God is a judge

Psalm 33

I want to discuss with you an aspect of what we should know about God that is seldom discussed. We readily talk about the love of God, His patience, His compassion, His holiness, but rarely is there mention that God is a judge.

• History reveals God as a judge
  • The Old Testament presents Him in this manner
    • In the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3)
    • In Noah’s day (Genesis 6-8)
    • Over Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18-19)
  • The New Testament presents Him in this manner
    • Annanias and Saphira (Acts 5)
    • The last day (II Peter 3:7)
• Bible teaching presents God as a judge
  • The whole New Testament foreshadows the certainty of a coming day of judgment
    • James
    • I Peter
    • II Timothy 4:1
• The Bible shows the nature of God as a judge (Psalm 33)
  • He is one with authority
  • He is identified with what is right
  • He is a person of truth and wisdom
  • He has the power to execute a sentence
  • He brings perfect justice

The Apostle Paul reminds us in II Corinthians 5:10 that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ Jesus. If we know ourselves at all, we know that we are not fit to meet Him. What are we then to do? The New Testament answer is to call upon the coming judge to be our present Savior.

As a judge, He is the law. As a Savior, He is our hope, for He alone can forgive the sin that makes us guilty and provide the defense whereby we can stand before Him faultless. Then we can look forward to the day Jesus returns with anticipation and not fear. We can stand in the confidence expressed in II Timothy 4:8.