A famous preacher tells the story of getting a speeding ticket years ago in a small town. When he went to appear before the judge, the judge said, “How do you plead?”
The preacher responded, “Guilty, your honor.”
The judge then said, “That will be $15.” At that moment, the judge recognized the preacher.
They began to talk and the judge even commented on how much the preacher’s messages had helped him and his family. When the conversation came to an end, the preacher started to put his wallet back in his pants, thinking the judge might forgive the fine. The judge smiled and said, “That’ll be $15”. In essence, the judge was saying, “As a friend, I am grateful for your ministry. As a judge, I must require the ticket be paid in full.” The judge had great affection for the preacher, but he was uncompromising in his justice. (Please see the last paragraph of Note E for the rest of the story.)
This standard of uncompromising justice is foreign to us. Most of us think that surely something we have done (some good deed or some good intention) will win God’s favor or obligate Him to be partial towards us or compromise His judgment in some way in our favor. Surely “we can repair our own relationship with God by putting Him in a position where He cannot say ‘no’…”. The Scriptures state clearly that God mercifully withholds His judgment in many ways while we are alive, giving us time to turn to Him and receive His Son as our Savior. Once a man dies, if he has not yet received the free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, unmerciful judgment falls without compromise or partiality. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” “For there is no partiality with God.”