The Judgment is God’s #2087

16 “Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him. 17 You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’” (Deuteronomy 1:16–17, NKJV)

We are reminded of the importance of impartial, unbiased judges as we watch this week’s confirmation hearing of the most recent judge nominated to sit on the U. S. Supreme Court. Judges who bring an agenda to interpreting and applying the law to cases are biased, unjust, and undermine the rule of law. “Equal justice under law” (engraved above the entrance to the United States Supreme Court) is a principle we strive for as a nation, but it is not a new concept. Moses commanded it of Israel under the governance of the Sinaitic Law. Gospel salvation under the new covenant of Christ is equally available to all “without respect of persons” (Acts 10:34-35). God is impartial, applying His word of truth without bias to rich and poor, slave and free, male and female, Jew and Gentile (Rom. 2:1-11). God commands all of us to repent because He has appointed a righteous, impartial Judge before whom we will stand and be judged (Acts 17:30-31; 2 Cor. 5:10). Let us discard our agendas for the only one that matters; the word of Christ. He saves and He judges without prejudice and partiality (Jno. 12:48-50).

Equal with God #770

17  But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” 18  Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. (John 5:17–18, NKJV)

Jesus had just healed a lame man on the Sabbath. The Jewish rulers, due to their wrong interpretation and traditions concerning God’s law, viewed Jesus and the man He healed as Sabbath-breakers (Exo. 20:8-11; Jno. 5:8-11; 16). But, God’s law never prevented mercy. Jesus did not violate the Sabbath. Jesus forthrightly associated His work with God the Father. By doing so, they understood Him to be making Himself equal with God, and they were right. The Son is due the same honor as the Father (Jno. 5:23). Jesus would later say, “I and my Father are one” (Jno. 5:23; 10:30). Jesus Christ is Immanuel, “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). All who refuse to believe in Jesus as being “the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” join with those who tried and eventually did, kill Jesus (Col. 2:9). What will you believe?