God’s Judgment - It’s Not My Fault!
‘I was acting under orders so I am not responsible’. How often people plead that they are not responsible when things wrong. Will we be able to plead this when we face God’s final judgment which is coming to us all?
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment . . . “ Hebrews 9:27
During the second world war many atrocities were performed, After the war many of those responsible were tried by an international court held in Nuremberg. One of the common defence arguments was ‘The Nuremberg defence’, legally known as the plea of superior orders. This was rejected because the International Military Tribunal (IMT) established that individuals are responsible for their actions regardless of orders, provided a moral choice was possible.
The tribunal's decision was based on several core legal and moral principles:
1. Individual Responsibility
The Nuremberg Charter (Article 8) explicitly stated that acting under orders does not free a person from criminal responsibility. The judges held that crimes under international law are committed by men, not abstract entities like the state, and can only be prevented by punishing individuals.
2. The "Moral Choice" Test
The tribunal ruled that the true test of liability is not the existence of an order, but whether a moral choice was actually possible for the defendant. Judges argued that orders to commit atrocities (like the mass murder of civilians) were so clearly illegal and immoral that any person of ‘ordinary sense’ should have recognised their wrongfulness. Most defendants could not prove they were under ‘imminent peril’ or forced at gunpoint to commit crimes. Historical evidence showed that German soldiers who refused to participate in killings were often reassigned without facing execution or severe punishment.
3. Prevention of Universal Immunity
If following orders were a complete defence, it would create a ‘slippery slope’ where only the person at the very top (Hitler) could be held liable, effectively granting immunity to everyone else in the chain of command.
4. Limited Mitigation
While not a complete defence, the Charter allowed superior orders to be considered for mitigation of punishment if the court determined that justice required it. However, in most cases involving egregious crimes against humanity, this was not applied to reduce sentences significantly.
Just before the main Nuremberg trials, a US military tribunal had rejected this defence for General Anton Dostler, who executed 15 Americans under Hitler's orders, setting a clear precedent.
These principles were codified into Nuremberg Principle IV, which remains a foundation of international law and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
What defence can we plead at our own judgment?
Before going to trial it is a wise defendant who has prepared his case before hand. What can I plead and what will my judge, Jesus himself make of my argument?
Not recognising God’s court
Refusing to recognise a court's authority is virtually never an effective legal defence. While it is a common tactic in certain fringe ideologies, it almost always leads to more severe legal consequences rather than an acquittal. Arguments that a court lacks jurisdiction because a person has not "consented" to its laws have never prevailed in any recorded court case. The Bible scoffs at such a defence:
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, . . . “ Romans 1:18-20
2. Ignorance of God’s Law
This argument is not acceptable either. However no-one can honestly sat that they are ignorant of the way they ought to live, the principles are in-build into each of us. What child doesn’t learn very early the concept ‘It’s not fair . . .”.
“ . . . since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:19-20
God sees that we all know his standards:
“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?” Romans 2:1-3
3. Not realising that my life was meant to glorify God
The evidence that God has created us for himself is abundantly clear. Our consciences shout to us, our desire that others behave with fairness, integrity and love are a recognition that we all know what is important in life:
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.” Romans 1:21-22
Powerful men seem to think they can behave with impunity. Both biblical scripture and secular thought emphasise that earthly power provides no immunity from divine or ultimate judgment. These quotes serve as reminders that authority is often a temporary stewardship for which leaders will be held strictly accountable.
4. Not guilty
Some will try to plead,
“But I have only done a few minor things wrong!”
Such people have failed to remember that God also sees what we haven’t done:
“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” James 4:17
In the 2001 film Captain Corelli's Mandolin, a chilling exchange occurs between an Italian soldier and a German officer during the massacre of the Acqui Division on the island of Cephalonia. After the Italians surrender to their former allies, the German army begins a mass execution of the Italian prisoners for treason. As the soldiers are being lined up to be shot, one terrified Italian soldier cries out,
“I didn't do anything!”
