50. The Certainty of Judgement

Certainty of Judgement

Introduction: Our culture has devolved to such an extent that it is impossible to speak against sin without being told that we are judgmental. A verse is taken out of context and rammed down our throats ‘Do not judge!!’. All the while being judged as homophobes, nazis’s, and racists for not adhering to the cultural demands of the day that anything goes, except of course someone who desires to walk with Christ. But we see, as we read the text, that there really is nothing new under the sun. The believers had broken from their old course of life to a new life to the shock of their former comrades. And they, not content to live and let live, as they so want us to do, malign us. When God removes someone from the fold of wickedness their new life shines as a beacon of light upon the dark deeds of the wicked and they are seen for what they are.

This morning for the sake of context we will read verses 1-6 but will focus on verse 5.

1Pe 4:1-6  Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  (2)  that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.  (3)  For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.  (4)  In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.  (5)  They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.  (6)  For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Observations:

This text has several contrasts. Though the Gentiles give false accounts of Christians to men, they will give a true account of themselves to the God of the Christians.

The judgement of men is temporal, the judgement of God is eternal.

The Certainty of Judgement

The verb ‘will give’ is a future active indicative verb meaning that in the future this event will take place in reality not theory. There is a date and time set for this event and there is no rescheduling or cancelling. So just as there is an appointed time for the salvation of His people so there is an appointed time for ‘them’ to give an account to God.

The topic of judgement is not one that is talked about greatly in broader evangelicalism. It’s deemed too offensive for seekers or as backward fundamentalism, but the frightening reality is judgment and hell are spoken of more often by Jesus in the gospels than the theme ‘God is love” is. 6 times more often.

Mat 5:20  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

The scribes and Pharisees had the appearance of outward righteousness but inwardly the were filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. Jesus called them ‘whitewashed tombs’

Mat 12:36-37  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  (37)  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

The word account in this context has reference to both economic and legal connotations. A ledger is opened, and payment is received for what is owed. In a court the criminal is brought before a judge and the charges are laid out.

The non-Christians judgement and subsequent condemnation of their souls is the wage paid for their transgressions. Romans 3:23 for the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, His Son.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

While we know that it is sometime in the future we do not know what time in the future.

Luk 12:40  "You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."

Mat 24:36-37  "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  (37)  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Heb 4:11-13  Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.  (12)  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  (13)  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

The Certainty of those under Judgement

This text is clear of who qualifies as those under judgement from the immediate context Those who pursued a course of sinful living, having rejected the gospel and maligned the people of God.

God will judge those who has persecuted His people.

2Th 1:3-10  We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;  (4)  therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.  (5)  This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.  (6)  For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,  (7)  and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,  (8)  dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  (9)  And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,  (10)  when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

What our text tells us in 1 Peter and this text is affliction for the believer is temporary. The affliction the wicked will receive from God is eternal. And the day of Christ’s return will be one of unspeakable joy for us and unspeakable terror for them.

Rev 6:15-17  And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;  (16)  and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;  (17)  for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?"

1Co 6:9-10  Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,  (10)  nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

V11 goes on to say - And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

The Certainty of the Judge

The context also tell us the identity of the Judge. ‘Him’ refers to Christ in verse 1.

There are three things that we see:

1. He is ready – means that He is fully prepared. All the arrangements have been made and there is nothing to hinder it.

In Gen 6 God was patient with man for 120 years while Noah built the ark and preached, 120 years in which they could have repented of their sins and turned to God. It’s been 2,000 years since the crucifixion of Christ, 2,00 years where the gospel has been preached and God has patiently waited for mankind to repent and turn to Christ in faith. How much longer will He wait? Mankind does not know the day or the hour, but we have the assurance that the day will come.

2. He is qualified to Judge

He is qualified to judge in two ways.

First He is the Law’s author. Just as God answered Moses from the bush that He is ‘I AM’. The same God who inscribed the Law on tablets of stone is also He who told the Pharisees. ‘Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Second – He is the Law’s fulfiller. He came in the likeness of human flesh and fulfilled all the requirements of the Law.

