Holiness and God's Judgment
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Franklin University *
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Course
656
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by CountMetal247
a.
According to the text, what is the basis of how we are judged by God? Why can’t even the smallest sin be acceptable in his presence? Explain.
b.
What is the connection between holiness and our approach to God and our relationship with him as described by Dr. Tennent? Why is it so important?
c.
Describe the role and at least two purposes of God’s judgment in the Bible based on the reading.
d.
Psalm 110 states that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. How is knowledge of the law and fear of judgment important for life and decision-making? How does it help people to change? How do you see this principle as relevant to social work or society
Something that really stood out in this chapter is when the author discussed disobeying God’s Commandments. He said that it is not like breaking the law, it is going directly against God. I remember growing up and being very confused about what His Commandments were. I always thought they were literal laws that we have to follow and if not, you were going to hell. Looking back, this ideology makes me chuckle, but in a way, it was on the right track. Pertaining to how God judges us, he holds us all to the same standard, his standard of righteousness. God is the ultimate judge of our actions, thoughts, and intentions, he takes everything into account. Sin, big or small, is sin and is unacceptable in His presence. All sins are sins and treated equally, as the text put it, “He does not, as we often do, grade on a curve” (Tennent, 2014, p. 28). When we sin, it is ultimately us not living in God’s image and causing us to become separated from him little by little. The way that I have always viewed sin is like putting a drop of food coloring in water. Each time you sin it’s a little drop, but each time the water becomes more polluted and harder to see through. This is similar to sinning, as every time we sin, we go farther
away from God. Holiness and judgment are one and the same, as you cannot have one without the other. “Because God’s holiness is the basis for all of God’s judgments” (Tennent, 2014, p. 28). The connection between holiness and our approach to God and our relationship with him is something that Dr. Tennent describes as being misunderstood by humanity. Many are conflicted or confused about the connection between holiness and judgment when they are two pieces of the same cloth. Understanding this connection helps shape how we think, talk, and interact in the world, as well as, with God himself. Ultimately, understanding and recognizing God’s holiness influences the way we live our lives as Christians. In my opinion, the most important Bible verse based on God’s judgment is 2 Corinthians 5:10, which says “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (Tennent, 2014, p. 30). The other verse that pertains to God’s judgment is Revelation 20:11-15, which says, “On the final Judgment Day, anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life is thrown into a lake of fire” (Tennent, 2014, p. 30). When I think of the topic of judgment in relation to God, I think of our
final judgment when our lives on this Earth come to an end. In the end, we stand before God and take accountability for our thoughts, actions, and choices that we have made in our lives. The fear of God is most definitely the beginning of wisdom. If we as Christians, and humans in general, make choices in God’s light and under his law we have nothing to fear. Knowing His law and fearing His judgment helps guide us with decision-making and is like a moral framework. Knowing these things is like a motivator for righteous living. For me, knowing God’s law and fearing His judgment keeps me on track as it ultimately reminds me of the consequences of my actions. My choices not only impact my life in that moment, but they have moral implications and must be accounted for at the end of my time on Earth. This fear among other things deters many, me included, from engaging in behavior that goes against God. This can help people to change because I believe that this knowledge and fear is important in the process of personal change in an individual’s life. It can also help and motivate people to live their lives in his light and under his Commandment. Furthermore, the fear of God’s law can help people seek repentance and a life of humility. As a social worker, this applies as well, as we do oftentimes see people at their lowest and need to lead them to light and grace. We can help guide our clients using the moral compass and framework that we possess under His law.
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