We all expect judges to judge. Police to pull over the speeding driver. The parent to reign in an unruly child. Today Tonight to find the shonky wedding planner who has ruined the bride's big day. But allow God to judge? That's wrong. God is a god of love...God would never judge anyone...
But if Today Tonight can judge...surely God can. Have you ever told someone "Go to hell!"? So, you can judge but not God?
God's judgment therefore is not something to shy away from or be embarrassed about. Rather it is good news and light in a dark world. One day judgment will fall and all wicked, evil and injustices will be overthrown. All that is wrong will be made right. Isn't that welcoming good news?
And so when we come to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah we can see God's justice at work. And you'll notice two things. Firstly, God is slow to anger...
Genesis 18:20, 21 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
God does not fly off the handle. Unlike the parent who lashes out or the teenager who talks before they think God's judgment is informed and reasoned.
Which raises the question why? Why not flick the city off the map? Because judgment is never God's final word. Grace is...
Genesis 18:32 Abraham said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" The Lord answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."
For the sake of ten "good" people God is willing to spare a city full of ratbags. A city that gave a damn about no-one (Genesis 13:13; Ezekiel 16:49). God is willing to show grace to anyone who would turn and receive it.
So Lot accepts God's grace...but only just (19:16). He really didn't want to let go of the world. Lot's future sons-in-law laughed in the face of grace and knocked it back (19:14). And though Mrs Lot was staring grace in the face she sadly turned her back on it (19:26). And so only a few escaped the judgment that fell.
It'd be tempting to think that I'm not like that...and that God would never judge me. I've received God's grace so I'm okay. But listen to Peter...
1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Judgment begins with the Church. It begins with the person holding the placard "God hates fags". It begins with the minister decrying corrupt governments. It begins with the Church goer bemoaning the teenage hooligans in her street. Judgment begins with us and so what sort of people ought we to be?
We are to live a life that reflects the grace that has been shown to me. We must not be like Lot hesitating with the good news, happy to have one foot in the kingdom and the other in the world. And we need to take the good news out into the world...
2 Peter 3:9 God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance
God is still slooow to anger. God still holds out grace. And one day God will judge. All that is wrong will be made right. But judgment is never God's final word - grace is. Therefore let us live out the grace that has been shown to us. Let us live in light of that great day.
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