At this the end of the Church year we have had a series of lessons looking at end times. We have dealt with the apocalypse and our preparedness and today we deal with final judgement on this, Christ the King Sunday. First it is important that we remember what we have learned about the Kingdom of God. It is not an earthly kingdom fixed in any particular time and place. Therefore we must look at the prospect of final judgement in that context.
The old covenant dealt in law. Obedience was rewarded and disobedience punished both on an individual level and on a national one. The freedom granted by the new covenant is subtle. There is a sense in which we prejudge ourselves. If we have not prepared ourselves for life in the Kingdom of God we have condemned ourselves to a future life of exclusion, my idea of hell. If we have embraced the Kingdom in life we will barely notice the transition because like the malefactor on the cross we are already with him in paradice. As the prophet said, Today you are given the choice of Heaven and Hell, choose LIFE.
The old covenant dealt in law. Obedience was rewarded and disobedience punished both on an individual level and on a national one. The freedom granted by the new covenant is subtle. There is a sense in which we prejudge ourselves. If we have not prepared ourselves for life in the Kingdom of God we have condemned ourselves to a future life of exclusion, my idea of hell. If we have embraced the Kingdom in life we will barely notice the transition because like the malefactor on the cross we are already with him in paradice. As the prophet said, Today you are given the choice of Heaven and Hell, choose LIFE.
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