God to be Judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)

There Is One Judge

During the forty days Jesus was with His disciples after His resurrection, He taught them the doctrines of the kingdom of God. Jesus was manifested to a certain group of people to testify that He was risen. He also commanded the disciples to preach the message of salvation to the people. Peter explained to Cornelius and his household that Jesus had risen from the dead and was the Judge of the living and the dead, and that whoever believes in Him would receive the remission of sins. This is the same message Peter preached in Jerusalem at Pentecost, proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Christ. Preaching the gospel affirms the resurrection of Jesus and, through the authority of God, confirms that Jesus is the Judge of all men.

After Jesus was arrested, He was taken before the Jewish legal system and then the Roman judicial court, where He was judged by men. He was pronounced guilty and crucified. Three days later, the accused rose from the dead to become the Judge of all those who sentenced Him to die. Those of the Sanhedrin would face Jesus in death as the accused. Pilate and Herod also faced Judge Jesus in death without their Roman authority and with the full force of divine justice. All those who have opposed the one true church in the past two thousand years stand before the Judge of all time guilty. Jesus is the Judge of all the dead and those who are alive when He returns again.

Judges must have authority, and that authority must be granted by those empowered to administer it. Jesus is the judge of all men because God gave Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth. There is no place that Jesus does not have authority. Every President, King, Prime Minister, Dictator, and despot serves the authority of the King of kings – Judge Jesus. Every nation on earth is under the judgment of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. All people are subjected to the authority of the Son of God, whom the Father has made Judge of the living and the dead. The world is filled with many false religions, claiming to have a path to spiritual purity. They are denied before God through the authority of the only way, truth, and life – Judge Jesus. No one comes to the Father apart from the Judge of the living and the dead – Jesus Christ.

Obedience to the gospel of Christ demands submission to the Judge. The word of God judges all men, whether they are saved or not. Jesus is the judge of all men because He died on the cross to redeem the world to the Father, and there is no other way for men to be saved apart from the judgment of Jesus Christ. There is no man greater than the authority of the Judge of the living and the dead. When God decides to send His Son for the final judgment, Jesus will return with His mighty angels, bringing judgment upon the world. No one will claim authority. There will be no one demanding their rights. The only judge will be the Judge of the living and the dead – Jesus Christ.

Knowing there is only one Judge and that He judges righteously, all men must come to the cross of Jesus for eternal life. It does not matter whether the world believes Jesus is the Judge of the living and the dead. All men will die and all men will stand face to face before one Judge and be judged by one law and one authority given to Jesus by His Father. There is only one God. He gave Jesus the right to be Judge of the living and the dead. You may not accept Jesus as King now, but you will one day. Sadly, it will be too late. The prophets of old testified that through the name of Jesus, all who believe in Him will receive remission of sins. Today, Jesus is your Savior. Tomorrow He is your judge.