When Grace and Judgments Fail (Poem)

See the Grace series here

Have you noticed judicial judgments now are less deterrent,

And by penalties, folks are not effectively penalized?

Have you heard of judges who themselves are vile,

While on other folks misdeeds, they are handing out stiff judgments?

And what of prison guards ‘on the take’, but who go unchastised,

Who with staff shortages, can practice their guile?

What to do when by judgments, behavior changes are naught,

When with exploding populations, prisons are insufficient,

And lack good programs or upright folk to administer them?

Law breakers become better at evading being caught.

Thus, increasing proportions of us become malevolent.

How long before our world becomes …unmanageable mayhem??

In wisdom, my parents meted out corrective punishments,

That were effective in getting the job done!

No punishments feel good as it is being administered, ¹

But their rewards are sure, if with some love they are inherent,

And given before the setting of the sun.

But how does this relate to the mess with which we’re incumbered??

When at giving wise, effective discipline, parents wilt,

They turn their job over to un-suspecting societies.

When societies fail to do the job parents could not do,

Undisciplined ‘grown kids’ hook up with others of their ilk.

Together, they beef-up, then multiply their vulgarities.

Voila! The world over, that’s the condition now in clear view!

From the lowest-to the-highest societal echelons,

We see effects of parents who, with their kids, spared the rod. ²

Undisciplined they were; undisciplined kids they produced.

Imagine life when high level appointments such folks take on.

In positions where they’re free to practice all kinds of fraud,

With broad power and influence, other folks they induce.

There’s an odd concept that, in The Bible, is expressed,

Of people’s sins piling up so high, they reach to Heaven,

At which point Heaven finally responds, resolutely! ³

That’s when folks will have failed all of The Lord’s heart-mind tests. ⁴

So all the way to Heaven, could our sins now have risen?!

If not, must sinfulness get so much worse… unbearably?!?

To each of us, The Lord extends Grace to prompt repentance.

But when this job, Grace fails to achieve, His judgments we shall see!

He will tailor them to lead to righteousness. ⁵

So what if, to harsh judgments, folks develop tolerance?!

Tolerant we have become, and even moreso, folks shall be.

Increasingly wallowing in wickedness. ⁶

That’s when He will answer with …His global blazing presence,

Putting a sudden STOP (!) to mankind’s rampant wickedness!

If about the state of our world, like me, you’re deeply concerned,

Join me in becoming one of His ‘solution agents’.

He’ll teach you righteousness, and re-shape you in His likeness,

Then assign you unique roles in the coming world He’ll govern. ⁷

If to you this sounds exciting, and you’d like to ‘buy-in’,

It begins with His salvation offer,

That will make you forever, a special one of His. 

But if in this kind of government, you don’t want to be in,

No problem. With you He will not bother,

That is…

Until you meet in His ‘final resurrection biz.’

You see, here is something many folks simply do not know:

For ALL folks in the grave, He’s promised a resurrection!

But not all of us will rise at once. That is not His plan.

The firsts are for us who, for sins, …there’s nothing we owe!

Because He paid our price in full with His crucifixion.

The final will includes folks who, from His presence, …He'll ban. ⁸

Sadly, only a small minority,

Of folks who will have ever been conceived,

Will, in His Government, qualify to serve.

Suppose as soon as He fills that tally,

All world governments will then be relieved,

Replaced with Christ’s Government …Earth deserves!

That's exactly what He promises to do...

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¹ See: Hebrews 12:6-11

² See: Proverbs 13:24 and 22:15

³ See: Genesis 18:20-21, Ezra 9:6 and especially Revelation 18:15

⁴ In Psalm 7:9, Jeremiah 17:10 and Revelation 2:23, The Lord affirms and thrice confirms, ‘I am The Lord Who tests/searches minds and hearts, to give to each one according to what is in these hidden parts.’ (paraphrased)

⁵ See: What’s Really Going On (…Inside)

⁶ See: Revelation 2:21, 9:20-21, 16:9-11. The latter 2 references predict a time yet to come.

⁷ See: First and Second Comings (Poem), Government-in-Waiting, and Occupying Forces (Series)

⁸ Forever! Please see: Prayer of Salvation (Poem). Only in one sense do I understand how The Lord’s Grace and Judgments will succeed: Grace removes ANY/ALL excuses folks may have when they meet Him at His judgment bar. The only possible exceptions will be folks who will be (1) born during The Millennial Reign and (2) who embraced salvation after satan will be released 'for a little while' during the post-Millennial Reign age. See: Salvation in the Millennium (Series) and Human History Ages (Series). NB: The 'first resurrection' does not refer to a single, numerical event. See: Ponder This... (First Resurrection, Second Death, Hell).