The Good, the Bad, and the Deluded

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. Revelation 19:11

When I was in second grade, I got into an altercation on the playground with another student one day. This other student was obviously in the wrong and so, when a teacher observed the whole thing and quickly intervened, I was thankful. Justice would be done. The other boy would be punished, and I would come out victorious. I was quite disgruntled then when we both got hauled inside. We both got a stern talking to and we both got our next recess taken away. I just didn’t get it. I was in the right and the other kid was in the wrong. How was it fair that we both be punished? Was this teacher blind?

I was, of course, the deluded one. I wasn’t completely innocent, and the other boy didn’t bear all the guilt. In my biased condition though, what I did was justified. It’s different when I do it. My motives are righteous. My cause is just. I’m always right. I felt it was a great injustice to me then when I was punished alongside the other student whom I saw as the perpetrator. I wanted justice to be done, but I was too blind to see that justice meant that I missed my next recess too.

Today’s passage would have comforted me – though it would have been a false comfort. In the passage, John saw Christ sitting on a white horse, leading the armies of heaven against his enemies on Earth. None could stand against him as the beast and the false prophet were defeated and thrown into the lake of fire.

It’s an important concept for Christians – that one day good will triumph over evil. Justice will be done. Though we see injustice everywhere now, we should have faith in, and find comfort in, the fact that one day, evil will be defeated and good will overcome.

There’s a warning and a question here though. Which side am I on? I always think I’m on the side of good and I always think I want justice. If Christ returned today though, how would he judge me? Would I be on his side? Yes, I believe in him, but what do my actions reveal? Do I live for God’s will or Scott’s will? The answer to that question reveals if I’m on God’s side or the other side. In my biased condition I always think I’m right, but it’s worth some introspection. Am I truly living for God’s will, on his side, or am I simply deluded?