LEAVING THE FIRST PRINCIPLES -- Tomorrow:
"Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits." (Hebrews 6:1-4, NKJV).
Devotion 15 of 24
" . . . not laying again the foundation . . . of eternal judgment . . . "
There are judgments from which men can recover. These are temporal judgments, designed for chastening rather than fixing the state of a person or people. David recovered from the judgment he endured for his sin with Bathsheba. Israel recovered from the Babylonian captivity, which was a judgment from God. Nebuchadnezzar recovered from the judgment of God which rendered him as a beast of the earth, deprived of his mind, and eating grass with the oxen. Even the world recovered from the judgment of the flood, being filled with life and vitality once again. We are told that chastening is a form of temporal judgment that keeps us from being condemned with the world. As it is written, "But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world" (1 Cor 11:32).
But this is not the only kind of judgment. We must take heed that we do not deceive ourselves into thinking men can always recover from Divine judgment. Sodom, for example, suffered "the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude 7). The angels that fell have been locked in an irreversible state, "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day" (Jude 6). These instances are cited in Scripture to make us aware of an impending judgment that has eternal consequences.
Jesus frequently spoke of "the judgment," declaring it would be universal in nature, with the strictest accountability and numerous witnesses. He spoke of a time when "The queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it" (Matt 12:42). He also declared, "The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it" (Luke 11:32). He also spoke of "the day of judgment" (Matt 10;15; 11:22,24; 12:36).
Peter affirmed, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2 Pet 2:9). He also declared, "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Pet 3:7).
Paul spoke a day "appointed" by God, 'in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained" (Acts 17:31). Twice he spoke of "the judgment seat of Christ" where men would given an account of their deeds (Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10). It is also written, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb 9:27).
This is the time of "eternal judgment," when all men will have their fixed state confirmed before an assembled universe. Whatever cries for mercy that may erupt from the mouths of the ungodly will be ignored on that day. It is the time of "eternal judgment."
This is a principle of the doctrine of Christ -- an elementary teaching that provides strong incentives for the beginner. But it is not intended to be the only, or even the strongest, constraining force in the believer. The threat of condemnation is not intended to be the most effective motivation for godliness. To be sure, it is most powerful when people are just converted, and stand on the edge of the promised land. But the threat of "eternal judgment" will lose its motivating power if men do not go on to perfection.
Men do not become "partakers of the Divine nature" by means of the fear of judgment. Rather, the means of that partakement is "the exceeding great and precious promises" of God (2 Pet 1:4). It is "the love of Christ" that "constraineth us," not the continual fear of judgment.
In Christ, there is a more optimistic note, praise the Lord! We can have "boldness in the day of judgment" (1 John 4:17). That comes when we "have known and believed the love that God hath to us" (1 John 4:16). No person will gain boldness to stand before the reigning Christ in the day of judgment by contemplating the judgment itself. Test yourself and see! The contemplation of the "great and notable day of the Lord" is designed start us and awaken us. It is not, however, designed to keep us in the race.
In Christ, we make preparations for the day of judgment. The day itself is not the point, but what will result from it. There must come a time in the life of the believer when there is no question about the day of judgment--when the anticipation of that time brings joy and gladness to the heart. Such a person will never forget about the day of judgment, but will prepare for that day.
PRAYER POINT: Father, as You, through Your Holy Spirit, are changing me from one degree of glory to another, I find myself anticipating the day of judgment -- the very day I once feared. In the name of Christ, I thank You for bringing me to this point.