A NEW START. When we make mistakes and do things that are wrong, it’s natural to feel guilty or ashamed. But God, who is both fair, merciful, and just offers us forgiveness and a chance to start fresh.  

In this series of videos, we look at God’s Judgement as good news in the context of the times in which we are living. As we consider His judgment, we must remember that our orders for the present day are centered in the three angels’ messages of Revelation chapter 14.

These messages make up the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ and are the present truth for our time. Therefore, in this series, we are studying the messages surrounding the three angels of Revelations 14 and their relevance to the gospel (the Good News) for the times in which we are living.

If you want to review any of our previous videos, you can find them at SabbathSchoolDaily.com. Additionally, you can obtain the study guide for these lessons at Sabbath.School or ssnet.org.

Inviting God’s Presence

Heavenly Father, forgive us of our sins and give us a new start in Jesus Christ.  Amen

The cross and the work God does as a Judge indicate that God is both just and merciful.

Being just has to do with fairness and impartiality. It is acting in accordance with what is right or lawful. Justice ensures that all are treated fairly and receive what is rightfully deserved based on their actions or circumstances.

In contrast, mercy relates to showing compassion and forgiveness towards those who may have done wrong. Showing Mercy involves alleviating suffering, extending kindness, and forgiveness even when it may not be deserved.

We, humans, have sinned. We have broken God’s law. We have earned the wages of death. The wage for breaking God’s law of love is death.

Paul in Romans 6:23 lets us know that as sinners, justice demands that we must die. But God, who is full of grace and mercy, offers us in the place of the wages of death the gift of eternal life through his son.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23).

While we were still sinners, Jesus sacrifices his life on the cross to save us from the penalty of death. He offers us the gift of eternal life. The law of justice demands that we must die. God’s law is unchangeable. If God could change His law, then Jesus would not have had to die. Jesus’ death on the cross is evidence that God’s law cannot be changed.

If God offers us the gift of eternal life, then why is it necessary for us to be judged?

The judgment provides the evidence necessary to indicate who, in fact, has accepted the gift that God has extended to every sinner.

You see when a gift is offered, it must be freely accepted. It is our choice. We have the choice to accept or reject it.

How, then, will all the universe know if we accepted or rejected the gift?

Revelation 20:12 gives us the answer.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (Revelation 20:12)

Revelations 20:12 makes it clear that there is a connection between our good behavior and our being saved.

Our behavior shows our choices. Our behavior also indicates where our loyalty lies.  Are you loyal to God, or are you loyal to Satan? Your loyalty is demonstrated by your behavior and by the way you live your life. (Split)

Though Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9 says:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

He does not stop there; he continues in Ephesians 2:10, saying:

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10).

In other words, when Christ saves us, he gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to do good works.

But our good behavior doesn’t save us. Our good works are evidence that we have accepted God’s gift of grace.

Our behavior, empowered by the Holy Spirit, shows that our faith in Jesus is genuine. Again, our good works do not save us. Jesus saves us. But to be saved, we must extend our hand and accept the gift.

Thus, God’s work as Judge will reveal to everyone in the entire universe what is in our hearts. It lets us all know whether we accepted God’s gift of love or not.

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5 talks about the relationship between the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus and his work to save us, and the work of God as our Judge:

““the people of God are represented as standing before the Lord in filthy garments. This knowledge should lead to humility and deep searching of heart on the part of all who profess His name. Those who are indeed purifying their souls by obeying the truth will have a most humble opinion of themselves. The more closely they view the spotless character of Christ, the stronger will be their desire to be conformed to His image, and the less will they see of purity or holiness in themselves. But while we should realize our sinful condition, we are to rely upon Christ as our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption.

We cannot answer the charges of Satan against us. Christ alone can make an effectual plea on our behalf. He is able to silence the accuser with arguments founded not upon our merits, but on His own.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 471, 472.

God’s work in the final judgment is designed to reveal the truth about us.  The judgment removes all our false and insincere behaviors, and it uncovers our true nature, which includes our thoughts, intentions, and actions, which may be hidden or covered by our outward appearance.

In lieu of the Judgment, the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, the focus is on the closing scene in the battle between good and evil. (Split)

The Book of Daniel in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation in the New Testament are closely connected.  How are they connected? How is the Book of Daniel relevant today, and how is it related to the judgment?

Find out in the next Video: Day 4: A Magnificent Scene

Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church

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Houston, TX 77088

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