Praise the Just Judge

"May sinners be consumed from the earth, and the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!"

Psalm 104:35

When Christians are born again and given new hearts by faith in Jesus, God puts compassion in us for others.  We know what it is like to be without God, in bondage to sin and truly lost.  While some people are naturally caring and feel deeply concerning others who suffer, the transformation Jesus brings causes even the most naturally harsh, unfeeling and careless personalities to exhibit lovingkindness, patience and selfless service of others from a pure heart.  The fact God will judge sinners and the wicked can create a conflict in Christians, for many people we know and love have yet to receive Christ.  The concept of blessing and praising God in light of His judgments can be difficult to navigate.

Knowledge of God as revealed in His word is helpful for us to maintain a godly perspective.  Being human ourselves, we are prone to show sympathy and pity to people who are ignorant of God--even if their ignorance of God and rejection by Him is by choice.  One thing to acknowledge and keep in mind is God loves people and this world more than we ever could, as all the love we have for others springs from God who is love.  Paul wrote  men are occasionally willing to die for people and causes they see as worthy, and he followed on by saying in Romans 5:8:  "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  We would spare people from judgment because it hurts us to think of them suffering, yet God demonstrated His love for us while we were sinners by dying on the cross to save us.  Jesus satisfied the justice of God by His righteous life to redeem unworthy sinners so all who believe in Him are deemed righteous before God forever.

Since God is good and desires people to be saved from wrath more than we possibly can, since He only does what is right and true, we can rejoice equally in His salvation and judgments.  While our focus might be primarily on how facing the wrath of God will impact people, we ought to consider God is longsuffering and slow to wrath.  We can be in the habit of determining which sins or offences are worse than others because of the human toll, but what of the great offence all sin is against the holy God?  How could it be our heartstrings are pulled by those who proudly reject Him and His gift of salvation provided by the shed blood of His only begotten Son?  How long should God overlook grave offence of those who sin against Him and those He loves--regenerate or not?  Being a just Judge, it is fitting for God to make judgments and enforce the sentence of those who do wickedly.  Isn't God worthy to be praised in whatever He does because He is gracious, just, loving, righteous and good in all His ways?

We will give stubborn sinners the benefit of the doubt:  ought not we give the gracious God the benefit of faith in Him?  The Bible teaches all people will appear before God and be judged for our conduct.  Those who are not in Christ will be condemned by God's holy standard and face eternal wrath, while Christians will be rewarded or suffer loss and enter into glory.  Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."  God has not and never will make a poor or regrettable decision:  it is we who do this frequently!  Praise God He is longsuffering, loving and wise, and our compassion for people God loves (more than we ever could) ought not distract us from praising God for His grace, goodness and power to save and judge as He sees fit.