Monday, November 27, 2017
576 - Sweatin' the Details
Spirituality Column #576
November 28, 2017
Common Christianity / Uncommon
Commentary
Sweatin’ the Details
By Bob Walters
“There is nothing
concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” –
Jesus speaking to the Disciples, Luke 12:2
Bible-reading
Christians are well aware that God’s judgment awaits each of us in the land
beyond death.
And it won’t be like some private
conversation in the principal’s office discussing a classroom indiscretion,
with a follow-up note going home to Mom and Dad. Far scarier than that, from God’s judgment
seat our entire life’s detailed list of willful activities is broadcast point-by-point
on the open airwaves; all of our good deeds and all our bad deeds will be
revealed to everybody. Good deeds?
Great! Bad deeds? Uh-oh.
Exactly how this judgment seat drill
all plays out, and when, and with what effect – Heaven or Hell? – is not
something I can begin to understand. But
I do know that shining the bright light of heavenly truth into the litany of my
own life’s darkest moments and decisions isn’t going to come close to being
overshadowed by some meager listing of the things I got right. Shame will run rampant over pride; it always
does.
The Bible is consistent in its insistence
that “all will be known” in the end. And
by the variety of Bible verses on the topic, it seems likely that not only will
everything be known – good and bad – about each one of us, but that everything
will be known about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as well. That’s going to be very, very interesting.
Luke 12:2 listed above seems more
likely to refer to this second scenario of the revelation of the truth of Jesus
and of his grace and ministry of salvation.
This and similar verses (Luke 8:17, Matthew 10:26-33, and Mark 4:22) appear
to be more about the lampstand of Christ’s light overcoming, specifically, the
darkness of the Pharisees’ unbelief, but in the long-run this includes all
non-believers. Jesus is telling those
near him not to fear the Pharisees, because His own truth which includes Heaven,
grace, love, and mercy will ultimately win out.
Then there are the verses where
Paul variously describes the judgment seat (as in 2 Corinthians 5:10, 1
Corinthians 4:5, and Roman’s 2:16) plus John’s prophecy in Revelation
20:11-12. On that seat the privacy that
comforts, cushions, and hides our earthly transgressions will be stripped
away. Excuses, at that point, are null
and void.
Today’s culture, academia, politics,
and news media offer an impossible-to-pin-down daily mosaic of shameless
conventions and shaming accusations. Over
here, these God-denying, humanity-nullifying abominations are perfectly
OK. But over there, God-fearing,
life-affirming, scriptural truth is not.
Worldly pride and shame vacillate.
On that subject of this life’s
pride and shame, it recently occurred to me that they really won’t be an issue
for believers on the judgment seat and beyond.
Why? Well, three reasons. First, our sins are covered by Jesus; the
principal’s door remains shut and no note goes home. Second but more importantly, our faith and
trust in Jesus assure us of His mercy.
And third, minus our pride and shame, we too – finally – will be as
merciful as Jesus.
Those are details to celebrate, not to fear.
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