Title October 2018

ARE YOU SURE YOU WON’T BE JUDGED ON THAT DAY?

Imagine, for a moment, Adolf Hitler—the German dictator who sparked the Second World War and orchestrated the deaths of millions of innocent civilians worldwide. If he were alive today, what do you think his fate would be? What kind of punishment would the whole world demand he receive?

It’s clear: most would call for a punishment marked by severe suffering, one that could begin to repay the evil he inflicted. The victims of the gas chambers, the innocent lives brutally cut short, the war itself—the injustice cries out for justice. People would want to see him pay for these crimes. And rightly so.

Now, imagine a shocking alternative: what if Hitler were captured, secretly held somewhere, but then released a few days later without trial or punishment—simply returned to freedom as an ordinary citizen? It sounds impossible. But with God, the impossible becomes possible.

Jesus said in John 5:24 (ESV):

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN IMPERFECTION AND GOD’S JUSTICE

My friend, no one is perfect. Our conscience bears witness to this every day. The Apostle Paul affirms this truth in Romans 3:23 (ESV):

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Because of this universal sinfulness, the just requirement of God’s law is judgment. The consequence of sin is death, as Paul explains in Romans 6:23 (ESV):

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Bible is clear: everyone deserves judgment. But God, in His mercy, offers salvation through Jesus Christ. He promises eternal life to all who believe in Him—a life that begins now and continues forever, free from condemnation.

THE FINAL JUDGMENT AND THE GREAT WHITE THRONE

On the day of judgment, Christ will sit on the great white throne to judge all the nations. But those who have trusted in Him will not be there to face condemnation. Instead, they will stand with Him to judge the world.

This is described in Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV):

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

WHERE DO YOU STAND?

Today, you might be struggling with addictions, sins, or guilt—maybe you feel hopeless or condemned. The truth is, without Jesus, everyone faces the terrifying reality of judgment and eternal separation from God.

Why continue risking your life by living carelessly? Why reject the amazing grace offered by Jesus—the grace that delivers us from judgment and grants us eternal life?

Jesus invites you:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 ESV)

WHAT MUST YOU DO?

  1. Repent — Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus (Acts 3:19).
  2. Believe — Trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior (John 3:16).
  3. Be baptized — The Bible commands baptism by immersion in water, in the name of Jesus Christ, as an outward sign of your inward faith and cleansing from sin (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4).
  4. Receive the Holy Spirit — Upon true faith and baptism, God gives His Spirit as a guarantee of your new life (Ephesians 1:13-14).

If you haven’t taken these steps, you have not truly passed from death into life. You remain under judgment.

A FINAL WORD

No one wants to stand trial—especially before God, the righteous Judge. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Repent now while there is still time. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ today.

May God bless you richly.

Print this post

The Sin That Caused Satan to Fall

Many of us know what happened before the events in Eden: the devil—Satan—rebelled against God and was cast down from the exalted position he once held. The Bible describes him as “the anointed cherub who covers,” highly honored and exalted on God’s holy mountain, above other angels. He was perfect in beauty, full of wisdom, and blameless in his ways—until the day iniquity was found in him (Ezekiel 28:12–17).

Because of the abundance of gifts, wisdom, and honor surrounding him, Satan’s heart became proud, and he desired to exalt himself to be like God. Isaiah 14:12–14 recounts his ambition:

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
… You said in your heart: ‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
… I will make myself like the Most High.’”

Who deceived Satan?

The answer is simple: no one deceived Satan—he deceived himself. Seeing how God had exalted him, he longed for even more. Pride entered his heart, and though he was warned, he refused to turn back. Eventually, he was cast out of heaven, losing his place in God’s glorious presence. Yet God did not destroy him immediately, nor did He strip away his wisdom, beauty, or power—only his heavenly position.

Like a commander removed from his rank but still retaining his military expertise, Satan retained his abilities. Many mistakenly imagine that when Satan fell, he became a grotesque, horned creature incapable of rational thought. In truth, what he lost was the glory of God that once shone through him. Without God’s glory, spiritual death set in (Ezekiel 28:18).

The rise of the kingdom of darkness

By the time God created the first man, Adam, Satan had already established his rebellious kingdom—the kingdom of darkness—set against God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13). Everything Satan does is in opposition to God’s purposes. Knowing that Adam was given a high position in God’s plan, Satan sought to extend his rebellion by bringing humanity down.

How? By planting in humans the same thought that caused his own fall—the desire to “be like God.”

Genesis 3:4–5 records the serpent’s deception of Eve:

“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Satan tempted Adam and Eve with the very ambition that led to his own downfall. Instead of becoming like God, they lost their privileged position and were expelled from Eden—just as Satan had been expelled from heaven.

Satan’s unchanged strategy: Pride

Satan has not changed his tactics. The same spirit of pride that caused him to fall is what he uses to lead humanity astray today. Pride dethroned him, and he knows it is the surest way to bring people down.

Even within the church, Satan works to plant pride:

  • He stirs flattery and excessive praise toward pastors, teachers, or leaders, tempting them to believe they are superior.

  • He manipulates spiritual experiences—such as deliverances—where demons themselves flatter a servant of God: “We fear you! You are the only one who can torment us!” Forgetting that Satan is “the father of lies” (John 8:44), the minister may unknowingly fall into pride.

Jesus warned in Luke 14:11:

“For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Guarding against the spirit of pride

We must remember that wealth, beauty, status, talents, spiritual gifts, or ministry should never cause us to think we deserve special honor or that we stand next to God Himself. Pride remains the very weapon Satan uses to cause many to fall.

The Bible warns:

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

The antidote to pride is humility.
1 Peter 5:5–8 commands:

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

A call to repentance

Has the pride of life led you to believe that even salvation itself is not important? Repent today. Turn to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38). Only in Christ can we resist the schemes of the devil and walk in victory over pride.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Stay humble, stay alert, and walk in the grace of God 

Print this post

Search

Migawanyo