Hallelujah—judgement! Gordon Cheng

Wow.  I never knew that.  Thank you.

Stephen Jackson22/12/2008 05:02 PM

Gordon, your last sentance -
” ....and sing ‘Hallelujah’ to our mighty King Jesus, who dashes his enemies in pieces with a rod of iron.” jumped off the page.

I am trying to reconcile this with our current liturgical season that proclaims Jesus as Prince of Peace.  Does this mean Jesus brings a ‘Pax Romana’ rather than communal transformation towards peaceful and respectful living?

The image of Jesus personally crushing unrepentant sinners with an iron rod is a new one for me.  Certainly food for thought.

Does this mean Jesus brings a ‘Pax Romana’

Yes, a Pax Romana, nicely put Stephen.

But for those who repent and seek his forgiveness, he gives his transforming Holy Spirit, who does indeed bring ‘communal transformation towards peaceful and respectful living’—ie, heaven (ultimately).

So the paradox at the heart of Christianity is that the violence of the cross leads to glory, and the powerful judgment of the glorified one leads to grace and forgiveness for those who turn to him.

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