The Madness of the Christian Faith
by Pastor Samuel Nesan
The sermon today was about the Christian faith that may seem foolish or insane to the world, but to us believers it is the most wonderful news and reality in our lives.
We have the assurance of salvation, we have the groaning for eternity and the hope of God's judgment. These may not sound spectacular at all but with deeper thought, these are the very things that a person need.
pearlie
"the hope of God's judgment"
ReplyDeleteHave not heard that phrase before Pearlie. Can you elaborate a bit more on it?
2 Corinthians 5:
ReplyDelete9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (NIV)
The verse above was part of the sermon text. The phrase "make it our goal" implies it was something Paul was preparing and hoping for. The opposite of this would be the dread and fear demonstrated by the Athenians in the Aereopagus when Paul mentioned the ressurection (Acts 17). So why does Paul seem to be looking forward to this judgment? Notice he is speaking of preparing for it as opposed to trying to avoid it. This means it is a judgment of reward and not of condemnation. In many places Paul speaks of the rewards awaiting those who please God in this life. So while secular logic would have us try to do good to avoid bad karma or hell, Paul speaks of pleading God not as a means of avoiding judgment (negative) but as a means og obtaining the rewards that have been prepared for those who please God (positive). This seems like madness to many who try to do just enough to avoid hell, while we are told to do as much as possible to obtain rewards at that judgment. Hence "The Hope of Judgment". Hope this helps.
Thanks Pastor Samuel.
ReplyDeleteKB, in have asked pastor to reply your question as I think he'd be the the best person to explain what it means. What do. you think?