The Judge at the Door

The concept of divine judgment makes many of us uncomfortable. We'd rather talk about God's love, grace, and comfort than contemplate standing before Him to give an account of our lives. Yet Scripture consistently reminds us of this reality: we will all appear before God's judgment seat, and each of us will give an account of ourselves to Him.

But here's something that might surprise you—God's justice should actually be a source of inspiration and hope.

When Justice Becomes Good News

The apostle James wrote to a community of believers who were experiencing profound injustice. These were field hands and day laborers whose work was regularly exploited, whose wages were often withheld, and who had no recourse in a corrupt legal system. The judges were owned by the wealthy, and the poor were routinely condemned in court. James called this what it was: murder by corrupt judges and bribed juries.

"Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains." James 5:7

The promise of Christ's return—and the justice He would bring—was meant to inspire them. It gave them strength to endure. It reminded them that their cries reached the ears of the Almighty, and that someday every wrong would be righted, every evil would be punished, and the God of all the earth could be trusted to do what is right.

This is the perspective we often miss in our comfortable, suburban lives. When you've lived through genocide, when you've seen your family slaughtered, when you've experienced systematic oppression, the promise of God's justice brings deep comfort. It means the innocent won't suffer forever. It means the guilty won't prosper eternally. It means that ultimate justice will prevail.

The Second Coming: Completing Salvation's Agenda

When Christ came the first time, He came to take away our sins, to carry our guilt, to pay our penalty, and to satisfy God's wrath on the cross. But there are still agenda items left on salvation's itinerary.

When Christ returns:

• All creation will be liberated from its bondage

• The created order will be restored to God's original design

• All the works of our enemy will be destroyed

• There will be no more sorrow, crying, or pain

• Death itself—the final enemy—will be destroyed

• Our bodies will be redeemed and transformed

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15, "This will happen in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."

And yes, part of that completion includes judgment and justice. The Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son. Jesus, who is now the world's Savior, will someday be the world's Judge.

The Warning We Need to Hear

While God's justice should inspire us, it should also warn us. James doesn't just address the corrupt systems outside the church—he turns his attention to believers themselves with a specific caution: "Don't grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The judge is standing at the door" (James 5:9).

This might seem like a minor issue compared to the exploitation and corruption he just condemned. But James understood something crucial: judgment begins with God's household. As Peter wrote, "It is time for judgment to begin with God's household. And if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17).

The church James was addressing had a serious problem with their speech. Throughout his letter, he warned them repeatedly:

• "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless" (James 1:26)

• "The tongue is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (James 3:6)

• "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness" (James 3:9)

These believers weren't just engaging in minor complaining. They were slandering one another, cursing one another, and condemning one another. Why? Because they were coveting what the wealthy had, and they were willing to sell each other out to get it.

The Danger of Impatience

When we become impatient waiting for God's justice, we're tempted to take matters into our own hands. We stop believing God will reward us, so we decide to get our reward now. We doubt God will bring justice, so we seek our own vengeance. We begin to act like sinners to get what we think we deserve.

Jesus warned about this in Luke 12: "Suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the other servants... The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him."

This is why James emphasizes that Christ's return is near. He's not making a prediction about timing—he's making a statement about nature. Christ's return will be sudden. It could happen at any moment. The judge's hand is on the latch of the door.

Words Reveal the Heart

Why does James focus so intently on our speech? Because Jesus taught that "the things that come out of a person's mouth come from the heart" (Matthew 15:18). Words are the first thing we do with our evil thoughts.

Before you commit any sin, you think about it. And what's the first thing you do with that thought? You talk to yourself. You begin making excuses. You create permission structures for your lust, your bitterness, your racism, your violence. You tell yourself it's okay, you deserve it, they've earned it.

Or—and this is the path of wisdom—you could speak words that confess the sin, repent of it, and speak God's blessing over the person you've been coveting.

Jesus said, "Everyone will have to give an account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken" (Matthew 12:36). His judgment will be thorough.

How Should We Respond?

James gives us clear direction on how to respond to the reality of God's coming justice.

Personally, be positive: Be patient. Stand firm. Like a farmer who continues working the land, diligently sowing and tending, we must persistently do good. We cannot stop being obedient to our King while we wait for His return.

Personally, be vigilant: Do a regular, fearless moral inventory of your life. Be ruthless with personal sin. Never excuse what the Holy Spirit convicts you about. Keep watch because you don't know the day or hour.

Publicly, speak truth: The church must speak prophetically to the injustice we see in the world. We must call out corruption and wickedness, warning people to repent and save themselves from the coming wrath of God.

The Door That Remains Open—For Now

Here's the urgent reality: when the door of judgment opens, the door of salvation closes forever.

But right now, today, Jesus stands as the open door. He said, "I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved" (John 10:9). He is the only escape from God's wrath and the only access to salvation's blessings.

Jesus already took the punishment we deserve. He satisfied God's justice on the cross so that God could be both just and the justifier of those who believe in Him.

Paul wrote urgently: "Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

The judge is standing at the door. His coming is imminent. But today—right now—the door of salvation remains open. The question is: will you run to Jesus while there's still time?