WHAT JESUS SAID HE CAME TO DO - Pt. 2 of 2

In my earlier blog I had trouble with two verses (still reasons Jesus came).  These two verses have required me to do a little more research - John 9:39 and John 12:47.  In the first reference Jesus says, "For judgment I have come into this world."  Then only three chapters later Jesus says,   "'As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.'" So, which is it - did Jesus come to judge the world or not?

Come to find out - the word "judge" or "judgment" has four or five words in the original Greek that one can select from to use.  The particular word used in the first instance (John 9:39) is kree'mah or krima.  The definitions I encountered and the way they were presented to me led me to believe that this word "judgment" means Jesus came to render a divinely private judgment and sentence from Father God.

The second usage (John 12:47) sees the Greek word kree'no or krino and infers that Jesus Did Not come to discriminate between good and evil or pass a condemning judgment on the world.  This lines up with the teaching in John 3:18.  Here Christ tells us the world is condemned already.

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

So, combining the two definitions together, I get that Christ Did come to render judgment, but not a discriminate and condemning judgment upon the world for it was already judged due to Original Sin.  Original Sin is the Sinful state we are all born into.  "...every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood." (Genesis 8:21)  It is the broken relationship between humanity and God with heavy tendencies to rebel against God.  This original sinful state was met with a judgment in the beginning - death (spiritually and physically) (Romans 6:23).  Therefore, Jesus does not judge those who choose not to follow His instructions or "hear my words but do not keep them".  Why would Jesus need to judge someone on that issue twice?

So what is Jesus judging?  In my view it is for judgment's sake that Christ came.

It was Father God who spelled out what it was going to take to make things right with Him in the beginning - blood sacrifice - "...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:22)  This sacrificial system started as early as Abel - "But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock."  – Gen. 4:4.  Then it continued with Noah - "Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it." – Gen. 8:20 - and finally saw the Levitical Priesthood be given the rules and regulations for entering God's presence and atoning for the nation's sins as well as the the priest's own sins - Leviticus 16.  Also observed along the way is the foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice with God's testing of Abraham (not sparing his only son Isaac - Genesis 22:1-19) and the Passover Lamb example of Exodus 12:1-30.

Then Jesus Christ came and this is how Hebrews explains His visitation for "judgment's sake".

"When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" - 9:11-14

"For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people;" - 9:25-28

Another Judgment that I view at The Cross was the judgment against Satan.  This judgment was devastating and will be played out or manifested in the last days.  Christ did not come to save any of the angelic host.  The Lord's ministry was directed toward humanity.  When the angels fell, their fall was final.  Three Scriptures to consider here are 2 Corinthians 4:41 John 3:8 and Matthew 4:8-9.

  • "...in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]." (American Standard Version) (2 Corinthians 4:4)

  • "...the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." (1 John 3:8)

  • "...the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.'" (Matthew 4:8-9)

In the first Scripture we see that Satan was deemed the god of this world or age.  Continuing on in 1 John we are told that the devil started it and has kept sinning ever since the beginning.  However, the Son of God came on the scene "to destroy the devil's work" and did with His own ministry, sacrifice, and victory over death, hell, and the grave.  But before Christ's ministry really got started, Satan tested Jesus with a few temptations including the memory of a time when "all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor" must have been given to the care of Satan.  Because if it was not in his care he, Satan, would not be able to give it  or offer it (the kingdoms and their splendor) to Jesus.  And as you can see, all Satan wanted was the Word of God in flesh to bow His knee and worship something that Jesus created.  Then all that was given to him would be given back to Christ?  Yeah, right!  Remember, Satan is also called The Father of Lies (there is no truth found in his existence).

The Cross spoiled all plans the Evil One had for humanity.  It does not mean that Satan will stop trying to pull you down and away from God.  No!  By all means possible he is always "prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)  BUT praise God from whom all blessings flow...and that ultimate blessing from Father God to us and for us - Jesus Christ!  To view all the agenda items that Jesus said Himself that He came to do is awesome!  In addition, to attempt to grasp the price that was paid for "Judgment's Sake" and ponder about Father God manifesting His own Word in flesh, Jesus, because I was the target of His affections is mind-blowing and heart-blowing.  Again, I surrender whatever plans I have to God and accept His will and plan for my life through Christ Jesus - Amen.         

Comments