Book Review: The Justice & Goodness of God by Thomas R. Schreiner

The idea of a final tends to be overlooked in some Christian circles. Some Christians do not want to address it because it sounds like God is going to the boogeyman who is waiting for us when we die. Non-Christians cannot comprehend a God, who is supposed to be loving, to be judging people.

According to Thomas Schreiner, the reality of the final judgment is central to the gospel message. Schreiner unpacks this doctrine and its application to modern day believes in his latest book, The Justice & Goodness of God. 

Schreiner beings with looking into the holiness of God and how serious our sins truly are. In His holiness is pure justice and pure wrath. When we sin, violate that holiness that deserves the judgment of God. In the end, God will bring about a final judgment to all who have rejected God and not asked for His forgiveness.

For three chapters, Schreiner takes a look at the final judgment in light of the New Testament. He looks at the Gospels and Acts which deals with final judgment more than what people think. Jesus taught it in His parables. Next, he looks at through the Epistles which do teach that all of us will stand before God and give account. Finally, final judgment in light of the book of Revelation.

In the climax of the book, Schreiner talks about what Christians should do in light of the judgment. One thing is to fear the Lord, not because He is going to judge us, but we have been brough from death to life and promised to be delivered from the troubles of this life. Also, to summon people to repent and come to faith in Christ who will save us from our sins so when we stand before God, we are righteous because of Christ. 

One thing that Schreiner hopes for in this book is for Christians to rejoice in judgment. Not because they want to see others punish, but the fact that judgment shows the holiness and goodness of God. Schreiner writes, "Without judgment, God would not be good, and life on earth would be without meaning since our moral decisions would not ultimately matter. They might matter to us personally, but there would be no final reckoning for our lives, no ultimate accountability for our actions, and thus no significance to our lives- and that would be bad news indeed."

One final note, he does not address final justification, which he does mention briefly in this book saying it was not the purpose of this book to mention that. Final justification is this idea that God will look at our works to see if we are justified to go to heaven which it does seem, based on another book Schreiner wrote, he believes will happen. I knew that going into this book, but Schreiner seems really spot on regarding final judgment. Final justification is another matter which I just might have to read his book on that subject and compare it with this one. 

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.