Jesus, the Coming Judge

“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” – Matthew 24:44. Jesus made several things clear through his teachings: judgment is real, we will all give an account, and he is the judge. Your view about how the world will end directly affects how you live on earth today. God’s judgment satisfies our need for justice in the world—but we must be careful not to separate it from another part of God’s character: his grace. Jesus is the risen the judge—and forgiver. The heart of the gospel is the supreme truth that God accepts us with no conditions when we put our trust in Jesus. As N. T Wright puts it, “In the word of the risen Jesus, we find judgment and forgiveness coming home at the deepest and most personal level.” In the end, everyone will come face-to-face with God. The only question is whether we face him alone, or covered by grace alone.