Scripture Reveals God’s Metric of Judgment
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 (CSB)
All of humanity faces the judgment of the Lord. The Lord did not want people to live unaware of His expectations but provided the metric for His judgment in Scripture. The Bible provides the truth of the Lord that penetrates the depths of our lives and works to reveal to us our need for redemption and reconciliation. Scripture provides the metric for life that we must pursue as we pursue to live for Christ.
Scripture is a living metric. God’s Word is living because it is the revelation of the living God. Scripture is timeless because its truths are absolute and come from the very definition of truth: the Lord. Scripture is a living metric because it does not exist as a work to be read and forgotten; it is the Word from God that is to be implemented into our lives and lived out. As a living metric, Scripture points us to true life and how to live a faithful life.
Scripture is a penetrating metric. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve believed they could hide from the Lord after their sin. The Lord knew their actions and their location. Likewise, Scripture penetrates the depths of our lives and reveals our genuine condition. Its penetrating nature reveals where we must repent and seek reconciliation with the Lord. Scripture's penetrating nature does not exist for punishment but to reveal our need to seek repentance so that we do not face the deserved punishment.
Scripture is the metric of true judgment. The author of Hebrews told his Jewish readers that Scripture can judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The Word of God provides the truth that we must evaluate the intentions of our heart and allow Scripture to provide the needed metric to find our intentions sinful or faithful. Scripture, as the metric of true judgment, exists for the heart to be pointed back to the Lord when wayward and encouraged in faithfulness.
When you consider your use of Scripture, do you allow it to be the metric of your life? Do you attempt to adjust the Word of God to meet your idea or faithfully surrender your ways, thoughts, opinions, and desires to the Word of God? We must strive to allow Scripture to have the ultimate authority as the metric by which we evaluate and judge our lives.
QUESTIONS
How does Scripture providing the metric for judgment encourage your walk as a follower of Christ?
How do we develop a life that allows the Word of God to penetrate and work in our lives?