The German officer retorts,
“Then you deserve to die,” before the firing begins.
Passivity or ‘doing nothing’ is viewed as a fatal flaw or even a crime by those committed to the conflict. Passivity can be treason and this is how God sees the way many treat him.
The Bible teaches that everyone, however powerful, will face the Judgment of God
God is the "Ruler of kings on earth" and that He shows no partiality based on status or influence.
"He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'" Daniel 4:35:
"For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God . . . each of us will give an account of himself to God." Romans 14:10-12
“For exaltation comes neither from east nor west... but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.” Psalm 75:6-7
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne . . . and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” Revelation 20:12
“For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14
The lives of many powerful figures in the bible remind us that all are accountable to God:
King Nebuchadnezzar: Was humbled and ‘punished by God’ for believing his empire was built by his own might rather than by divine providence.
King David: Despite being a ‘man after God's own heart,’ he faced severe personal and national judgment after his sins involving Bathsheba and Uriah.
King Solomon: Although initially blessed with great wisdom, his later disobedience led to the eventual division and judgment of his kingdom.
Reflecting Scripture, many influential thinkers have reflected on the inherent corruption of power and the inevitability of a higher accountability.
Lord Acton: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad, even when they exercise influence and not authority.”
Thomas Jefferson: “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”
Abraham Lincoln: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”
Saint Augustine: “Remove justice, and what are kingdoms but gangs of criminals on a large scale?”
Martin Luther King Jr.: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Hope
All people are in a desperate situation for none of us can match God’s standard:
“ . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, . . .” Romans 3:23
However we can be given the status of being righteous if Jesus becomes our Lord and Saviour”
“ . . . and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24
Salvation is a free gift that is given to all who turn to Christ. We are saved by grace alone.
The question we must ask ourselves and those around us is
“Have I really turned to Christ? Is his honour the priority of my life?”
A Baptist church in Bournemouth had a mission, rather like ‘Passion for Life’ we hold. One night the pastor, Dr. Francis Dixon asked a man to share his testimony. He said:
“This is how I was saved. I was in the Royal Navy. I was walking down George Street in Sydney, Australia and out of nowhere stepped a gentleman and he said to me,
‘Excuse me, sir, but could I ask you a question? I hope that it won’t offend you, but if you were to die today, where would you spend eternity? The Bible says that it will either be in heaven or in hell. Would you think about that, please? Thank you. God bless you!”
Then the man left. I had never been confronted with that question – I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I got back to England and met someone who took me to a mission and that’s where I became a Christian”.
Some while later that same church had a youth meeting and Noel, one of the visiting team shared his testimony.
“This is how I came to know Jesus Christ. I was in the Royal Navy and my ship was stationed in Sydney. One evening I was walking down George Street when out of nowhere stepped a man. He said to me,
“Young man, I have a question to ask you. If you should die tonight where would you go? Would it be heaven or hell? Now don’t try to evade the question, it must be one or the other.”
What he said bothered me for many months. I sought out a Christian, he helped me, and I gave my life to Christ.”
Frank Jenner, who asked that question, was a short ex-naval man. He did not know that he had been used by God to help many throughout the world to become Christians, many entering full time Christian work. Frank’s own journey to faith is every bit as remarkable as the lives of those he touched.
“Before I knew Jesus” he said, “I lived the wild life of a sailor to the full and had become addicted to gambling. Then, in 1937, I met my Saviour for the first time and my life was transformed – the addiction to gambling gone forever.”
In gratitude for his second chance at life, he pledged to serve God to the best of his ability. He said:
“Each day, my aim was to speak to 10 people about Jesus, and I did so for 28 years until Parkinson’s disease took its toll. In wartime and in peace, good times and bad, I continued with the work that I had promised to do”.
He did this by walking up and down George Street in Sydney talking winsomely to any he could, It has been estimated that over the years Frank talked to more than one hundred thousand people. Actually more than most pastors would address in their lifetime.
BVP
