Assurance of Righteous Judgment

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

— Acts 17:31

On our calendars this weekend are the holidays set aside as “Good Friday” and “Easter”. While much controversy is made over the correct names, dates, and days of the week for the exact time when Christ died for our sins, was buried, and arose from the dead on the third day, it is of far greater importance what this historical event accomplished.

As believers in God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and proclaimers of Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead, this blessed message is the fountainhead of our Gospel.

1 Corinthians 1:18, 22–25 — “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. … For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is our boast and glory and the only boast that God wants from us as the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 6:14:

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

But, Jesus Christ did not remain on the cross, nor is He still in the grave, thus His resurrection from the dead is our justification (Romans 4:25) — the pledge of a coming harvest for those who are in Christ — and our hope (1 Corinthians 15:23).

“Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming”.

His resurrection — our receipt — ensures the promise of eternal life to us who are in Christ:

Titus 1:2 — “In hope of eternal life, which God, THAT CANNOT LIE, promised before the world began…”

2 Timothy 1:1, 9–10 — “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, … Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…”

But this message of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is a promise from God to the whole wide world, and another promise to the whole world as well because the world in its knowledge did not want to regard God, so God gave them all over to the reprobate mind. We see this all around us and wonder how people can be such fools, but it is just as God has said:

Romans 1:22 — “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools…”

Who can argue that we are not seeing this again even now in our own lifetime, right in front of us. But God has a message to the worldly wise of our time even as He did to the Athenians who the Apostle Paul came in contact with:

Acts 17:24–31 — “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; BUT NOW COMMANDETH ALL MEN EVERY WHERE TO REPENT: BECAUSE HE HATH APPOINTED A DAY, IN THE WHICH HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY THAT MAN WHOM HE HATH ORDAINED; WHEREOF HE HATH GIVEN ASSURANCE UNTO ALL MEN, IN THAT HE HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD.”

The message of the resurrection is twofold here to the unsaved. It proclaims the promise of life IN CHRIST JESUS if they will but believe; but it also proclaims the sureness of the coming day of judgment if they refuse.

There is coming a day when every knee shall bow at the Name of Jesus Christ and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10 – 11). This will include all in heaven, all in earth, and all things under the earth. All will acknowledge this fact and be subdued by it. But not all will be saved by it!

 “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

That will be the day of judgment! How blessed we are to know Him now as Savior, and having believed on Him we have received the gracious gift of God’s own righteousness.

How sad that those who refuse the gracious Lord in this day of His grace will meet the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ as their judge. They will not escape because they are yet in their sins, having heard the wonderful gospel but laughed, scoffed, and ridiculed. Even those who did not laugh or scoff, but just put the decision on the shelf for a later date will stand condemned. The truth is there for them, having been proclaimed to the whole world. It was just not urgent enough for them, in their own mind, to give God that time to consider His message to them and to obey His command to believe it. They are all without excuse, and they will be judged without partiality.

The message is plain: You are a sinner, and you need a savior. Jesus Christ is Lord, and He is also the only Savior. Christ died for your sins and He rose from the dead victorious over sin, death and Hell. He now calls, even commands, all men everywhere to believe on Him, and Him alone, for salvation because He alone died for your sins, defeated death, and arose from the dead victorious thus proving His victory. If you reject, whether actively refusing His gospel of grace or simply putting it on the shelf to think about later, you are rebelling against the righteous Judge. If you continue to reject His grace you have no assurance that you will have any other opportunity to believe His Word. Death can come suddenly and unexpectedly. This day of salvation may come to an end at any moment. Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead! Believe that message and be saved today. Tomorrow is not a promise, but eternal life in Christ Jesus is a promise to all who believe in Jesus Christ and His finished, perfect, and completed work on Calvary!

“BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED” — Acts 16:31