Most, if not all, would say that the world is not fair. However, rest assured that one day God will straighten everything out.

Well over 12.5 million {1} people were murdered by the Nazis under Adolf Hitler. Many were tortured before they died. As a very young child I heard that some in concentration camps who almost died of starvation were roasted alive in ovens. Did Hitler and those under him ever get what they deserved before they died? Most of us would answer “no”.

Being born and raised in the New York metropolitan area I often heard about the Mafia. What many call the meadowlands of northeast New Jersey we would call “the swamps”, and I heard that there were times when the Mafia would deposit a human body into the swamp now and then. And, today, when someone is murdered in the United States there is a one-in-three chance that the police will never find the killer {2}.

Rest assured God knows who the killer is. Where is the justice?

Add to all of this countless heinous crimes that are committed every day: tortures, rapes, human trafficking, thefts, and much more. Many do not get caught. On the other side, we might say all of us have had at least one unjust thing done to us at one time with the person having wronged us never asking forgiveness, making restitution, or some other correction.

Earthly justice is not always equal, it is not always fair, and there are many times it does not happen. Just as high school biology pointed me to a Creator, history and society begs for ultimate justice and an ultimate Judge. The world lacks for justice, and real justice can only be found in God. As it is written in Isaiah 45:21, “Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, YHVH (The Existing One)? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me.”

On the last Sunday of January 1970 I knew there had to be a God, but I still {3} did not want any angels or humans to be a go between, even though years ago when I was angry at God I felt He had no right to judge because I mistakenly thought He really does not know in a first-hand way what it means to be human. So, the afternoon before I got saved I was still thinking “Does it have to be Jesus?”

That night I again listened to Billy Graham. I do not remember the text, but he did say that God was going to judge the world. Perhaps he mentioned Acts 17:31, “He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

I do know that Graham said Jesus Christ is all God and all man. Graham said that made Him the perfect judge and it also made Him the perfect Savior. I could have my sins forgiven and have a new life in Him.

I turned off the radio. Graham had made a lot of sense. The roadblock about having “raw” God and not Jesus had to go. I knew things in society pointed to the fact He was a real person. I thought about all this and more for over fifty minutes. I remembered what was in the Gospel tract I received from Trans World Radio, “Religion Is A Drag," and applied it to Jesus. With God’s help, I laid aside my questions and by faith asked God to forgive me and asked Christ into my life.

God’s Holy Spirit had helped me to see that, indeed, Jesus would be the perfect judge. God’s way through Christ would bring justice. By faith, by His grace, I trusted Him as Savior. In regard to Jesus being all God and all man, which made Him the perfect judge and Savior, I am not sure what passage or passages Graham had used that night, but what comes close is John 5:24-29.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

As you see, “Son” is mentioned three times, viz., Son of God, Son, Son of Man. I find this threefold use of “Son” very interesting. Along with that is the fact we may draw from this passage what Billy Graham had said about Jesus Christ: He is all God and all man, which means He is the perfect Judge and perfect Savior.

I. All God - 25 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.”

“The Son of God” throughout the Holy Scriptures speaks of the deity of Christ. Someone, though, might cite Luke 3:38 where in many, if not most, English translations Adam is termed “the son of God”. However, an actual Greek word for “son” is not there, which is true of the preceding names in that verse, so it reads something like, “ of Cainan, of Enos, of Seth, of Adam, of God.” 

There are many times in the Holy Bible that the term “sons of God” occurs. Easton’s Revised Bible Dictionary points out {4} when the plural is used, “sons of God”, it is in reference to creatures like men and angels. So “The Son of God” (singular and not plural) in our passage and other passages refers to the deity of Christ.

Additionally the deity of Christ is firmly presented in the Holy Scriptures whether it be by standalone passages {5}, His possession of the exclusive attributes of God {6}, His direct connections with YHVH, usage of proskeneuo (worship / to do homage (to one) or make obeisance) {7}, and in many more ways.

II. All Man  27d

“...He is the Son of Man.”

The Holy Bible states such things about Jesus for many reasons. One reason is because some gnostics would speak of Jesus as being a phantom or perhaps an angel. For some gnostics the idea of a holy God taking human flesh upon Himself was unacceptable. Usage of “The Son of Man” underscores the fact that Christ actually had our flesh and blood.

Philippians 2:5-11 shows that though Christ was God in the flesh He did not choose to act by His authority and power as God, but lived in the flesh like we need to live: dependent upon every Word from God, written and as directed by the Holy Spirit. Let me present that passage now because I would like to compare it to another passage later on. 

