Deeper Communion-Part 2: Embracing His Judgments
Oh, dear Lord. Judgement?? Not that word! Scary start for a study? Not at all. Hang in there. These kinds of topics, when approached with an understanding that Father loves us passionately, fully, and without limit, will set us free to experience the reality of that fierce love in deeper and deeper levels. This is a form of Intimacy.
We want to go deeper in our communion, right? Well, another key component to greater intimacy is embracing His Judgements. Let me break down what this means. Then we can look at how to walk out this kingdom principle in our lives daily.
ar·bi·trate – definition: (of an independent person or body) reach an authoritative judgment or settlement.
One of the most overlooked aspects of His heart and nature concerns His judgments. Here is a key. Not all judgments are the same. There are different judgments to be rendered in regard to different aspects of His kingdom and government. For example, there are judgments that have already taken place at the cross. There are also judgments that He desires to take place in us now. Then, there are additional judgments that have yet to take place. Some deal with Satan and the fallen angels. Some are in regard to the Redeemed. Some will be in regard to those who die having rejected Christ. We cannot lump them all in as one.
Past. Present. Future. Different judgements for different groups.
We have erroneously lumped in scriptures that have this word in them to all mean the same thing, regardless of which Covenant is being discussed and what is the actual subject of the judgment. We need to stop doing this. We also need to stop being afraid.
The word judgment means to make a “formal decision given by a court.”
Let’s look at one of my favorite verses on a “judgment” rendered in regard to His Redeemed.
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor 5:21
This, my deeply loved, family…. is a judgment. It was a decision rendered in the courts of heaven 2,000 years ago. This judgment is never overturned.
After receiving salvation, accepting His judgment in regard to righteousness is the single, most important Truth of His kingdom.
The entire dynamic of our relationship with the Lord hinges on righteousness.
Every other judgment that has flowed, or that will one day flow from His judgment seat, will be viewed and perceived through the lens of how well we grasp the Judgement of Righteousness. Our acceptance (or rejection) of this kingdom ruling governs every aspect of how we interact… or fail to interact, with Him and His government. It forms the very basis of our identity, from which we view Him, ourselves, and others.
“For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.” Heb 5:13
Anything our Lord has decided is a judgment. In regard to righteousness, He has already judged those who have sincerely confessed Jesus Christ as our eternal atonement. If we are to further our relational intimacy with our Heavenly-Dad, we must begin to embrace His judgment of Righteousness.
“Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” Zech 3:5
If one studies this passage, we will see a moment in time, under the Mosaic Law, where the Lord gives the prophet Zechariah a picture of what the atonement through Jesus’ shed blood will accomplish.
All the covenants instituted by God toward man, had one purpose in mind. They were all pointing to the cross.
The bible is a love story. The theme of it is a driving, relentless pursuit of our Creator (who just happens to have made us His children) to redeem His creation. It is a story of a tireless and patient plan unfolding throughout the Ages that culminates at a new beginning. The Cross.
“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” Rom 3:22
“But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” 1 Col 1:22
No other covenant that God gave man comes close to the New Covenant. All prior covenants (Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic; to name the major ones) all pointed toward the New Covenant. It is only the cross which allows us to stand before Him forever clothed in His shed blood, declaring we are made holy and righteous.
Consider the provision gifted to us in the New Covenant. There was a formal proceeding in the Courts of Heaven that was convened on the topic of Righteousness. A formal decision was rendered there in regard to sin. Here are some examples:
“Having been declared righteous, then, by faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Rom 5:1
“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” Rom 5:17
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Cor 6:11
Let me stop here for a moment.
Embracing the doctrinal reality of the gift of righteousness is not an excuse to sin. True agreement in our souls regarding His judgments about being made righteous in His blood will never spurn us on to sin. Rather just the opposite. It is the greater and greater revelations of His goodness that compels us to seek to be like Him (Rom 2:4). This is the root of intimacy.
Intimacy is experienced to the degree we embrace Him according to how He see us.
There can be no deep, true intimacy when we are approaching the Lord from a mindset of filthy garments.
How many of you would rather your children or closest friend not look you in the eye because they feel unworthy? Sounds nice, right? Intimate? Full of love and a deep sense of knowing one another, right? Not really…
Please note here that there will also be no deep, true intimacy when we choose to live a life willfully given over to the desires of the carnal mind. Will He always love us? Absolutely! Will we enjoy deep communion? Will we be honoring the One who deserves all our honor? Ehhhh… not so much.
Let me reiterate. I am not at all interested in discussing the ways we can look for excuses to sin under His grace. This is a waste of all our time, and the motives of that discussion are most often rooted in either a spirit of lasciviousness or legalism.
What I am endeavoring to encourage you here is to begin to meditate on the reality that the shed blood gave us access to His very throne-room and that our rags have been stripped off of us. This is the application.
I invite you to begin to judge yourself.
In what areas are my thoughts and beliefs running contrary to what His own judgments declared about me? How about others? Is what is flowing out of my heart and thoughts a true reflection of His heart?
Intimacy comes from our entire being living and breathing in union with Him. This begins with salvation. It continues with our thoughts and beliefs. The first step in walking in ALL His judgments begins with judging ourselves in regard to being made holy, blameless and beyond accusation.
It all starts here. This is the first judgment we must face with Him as a child of God.
All other judgments to come in our lives are grounded in this foundational judicial ruling.
We will continue with this topic in the next post, where we will talk about how to walk in His judgments in all areas of our life.. and how this sets the stage for even deeper communion with our Heavenly-Dad.
Your brother,
David
"Zeal for your House..." 