Paris and the Last Judgment.

Portal of the Last Judgment – Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

Did I notice the subject matter of the magnificent sculpted historical architectural masterpiece through which I entered that day?  No.  I simply streamed in, having waited my turn to enter the massive cathedral.  I was untouched by the scene of judgment, which literally loomed right above me.

On the last day, it will something like that—Christians will be just as unscathed as I was filing into the cathedral—as followers of Jesus Christ will not stand before the judgment seat,* though we Christians will stand before him to have our works evaluated, (Revelation 22.12; 3.11).  Notice with me that even judgment has been given to Jesus by God the Father, although Jesus metes out judgment according to his Father’s will.  Mutual submission of the Godhead.   (And wives worry about being submissive to their husbands?  Oh, please)

Prayer: Holy Spirit, as we read, please give us understanding of Jesus’ words—understanding of the heart of God to spare us children from judgment for our sins.  At the same time, please help us see those we know who are lost, with your eyes  -  not with judgment  -  but with the passion to move us to action, so that we will pray that they will come to know you, so that we will invite them to hear about you, so that we will tell them what you are doing in our lives.  May we do all for your glory, Amen.

“Even the Father judges no one, for He has given all judgment (the last judgment and the whole business of judging) entirely into the hands of the Son,

So that all men may give honor (reverence, homage) to the Son just as they give honor to the Father. [In fact] whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, Who has sent Him.

I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. And he does not come into judgment [does not incur sentence of judgment, will not come under condemnation], but he has already passed over out of death into life.

Believe Me when I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the time is coming and is here now when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear it shall live.  For even as the Father has life in Himself and is self-existent, so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself and be self-existent.  And He has given Him authority and granted Him power to execute (exercise, practice) judgment because He is a Son of man [very man].

Do not be surprised and wonder at this, for the time is coming when all those who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and they shall come out—those who have practiced doing good [will come out] to the resurrection of [new] life, and those who have done evil will be raised for judgment [raised to meet their sentence].

I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord—but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.  Amplified Bible (AMP)

There it is – in Jesus, no Portal of the Last Judgment, but instead eternal life.  Let us then make his will our own ~ not seeking our own will or pleasing ourselves but rather the will and the pleasure of our loving God. Amen. 

Christine