Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Mike Caton

John 5:27, And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

Within all this talk of blessings, eternal life, love and so forth, there is a point Jesus does not want us to miss. The Father has also given Jesus the authority to judge. We don’t like to think about judgment, because we don’t like to think about the consequences. We want to think that everyone is going to heaven, because God loves everyone. We don’t want to think about anyone, especially ourselves, being condemned to a Godless eternity, which is what hell is all about. And so, we choose to not think about judgment, hoping it will go away.

But this is a dangerous thing for us to do. There cannot be a heaven without a hell, there cannot be rewards without punishment. And if we were all going to heaven anyway, why would Jesus come to earth to suffer and die? Jesus said the Father has given the Son the authority to judge, so it is not in our hands. And that is a wonderful relief. My job, and yours, is not to decide who gets in and who does not, our job is to tell everyone the truth so that they are prepared.

So, does that mean we have to earn our way to heaven? That in the end we hope for more good marks than bad? Absolutely not! It means we accept the free offer of salvation that only God can give. And it means we live lives that recognize the change that God has performed in our lives. And it means we live our lives to show the love and gratitude that we have for God for providing us this miraculous gift. It means our thankfulness causes us to live lives that honor God. Our lives will and should be different. But it is not to earn our salvation, it is in gratitude of our salvation.

Father, thank you for mercy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works part time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

READ ABOUT COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS HERE.

ALSO OF INTEREST:

Reflections by the Sea: Remembering Mother’s Day

Weekly Devotion – John 5:20