…because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead. (Acts 17:31 ESV)
Justice
Attempting to garden is frustrating for me. When I see a problem in the garden, and apply a remedy, I somehow expect the solution to work almost instantly.
Perhaps some of us have the same frustration with justice in the world. We see unrighteousness increasing in society and we desire to have it stomped out NOW. And it is frustrating when we see more and more unrighteousness, instead of less and less unrighteousness.
Jesus was Resurrected to give assurance, though, that Justice will happen… and in fact, IS happening.
The resurrection assures us that judgment is coming. The One who understands righteousness more than any other, because He accepted all the unrighteousness of His people on His scourged back is the perfect judge. But He could not judge in any way at all if He remained in the tomb.
And that judgement, when applied to rebellious mankind, drives us to the only hope we have. Judge Jesus Himself, alive and gracious, will absolutely stomp out all unrighteousness. Either by taking unrighteousness onto Himself, or by finishing the threat of death made to Adam, as the result of sin. But HE does it. HE accomplishes it. HE completes the sentence.
And that judgement, when applied to His people, is covered with grace, peace, and hope. Because whatever that Living Judge deems us guilty of, He has already paid the penalty that He imposed generations ago… prescribing death as the just dessert of every sin.
The ONLY difference between how Judge Jesus deals with the sin of His people, and the sin of those not His people, is Himself. All of us deserve condemnation. But clinging to Him, loving Him, following Him, changes the judgement itself.
Because the Resurrected Lord is applying judgement to Himself, instead of us.
That is wonderfully sobering, yes?