Is God Your Judge or Justifier?

[Keeping Alert]

God as Judge, we read

Psalm 130:3 If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

God as Justifier, we read

Romans 8:33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

Is God Your Judge or Justifier?

If we look to God as a fearsome Judge, who will seek out all the hidden and not so hidden sins, be sure to know that we will not stand.

But if we look to God as our Justifier, who can condemn us?

[Keeping Alert]

Many Christians first having known God as their Justifier through Jesus Christ somehow enter into a thinking that God becomes their Judge of their "Christian Life"... Leaving their first faith that God is the Justifier of their Souls... Forgetting that For by One Offering he has perfected FOR EVER them that are sanctified... And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 10:14,17)

Cast not away therefore your confidence (Hebrews 10:35)... (How shall anyone have confidence if you think of God still as your judge)

Now the just shall live by faith... We are of them that believe to the saving of the soul (Hebrews 10:38,39)... For we believe that God is our Justifier... Not of anything we have done... Thus our unshakable confidence

Do not draw back from this faith, for God will have no pleasure in him (Hebrews 10:38)

Make up our minds brothers and sisters in Christ.. Choose God as your Justifier... For only that will give him pleasure!

[Mark F]

I would think that we must first recognize that it is God who will punish the unbeliever, before we trust Him to do as His word promises in justification and salvation, He indeed has made a judgment against us and will pursue us with vengeance as His intent, we therefore must surrender and seek mercy.

Now God is my Just Judge and Justifier, not in respect to sin but in replace to mercy and grace. (my actions don't make Him a just judge or justifier His treatment of me changes that in respect to my surrender)

Hopefully that makes sense.

[Exit40]

Mark F, yes indeedy ! The tendency of the flesh is to make God into someone He is not, so 'making' Him our justifier by choosing Him would be the way the flesh could interpret that. Remembering we do not choose Him as we are incapable of that. Rather it is He who chooses us.

God Bless You

David

[Keeping Alert]

What I am basically saying is that once we have accepted Christ as our saviour, we have passed from death to life, we have been made a new creation and even children of God whereby we call God Abba Father. We are no longer appointed to wrath.

All these are made possible because we are in Christ. God has no pleasure in Judging us anymore because that has been done for on the cross. I would say that there are many Christians who walk around feeling very condemned because they feel they have not lived up to God's standard often namely based on the Ten Commandments. That would grieve the heart of the Father IMO, because His Son came to die to justify us and not to condemn us.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Understanding this is crucial to worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth. We worship God because we love him (Spirit) and because he has justified us once and for all (Truth). It would grieve his heart if we worship him in fear or in a spirit of condemnation thinking that we are continually being judged as unworthy Christians or Children of God. He wants us to Boldly Appoach His Throne of Grace... (Hebrews 10)

[Abiding in His Word]

I would say that there are many Christians who walk around feeling very condemned because they feel they have not lived up to God's standard often namely based on the Ten Commandments.

Much as I hate to say it, I think this type of guilt and condemnation is perpetuated from many pulpits.

It would grieve his heart if we worship him in fear or in a spirit of condemnation thinking that we are continually being judged as unworthy Christians or Children of God.

This fear and condemnation is a "me" focused gospel, whereas...

He wants us to Boldly Appoach His Throne of Grace... (Hebrews 10)

...this is a "Him" focused gospel!

Good thoughts, Keeping Alert, and I couldn't agree more. We can wear a garment of praise rather than having a spirit of heaviness.... (Isaiah 61.3)

[Mark F]

What I am basically saying is that once we have accepted Christ as our saviour, we have passed from death to life, we have been made a new creation and even children of God whereby we call God Abba Father. We are no longer appointed to wrath.

All these are made possible because we are in Christ. God has no pleasure in Judging us anymore because that has been done for on the cross. I would say that there are many Christians who walk around feeling very condemned because they feel they have not lived up to God's standard often namely based on the Ten Commandments. That would grieve the heart of the Father IMO, because His Son came to die to justify us and not to condemn us.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Understanding this is crucial to worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth. We worship God because we love him (Spirit) and because he has justified us once and for all (Truth). It would grieve his heart if we worship him in fear or in a spirit of condemnation thinking that we are continually being judged as unworthy Christians or Children of God. He wants us to Boldly Appoach His Throne of Grace... (Hebrews 10)

Yup I agree, great points, and I think many live less than they could because they fail to recognize these facts.

[shorttribber]

I agree KA, Abiding and mark F