the judgmentless gospel
Part 3 of 8 on Recognizing & Resisting False Gospels
Mercy Without Justice
In a small but growing city, there was a judge who looked the part—robe, bench, and gavel in hand. But unlike most judges, he had one guiding principle: he just wanted everyone to be happy.
Thieves, fraudsters, and even violent offenders came before him. Each time, he waved away the charges. “People make mistakes. Let’s not ruin their lives with harsh judgment,” he thought.
At first, people praised him. “Finally—a compassionate judge!” But over time, the city decayed. Crime flourished. The innocent lived in fear. And what once seemed merciful turned out to be gross negligence.
This is what Trevin Wax (2011) calls the Judgmentless Gospel—a version of Christianity that removes sin and judgment from the equation. It preaches God’s love, but not His holiness. It offers mercy, but denies justice. It wants peace without repentance.
Why We Prefer a God Without Judgment
If we’re honest, many people—including churchgoers—prefer a judgmentless God. In a 2021 Pew Research survey, 73% of U.S. adults said they believe in heaven, but only 62% believe in hell. Even among Christians, a significant number reject the idea of eternal punishment (Pew Research Center, 2021).
Why? Because judgment makes us uncomfortable. Our culture prizes tolerance and affirmation, and “sin” just sounds too negative, too harsh. We’d rather imagine a God who never confronts, never convicts, never condemns.
But here’s the problem: a God who never judges is not loving. He’s actually negligent. Just like the city with a judge who refuses to uphold justice, a world without divine judgment becomes chaotic, unsafe, and hopeless.
Justice and Love Meet at the Cross
The true gospel doesn’t pit God’s love against His justice. It unites them. As Paul writes:
“…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus… This was to show God’s righteousness… so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:23–26, ESV).
At the cross, God upheld His justice—sin was punished. But He also displayed His love—He took the punishment Himself. The judgment we fear and the mercy we crave met perfectly in Jesus Christ.
A Healthy Church Holds Grace and Truth Together
Churches that fall into the judgmentless gospel avoid preaching on sin, hell, or repentance. They may grow in attendance because the message is easy to hear, but beneath the surface, spiritual health withers. Without truth, love loses its depth. Without repentance, grace loses its meaning.
A healthy church doesn’t soft-pedal judgment—but neither does it wield it harshly. Instead, it reflects Jesus: full of grace and truth (John 1:14). It calls sin what it is, but also proclaims that forgiveness is available for all who turn to Christ.
God’s love and justice are not enemies. Justice is not a contradiction of God’s love. It’s an expression of it. On the cross, God clearly displays mercy and judgment.
Pastors and church leaders, let me invite you to consider why people in your church are uncomfortable with the idea of God’s judgment. Think through how you can communicate God’s justice without being condemning and provide people with the truth of the gospel wrapped in grace.
Grace & Peace,
Mike Wrigglesworth
References
Pew Research Center. (2021). What the data says about Americans’ belief in heaven and hell. Pew Research Center.
Wax, T. (2011). Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope. Moody Publishers.
