I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work (Eccl. 3:17).
Anyone who reads the Holy Scriptures will see this is a moral universe and that all human beings are accountable to God. The Scripture says, "We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Rom. 14:10), and, "Every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (verse 12). God "hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world" (Acts 17:31). The day is appointed. There is a time in God's plan for every purpose and for every work.
A young minister, after his first service in a new church, was confronted with an able young skeptic, Burt Olney. Onley said to him, "You did well, but I don't believe in the infallibility of the Bible."
" 'It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment' " (Heb. 9:27) was the young preacher's answer.
"I can prove that there is no such thing as judgment after death."
"But men do die," the pastor declared, "for 'it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.' "
"That's no argument. Let's get down to facts and discuss the matter."
The pastor shook his head. "I am here to preach the Word of God."
Onley, annoyed, turned away with the remark "I don't believe you know enough of the Bible to argue about it."
"Perhaps you are right" was the calm rejoinder. "But please remember, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.' "
Those words rang in Onley's mind far into the night--"Judgment, judgment, judgment!" The next morning he called on the preacher. "I have spent a terrible night," he said. "The words of that scripture are burning their way into me; I can't get rid of them. What must I do to be saved?" When he left, he was a child of God.
MEDITATION PRAYER: "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face" (Ps. 89:14).
Anyone who reads the Holy Scriptures will see this is a moral universe and that all human beings are accountable to God. The Scripture says, "We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Rom. 14:10), and, "Every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (verse 12). God "hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world" (Acts 17:31). The day is appointed. There is a time in God's plan for every purpose and for every work.
A young minister, after his first service in a new church, was confronted with an able young skeptic, Burt Olney. Onley said to him, "You did well, but I don't believe in the infallibility of the Bible."
" 'It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment' " (Heb. 9:27) was the young preacher's answer.
"I can prove that there is no such thing as judgment after death."
"But men do die," the pastor declared, "for 'it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.' "
"That's no argument. Let's get down to facts and discuss the matter."
The pastor shook his head. "I am here to preach the Word of God."
Onley, annoyed, turned away with the remark "I don't believe you know enough of the Bible to argue about it."
"Perhaps you are right" was the calm rejoinder. "But please remember, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.' "
Those words rang in Onley's mind far into the night--"Judgment, judgment, judgment!" The next morning he called on the preacher. "I have spent a terrible night," he said. "The words of that scripture are burning their way into me; I can't get rid of them. What must I do to be saved?" When he left, he was a child of God.
MEDITATION PRAYER: "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face" (Ps. 89:14).
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