There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.
Jesus is telling us something very important here. He has said that he did not come into the world to judge the world, but to save it. (Verse 47) In today’s verses, he explains what he means. Just because he is not going to judge people does not mean there is no judgment! Instead, the “judge” will be the words Jesus has spoken.
So how does this work?
In my job, I have to review collision reports for car crashes in our city. There is a parallel here that might help explain what is going on. I think it works something like this…
A car drives down the road and as it travels it passes all types of signs. Regulatory signs, warning signs, directional signs, and lane markings. If the driver is paying attention to the signs they will probably get where they are going safely. The collisions I see usually have to do with people not paying attention to the signs.
Jesus has told the Jews who he is and why he has come. He has repeatedly engaged the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law making every attempt to explain to them what is going on. He has demonstrated who he is by doing miraculous signs over and over again. The signs are there!
The Pharisees and others who reject the signs are like a car that speeds down the road too fast. Speed limit signs and warning signs are ignored. When the car comes to a corner and the laws of physics take over. The car goes over a cliff or careens into an embankment. The result is the same: death.
No one had to “judge” this situation. The speed limit signs and warning signs that were passed stand in judgment. The signs were there. If we blow past the road signs on the highway of life and fail to turn to Jesus, the end of the line will be the same. Exactly as if a car screamed through the guard rail at the top of an eternally high cliff.
Let’s Discuss: What kinds of “signs” do we see on the road of life that point us to Jesus?
I’m certain I’ve never seen this verse so clearly as I am able to now. What an incredibly revealing picture and impactful imagery.
I think that the greatest of these “signs” as your illustration parallels – at least for the believer – would have to be the word of God; for we know and accept this as truth. We take guidance from it and are faithfully led in it by the very Spirit that inspired it.
For the unbeliever, I think of what is spoken of in Romans chapter 1, especially given the scientific advances of our modern age. I believe that Christ’s words will judge those he has spoken directly to, but also that the truth in the scriptures (the Word of God in total) will judge every generation alike, even if they are not prone to read it. We all have signs that we can listen to, even in our hearts.
So our judgment, at the end of the road, could be likened to a natural consequence (for it is the very order of things), just as you’ve shown. However, I believe that each generation is given different signs and hence expectations that are unique to them.
The rules of the road don’t change, but how we are judged is based on the signs we’ve personally driven past. Christ spoke of this concerning Nineveh and the queen of the South, for example (Matthew 12). So I believe that those whom Christ was speaking to at that time are going to be held to a frighteningly higher standard.
For myself, I know that what led me to Christ is not necessarily the same indicators that are provided for others. I had some very loud and visible signs thrust down into my life. This at times makes me frightful when I see where I am at in my walk. I know that I am not to be, but this is something I am susceptible to struggling with.
As far as signs working in an individual to lead him/her to Christ in this day and age (as opposed to simply providing a context for condemnation), I see them as varied as there are individuals on the road. I see that there is an almost endless array of signs, contexts, languages, cultures and generations, yet for all this the rules and regulator remain the same.
All of creation points to Christ, this is his highway, his creation, his jurisdiction – the signs are everywhere!
NMOP3PISdn
Nice to hear from you again! I am pleased that the illustration of road signs was helpful. Your comments expand on the topic nicely. Thank you for the blessing!
We have creation, we have the moral law, we have the evidence that points to Jesus through the manuscript evidence and archaeological evidence and prophecy evidence, etc for the truth of Scripture, we have the resurrection of Jesus. These are just a few signs, but I can ignore them all if I want to live independently from the Lord.
Rich,
So true! Somehow we humans have become very adept at ignoring the signs. Hopefully the light of Christ will illuminate the signs more and more for more people.
Jeff, thank you for this explanation on the passage – I think it is a super helpful way to think about eternal judgment. In many ways, God’s judgment of sin is similar to the laws of physics – it is built into the universe because of the Creator. He has revealed and shown himself so that no one can excuse themselves – the signs were there.
Nathan,
Thanks for the nice comment today! I am smiling to myself because of the analogy of driving. I can’t help thinking about your “Salvationmobile!” 🙂 Of course, the Salvationmobile always turns the right way at the intersection of My Way and Jesus’ Way. 🙂