Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Orange Moon Cafe “Savior Or Judge"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…


"Savior Or Judge"


   Try as some might, you cannot find a milquetoast Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible.

   "When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth His sheep from the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me… and these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:31-33; 46).

   We either know the Lord Jesus as Savior, or we will know Him as judge.  Moreover, born again believers in the Lord Jesus must take our relationship with God in utmost seriousness if we are to avoid the chastening and scourging of Divine love (Hebrews 12:6).  God must maintain the integrity of His name and honor.  His earnest desire and even delight in bestowing grace and mercy cannot conflict with the holiness of His character and nature.  He must judge the sinner who will not repent.  He must chasten and scourge the saint who falls into continuing unbelief and disobedience.  This is a primary reason Scripture calls us to fear the Lord (I Peter 2:17).  He will be who He is, and He will do what He does.  This concerns both His grace and holiness, and He cannot and will not violate either.  "The righteous Lord loveth righteousness" (Psalm 11:7).

   "Say unto them as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked" (Ezekiel 33:11).  Certainly our Heavenly Father would far rather bestow grace and mercy than judgment and chastening.  We do well to praise Him with all our hearts for His abundantly merciful inclinations. "He delighteth in  mercy" (Micah 7:18).  However, we also do well to praise Him with all our hearts that He will never violate Himself by compromising His perfect character, nature, and way.  "Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness?" (Exodus 15:11).  Indeed, the Lord Jesus will drive moneychangers from a temple when necessary no less than inhabiting the temple of our hearts in grace when we trust Him.  This is who He is, the God of both grace and truth (John 1:17).  We need both aspects of His perfect being and way.  We can be sure He will be Savior or Judge.

"Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy."
(Psalm 33:18)

Weekly Memory Verse
  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.
(II Peter 1:2)



  






















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