The Judgment of God

The Bible is clear that all humans face a final judgment at the end of time. Sure, there are temporal judgments. A drug addict faces the consequences of his or her choices in his or her body in this life. That kind of thing. But the actual judgment, the final judgment of human beings is yet to come. The same is not true for nations. Israel faced judgment in the Old Testament from their repeated idolatry. From the thousands killed over the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16) to the exiles into Assyria and Babylon, the nation of Israel encountered the clearly stated judgment of God in real time, not merely some future "final judgment". You see, since nations are not people, they don't face that final judgment. Their judgment is temporal.

I believe it was Ruth Graham who said, "If God doesn't judge America, He'll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah." Many genuine Christians nod at that. Maybe they don't agree fully, but we get the sentiment. America has not declined in its morality; it has plummeted. It didn't slough off Christian values; it jettisoned them. While slow decay could be seen from the early days of Puritan beginnings up into the 20th century, the precipitous collapse from the 1960's has been monumental. It would appear that the sentiment is right.

I have to ask, though, "What makes you think God is not judging America?" Perhaps it's the fact that America still stands when Sodom and Gomorrah got a literal fire and brimstone shower. We can't even be sure where those cities ever were. Or perhaps it's Israel's example. No one has come into our country and carted us off in chains like the Babylonians and Assyrians did to them. We're still here. So, you see? God hasn't judged America. And I suppose there is some truth to that view. But, as always, I'd like to put it to the Bible test. Does the Bible agree with that perspective?

In Romans 1 we read that Paul is not ashamed of the gospel, "for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Rom 1:16). Saved? From what? He tells us a couple of verses later. "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." (Rom 1:18) Oh, I see. The gospel is about salvation from the wrath of God. Got it. So, what do we know? First, God is angry about something. Second, that "something" is "all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." And we know that this condition of men is highlighted by a common characteristic -- the suppression of the truth.

The chapter goes on from there to describe generally what truth is suppressed (Rom 1:19-20) and the consequences of covering this truth. The first consequence is futile thinking and foolish, darkened hearts (Rom 1:21). Notice what follows. For the rest of the chapter Paul describes a series of "God gave them up" events. Do you catch the connotation of this phrase? This is judgment. This is God giving progressive consequences to ungodly and unrighteous humans who suppress the truth by being unrighteous. God gives them up. To what? To impurity found in the lusts of their hearts (Rom 1:24). To worshiping the creature rather than the Creator (Rom 1:25). To dishonorable passions (Rom 1:26). Ultimately to "a debased mind" (Rom 1:28) which results in all manner of evil gleefully engaged and encouraged (Rom 1:29-32).

Now, look back at that chapter. Notice that one of the undeniable texts that classify male sexual relations with males and female sexual relations with females as sin is found there. "Shameless acts," the text says (Rom 1:27). And when some focus on "receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" and point and say, "See? AIDS is God's judgment on gays", they miss entirely the fact that this particular sin (along with the rest of the stuff mentioned in this chapter) is a judgment of God. Its proliferation is God giving them up.

I would suggest to those who wonder when America will be judged for her blatant embrace of sin that you may have already missed it. I think the Bible indicates that the moral climate in which we are currently living is precisely a judgment from God. It is God letting go. "You want this?" He seems to ask, "You got it. And more." So we bow out of biblical relationships and values and then wonder why we continue to fall away from biblical relationships and values. We wonder, like so many, "Why would God allow this to happen?" when we are the ones departing from God. We demonstrate the biblical "blessing" and "curse". The blessing is God's face turned toward us (Num 6:24-26). The curse is God turning away, letting us go. That is God's judgment. We have arrived.

There is a cure for judgment. It is repentance. A failure to repent, according to the Romans 1 pattern, is simply more of the same, a moral collapse until society calls evil good and good evil, where we indulge evil and encourage it (Rom 1:32). You will see increases in hatred towards God and inventors of evil, foolishness and faithlessness (Rom 1:30-31). Don't be surprised. It is God's judgment, His withdrawal of support. It will not end well. It won't be pleasant. It is not unjust. And, as has always been the case, God keeps His own in His hand.