How do grace and judgment work together? Here’s how inspiration reveals it. “While Jesus is pleading for the subjects of His grace, Satan accuses them before God as transgressors. The great deceiver has sought to lead them into skepticism, to cause them to lose confidence in God, to separate themselves from His love, and to … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: Justice demands the death penalty for our sins. Yet grace through the suffering of Christ on our behalf delivers us from death if we accept it. [Teaching Plan for “The God of Grace and Judgment” January 25, 2012] 1. Have a volunteer read Ecclesiastes 12:13,14. A. Ask class members to share a short … Continue reading –>
“Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known”(Matt. 10:26).1 Looking around at the world, we shouldn’t have a problem understanding the idea of judgment and condemnation. One doesn’t have to be a believing Christian to realize that something is radically wrong with … Continue reading –>
Most everyone is familiar with John 3:16. What comes after, though, helps flesh it out and explain it even better. Read John 3:17–21. What does it say about judgment? About grace? How do these verses reveal to us how grace and judgment work together? The word translated “condemn” in verse 17 is also translated in some versions as “judge.” … Continue reading –>
Critics of the Bible make a big deal of the fact that other ancient civilizations had their own flood stories. They argue that the Bible story isn’t unique, original, or even true but is merely a copy of some previous myth or legend.1 On the other hand, those who believe that the Bible is the … Continue reading –>
Think about this: before sin, there was no need of grace because there was nothing to forgive, nothing to pardon, nothing to cover. It’s the same with judgment. Before sin, there was nothing to judge, nothing to condemn, nothing to be punished. Both grace and judgment arise, at least in a human context, only because … Continue reading –>
The theme of judgment, divine judgment, runs through the entire Bible. And contrary to common beliefs, judgment is not contrary to salvation or to the gospel. Indeed, both themes are woven together in Scripture from Genesis through Revelation.1 And no wonder. Judgment and salvation reflect twin aspects of God’s character: His justice and grace. Thus, … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Cor. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:10; Genesis 3, 6; John 3:17–21; Rev. 14:6, 7. Memory Text: “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Key Thought: God’s judgment is as pervasive in the Bible as is the theme of salvation; in fact, the … Continue reading –>
