IS IT JUDGMENT?
  

  by Doug Fortune
   info@dougfortune.org

My heart breaks as I think of the countless individuals who in the wake of Hurricane Katrina have lost family members, homes, possessions, jobs… so much loss and tragedy, it is difficult to even imagine. Both the godly and the ungodly were affected by this terrible disaster. May we keep them in our prayers and not add insult to injury by careless words.

It seems as if most every time that tragedy and natural disasters strike, the issue of JUDGMENT surfaces, especially among the prophetic community. Some say that the particular ‘judgment’ was the result of the sin of the WORLD, and some say that the particular ‘judgment’ was the result of the sin of the CHURCH. Most of us are familiar with God’s judgments in dealing with Israel and the nations under the Old Covenant, however I believe it behooves us to gain an understanding of JUDGMENT in the New Covenant. The following is not intended to be an exhaustive study of the subject, but rather a brief but thorough examination.

The following is from a writing entitled, ‘Some Said It Thundered’ written shortly after the bombing of the World Trade Center:

“NOW is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31)

Recently, we’ve heard what many have had to say about judgment, how God is judging a sinful nation that operates on a worldly system... how a Holy God MUST pour out judgment on the United States because of our many sins. For many, these words appeal to their sense of justice, it only makes sense that God would have to send judgment.

Now listen to the voice of Jesus Christ Himself, “Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world...” (John 9:39); “NOW is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) The word translated as ‘now’ is nun in Greek, it means present or immediate. Two thousand years ago, just prior to His crucifixion and speaking ABOUT His crucifixion, Jesus Christ Himself said, “NOW, presently, immediately, is the judgment of this world.” The word translated as ‘world’ is cosmos in Greek, and is used in referring to the ‘world-system’, rather than the terra-firma earth we stand upon. The full weight of the judgment of God for sin was summed up and given full expression in the Christ-event (the crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ). The world has BEEN judged for sin, declared guilty, and the full judgment poured out upon the only Begotten Son. “We did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted... and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us ALL.” (Isaiah 53:6); “For He hath made Him to BE SIN for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”(2 Corinthians 5:21)

As Jesus proclaimed “NOW is the judgment of this world”, the voice of the Father had just declared that He would glorify His OWN Name in His Son who bore His Name, Jesus Christ, fulfilling on the cross the purpose for which He came. Sin was judged ONCE for all; “Christ having been offered to take upon Himself and bear as a burden the sins of many ONCE and ONCE for ALL...”; “We have been made holy through the offering made ONCE for ALL of the body of Jesus Christ... For by a SINGLE offering He has FOREVER completely cleansed and perfected those who are consecrated and made holy.” (Hebrews 9:28; 10:10,14 Amplified Bible)

The cross of Jesus Christ is the ultimate glorification of the Name of the Father, as it is the full expression of His judgment AND His mercy. “For God has done what the Law could not do... sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, God CONDEMNED sin in the flesh- subdued, overcame, deprived it of it’s power, over ALL who ACCEPT that sacrifice.” (Romans 8:3-4 Amplified Bible)

The issue is NOT whether the United States as a nation deserves judgment. Obviously we do deserve judgment for slaughtering the unborn, legislating God out of the workplace and schools, immorality, pride, and the list can go on. The TRUE issue at hand is the finished work of the cross of Jesus Christ. The true issue is whether Jesus Christ fulfilled His purpose and destiny. Those who preach a sin-conscious gospel of judgment, whether knowingly or not, deny the absolute victory of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Today, just as it was in Jesus’ time, some hear the Voice... and some say it thundered (John 12:29). Thunder is symbolic of judgment (Exodus 19:20), and there are those today who only hear thunder and have missed the Voice of the Father declaring the ultimate glorification of His Name in the FINISHED work of the Cross.

Within the context of Biblically defined judgment (not our prevalent understanding of the word judgment), there is one sense in which we might say that the recent events in the Untied States are judgment. The world translated as ‘judgment’ is krisis in Greek, from which we get the word crisis. In a crisis, whatever kingdom is established within us will manifest. The Father certainly utilizes crisis in advancing His Kingdom, as we are seeing today.

