LITTLE ROCK — “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Rom. 8:33-34 (Read verses 18-39)

Have you ever been afraid that you would come short on Judgment Day - that instead of being welcomed into heaven, you would be condemned to eternal suffering in hell because of your sins and shortcomings?

If honest, all Christians are troubled by such fears. After all, we know that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23); and, if God were to keep record of our sins, who could stand? (Psalm 130:3).

But need we be afraid of God’s judgment? Need we fear that we will be found wanting and condemned to the torments of hell? What does God’s Word say?

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”

Who is going to charge us with sin and condemnus? God chose us to be His own from before the foundation of the world and declared us just and righteous for the sake of the sinless life and innocent sufferings and death of His own Son, Jesus Christ, in our stead.

Who will be our judge on the Last Day? It is Christ Jesus, who died for us and rose again and is even now interceding for us with His blood at the right hand of God the Father. Will He condemn those who look to Him for mercy and forgiveness? Certainly not! He died to redeem us and save us from eternal death and destruction.

Need we then be afraid of God’s judgment? Not at all, we have been “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). There is forgiveness with the LORD, that He may be feared (Psalm 130:4).

Again, it is as Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24).

O gracious God and Savior, thank You for choosing me to be Your own, giving the Son to die in my stead and rise again, declaring me pardoned and forgiven, and interceding for Me before Your throne. Keep me always trusting in You for life everlasting. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture

taken from the New King James

Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by per

mission. All rights reserved.]

Opinion, Pages 7 on 09/05/2012