In this insightful episode, we delve into the teachings of Romans chapter 14, exploring the profound implications of mercy and judgment as discussed by Paul. The conversation challenges traditional views of judgment and punishment, bringing to light a narrative where the judgment involves a transformative realization of one’s actions and the overarching mercy of God. We explore how these teachings underscore the importance of loving one’s enemies and extend a powerful message of forgiveness and love that fundamentally redefines the concept of justice.
So we are looking at this verse in Romans chapter 14, where Paul says, well, let’s read verse 10 of chapter 14. Why do you judge your brother, or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, for it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. And as I pointed out last time, this is a quotation from Isaiah chapter 45, where God makes an oath, that will never be revoked, it will never be brought back until it has accomplished its purpose, that before me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall take an oath that in him alone, in the Lord alone, is righteousness and strength. And the New Testament quotes that verse as part of the gospel here in Romans chapter 14 and also in Philippians chapter 2, where it describes everyone bowing before Christ, every tongue, and every tongue confessing that in him alone is their righteousness and strength. Now, I want you to think about that. What does it imply? it implies that the judgment is not going to destroy most of the world in fire and brimstone, but that the fire and brimstone is the confrontation between God and fallen humanity and God in all his glory, where he is going to judge the world for a careless attitude towards its fellow man. When people kill one another, when people harm one another and abuse and take advantage of one another, that comes under judgment. Now, what does that imply? Well, Romans chapter 11, you recall, says this in verse 32, For God has committed them all, that is, not them, the word them doesn’t occur in the Greek, for God has committed all to disobedience, that is, he has imprisoned all in disobedience, that he might have mercy on all. And so the ultimate plan of God is that he will have mercy on the whole human race. People will be aware that they are sinners, that they have fallen short of the glory of God, that they have lost the image of God in them, and they will call upon him for mercy. And so every human being, even the worst of human beings, will receive mercy. Now let us suppose… just for an illustration that somebody in this world, a family man, has had something happen terribly evil to his wife. And she is dead, and they are Christians, they were Christians, it was a Christian family, and they come into the kingdom, and the desire that they had on earth for revenge is the husband just longing for that man to be caught and receive the just punishment, because that was the only way he could settle his grief, longing for revenge for his wife. Let us suppose that they come into the kingdom as Christians because they have believed in Jesus, and they have received, as the judgment shows them, mercy. Great mercy from the Lord. For remember, what is on the throne in the judgment? Who is on the throne? We find in Revelation chapter 5, verse 6, And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb. as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And in verse 13 of that same chapter 5 of Revelation it says, And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever. So what does that tell you? It tells you that at the center of the throne is forgiveness, is mercy. And that mercy that is applied to that man whose wife was lost, that mercy is given to him also, and to his wife and family. Now then, what is the attitude of that one who has received mercy, now a saved man, what is his attitude to the murderer, the killer of his wife? Does he want revenge? No, he wants mercy, because he has received mercy from the Lord, and if mercy is to be understood, or rather if justice is to be understood as the restoration of all things, then restoration more than at any other time in history is going to take place in the judgment, for the resurrection takes place, and that man’s wife is restored to him, and justice has been fulfilled by the mercy of God to all creation. And so this man finds in his heart that he does not want judgment and justice, revenge for his wife’s murderer. He wants that person to receive mercy. And Jesus comes to that man and tells him, I have forgiven your oppressor, I have forgiven your murderer, and I am restoring him to you as your brother. And thus is fulfilled what we see Jesus commanding in the Sermon on the Mount, where he says, you have heard it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For he makes his Son rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” And Luke records that as, “…therefore you shall be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful.” And so it seems that Jesus is saying, you shall be perfect in mercy, as your heavenly Father is perfect in mercy. Now then, if it is true that the Sermon on the Mount calls us to love our enemies, which is the new law of grace in Jesus Christ, then will that not be the principle and the reality in the judgment also? Yes, certainly it will. This is why Paul says, as I have mentioned already in Romans, Why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. What we have here, then, is the reversal of the false Christian idea that those people who have done harm and evil in this world are going to be sent to hell. And there are many Christians who justify their rage against the wicked by wanting them in hell. Yes, we want justice. Yes, we want things to be righted, but they will not be righted by hell. They will be righted by God having mercy upon the whole world. And when one receives mercy, he wants to spread that mercy to someone else. And that is what is going on when God says, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. We do not destroy our brothers. We bring justice to them in this world. Yes, the eye and an eye and a tooth for a tooth is justice, but for this world. The eye, the tooth for a tooth, the eye for an eye principle is to keep the world from going mad and crazy and completely chaotic. It is given by God to keep some relative order in this world. But that law of this world is not the law of the kingdom. The law of the kingdom is the Sermon on the Mount, and the Sermon on the Mount calls for mercy to our brothers and loving our enemies. Now, that doesn’t mean to say that the wicked will not be confronted with torment. Indeed, they will, but it will not be torment from God. It will be torment from their own minds in the presence of God when they realize what they have done. That torment will last until they are ready to receive and accept and call for mercy. But when God gives mercy, he has fulfilled justice. For justice is the restoration of all things. And God restores that man’s wife. What a wonder that is. Joy like walking on water, like walking on air. He is overjoyed for the restoration of his loved ones, and therefore he doesn’t want justice in the earthly sense upon his enemy, for he has received mercy, and he would like that mercy to be upon his enemy too. And that is precisely the purpose of Jesus Christ. So you see what we’re looking at here. We need to take a much more detailed exploration of the gospel. The gospel is that Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice covers all the world. We’ve seen that, you remember, in Romans 5, verse 18. Therefore, as through one man’s offense—that’s Adam’s, of course— As through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man’s righteous act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification in life. The extent of Adam’s sin which affected every human being on the planet with sin and death will be equaled by the extent of Christ’s righteousness which brings life and peace to every person on the planet. That is the plan of God. And so we need to understand that our goal in this world is to love, and to love our brother, and to love our enemy, and to do good to him, and to pour coals upon his head by being merciful to him. And those instances in which that takes place are witnesses to the judgment day, when that will become upon all human beings. Let me tell you that mercy is the shock of all time. Mercy is what the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of the world is all about. We cannot go around parading our anger as Christians wanting judgment upon sinners. We are the people of peace, not a passive, weak, effeminate peace. but rather a peace that is strong and powerful because Christ has atoned for the sins of the world, and even the tyrants of the world will receive that mercy when once they bow in humility before God, recognizing all the evil they have brought upon the world. Once we understand that all people need mercy, then we will be willing to apply it to those who have harmed us. Thank you for joining me, everyone, today. Colin Cook here, and you’ve been listening to my broadcast, How It Happens. You can hear this broadcast any time of the day or night on your smartphone. Simply download a free app, soundcloud.com or podbean.com and key in How It Happens with Colin Cook when you get there. If you would please consider a donation, it’s listener supported radio. It would be so much appreciated. The program is now in its 28th year. 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In this insightful episode, we delve into the teachings of Romans chapter 14, exploring the profound implications of mercy and judgment as discussed by Paul. The conversation challenges traditional views of judgment and punishment, bringing to light a narrative where the judgment involves a transformative realization of one’s actions and the overarching mercy of God. We explore how these teachings underscore the importance of loving one’s enemies and extend a powerful message of forgiveness and love that fundamentally redefines the concept of justice.
