The Basis of God's Judgment

Dave L

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When the Holy God who cannot look upon sin, who judges all wickedness, and who calls his creatures to perfect devotion and love judges that a sinner is righteous, on what is God's judgment based?

Thanks in advance!
The righteousness of God will never reside in us. God is infinite, we are finite. But here's how we end up having the righteousness of God.

God imputed Adam's sin to us. Then God Imputed our sin to Christ. And then God Imputed Christ's righteousness to us. All according to Paul in Romans 5. Jesus is God, so we now have the infinite righteousness of God worthy of all the blessings only God deserves!! While we work on our own finite righteousness through holy living.

“God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
 
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Tree of Life

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The righteousness of God will never reside in us. God is infinite, we are finite. But here's how we end up having the righteousness of God.

God imputed Adam's sin to us. Then God Imputed our sin to Christ. And then God Imputed Christ's righteousness to us. All according to Paul in Romans 5. Jesus is God, so we now have the infinite righteousness of God worthy of all the blessings only God deserves!! While we work on our own finite righteousness through holy living.

“God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

I'll be judged on the basis of the righteousness of Christ, not my own. That's how I know I have nothing to fear in that regard.

Some people believe they will be judged righteous on the basis of their faith. How would you respond to these folks?
 
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ViaCrucis

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There's this idea that "God cannot look upon sin" that seems to get said a lot in some Christian circles. I used to believe it too, after all it sounds good; but then there's a small problem with it: Jesus. You know, the One who ate and spoke with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. God not only looks upon sin, God hung out with, and made His abode with, all us ratty sinners.

The basis of God's judgment is that the light came into the world but men loved the darkness more than the light, because their deeds were sinful; that's the judgment. The Gospel is that God demonstrates His love for us sinners in that Christ died for us.

God is anti-sin, but He is pro-sinner. God saves the unworthy, the ungodly, the unlovely, the unrighteous--after all, it is the sick person who needs a doctor, not the healthy. Christ has called the sick, for He is the Great Physician.

And it is through this loving-kindness of God, through His beloved Son, that He saves us. And we, by His grace, have been reckoned the righteousness of God; for we have received the righteousness of His Son. For the Just One is the justifier of the unjust, so that the justice of God is revealed through the Gospel--that justice by which He makes the unjust just. The very justice of Jesus Christ. Which is why we read that by the One Man's obedience God has justified the many. For all have sinned because by one man's disobedience came sin and death to all; by the One Man's obedience has come justification and resurrection from the dead to all.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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Tree of Life

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There's this idea that "God cannot look upon sin" that seems to get said a lot in some Christian circles. I used to believe it too, after all it sounds good; but then there's a small problem with it: Jesus. You know, the One who ate and spoke with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. God not only looks upon sin, God hung out with, and made His abode with, all us ratty sinners.

The basis of God's judgment is that the light came into the world but men loved the darkness more than the light, because their deeds were sinful; that's the judgment. The Gospel is that God demonstrates His love for us sinners in that Christ died for us.

God is anti-sin, but He is pro-sinner. God saves the unworthy, the ungodly, the unlovely, the unrighteous--after all, it is the sick person who needs a doctor, not the healthy. Christ has called the sick, for He is the Great Physician.

And it is through this loving-kindness of God, through His beloved Son, that He saves us. And we, by His grace, have been reckoned the righteousness of God; for we have received the righteousness of His Son. For the Just One is the justifier of the unjust, so that the justice of God is revealed through the Gospel--that justice by which He makes the unjust just. The very justice of Jesus Christ. Which is why we read that by the One Man's obedience God has justified the many. For all have sinned because by one man's disobedience came sin and death to all; by the One Man's obedience has come justification and resurrection from the dead to all.

-CryptoLutheran

It sounds like you're saying, like Luther said, that the basis of God's judgment is the imputed righteousness of Christ to us. Is this what you're saying?
 
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ViaCrucis

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It sounds like you're saying, like Luther said, that the basis of God's judgment is the imputed righteousness of Christ to us. Is this what you're saying?

If by judgment you mean the judgment by which we are declared just--then yes. I have no righteousness other than the righteousness of Christ.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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ViaCrucis

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I'm not aware of any other judgment.

There's the judgment of the Law: The judgment that we are sinners. Under the Law we are hostages to sin and death.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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Tree of Life

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I have no righteousness other than the righteousness of Christ.

