from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel
for
God Is Just and Salvation is in Christ
... Trust God’s perfect judgment, and faithfully make known the salvation He has provided through Christ.
Romans 2:11 NKJV (devotion translation)
For there is no partiality with God.
Devotion:
Today’s Scripture reminds us that God’s judgment is perfectly righteous, without prejudice, ignorance, or injustice.
Questions about heaven, hell, children who die young, and people who have never heard the gospel can press against the limits of our understanding. Scripture does not answer every question in the detail we might desire, but it gives us enough truth to trust the character of God.
The Bible is clear that salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through Him. His death and resurrection are not merely one way of salvation among many. Christ is the Savior, and this is why the Church has been commanded to take the gospel to all nations.
At the same time, Scripture teaches that God judges with perfect knowledge and justice. Romans explains that creation bears witness to God’s existence, and conscience bears witness to His moral law. No person will stand before God and discover that He judged unfairly or without full knowledge. We should be careful not to speak with certainty where Scripture does not give certainty. We can affirm what God has revealed and entrust what He has not revealed to His righteous character.
This same confidence helps us when considering children or those who lack the capacity to understand and respond to the gospel. Scripture gives reason to trust God’s gracious care. David’s words after the death of his infant son reflect his expectation that he would one day go to him. Rather than establishing an arbitrary "age of accountability," the Bible directs our attention to the mercy and wisdom of God.
These truths should not weaken our concern for the lost. They should strengthen it. Because Christ alone saves, believers should faithfully proclaim Him. And because God alone knows every heart perfectly, we can leave final judgment in His hands.
We do not need to know everything God knows in order to trust that the Judge of all the earth will always do what is right.
Prayer:
Lord, help me trust Your perfect justice and mercy while faithfully proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ. Give me humility where Scripture is silent and confidence where Your Word is clear. Amen.
Digging Deeper:
- Romans 1:18-20 ↗ - God’s existence and power are evident through creation, leaving humanity without excuse.
- Romans 2:14-16 ↗ - Conscience bears witness to God’s moral law, and God will judge with perfect knowledge.
- Genesis 18:25 ↗ - Abraham rests in the character of God: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
- Acts 4:12 ↗ - Salvation is found in Christ alone; there is no other name by which we are saved.
- 1 Timothy 2:3-6 ↗ - God desires people to be saved, and Christ is the one Mediator between God and humanity.
- Deuteronomy 10:17-18 ↗ - God shows no partiality and judges with perfect righteousness.
- 2 Samuel 12:22-23 ↗ - David’s response to his infant son’s death reflects hope beyond death and trust in God’s mercy.