Why You Can Have Confidence in God's Judgment

Pastor Colin Smith

God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted... 2 THESSALONIANS 1:6

Does it ever bother you that the justice of God is not more obvious in this world? Have you ever noticed that people who do good often suffer and people who do evil often prosper?  

In a world like this it's important to know that God is just, and even though his justice may be hidden for now, it will become obvious on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed (1:8).

The justice of God is a central truth in all of the Bible. We see this played out in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. God never acts out of vindictiveness. He always acts with justice.

Bend it Like Job

Julie Cosgrove

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“Show me my offense and my sin…You keep close watch on all my paths by putting marks on the soles of my feet.” (Job 13:23b, 27)

God agreed to let Satan take everything from Job – his family, friends, property, and health – in order to test Job’s faith. But there is one thing Satan could not take away: He could not snatch Job’s free will to choose faith in God.

It was a common belief in Job’s day that God’s wrath came upon us if we did something wrong. His friends figured Job must have committed a heinous sin to have so much misfortune befall him. In fact, Job began to think the same thing. But the One Job did not wonder about was God. Instead of being like Adam, who hid from God and then played the blame-game, Job stood firm, bent a knee, and asked God to forgive him for all his sins. His belief that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and that we are by nature sinful and unworthy to approach His throne resonates throughout the whole book.

LIMITLESS FORGIVENESS

 "Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?"  Matthew 18:33

MATTHEW 18: 21-35

Peter thought he was being very generous by offering to forgive his brother seven times in one day, but Jesus said he should forgive him 490 times in one day. It would be impossible to have someone sin against you 490 times in one day. Jesus is actually saying that there should be no limit to our forgiveness.

When we are offended or hurt, we often feel justified in holding a grudge. The Old Testament law expressed this when it stated, "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth" (Ex. 21:23-25). Until the offense was paid, we did not feel free to forgive. However, God dealt with all men's offenses by placing sin upon the perfect Savior who was judged in place of every sinner of all time. To demand that others now earn our forgiveness is not Christ like. Jesus died for every man's sins, extending forgiveness to us while we were yet sinners, and we should do the same.

The Ultimate Proof of Total Forgiveness

That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. —2 Corinthians 5:19


The ultimate proof of total forgiveness takes place when we sincerely petition the Father to let those who have hurt us off the hook—even if they have hurt not only us, but also those close to us.


I had come face-to-face with this reality, so I prayed for certain people to be forgiven. However, after a few moments, it was as if the Lord said to me, "Do you know what you are asking Me to do?"


I thought I knew the answer to His question, so I said, "Yes."


He then seemed to reply, "Are you now asking Me to set them free as if they had done nothing wrong?"


That sobered me! I needed some time to think, but while I pondered His words, the Lord reminded me of the many sins for which He had forgiven me. I became frightened of the possibility that He might reveal—or let come out—some of the terrible things I had done.

Where Did it Fall?

The fourth key to regaining your cutting edge is found in verse 6 of 2 Kings 6,

So the man of God said, "Where did it fall?"  And he showed him the place.  So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.

The words I want you to focus on are, Where did it fall?  That is quite a question.  And look at the response,  And he showed him the place.

That is the fourth key, to know where you lost your cutting edge.  Unless you go back to that place, you cannot retrieve it; and unless you are willing to deal with whatever issue caused you to lose your cutting edge, you will never regain it.

Did you notice that the man knew right where he lost his cutting edge?  If you will be honest, you can probably point right to the time you lost, or began to lose, your edge spiritually.

Perhaps it was when you became offended because of what someone did.  Or maybe it was when you started watching too much television, or when you began hanging around with a certain person.

If when asked, "Where did it fall?" you cannot immediately point to the place, take some time to commune with your own heart and be still.  It won't be long before your answer comes. 

This is essential because if you are to regain your edge, you need to start where you lost it.

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