God Will Bring Every Work Into Judgment

Intro

text - Ecclesiastes 12.13-14

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 NKJV

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

Title - Judgment: God Will Bring Every Work Into Judgment

Opening

judgment is possibly the most dreaded topic next to death

(they are related anyway)

judgment is inevitable and inescapable

every soul that ever lived will stand in judgment before God

every work done under the sun will be judged

Background

King Solomon’s flow of thought in Ecclesiastes

everything under the sun - all things and all works done - are vanity by itself (outside of God’s purpose)

2 things give purpose and meaning to all actions: time and judgment

Ecclesiastes 8:5–6 NKJV

5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment, 6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly.

time - Ecc 3.1-8

judgment - Ecc 11.9

His conclusion: do all things in obedience in fear of God and obedience of His commandments, because judgment is coming!

God will judge “every” work - but not all works in one single occasion

God will judge everything according to their purpose and time

Key question

How will God judge every work done under the sun?

Sermon Points

Judgments prophesied in Scripture

Judgment Day

Judgment of the Nations

Judgment Seat of Christ

Judgment of House of God

Judgment of the World

[ILLUSTRATION #1 - THE JUDGMENTS TIMELINE]

Characteristics of God’s Judgments

God will judge with righteousness

Psalm 96.10-13

Psalm 98:9 NKJV

9 For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.

Isaiah 51:4–5 NKJV

4 “Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples. 5 My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust.

these prophecies speak of different times in the future

God will judge through the Appointed Man

Acts 17:30–31 NKJV

30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Romans 2:16 NKJV

16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

John 5:22 NKJV

22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

John 5:26–27 NKJV

26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

God will judge the living and the dead

1 Peter 4:5 NKJV

5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

2 Timothy 4:1 NKJV

1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

Acts 10.42

God will judge the righteous and the wicked

Ecclesiastes 3:17 NKJV

17 I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Purpose of God’s Judgments

[1] Judgment of the world

John 12:31 NKJV

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

Jesus was speaking of His crucifixion

in this judgment, the sin of the world was condemned in the Body of Christ

Romans 8:3 NKJV

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

in this judgment God settled the problem of the “original sin”

Jesus’ blood paid the price of the original sin

this judgment ushered in the “season” of God judgment

the Judge has come, as prophesied

[5] Judgment of the Great White Throne

this is the judgment “day” that the Jews believed

Examples -

Matthew 10.15

Matthew 12.36

2 Peter 2.9

Revelation 20:11 NKJV

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.

Revelation 20:12–15 NKJV

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

this is the judgment of all the dead who do not belong to Christ

John 5:28–29 NKJV

28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

they are judged according to their works, as recorded in the “books”

this judgment takes place after the Millennium

this is the “final” judgment

death and hades thrown into the lake of fire

[2] Judgment of the House of God

the Church Ages is time when the “good news” that sin has been condemned on the Cross is proclaimed and forgiveness is offered to all repentant sinners

the Saints are the people who have accepted the “good news” and are now “in Christ”

1 Peter 4:17 NKJV

17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

So that they may NOT be condemned with the world

1 Corinthians 11:32 NKJV

32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

To make them worthy of the kingdom of God

2 Thessalonians 1:4–5 NKJV

4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;

To present for Himself a glorious Church

Ephesians 5:26–27 NKJV

26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

[3] Judgment Seat of Christ

the judgment of the saints does not end with the rapture

2 Corinthians 5:9–11 NKJV

9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

every Saint of God will stand before the “bema” of Christ

they will give account of their works before Christ

Romans 14.10-12

this judgment is NOT for condemnation

this judgment is for the rewards of the saints - “receive”

this judgment takes place in heaven, after our days on earth are finished

2 views

we stand before the bema of Christ as soon as we die

we stand before the bema of Christ all together immediately after the rapture

[4] Judgment of the nations

Matthew 25.31-40

this judgment takes place at the second of Christ

Jude 14–15 NKJV

14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

this judgment concerns the nations of the world

Joel 3:11–14 NKJV

11 Assemble and come, all you nations, And gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord. 12 “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow— For their wickedness is great.” 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

the Day of the Lord is God’s judgment of the nations

Psalm 110.5-6

this judgment determines which of the nations will enter the Millennial Kingdom of Christ

Isaiah 2:4 NKJV

4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

this judgment continues throughout the millennial kingdom

Psalm 67:3–4 NKJV

3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. 4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, And govern the nations on earth. Selah

Psalm 98.7-9

Psalm 9.7-8

Conclusion

“Man’s All”

Do all things in fear of God and obedience to His will

Be ready to stand before God in judgment

Let God judge your life today

so you will not be judged together with sinners on the day of Judgment

so you will be counted worthy to stand in the presence of Jesus Christ and to judge the world and the angels with Him

1 Corinthians 6.2-3