Principles Of Divine Judgement
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 164 viewsNotes
Transcript
Pastor Dennis Peery
Pastor Dennis Peery
Introduction (SLIDE 01)
Judgement definition is: The word to judge is used in two different ways
It mat mean tp condemn or evaluate or distinguish.
Paul warns us not to condemn others.
That is do not judge in a hypocritical or self righteous way way.
Instead we are to be discerning, distinguishing between right and wrong, good, and evil.
1 Thes 5:21-22 (SLIDE 02)
21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
When we do something wrong in our judicial system we are either found guilty or not guilty by the judge or a jury of our piers.
This morning I would like us to look at what Future Judgement is going to look like.
This is because the Apostle Paul tells us Romans 2:5 (SLIDE 03)
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
TEXT
GODS JUDGEMENT IS CERTAIN
Paul writes,
Romans 2:3 (SLIDE 04)
3 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?
An offender of human laws may escape judgment for various reasons, but God’s judgment is certain.
Even those who consider themselves morally superior to others will be judged along with the wicked.
Paul connects the certainty of judgment with the need for repentance.
Romans 2:4 (SLIDE 05)
4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
Beware of taking God’s mercy for granted. God shows “kindness, tolerance and patience” (2:4)
to allow people an opportunity to turn from sin, turn to Him, and escape punishment.
He does not want anyone to perish, but is giving everyone more time to repent (2 Peter 3:9).
2 Peter 3:9 (SLIDE 06)
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
GODS JUDGEMENT IS UNIVERSAL
All will be judged: Romans 2:9-10 (SLIDE 07)
9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Just as salvation is for everyone who believes—“first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (1:16)—so it is concerning judgment.
These two passages remind us again that greater privilege brings greater responsibility.
God’s judgment is based on truth.
People make mistakes in judgment, but God never does.
His judgment is free of error because it is “based on truth”
Romans 2:2 (SLIDE 08)
2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.
God knows all the truth, and He is impartial.
The self-righteous pointed an accusing finger at the sins of the Gentiles, but Paul responds in
Romans 2:1 (SLIDE 09)
1 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.
Romans 2:3 (SLIDE 10)
3 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?
“You, therefore, have no excuse … because you … do the same things” (2:1, 3).
GODS JUDGEMENT IS BASED ON WHAT A PERSON DOES
Romans 2:6 (SLIDE 11)
6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”
“Jesus taught this same principle when He said, Matt 16:27 (SLIDE 12)
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
“The Son of Man … will reward each person according to what he has done” Paul talks about this principle in other writings as well, such as 2 Corinthians 5:10; 11:15; Galatians 6:7–9; and 2 Timothy 4:14. John writes, “The dead were judged according to what they had done,” and he quotes Jesus’ words, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 20:12–13; 22:12).
Romans 2:6-10 (SLIDE 13)
6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Let me add a word of caution that we not misinterpret Romans 2:6–10 .
Paul does not contradict his emphasis in Galatians and Romans on justification by faith.
He has not shifted to a message of salvation by good works.
Here he is describing God’s method of judgment, not His method of justification.
He rewards everyone according to his or her deeds.
“To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” (Romans 2:7).
This is possible only through Christ and God’s righteousness.
Our deeds are important because they outwardly express our inner faith.
True faith in God—what is in our heart—will manifest itself in what we do.
That is, God does not simply look at our profession of faith; rather, He looks at the life we live.
GODS JUDGEMENT IS IMPARTIAL
Romans 2:11 (SLIDE 14)
11 For God does not show favoritism.
He does not favor a person because of his or her
nationality,
possessions,
or position in life.
Moses described God as
Deut 10:17 (SLIDE 15)
17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.
Peter told Cornelius, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34–35).
Since God shows no favoritism,
James exhorts believers: “Don’t show favoritism. If you show favoritism, you sin” (James 2:1, 9).
In this passage, James specifically speaks against favoring the rich over the poor.
GODS JUDGEMENT IS BASED ON LIGHT GIVEN
Romans 2:12 (SLIDE 16)
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
God judges people according to the light they have received.
The greater the revelation of truth, the greater the obligation.
The Jews, who received the Law, had greater opportunity than the Gentiles. But even in this, we see God’s justice.
Paul explains,
Romans 2:13 (SLIDE 17)
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Increased opportunity means increased responsibility.
Knowledge of the truth must be translated into practice.
Although the Gentiles did not have the Law, Paul writes,
Romans 2:15 (SLIDE 18)
15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)
God revealed himself through creation and through inner consciousness (1:19–20; 2:15).
Here Paul says that God judges on the basis of our response to that revelation.
These “requirements of the law … written on their hearts” are not a formal code but part of humankind’s conscious moral being.
It seems that Paul is envisaging a debate in which three parties are involved:
our hearts (on which the requirements of the law have been written),
our consciences (prodding and reproving us),
and our thoughts (usually accusing us, but sometimes even excusing us).
What does conscience mean?
it as “a person’s inner awareness of conforming to the will of God or departing from it,
resulting in either a sense of approval or condemnation” .
It is “like a law written in the human heart” (Romans 2:15, CEV).
A conscience can be “guilty”
Hebrews 10:22 (SLIDE 19)
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
“corrupt”
Titus 1:15 (SLIDE 20)
15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.
or “seared as with a hot iron” (SLIDE 21)
1 tim 4:1-2
1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
—that is, having “lost all feeling” (CEV).
The blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse a guilty conscience so that it no longer accuses and condemns (Hebrews 9:14; 10:22).
Paul talks about a “good” conscience (1 Timothy 1:19), and
Peter observes that a “conscience toward God” enables one to endure unjust suffering (1 Peter 2:19, KJV).
You may ask,
“Can those who have never heard the gospel be saved by obeying the voice of conscience?
Will they go to heaven if they obey the voice of their conscience?”
How many people do you suppose obey their conscience on every occasion without fail?
Have you?
No one has been fully able to obey his or her conscience any more than a Jew could fully obey the Law.
Paul’s purpose is to convince the moralist who condemns, as well as the Jew who boasts in the Law, that all people need Jesus a Savior.
GODS JUDGEMENT IS THROUGH CHRIST. Paul affirms,
Romans 2:16 (SLIDE 22)
16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
This is a distinctive feature of Paul’s message and a new concept for the Jew.
See John 5:22, 27; Acts 17:31.
Although the Jews taught that there would be a final end-time judgment,
they believed that God alone would sit in judgment on the world.
Thus, when Paul says, “God will judge through Jesus Christ,” he introduces a new teaching
CONCLUSION