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

So, though He was very God in our flesh He chose to live the way we need to live, as a son trusting and obeying the Father. As such, He lived the perfect holy life that we are to live and went victoriously this way to the cross, bearing our sins that were laid upon Him. So, because He is all God and all man He is the perfect judge and Savior.

III. Perfect Judge 27-29 

“and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment."

The Resurrection Of Judgment

Standing in contrast to “resurrection of life" this speaks of condemnation, verse 29 being comparable with Daniel 12:2, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt." As we read throughout the Holy Bible this everlasting disgrace and contempt is the placement of the unredeemed into hell which is later cast into the lake of fire as stated in Revelation. This is also termed in Revelation as the second death.

Revelation 20  shows that anyone unredeemed by Christ unto the Father will be placed there. Though we are not saved by works, the book of works is opened to confirm to all that those consigned to eternal damnation certainly belong there. Luke 12:47-48 and other passages indicate there are levels of punishment.

Imagine at least one case at the last judgment. The murderer who never got caught on earth and never received what he deserved on earth will be raised. Perhaps standing near him will be his victim. The police never found out but God all the time knew and now it is revealed to all. But blessed is the one who repents and turns to God through Christ. No matter what they have done they are forgiven because Christ paid their penalty!

The Resurrection Of Life

Once one surrenders to God through Christ they may look forward to the resurrection of life. The Greek word for “life" chosen by the Holy Spirit here is one that expresses vibrant life with purpose {8}. According to Revelation 20 and other passages, those of this resurrection will rule with Christ on earth for a thousand years. Sometime after that, the last chapters of Revelation reveal a new heavens and earth that those of this first (as in “first class”) resurrection will enjoy.

IV. Perfect Savior  24, 26

24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
26 “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;"

Through Christ God directly knows by experience what it means to be limited as a human. Because He is eternal, and He spans all time and dimensions, this knowledge was in Him even before Jesus was born.

Jesus lived the perfect life that we are to live and then took your place and my place  upon the cross. The wrath of the Father that is due to us was poured out upon the Son while on the cross. This met the full justice of God for our sins. As it is written in 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” Because He is the eternal Son His work on the cross spans all time, and because He was not just a mere man but God in the flesh He was able to sacrifice Himself not just for one person, but for everyone.

However, this does not mean everyone is saved, redeemed, and shielded from the wrath of the Father. One must receive Him into their life (John 1:12-13): “ But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

And the Holy Bible is very clear that Jesus is the only Savior. Jesus said so Himself in John 14:6. No one comes to the Father unless they come by Him. Other verses that state He is the only Savior are Acts 4:12 and 1 Timothy 2:5. Only Jesus paid the full penalty for our sins.

God through Christ provided the redemption we needed and God through Christ will bring forth true, full justice and judgment. As it is written in Isaiah 45:21f to 23, YHVH says,
    “And there is no other God besides Me,
    A righteous God and a Savior;
    There is none except Me.
22    Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;
    For I am God, and there is no other.
23    I have sworn by Myself,
    The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness
    And will not turn back,
    That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.”

Now compare Philippians 2:10-11, “so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Notes:

{1} Derived from looking at the numbers listed at https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10008193 .

{2} According to https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395069137/open-cases-why-one-third-of-murders-in-america-go-unresolved .

{3} Please read “Does It Have To Be Jesus?” at http://newsandsociety.expertscolumn.com/does-it-have-to-be-jesus .

{4} From an electronic version of Easton’s Revised Bible Dictionary incorporated in the Online Bible program.

{5} For some examples please see Eight Passages That Plainly Show The Deity Of Christ http://thesureword.expertscolumn.com/article/eight-passages-plainly-show-deity-christ .

{6} Please read The Deity Of Christ Proved By The Attributes Of God http://thesureword.expertscolumn.com/article/deity-christ-proved-attributes-god

{7} God willing we will develop an article on this in coming months to be listed with The Sure Word index on SapphireStreams.com .

{8} From an electronic version of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong incorporated in the Online Bible program, and so throughout the article whenever the ancient language is referred to and no other authority is cited.

This article was written in the form of a sermon (message) outline with comments. God willing by February 20, 2018 (hopefully much sooner), you should be able to hear the actual message (sermon) by selecting a link at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M484 .

Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible changing LORD to YHVH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates and adding “(The Existing One)” to readily express the meaning of His Name without making repeated explanations in articles. * = For other versions the spelling of some words is updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHVH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates.

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