Loving the Scriptures January 19, 2026 Issue

Judgment

In early Scripture, the concept of judgment is closely tied to justice. What is just and right in human affairs is based on the nature of God as Judge over all His creation. Deuteronomy 32:4 has, “All his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” Where pagan deities are viewed as fickle and unpredictable, God is known to be unvarying and reliable in His righteous judgment.

Israelites strove to pattern their behavior after the divine model. The prophet Micah counseled, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8). Yet Hebrew history included multiple lapses from faithfulness to God, and God was believed to bring punishment in retribution for these failings.

With the advent of Christ Jesus, judgment was defined as the ability to see beyond outward appearances to discern spiritual reality. Jesus charged, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Those who commit to this practice experience the justice of divine law and are released from condemnation (see Romans 8:1).

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