Judgment Ahead

From: Echoes of Grace: 1995

• 2 min. read • grade level: 8

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31³¹It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)).

How can there be so much indifference to this great, positive fact? If a heart has not been touched by the loving message of God’s grace, there remains only the terrible alternative of falling into the hands of God for judgment!

We live in the last days as prophesied in 2 Peter 3:3-4³Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, ⁴And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:3‑4): “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

There are those who not only deny God’s word, but they deny the existence of God Himself. Others do not like to go so far as that, but they say that the Bible is not inspired, which is equally bad, for “all scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)).

To the indifferent we would say: “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12¹²Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. (Amos 4:12)). “God . . . commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:30-31³⁰And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: ³¹Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:30‑31)). Can you afford to be indifferent to such commands? No!

You say, I do not want to think of these things yet; I have other things I want first. I implore you not to allow anything to come between your soul and God. All the pleasures and the riches this world can offer are not to be compared with the value of your soul.

At any moment death may snap the link connecting you with this fascinating scene and the certainty is: “After this [death] the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27²⁷And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)).

How does the title of these remarks—“Judgment Ahead”—affect you? If you are without Christ, it should terrify you, but if you possess Christ as your Saviour, you have the unspeakable joy of knowing that “there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)).

“ Behold, now is the accepted time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.”

2 Corinthians 6:2²(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)

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