Judgment

240 JUDGMENT, GOD’S

The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. SALM 19:9

 1   We are very interested in death but we rarely speak about judgment.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Welsh Preacher and Writer)

Justification, like death, has to begin with sin. Due to the law breaking nature of sin, we cannot have a right relationship with God unless we have been justified, or declared not guilty of these things that separate us from Him.

In his book “Justification and Regeneration” Charles Leiter describes sin as universal, all pervasive (affecting the whole person), irrational, deceitful, hardening, enslaving, debasing, and defiling. It creates an internal problem(heart) and an external problem(bad record).

How then does the Lord maintain His righteous standard and holy intolerance to sin while also dispensing grace and mercy to justify the sinner?

Romans 3:21–26 LSB

21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

So He will justify a sinner through Jesus or He will cause the sinner to suffer eternally under condemnation in hell

Romans 5:9 LSB

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

Rom. 8-

Justification comes as a result of it being given, credited, or imputed to the sinners account from Jesus’ account.

Philemon 17–18 LSB

17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would accept me. 18 But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account.

Jesus does this as the sacrififical lamb, or atoning sacrifice.

Leviticus 16:16 “16 “So he shall make atonement for the holy place because of the uncleanness of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their uncleanness.”

Leviticus 16:22 “22 “And the goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an isolated land; and he shall send out the goat in the wilderness.”

Justification “declares” us righteous, “regeneration” makes us righteous

Romans 4:6–8 LSB

6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered. 8 “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”

how then can this take place, how can we find to be declared righteous in the judgment?

Acts 16:30–31 LSB

30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your house.”