This past weekend I was blessed to attend the Grace Ambassadors seminar on the Judgment of God. Like-minded fellowship is always a tremendous comfort and encouragement, and this weekend was no exception.
Remembering Curt Johnson
Before I share some reflections from the seminar, I would be remiss if I didn’t say a few words about a dear brother who graduated to glory over the weekend. Curt Johnson, the father of Justin and Jeremey Johnson who lead the Grace Ambassadors ministry, went to be with the Lord this past Saturday.
I knew Curt for eight years and he was the epitome of a faithful workman. He wasn’t one to complain. He simply rolled up his sleeves and helped any way he could: ministering truth and love to the saints, evangelizing the lost, and fixing seemingly anything that was broken. He was always serving others, and he was often the one behind the scenes you didn’t realize was making things happen in the ministry.
Deaths and births have a way of reorienting us around the brevity and importance of life. But in Christ, what is sorrowful turns into hope. We do not sorrow as those who have no hope, because we have a sure hope of resurrection, of being with Christ, and of seeing Curt again.
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
We are overjoyed that his light affliction has now given way to an exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2Co 4:16-18). His loss is deeply painful, but we glory in his gain, and we glory in the fact that in Christ we have victory over death by His grace (1Co 15:55-57). For the believer, death is not goodbye. It is merely a “see you later.”
Reflections on the Judgment of God
If you missed the seminar, you can watch it here.
The sessions were deeply convicting for the work of the ministry. They covered a multitude of topics like God’s righteous judgment of sin, exercising proper judgment in our day-to-day lives according to God’s truth, and the reality that the works we perform as members of the Body of Christ will still be judged, among others.
Many Christians treat judgment as a dirty or mean word. That usually comes from not understanding what it really is or how important it is: for the gospel, for our service to the Lord, and for God to make all things right.
Our salvation is already accomplished by faith in the gospel of Christ. It is a free gift, and our sin was already judged by the cross. Even so, our works still matter, and we will all give an account to God.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” - 2 Corinthians 5:10
That is a sobering and glorious thought, and it should motivate us not to waste our lives. Ultimately, our lives are not our own. They belong to Christ, who bought us with the price of His precious blood (1 Co 6:19-20, Acts 20:28).
Don’t Squander God’s Grace
God is perfectly just and holy, and we should glory in His judgment. Praise God that He is dispensing His grace to a world of unworthy sinners! That free grace, however, is no excuse to stop serving the Lord. God’s grace and love, properly understood, don’t teach us to live for ourselves but for Christ who died for us.
“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
That incredible love of Christ should constrain us, not make us lazy or apathetic in our walks. If you feel that way, you need to know it better and internalize the riches of God's goodness, which lead us to repentance. Don’t waste God’s grace. Use it to share the same salvation with a lost world that will one day face the Lord in judgment. Use it to share the truth of God with other Christians, because that edifying work has eternal value (1 Corinthians 3:11–14).
It reminds me of a song that says:
Oh, it would be a tragedy
To live my whole life and spend all your free grace
Take your forgiveness
But not give you much of my heart
Don't let me forget that you are a person
You're not just my plan to get into heaven
Don’t squander God’s grace. Soften your heart to it, walk by faith in Christ, and do the work that God has purposed for us to do (Eph 2:10). There are souls that need saving and saints that need edifying, and those are the only things that last.
