Now
when we speak about judgment, we need to
realize that there are two main ways in
which God brings judgment on people.
The first is his judgments in history.
The second, which is the kind of judgment
we're going to talk about, is his eternal
judgments.
Those judgments which confront us as we step
out of time into eternity.
And it's important to be able to distinguish
the two types of judgments.
Otherwise we might be confused by what seem
to be conflicting statements.
The first judgment of God is in history.
And it involves bringing blessing or punishment on
succeeding generations according to the way the first
generation has responded to God.
In Exodus chapter 20 verses 4 and 6,
4 through 6.
We have a very clear example of God's
historical judgments.
Exodus chapter 20 verses 4 through 6, which
is part of what we call the Ten
Commandments.
God says you shall make, not make for
yourself any carved image or any likeness of
anything that is in heaven above, or that
is in the earth beneath, or that is
the water under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them nor
worship them.
For I the Lord your God am a
jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
on the children to the third and fourth
generation of those who hate me.
But showing mercy to thousands of those who
love me and keep my commandments.
We see there that the sin of idolatry,
which is the greatest of all sins, carries
with it a judgment that extends to the
succeeding three or four generations.
That's a judgment in history.
And there are countless examples of how that
judgment has actually worked out in the history
of Israel and of other nations that have
been involved in idolatry.
And then in Jeremiah chapter 32, Jeremiah also
deals with this question of God's judgment in
history.
And in a prayer that he prayed to
the Lord, Jeremiah 32 verse 18, he said
you show loving kindness to thousands and repay
the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom
of their children after them.
The great, the mighty God whose name is
the Lord of hosts.
So again, Jeremiah says God repays the iniquity
of the fathers into the succeeding generations.
Now this is again a judgment in history,
in time.
This also applies to God's blessing on the
righteous.
In Psalm 103, David says, verses 17 and
18, But the mercy of the Lord is
from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear
him.
And his righteousness to children's children, to such
as keep his covenant and to those who
remember his commandments to do them.
There is a promise of God's blessing and
righteousness to children's children, to succeeding generations.
So the way that we conduct ourselves and
we relate to God, not only affects us,
but it probably affects successive generations.
That's a very significant and important thought that
we need to bear in mind.
We are in some way answerable for either
the blessing or the suffering of succeeding generations.
I think this is an obvious fact of
experience.
For instance, a child born to alcoholic parents
starts, as they say in America, with two
strikes against him.
It's not his fault, but the judgment of
God on that, those parents will naturally filter
down through succeeding generations.
Now we need to say that, but we
need to add there's a different kind of
judgment of God.
Which is what the writer of Hebrews calls
eternal judgment.
Which is judgment that affects our destiny in
eternity.
And there the principles of judgment are completely
different.
These are stated by Ezekiel, or to my
God to Ezekiel, in chapter 18 verses 1
through 4.
Chapter 18 verses 1 through 4.
Ezekiel is speaking, he says the word of
the Lord came to me again saying, what
do you mean when you use this proverb
concerning the land of Israel, saying the fathers
have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth
are set on edge.
You see that's saying the children are suffering
for the sins of the fathers.
As I lived, says the Lord God, you
shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.
Behold all souls are mine, the soul of
the father as well as the soul of
the son is mine.
The soul who sins shall die.
Now we're not talking about historical judgments, we're
talking about the judgment of every individual soul
as it steps out of time into eternity.
And there every soul bears responsibility only for
the life that it has led.
The soul that sins it shall die.
And that is repeated again in verse 20.
And here God is still more emphatic.
Ezekiel 18, 20.
The soul who sins shall die.
The son shall not bear the guilt of
the father, nor the father bear the guilt
of the son.
The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon
himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall
be upon himself.
So when we step out of time into
eternity, we're not any longer being judged for
the sins of, or the blessings of our
parents, of forebears.
We are going to answer to God personally,
only for what we did in life.
The righteousness of the righteous will be upon
him, the wickedness of the wicked will be
upon him.
And it says in the book of Ecclesiastes,
where the tree falls, there it will lie.
What condition you are in when you die,
will determine your condition throughout eternity.
This is eternal judgment.
A very, very solemn thought.
Now I want to deal with five principles
of God's judgment.
All of which are stated in Romans chapter
2.
Romans, the second chapter, unfolds five principles of
God's judgment.
Romans 2, verse 2, we know that the
judgment of God is according to truth against
those who practice such things.
That's the first principle.
God's judgment is based on real facts.
It's not based on hearsay.
I remember when God wanted to find out,
the Lord wanted to find out the truth
about the condition of Sodom and Gomorrah.
He'd heard terrible reports from the angels, from
others.
But you remember He said to Abraham, I've
come down to see for myself.
That really impresses me.
God doesn't judge by hearsay.
He judges according to truth.
The second principle of God's judgment, in verse
6, is He will render to each one
according to his deeds.
We will be judged for what we have
done.
That is a basic principle that runs right
throughout the Bible.
And it applies to believers as well as
unbelievers.
In first Peter chapter 1 and verse 17,
first Peter 1 17, Peter unfolds this principle
applying it specifically to believers.
First Peter 1 17, he's speaking to believers
and he says, and if you call on
the Father who without partiality judges according to
each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time
of your sojourning here in fear.