Rom 8:1-4  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  (2)  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  (3)  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,  (4)  in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Heb 4:15  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Mat 5:17-20  "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.  (18)  "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.  (19)  "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  (20)  "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

You see, Jesus yet stands with the free offer of the gospel. “Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” It is the free offer to those who are wearied and burden with the weight of their sins and the realization that they stand condemned before the law of God. And all that is required to be released from the condemnation of our sins is to believe in what Christ has accomplished in His life and His death. He fulfilled all the requirements of the law on our behalf and fulfilled all the just requirements of judgement on our behalf for our sins. Are you hoping in your own righteousness to justify you before God or is your hope found in Christ alone?

He is appointed to Judge.

Act 10:38-42  "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.  (39)  "And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.  (40)  "God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible,  (41)  not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.  (42)  "And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

Act 17:30-31  "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent,  (31)  because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

Joh 5:22  "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,

Interpretation verse 6: (6) For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that though they be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

For this reason – whenever we see a phrase like this, we should immediately ask ourselves for what reason. The short answer is that all with stand before God and not just the wicked. This phrase refers back to verse 5. It is the remedy against the judgement of God. The context of these verses falls in with suffering persecution. To interpret out of that context might lead us to believe there is a second chance for salvation, which there is not.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

We understand this verse to refer to people to whom the gospel was preached while they were still alive on the earth and who believed on the Lord. This reminds of 1Pe 3:19-20  by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,  (20)  who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

We know that it was the Holy Spirit attending the preaching of Noah in that lost generation while they were still alive. Because of their stand for the truth, they suffered at the hands of wicked men, and in some cases were martyred. These believers, though judged, or condemned, according to men in the flesh, were vindicated by God. They are now enjoying eternal life with Him. They were not dead when the gospel was preached to them. But they are dead now, as far as their bodies are concerned. Though men thought they were fools, God honored them, and their spirits are now in heaven. Preaching the gospel brings two results to those who believe—the blame of men and the approval of God.

(1) Dead means dead. This is the natural and obvious meaning of the word dead in the context of these verses, it is physical, bodily death, the absence of life.

(2) The apostle had just used the word in that sense in the previous verse.

(3) This will suit the connection, in accordance with the design of the apostle. He was addressing those who were suffering persecution. It was natural, in such a connection, to refer to those who had died in the faith, and to show, for their encouragement, that though they had been put to death (judged by men in the flesh), yet they still lived to God. He therefore says, that the design in publishing the gospel to them was, that though they might be judged by people in the usual manner, and put to death, yet that in respect to their higher and nobler nature, the spirit, they might live unto God. It was not uncommon nor unnatural for the apostles, in writing to those who were suffering persecution, to refer to those who had been removed by death, and to make their condition and example an argument for fidelity and perseverance.

The Gentiles here are said to give ‘account’ to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Believers will not give an account because their ledger has been cleared.

1Pe 1:18-19  knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,  (19)  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

This is consistent with the interpretation that those currently dead had the gospel preached to them while alive and were made true believers. As far as people were concerned embracing the gospel was followed by death but as far as God was concerned, it was followed by life.

There are two principle applications:

1. Do not shrink back from the doctrine of Judgement in the presentation of the gospel. Jesus nor the apostles shrank from it. If there is no judgement for sin then there is no reason for Christ to have died for sin on our behalf. It was exactly the fear of judgement that put the fear of God in me and brought me to Christ.

2. We should be encouraged. Though we may be judged wrongfully by men we will be judged by our God who has purchased our redemption through His shed blood, reconciled us to the Father and quenched the wrath of God towards His people and made us to stand holy and blameless before Him.

Rom 8:33-37  Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;  (34)  who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.  (35)  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  (36)  Just as it is written, "FOR THY SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED."  (37)  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.