God Is Love And Grace, But…

You are most likely reading this article to find out what the “but” refers to. After all, if God is all about love and grace, would there be exceptions? God is love, but he is also a holy God with righteous and moral standards for living. In response to his love and grace life should be lived in a way pleasing to him. However, that is not the case with many people. Probably most like to think of God’s love, but very few want to know about his judgment and that each and every person is accountable to him. Because God is holy he has to judge unholiness.

What will God judge? He will judge immorality. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Let marriage be held in high honor, and let the marriage bed be undefiled,  for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”

When the Lord comes again he “will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God”(I Corinthians 4:5). “On that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus”(Romans 2:16).

Ungodly people will be judged. Jude 14-15 says, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have conmitted in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” The Greek meaning of ungodliness is those without any reverence toward God. This includes lots of people. Romans 1:18-32 breaks it down. The passage begins, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”  The passage continues by emphasizing that because of creation, there is no excuse not to honor God. Then it says that people will “exchange the truth of God for a lie,” and “will not see fit to acknowledge God.”

How are you living your life right now? Are you living according to the above verses in Romans, or are you giving God his rightful place as your Creator and Redeemer? “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that the judgment”(Hebrews 9:27). At this moment you have an opportunity to accept Jesus as your Savior and to avoid judgment for “suppressing the truth.” John 3:16-18 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” 

In your heart be able to speak the words of 2 Timothy 4:8. “Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”