1 Peter 1:17-21
The idea of judgement carries a lot of weight for us. In today’s world, we feel judged constantly – for what kind of mother people think we are, how our boss perceives our performance at work, what our words online may or may not mean. Judgement carries the burden of other people’s qualification of who we are, the kind of person we are. What’s frustrating, of course, is that other people judge us unfairly and even incorrectly with alarming frequency, and we often have no control over that whatsoever.
When the Bible speaks of judgement, though, we can be assured that our judge will judge us with full knowledge and understanding of who we really are. Peter even speaks of the Father judging impartially, without favoritism for any single individual or any group (1:17). Of course, that’s also overwhelming and perhaps almost terrifying to consider.
And this judgement, of course, isn’t merely to decide what the judge thinks about us, it’s to determine the condition of our eternal existence. This judgement carries weight, the weight of eternity. And it is inevitable, inescapable.
I know with certainty that my judgement should be an awfully fearful thing. The Father’s judgement will be decided according to one’s deeds (1:17), and I know that my deeds will never measure up to the standard set by my holy God (1:16). I will never be good enough to achieve the perfection of righteousness demanded, to be without sin and its consequences. His authority in my life and his absolute standard of perfection motivates both a respectful fear of the Lord and a desire to pursue holy living.
And yet I know, no matter how I try, I won’t be able to actually live perfectly holy.
Yet there is good news. I have a ransom in Jesus Christ (1:18), who paid the penalty of my sin so at judgement I will receive the inheritance of eternal life.
In this judgement, though, our every deed and thought will be made known (1 Cor. 4:5). After all, how does God judge man’s deeds without a thorough inventory of them? The Lord will review them all, and I will have to endure seeing the quality of my every action, every word, every thought contrasted against true righteousness.
Even in that time of reckoning, though, my Jesus comes through. Every action, word, and thought is covered. Every sin has been forgiven thanks to the work of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Even in that moment of judgement, I will be praising the Lord for his full and complete forgiveness and redemption. Even at judgement we will have the chance to marvel at the incredible work of our Jesus, the God of our salvation.
Jesus’ blood, more precious than silver or gold, paid the ransom (1:18) and the penalty (1:19) for our sin. His sinless offering, like a lamb without blemish or spot (1:19), offered to God on our behalf, cleansed us of all unrighteousness and will allow us to stand at judgement unafraid of the outcome. This was the plan the Father hatched before the foundation of the world (1:20), before mankind was formed and before the first sin, in order to rescue us unto himself, because he has always been coming for us, pursuing us, wooing us unto himself – him our rescuer, our redeemer and us his beloved.
Our faith and our hope are in God (1:21), because our deeds will never be enough.
Lord, when we stand before you at judgement, we will count on you and not ourselves. We know your work of salvation is enough. We know that we will never do enough or be enough on our own. And yet you made the way for us. You came for us with a banner of love and an offer of eternity. You call us your own and give us your name. You are not just enough, Lord, you are abundantly, immeasurably more than we could ever have dreamed. You are worthy of all of us, all our faith all our hope, and all our love. Amen.
