If God is Love why would He send Judgement?

  When I talk to friends, family or brethren about the coming judgement of God, I often get a mix of responses but confusion is usually the most frequent.

  The question is not a an unreasonable one: If God is Love, then why would He send judgement?

  The answer lies in the question itself, although it is not easily understood. But I hope to clear up some confusion and bring at least a little more understanding to the reality before us.

  In our day and age, it doesn't take long to see that the world we live in is in disorder and disarray. We see and feel pain and suffering, selfishness and greed, hatred and violence and the awful list continues. And whether or not we're honest with ourselves, no matter how hard we try we can never seem to get it right-at least not according to the standard held in The Old Testament in The Bible. And whether or not we believe it, it is God's Word, it is The Truth and it Does and Will have The Final Say.

God is the creator of the universe and every living creature in existence. He created humanity in His own image: we are spirit, soul and body. He created us with a free will. And one choice set the entire course of life into chaos, pain and punishment. But in His mercy, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to reconcile humanity to Himself. He was born of a virgin through The Holy Spirit. He did walk the earth at His appointed time sharing the love of The Father, making disciples who would share The Gospel, so that they may be saved. He did die on a cross bearing in Himself the sin, iniquity, transgressions, shame, guilt, condemnation, pain and suffering, sickness and disease...so in our surrendering our lives to Him we would bear His name, His righteousness, His forgiveness, His love, His health, His peace, His restoration, His life!!! Praise you Jesus! Thank you Lord!!
No we are not worthy, not one of us deserves nor can we earn this Resurrection Life, it is a free gift that no one can boast! If we believe! Yes, we must believe John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."- John 3:16

   This verse is one we all know well or have at least heard before. Let's take a closer look and see the power and simplicity of God's amazing Word:

  This verse begins with the reason He gave Jesus, His only begotten Son- He Loves the world.
Why did He give us Jesus? So that we would not perish.
What is the condition of having everlasting life? That we would believe in Him, Jesus, The Son of God.

When we believe in Jesus, we believe in Him- all He is, all He has done and all He has promised.

  The Bible tells us that Jesus died at the cross with the sin, curse and condemnation of mankind  upon Himself. Literally, He bore our judgement. He rose again on the third day, and is now seated at the right hand of The Father in Heaven. And one day, sooner than we can imagine, He will come back for His bride, the church and bring His recompense with Him.

  This is beautiful and amazing for those of us who believe in Him and have made Him The Lord of our lives. But what about those who become wayward and go against His commands or those who plain don't believe?

  If we reject Jesus, we reject everlasting life- For He IS THE LIFE. And if we reject everlasting life, we will die in our sin and perish.

Read 2 Thessalonians 1:8

   Paul is again addressing the church of Thessalonica. Here he first give thanks for their faith and love for one another amidst their afflictions and trials. He encourages them that at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, their suffering will end.
 
   This passage is beautiful. It is so full of great detail answering the what, when, where how and why's we are asking.
 
   Paul tells us that in all these persecutions and afflictions the church is suffering, it has qualified them to be considered worthy of the kingdom of God. We must remember, the Christian life is marked by persecution and tribulation for Christ's namesake. Our lives are a journey of perseverance.
But this suffering will be justly repayed, and we will find relief at the coming of our Lord Jesus.
Paul says that many things will take place simultaneously at His coming:

1. Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty Angels.
2. In "flaming fire", He will inflict vengeance on two groups of people: those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3. These two groups will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from His presence.
4. That day, He will be glorified in His saints.

  I'd like to note that The return of The Lord is a multifaceted event, that has specific timing in every part. But only The Lord knows exactly how and how long it will happen. But there is a very clear order in sequence. The Lord coming back; the judgement( time of sorrows) at  His coming; the gathering together (rapture); The Great Tribulation...
 
   For this post I am speaking specifically about why the judgement has to take place.

  Many of us do not keep in mind that God is Holy and cannot be in the presence of sin. If we were to be honest, we could list a number of areas in our lives that need God to refine. And He will refine us. One way or another (Zechariah 13). He loves us so much that He wants us to be ready when He gets here. He wants to find us as a wise virgin or a faithful servant. But many of us will have fallen asleep. Those who do believe and fall back into their old ways of careless living and fall asleep, will not be
ready when He comes for His church. Two things will happen: they will perish in the judgements or they will live to make the hardest decision of their life: submit to Christ at the cost of their earthly life or surrender their life to the antichrist and perish eternally.

   This coming judgement is the final alarm to wake up a sleeping church. Will we wake up? Will we see this chastening as His great love for us? I pray so.