-38 tells us the end of the upright man or woman is peace, but the ungodly will be destroyed together. 

 In The Revelation, John gives us more insight into what this means as we read about a time of judgment when all people will be summoned to stand before God and give an account for how each one lived. In his vision, John saw this judgment will be according to one’s works and according to the Book of Life (20:12). This does not mean we are saved by our works, but it does indicate what we do in the body matters in the end. What matters most of all is that our name is written on the pages of the Book of Life because we have been forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The tragic outcome for those whose name is not written in the Book of Life is their being cast into the lake of fire (v. 15). 

Looking further into the reality of heaven and hell is of great interest, but it is beyond the scope of the current study. Here the focus is on consequences for our life choices. We experience those consequences in part in this life, but in the age to come we will experience them in fullness. John records the words of Jesus in Revelation 22:12: “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (NKJV). At the end of his vision, John declares, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” (22:14-15 NKJV). What we have heard in the Biblical text cannot be unheard. We have been warned by a loving, merciful, and just God. 

Live Anyway You Please? 

Some seem to think that if we are Christians, God is not going to bring up anything done in this life. It is all under the blood. Put everything on Jesus and live anyway you please. Surely that cannot be right.—Keith L. Brooks 

3.  WHY DOES A LOVING GOD JUDGE? 

A.  God’s Wrath Flows From His Love (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 7:10-11; Matthew 13:41-43) 

 Psalm 7:10 My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. 

 Matthew 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

God’s nature is love, but it would be a mistake to confuse God’s love with permissiveness. God’s love is “holy love.” Because of this, we have seen that God is also a righteous and perfect judge; He is both merciful and just. Someone might still ask why it is necessary for a loving God to judge. As we look closer at the Biblical text, we find our answer: God’s judgment flows from His love for His creation. 

Moses said God’s “ways are justice” and He is a “God of truth without injustice” (Deut. 32:4 NKJV). David declares God was his defense (Ps. 7:10), which literally means “his shield.” Everyone who is “upright in heart” can make this statement, along with David. Contrarily, God is “angry with the wicked every day” (v. 11). 

 Jesus Christ tells us at the end of time He will send His angels to gather “everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers,” to be thrown into the fiery furnace (Matt. 13:41-42 NET). This will allow the righteous to “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (v. 43). The thread which unifies Jesus’ teaching here with Deuteronomy 32:4 and Psalm 7:10-11 is that God is not indifferent to evil and injustice. He is not indifferent because He deeply loves and delights in all He has created and is angry because of the corrupting influence of evil and injustice. 

God’s Settled Opposition 

Think how we feel when we see someone we love ravaged by unwise actions or relationships. Do we respond with benign tolerance as we might toward strangers? Far from it. . . . Anger isn’t the opposite of love. Hate is, and the final form of hate is indifference. . . . God’s wrath is not a cranky explosion, but His settled opposition to the cancer . . . which is eating out the insides of the human race He loves with His whole being.—Rebecca Manley Pippert, Hope Has Its Reasons: The Search to Satisfy Our Deepest Longings 

B.  God’s Judgment Is Certain (Hebrews 12:14; 2 Peter 3:9) 

 Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 

 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 

God’s love and judgment are a call to us to surrender our lives to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to renew us in the image of God. Part of this renewal is moral and ethical, as we see in the command to “follow peace . . . and holiness” (Heb. 12:14). To “follow” connotes an earnest and diligent pursuit. If we are following peace with all people, we are doing nothing contrary to the Word of God. We are obeying the injunction to love our neighbor as ourselves to the extent that consideration for others has become for us a way of life. 

Likewise, we are pursuing the way of holiness, knowing that without it no one will see the Lord. To live and die in an unholy condition is paramount to eternal exclusion from God, for God is holy. 

This is not to say, however, that we earn the right to see God by living a holy life, for only the blood of Christ entitles us to heaven. Yet, that blood is able to wash us clean from all our sin and to keep us from falling and to present us “faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24). 

Believers will experience this joy when Christ comes again. Note the apparent delay in Christ’s coming does not mean indifference (2 Peter 3:9a). It does not mean the Lord is unaware of the conduct of godless people. They say, “God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see” (Ps. 10:11 NKJV). It is not so. The delay of judgment comes from a far different reason: The Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b). 

The power to choose good or evil has been given to us by God. Without that power there could be no moral action, responsibility, obedience, holiness, or love. Life without power of choice would be the working of a machine, not the energy of a creature made after the likeness of God. We have often abused our freedom and turned that which should have led to holiness into an occasion to sin. But God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. His desire is that all would be saved. 

GOD’S GREAT GRACE 

God’s judgment is a reality with which we must reckon, but His mercy is just as real. We can be thankful to know His desire is for no one to be lost, but for all to come to repentance and relationship with Him. He is always working and is long-suffering toward us. The Holy Spirit is always working and drawing men and women into a saving relationship with the Lord. To those who have not yet been saved, He draws them with prevenient grace. To those who respond and cry out for forgiveness, He offers justifying grace. To those who are part of God’s kingdom, the Holy Spirit gives sanctifying grace, further transforming them into the image of Christ from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18). Our role is to respond to God’s grace faithfully as we live in the light of His love and the assurance of His righteous judgment. 

Daily Devotions: 

M.  Lord, Have Mercy (Psalm 41:4-13) 

T.  Mercy and Refuge (Psalm 57:1-11) 

W.  Love Good; Establish Justice (Amos 5:11-15) 

T.  Be Merciful to Me, a Sinner (Luke 18:8-14) 

F.  Walk in Love (2 John 1:3-6) 

S.  Remain in God’s Love (Jude 20-22) 

Adopted from the Evangelical Sunday School Lesson Commentary 2020-2021.

Photo by Fadi Xd on Unsplash.