Why Will Judgment Begin At The House Of God?

In this regular feature Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.Here is this week’s question:Dear Dave and Tom:Could you explain what Peter meant when he said:For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.

Tom:

Dave, let me put this in context.This is from 1 Peter Chapter 4, I’ll start with Verse 12:“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye:for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you:on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”And this is the verse, verse 17:“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God:and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”

Dave:

Well Tom, there are many difficult verses in the Bible, and this is one of them, but I think we would go to Hebrews Chapter 12, where it says that the Father chastens every son that He receives, and if you be without chastisement then are you bastards and not sons.In other words, if I’m really a child of God, I’m not perfect, I don’t live a perfect life, I’m not without sin, and God may decide that He must chasten me, He must teach me some lessons.And it seems to be, from 1 Peter 4, that that chastening can come through the world, we're going to suffer at the hands for the world.And He says, Don’t think it strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try you of some strange things that happen unto you, but we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, and that’s why the world is after us.As Jesus said:If they hated me, they will hate you also.I have chosen you out of the world.It seems a bit off that judgment would come through the world, persecuting us for the sake of Christ, but it says: If judgment begin first at the house of God, what shall the end be of those that believe not the gospel?So it sounds like that this fiery trial that will try us is God can use that as judgment to straighten out His sons.

Tom:

And of course that doesn’t in any way condone the world for what it’s doing.

Dave:

Right.

Tom:

We could go through the Old Testament, we find God raising up the Babylonians, the Syrians, and so on.It may even be today that, Dave, God is allowing that to be used as an instrument.What do you think?

Dave:

Well, it could be, but certainly it has nothing to do with our salvation.Hebrews Chapter 12, say that the Father chastens every son that He receives.Well then, if you are chastened as a son, and you must continue to be a son, that would indicate that when you sin you don’t cease to be a child of God.You haven’t lost your salvation or He wouldn’t have any sons to chasten.Chastening, not to purify us for salvation, but to purify us to live the Christian life in a manner that would be honoring to our Lord.So Tom, if judgment begins first at the house of God, then He says, What will be the end of those that believe not the gospel?Well, in other words, we can face judgment from God, punishment, chastening.It goes on and it says, I think it says, I don’t have the Bible in front of me, If the righteous scarcely be saved---that must be another passage---what shall be the end of those who believe not the gospel.

Tom:

It’s going to have to do with pruning, with making us more effective for the kingdom.

Dave:

Amen.

Tom:

Dave, it makes me think about much of what we talk about on this program; how the church is becoming almost superficial, biblical illiteracy is rampant, and so on.Well, these are believers, this is not all just professing Christians, and if God needs to get our attention, to bring us back to His Word and His truth so that we can be effective, well, He’s going to do it.Could that apply to this?

Dave:

I think so, Tom, and I’m not immune, and you’re not immune.

Tom:

That’s right.

Dave:

But on the other hand we have to be very careful, because I’ve heard it said, you know, so and so is sick---well, he must not have been living for the Lord, there must be some sin in his life.Not necessarily!Because some---oh, he had a terrible auto accident---Well, I guess he was in sin and God is punishing him.Not necessarily!I cannot be the judge of that, how God is going to do it, but I need to have a tender heart that is willing to be corrected by the Lord.And I mean, Tom, all day, every day, whatever the circumstances, I should be recognizing that I’m not what God wants me to be, and looking to Him to help me.There must be sin in my heart, in my mind that I’m not even aware of, that He will have to reveal.So, we want to be more elective.