Sadly, these can be slippery words. Catholics would say the same thing, but they do not believe that this is an imputed righteousness. Rather, they believe that Jesus' righteousness is infused into their souls. Could you clarify your meaning?
 
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bcbsr

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Some people believe they will be judged righteous on the basis of their faith. How would you respond to these folks?
I agree with them regarding those who have come to trust in Christ, with regards to the issue of justification. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Rom 10:11 And thus such a judgement has already been finalized upon come to faith in Christ, as Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" John 5:24 Such people have been saved by faith apart from issues of performance. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:8,9

For those who have not come to trust in Christ, including those who trust in their own works to save them, such will be judged by their works and found wanting. But there is also another judgment for the righteous, that of rewards for services rendered, where God erases the history of one's sins and rewards the righteous upon what is left (1Cor 3:11-15). As the passage indicates, that isn't about salvation, but rather rewards above and beyond salvation.
 
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ViaCrucis

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Sadly, these can be slippery words. Catholics would say the same thing, but they do not believe that this is an imputed righteousness. Rather, they believe that Jesus' righteousness is infused into their souls. Could you clarify your meaning?

I'm a Lutheran. Imputed righteousness is kind of a big deal for us.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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Tree of Life

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I agree with them regarding those who have come to trust in Christ, with regards to the issue of justification. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Rom 10:11 And thus such a judgement has already been finalized upon come to faith in Christ, as Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" John 5:24 Such people have been saved by faith apart from issues of performance. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:8,9


So you would say that "faith" is the basis of God's judgment? How perfect must my faith be in order to be counted righteous?

For those who have not come to trust in Christ, including those who trust in their own works to save them, such will be judged by their works and found wanting. But there is also another judgment for the righteous, that of rewards for services rendered, where God erases the history of one's sins and rewards the righteous upon what is left (1Cor 3:11-15). As the passage indicates, that isn't about salvation, but rather rewards above and beyond salvation.

So we can do stuff that puts God in our debt? He owes us rewards for righteousness above and beyond what's required of us?
 
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I am judged righteous because Christ obeyed the Law, am I not?

Yes. And I don't. So under the Law I am a condemned sinner.

Simul iustus et peccator.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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So you would say that "faith" is the basis of God's judgment? How perfect must my faith be in order to be counted righteous?
Rom 4:4,5 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Thus one must completely abandon one's trust in themselves and their own works to save them and fully trust in Christ to save them.

So we can do stuff that puts God in our debt? He owes us rewards for righteousness above and beyond what's required of us?
Required for what? God owes us nothing. The rewards he gives us for services rendered are given graciously and not out of debt.
 
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Rom 4:4,5 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Thus one must completely abandon one's trust in themselves and their own works to save them and fully trust in Christ to save them.

Wow. How can we ever be sure that we have completely abandoned confidence in our own works and that we fully, 100% trust in Christ?

Do you believe that your faith in Christ is always 100%?

Required for what? God owes us nothing. The rewards he gives us for services rendered are given graciously and not out of debt.

The language of reward sounded meritorious. Thanks for clearing that up.
 
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Wow. How can we ever be sure that we have completely abandoned confidence in our own works and that we fully, 100% trust in Christ?

The same way that an actual slave would make a full submission in his heart to his master....and all of a sudden, there is no longer enmity between slave and master.

When we have fully abandoned self, that's when prayers are answered and we can expect to receive from God, so if we have submitted, God will make Himself known to you. So if he has made Himself obviously known to you, then you [know] that you are His child. Completely denying one's self has an emotional feeling that comes with it that only one whom has fully submitted to Christ Alone can describe. You'll know it when you fully submit to Christ, letting go of everything, considering it all rubbish compared to the raw Power of Christ. All rituals or any work that you could possibly do is rubbish if we have not truly given Jesus our full heart.
 
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The same way that an actual slave would make a full submission in his heart to his master....and all of a sudden, there is no longer enmity between slave and master.

When we have fully abandoned self, that's when prayers are answered and we can expect to receive from God, so if we have submitted, God will make Himself known to you. So if he has made Himself obviously known to you, then you [know] that you are His child. Completely denying one's self has an emotional feeling that comes with it that only one whom has fully submitted to Christ Alone can describe. You'll know it when you fully submit to Christ, letting go of everything, considering it all rubbish compared to the raw Power of Christ. All rituals or any work that you could possibly do is rubbish if we have not truly given Jesus our full heart.

So you base your confidence on a feeling?
 
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