Judge of the Living and the Dead

Ordained to Be Judge

☐

Peter told Cornelius’ household that Jesus “commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42).

Ordained. Ordained means chosen and appointed for a job. God the Father chose Jesus to be the Judge of everyone.

A judge. A judge decides what is right, what is wrong, and what should happen. A good judge is fair and knows all the facts.

The living and the dead. This means everyone: people alive today and people who lived long ago. No one is left out.

Paul said it too. Paul wrote that the Lord Jesus Christ “will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:1). His appearing means the day Jesus comes back.

Peter wrote it again. Years later Peter wrote that people “will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5). To give an account means to explain what you have done.

Jesus said it. Jesus Himself said, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22).

A fair Judge. Paul called Jesus “the righteous Judge” (2 Timothy 4:8). Righteous means always right and always fair. Jesus knows everything, and He never makes a mistake.

Everything seen. Nothing is hidden from Jesus. He sees what people do and why they do it, so His judgment is always true.

Afraid? Does this mean people who trust Jesus should be afraid of Him? No. The Judge is the same Jesus who loves them and died for them.

Part of the good news. Peter was commanded to tell people about the Judge. That is why he told them about forgiveness right away. People need to know the Judge before the day they meet Him.

The problem. We have all sinned. A fair Judge cannot pretend that sin does not matter.

The answer. Jesus never sinned, but He died on the cross for our sins. God raised Him on the third day. Now the Judge offers forgiveness to everyone who believes.

What we learn. Jesus is the Judge of everyone, and He is fair and good. The best way to get ready to meet the Judge is to trust Him as your Savior now.

What to do. Thank Jesus that He is always fair. Tell Him about your sin, and trust Him to forgive you.

“And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42).

Horizo. The Greek word for ordained is horizo (say: hoh-RID-zoh), to mark out or set a boundary. The English word horizon comes from it. God marked out Jesus as the Judge, and that decision is firm.

Commanded to testify. Judgment was not a side note. Jesus commanded His apostles to tell it, and Peter preached it in a Gentile house.

A Judge with a name. The Judge is the same “Jesus of Nazareth” whom God anointed and raised (Acts 10:38-40). He is not a stranger; He lived among people and died for them.

Paul’s charge (2 Timothy 4:1). “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.” Paul tied the judgment to Christ’s appearing and His kingdom.

Peter’s letter (1 Peter 4:5). “They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” Ready means the Judge is prepared now; nothing is hidden from Him.

The Son judges (John 5:22). “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.” The One who became a man and lived among us is the One who will judge.

The righteous Judge. Paul looked forward to “the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day” (2 Timothy 4:8). For those who love Him, the Judge gives a crown.

The living and the dead. The phrase covers every human being. Death does not put anyone out of His reach.

Why preach judgment? Judgment shows why forgiveness matters. Peter preached the Judge in 10:42 and forgiveness in 10:43, one right after the other.

Hope, not dread. For the believer, the Judge is also the Savior. The day of His appearing is a day to long for.

The gospel. All have sinned. Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose again, and everyone who believes in Him is forgiven. The Judge Himself has paid for the sins of all who trust Him.

Application. Live as someone who will give an account, but with confidence in Christ. Tell others about the Judge who also forgives.

Whoever Believes in Him

☐

Right after Peter said that Jesus is the Judge, he said this: “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43).

The Judge forgives. The same Jesus who will judge everyone is the One who forgives sins. That is very good news!

All the prophets. Long before Jesus came, God’s prophets wrote about Him. Isaiah wrote, “And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Iniquity means sin.

Through His name. Forgiveness comes through Jesus Himself. It does not come through our good deeds or through any other person.

Whoever. Whoever means anyone at all: Jewish or Gentile, rich or poor, young or old. Cornelius’ household heard this and believed.

Believes in Him. To believe in Jesus means to trust Him. You depend on Him to forgive you, the way you trust a strong bridge to hold you up.

Remission. Remission of sins means your sins are forgiven and taken away. God does not hold them against you anymore.

Lord of all. Peter also said, “He is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). The One who rules over everyone offers forgiveness to everyone.

Not to condemn. Jesus said, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). Paul wrote that people who belong to Christ will never be judged guilty (Romans 8:1).

The cross. How can the Judge forgive? Jesus never sinned, but He took the punishment for our sins on the cross. Then God raised Him from the dead.

That same day. While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on those who heard (Acts 10:44). They believed, and God forgave them that very day.

Nothing to pay. Forgiveness is a free gift. You cannot buy it or earn it. You receive it by believing in Jesus, the way Cornelius’ household did.

What we learn. The Judge of everyone is also the Savior of everyone who believes. You do not earn His forgiveness; you receive it by trusting Him.

What to do. If you have not trusted Jesus yet, you can tell Him today that you are sorry and that you believe in Him. If you have, thank Him that your sins are forgiven.

Acts 10:42 and 10:43 belong together: the Judge of the living and the dead is the One through whom “whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

All the prophets. “To Him all the prophets witness.” Isaiah is one clear witness: “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

Through His name. A name stands for the person. Forgiveness comes through who Jesus is and what He did, not through ceremonies, good works or national background.

Whoever believes. The word whoever leaves no one out. Cornelius was a Gentile officer, and the promise was his the moment he believed. The same promise reaches every person today who believes in Him.

Remission. Remission means sins forgiven and taken away for good. The Judge does not overlook sin; He has paid for it Himself.

Lord of all (10:36). “Preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all.” The Lord of every nation makes the same offer to every nation.

Not to condemn (John 3:17). “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” He came first to save; He will come again to judge. Paul wrote that people who belong to Christ will never be judged guilty (Romans 8:1).

The Judge who died. The One who will judge was “killed by hanging on a tree” (Acts 10:39), and God raised Him. He carried the sin He will judge.

Believed and received. “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word” (Acts 10:44). Forgiveness did not wait until they had proved themselves.

The gospel. All have sinned. Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day. Whoever believes in Him receives remission of sins.

Application. Meet the Judge now as your Savior. Then tell others, because the offer is for whoever believes.

📖

Complete all sections to finish!

Read each section and answer the questions correctly.