Moral Application: Final Judgment

As I have said in my last blog post, I'm doing a reading on eschatology right now. Detailed doctrine was not my forte from the start, i'm a more application searching. What good is it to know everything there is to know, but it made no impact on our life? =). But to have a solid ground on things you need to have a solid knowledge on the doctrine too.. (Am I starting to sound strange? lol..)

Anyway, the reading today is on "The Final Judgement and Eternal Punishment". What I want to share here is just a minor quote from the text on the moral application when we know that God will be the judge in the final days.

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The doctrine of final judgment enables us to forgive others freely
We realize that it is not up to us to take revenge on others who have wronged us, or even to want to do so, because God has reserved that right for himself. "Beloved, never avange yourself, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord' " (Rom. 12:19). In this way, whenever we have been wronged we can give into God's hands any desire to harm or pay back the person who has wronged us, knowing that every wrong in the universe will ultimately be paid for - either it will turn out to have been paid by Christ when he died on the cross (if the wrongdoer becomes a Christian), or it will be paid for at the fnal judgment (for those who do not trust in Christ for salvation). But in either case, we can give the situation into God's hands and then pray that the wrongdoer will trust Christ for salvation and thereby receive forgiveness of his or her sins. This thought should keep us from harboring bitterness or resentment in our hearts for injustices we have suffered that have not been made right: God is just, and we can leave these situations in his hands, knowing that he will someday right all wrongs and give absolutely fair rewards and punishments. In this way, we are following the example of Christ, who "when he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered he did not threatenl but he trusted to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:22-23). He also prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34; cf. Acts 7:60, where Stephen followed Jesus' example in praying dor those who put him to death)

- Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrine, pp. 458

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This excerpts has been a blessing to me. And I think it could bring a great blessing to you as well =)

Let there be light!