Certainly the Father is utilizing this crisis to bring a clear distinction between those who hear the ‘Voice’ and those who hear ‘thunder’. If you’re looking for judgment, you will find it at the cross of Jesus Christ... the world is already judged. “But he who does not believe is judged ALREADY; he has ALREADY been convicted; has ALREADY received his sentence... he is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ’s name. The basis of the judgment lies in this: that the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works were evil.” (John 3:18-19 Amplified Bible) I believe we have yet to fully comprehend the complete victory of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

So, what do YOU hear? Are you listening to others talk about ‘thunder’?... If so, I encourage you to quiet yourself and listen for the ‘Voice’. Are you hearing the ‘Voice’ proclaim the finished work of the cross?... If so, pray for those who only hear the thunder. “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:56)


The following is from a writing entitled, ‘Season Of Separation’:

"And Jesus said, For JUDGMENT I am come into this world..." (John 9:39 KJV) "Then Jesus said, I came into this world for judgment, as a Separator..." (John 9:39 Amplified Bible)

I believe that we are moving into a 'season of judgment', a 'season of separation' in the Church and I'm finding this a challenging subject to broach because of so much misunderstanding on the matter. Most of the misunderstanding stems from the fact that so many try to live out their Christianity under an Old Covenant, law-based mentality. The prevailing thought when it applies to judgment is that of punishment or retribution. This is clearly NOT New Covenant understanding, for 2 Corinthians 5:21 is quite plain as it states, "For He hath made Him to BE SIN FOR US, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." The New Covenant emphasis of judgment is not punishment or retribution, rather the emphasis is that of SEPARATION. Jesus came into the world as a Separator! "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the EARTH..." (Matthew 10:34 Amplified Bible) As we've discussed before, earth is symbolic of carnality. Jesus definitely did not come to bring peace to our carnality! "I have not come to bring peace, but a SWORD. For I have come to PART ASUNDER..." (Matthew 10:34-35 Amplified Bible) He came to bring a Sword to our carnality! And what kind of Sword does He bring?... "For the WORD of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged SWORD, piercing even to the dividing ASUNDER of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) The Sword that He brings to 'divide asunder' our carnality is the "engrafted Word (Christ IN us), which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21 my input in parenthesis)

You see, judgment in the New Covenant is upon our carnality. Jesus came as the One to separate us from our carnality. The New Covenant emphasis is not so much a matter of bringing judgment upon individuals for their sin (as in the Old Covenant), but rather bringing judgment upon the kosmos, upon carnality itself. The emphasis is not that God is mad when individuals reject Him and therefore He will bring judgment upon them. God loves people... what He hates is carnality, because carnality brings death and decay to people. The LAW could never separate us from our carnality, but Christ IN us is well able to bring the necessary judgment.

Jesus speaks of this in John chapter 16 when He says, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the WORLD (kosmos in Greek) of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment... Of judgment, because the prince of this world (kosmos in Greek) is judged." (John 16:7-8, 11) Christ IN us, as the Comforter (the Holy Spirit), reproves the world (the kosmos) of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. It is HIM that does the reproving, not ourselves! The word translated as world in those verses is kosmos in Greek. As we saw earlier, its' meanings include- an orderly arrangement; the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family; the ungodly multitude; world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly; the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ. Or to put it plain language, the kosmos speaks of the 'worldly system', that which originates from carnality. "Then Jesus said, I came into this world (kosmos in Greek) for judgment, as a Separator..." (John 9:39 Amplified Bible) Jesus came as a Separator to bring judgment, to bring a separation to the kosmos of the 'worldly system', to bring a separation to all that originates from carnality. His intention is that "The kingdoms of this world (kosmos in Greek) are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15) Yes, He came to the kosmos to bring separation, in order that the kosmos (all that originates from carnality) be consumed in the Kingdom.