The Righteous Judge (Thursday)

Acts 10:42

"And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead."

We live in a world that seems unfair at times. The good suffer evil. The righteous are mocked and ridiculed. For many, looking at the apparent inconsistencies of the world and its outcomes leads them to question the very goodness of God. How in the world can God still be good if all the righteous after God’s own heart are continually being beaten and betrayed?

This question is ultimately answered by a proper understanding that Christ is judge over all mankind. When thinking through Christ’s work on the cross, His death, and resurrection, Jesus not only brings salvation to those who believe but through his saving work He also brings judgment, both to the believer and unbeliever.

According to Scripture, every person will sit under the judgment of Christ. Those who have trusted in the saving work of Christ will sit under the judgment seat of Christ (Bema Seat) to give an account for their lives. This is not a judgment determining one’s salvation, for the believer has been saved by faith through the blood of Christ and is forever sealed by the Spirit. Instead, this judgment will be a time of examination and reward. For the unbeliever, judgment will come at the Great White Throne, where Christ will be revealed to every unbeliever to be the one true God. Sealed by their unbelief, this judgment sends unbelievers to their second death in an eternity separated from God.

To know that God has appointed Christ as judge over all of creation assures us of two things. First, we are assured that God’s greater plan for humanity will be vindicated. Yes, there is sin, and yes evil often surrounds, but God’s plan is not thwarted by the prevalence of evil. Sovereignly, God has allowed evil for a time, but rest assured it will not go unpunished. In Psalm 9:7-8 David reassures of this “But the Lord abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment, and He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.” Through Christ, sin will be judged, and through Christ, those clothed in his righteousness will find eternal life.

Secondly, knowing that Christ is our judge we are assured that in the end, every knee will bow before the glory of the Lord. A judge hands down judgment. One day believers will bow before their judge who took their judgment upon himself, while unbelievers will bow down before the one whom they mocked and crucified receiving the punishment that their sin deserves…death. John 5:22-23 reminds us, “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father.”

So, when the world seems unfair, look to the horizon and remember our righteous judge is coming to judge sin and evil, and through his judgments, all will know that He alone is God.

Do you find yourself discouraged by the amount of sin in the world? How can you be reassured of God’s sovereignty through an understanding of Christ as our judge?

Do you judge your own sin to the same degree as the sin of others? Why? How does an understanding of Christ’s role of judge change the way you perceive your own sin?


Our Father, amidst the surging waves of sin around us, may we be a people who live with hope that you are coming as our judge. There is nowhere for man to hide from your judgment, yet in your good grace, we can find salvation underneath the cross. Come soon Lord Jesus, and bring your judgment so that all might bow down before your throne. Amen.