Talking about the final judgment isn’t popular in many churches. It tends to “quench the Spirit” or “dampen the fire,” so to speak. Essentially, the topic is a killjoy. But need it be so? When someone wrongs us, do we not want justice? Clearly this is natural in all of us, or else Paul wouldn’t have had to write, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Rom 12:19).
In his new book, The Goodness and Justice of God, Tom Schreiner—Professor of New Testament Interpretation and associate dean of the School of Theology at SBTS—offers a concise look at the topic of God’s goodness and justice at the final judgment. While judgment pervades both the Old and New Testaments, Schreiner briefly surveys the Old and spends the lion’s share of the book in the New Testament. This is done to keep the book brief. He writes this book because there just aren’t many books written on this theme (ix). As well, many people in the world “reject the notion of a last judgment,” which makes the Christian gospel seem even more bizarre (x). As Schreiner notes, “People aren’t inclined to turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and to escape wrath since they don’t think their sins warrant punishment” (x).
The Old Testament (ch 1) reveals to us that God is holy—consecrated and separate. He is morally pure and good. He both willingly forgives and is the avenger of wrongdoings (Ps 99:8). Schreiner writes, “God’s holiness is such that sin either must be forgiven or avenged; it can’t be left alone because sin defaces, deforms, and destroys” (6). The Lord is also righteous.
Deuteronomy 32:4 says,
The Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he.
Schreiner points to God’s righteous character for the basis of his judgments. If God’s character is faithful and righteous, so will his judgments be. God doesn’t judge because he delights in evil, but because he is pure and unstained. He is righteous and “he loves righteous deeds” (Ps. 11:7). While there is a lot of overlap with with word “righteousness,” God is also just—meaning he is “fair, equitable, and good” (12). God is inherently just, and the psalmist proclaims, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne” (Ps 89:14).
In chapter two Schreiner looks at the problem which makes God’s justice necessary—sin. Sin defaces what God has made and declared beautiful. We are corrupted and defiled by sin. It bends us inward, loving ourselves and harming others. But we are also harmed by others. We too are sinned against. Sin is treachery. We abandon the holy, good, faithful, and just God who both made us and loves us.
Chapters three–five survey the Gospels (3), the NT epistles (4), and Revelation (5) for God’s judgment. At certain points in the Gospels Jesus says that there will be certain people he will not know at the final judgment. For example, he won’t “know” the the five foolish virgins (Matt 25:12), those whose lives are characterized by evil (Lk 13:22–27) and who live lawlessly, even though they cast out demons and prophesy in Jesus’ name (Matt 7:21–23). As Schreiner points out, trees are “known” by their fruit (Lk 6:44), and “judgment coheres with reality, with the way things really are, with the true character and being of a person. The judgment isn’t unfair or vindictive but recognizes human beings for what they truly are or, perhaps better, what they have truly become” (42).
In fact, God’s judgment against the wicked is a “righteous judgment” (2 Thess 1:5). Paul writes that “it is ‘just’ (dikaion, 1:6) for God to repay those who mistreat believers” (64). According to the way Paul sees things, it would be unjust and unfair for unbelievers to afflict believers if God then stood back and did nothing. So on the final day “vengeance” will be given to those who mistreated believers and who refused to submit to the gospel of Jesus (2 Thess 1:7–8). The punishment here will be eternal destruction “so that they are re- moved from the Lord’s gracious presence and from his glorious might (2 Thess. 1:9)” (64).
Without giving too much away, chapter six shows how the final judgment should impact both believers and unbelievers now in this life. Believers should not merely say they have “faith alone” (though it is faith that saves us), but that the fruit of their belief is shown in their actions and lifestyle. We should seek to do what is just and right! We ought to persevere to the end and cling to Christ through suffering and temptations to walk away.
We have seen in this chapter that the final judgment plays a role in the lives of both believers and unbelievers. Unbelievers should turn and repent to the one God who is true, loving, and good. The approaching day summons Christians to live godly lives, to give themselves to that which is good and right and true. At the same time, the judgment to come provokes believers to persevere. When Christians are suffering, the temptation arises to compromise, to surrender the faith, to return to one’s former life. The desire for relief from pain and opposition may feel overwhelm- ing. Still, believers are reminded that endurance makes a difference, that perseverance is a matter of life and death. If believers turn away from Christ, they will join the ungodly and face final judgment, which will inflict a pain far greater than anything they are experiencing now. Chapter seven reminds us that God’s justice is satisfied in the atoning death of Jesus. He is the one who did ascend the mountain of the Lord and who could stand in his holy place. He was one with clean hands and a pure heart who gave himself for us.
Recommended?
This is a sorely needed book. Many Christians (myself included!) don’t have a good handle on the final judgment. It’s going to happen, but what will it be like? I stand in Christ’s righteousness, but what of all the wrong I still do? Schreiner reminds us that our works now give evidence that we trust in Christ for our salvation, but we are saved by believing in him and all he has done for us and through the forgiveness of our sins. If it weren’t for his forgiveness and righteousness we could not be vindicated on that last day. Praise God for his glorious work in our lives. Let us seek to follow him and be faithful in all that we do.
Lagniappe
- Author: Tom Schreiner
- Hardcover: 160 pages
- Publisher: Crossway (May 21, 2024)
- Read the Introduction + Chapter 1
Buy it from Amazon or Crossway!
Review Disclosure: I received this book free from Crossway. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
spoiledmilks 