That's the kind of statement that isn't publicly
disseminated in most churches today.
But Peter says to believers, bearing in mind
that you're going to be judged according to
what you've done, live a reverent, godly life.
Don't be rash, don't be proud, don't be
presumptuous, because everything you say and do, one
day you're going to have to answer to
God for.
And remember that is addressed to believers, not
to unbelievers.
And then in Revelation 20 verse 12, it
says all the people that were judged in
the final judgment were judged according to what
was written in the books.
So God keeps a record of every life.
Now you know in the days of the
New Testament, books were not like this.
But they were much more like tapes.
They were scrolls rolled up.
And I think that's a much more clear
picture.
I'm inclined to think that in the judgment,
this is just an opinion.
Every one of us will be confronted by
something like a videotape.
Which stretches out the entire course of our
life before us.
So that's a word from 1 Peter.
Going back to Romans chapter 2, the next
principle of God's judgment is stated in verse
3.
Do I mean verse 3?
No I don't.
Because the thing is that it's not translated
the way I want.
Yes it's Romans 2 verse 11.
Now I'll explain what I mean in a
way.
What I mean just briefly.
It says there is no partiality with God.
Now all the modern translations say that.
Because it's a modern phrase.
I've sometimes asked the question.
Can you really put the Bible in modern
English.
Without interjecting modern thinking.
Because the language you use is very much
an expression of the way you think.
You see the old King James said there
is no respect of persons.
It's much more accurate.
Because partiality can be to any kind of
person.
You may take some weak insignificant little person.
And be very partial to that person.
So weak I really want to help them.
I really want to do everything for them.
But respect of persons means.
We're not impressed by what people are in
their natural selves.
A man may be a general, a president,
a bishop.
But he doesn't get any special judgment from
God.
He's treated just like everybody else.
That's what it means when it says there
is no respect of persons.
Particularly aimed at people who occupy positions of
prominence in the world today.
The next principle of God's judgment, number four,
is according to the measure of light.
Paul says in Romans 2 verse 12, For
as many as have sinned without law will
also perish without law.
And as many as have sinned in the
law will be judged by the law.
If you have the law you'll be judged
by it.
If you don't have the law you won't
be judged by the law.
But you'll still be judged for what you've
done.
And this principle is illustrated by the words
of Jesus in Matthew chapter 11.
When He speaks to some of the major
cities of His day who had not responded
to His preaching.
Matthew 11 verses 20 through 24.
Then He began to upbraid the cities in
which most of His mighty works had been
done, because they did not repent.
Woe to you, Chorazin!
Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty works which were done
in you had been done in Tyre and
Sidon, they would have repented long ago in
sackcloth and ashes.
But I say to you it will be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the
day of judgment than for you.
Why?
Because Tyre and Sidon had less light.
Bethsaida and Chorazin had had the greatest light
and they would be the most severely judged.
You and I will be judged according to
the light that is available to us.
And I want to say generally speaking to
people in the English-speaking world there is
a greater measure of light available to us
today than I think has ever been available
to any previous generation in history.
We have Bibles en masse, we have endless
books, we have tapes, we have cassettes, we
have preachers.
We're going to be judged by the light
that's been made available to us.
Let's bear that in mind.
God's standards of judgment for this generation will
be the most severe because we've had the
most light.
And then Jesus goes on in the next
verse.
You Capernaum who are exalted to heaven will
be brought down to Hades for if the
mighty works which were done in you had
been done in Sodom it would have remained
until this day.
But I say to you that it should
be more tolerable for the land of Sodom
in the day of judgment than for you.
You see, judgment is according to light.
The more light we have the more strict
will be our judgment.
And as I said before, I say to
each one of you including myself there probably
never has been a generation of Christians that
have had the measure of light available that
we have today.
Bear that in mind, that's going to be
the standard of our judgment.
And finally, the fifth principle of God's judgment
in Romans 2 verse 16 it says In
the day when God will judge the secrets
of men by Jesus Christ according to my
gospel.
So God is not merely going to judge
our open acts but he's going to judge
our secret innermost thoughts and motives and attitudes.
And I think it's correct to say that
God is very concerned about our motives.
Two people may perform the same outward action
but their motives may be entirely different.
And when God judges them he will take
into account their motives.
Now we're going to go on to the
scenes of judgment.
And as I understand it there are going
to be four major successive scenes of judgment.
The first will be before the judgment seat
of Christ.
The Greek word bema means a platform on
which a Roman official sat to execute judgment.
Pontius Pilate sat on his bema when Jesus
appeared before him for judgment.
And this will be a judgment only of
Christians only of believers.
We go again to 1 Peter chapter 1
verse 17.
I somehow feel that God wants me to
read this verse twice.
1 Peter 1 17 And if you call
on the Father who without partiality judges according
to each one's work conduct yourselves throughout the
time of your sojourning here in fear.
That's written to us.
We call on the Father.
And then in 1 Peter 4 17 it
says 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.
Where does judgment begin?
Always with the house of God.
Always with the people who have the most
truth.
And so when judgment starts the first people
to be judged will be the Christians.
And they'll have a special judgment.
Romans 14 verses 10 and 12.
10 through 12 says this.
But why do you judge your brother?
Or why do you show contempt for your
brother?
For we, Christians, shall all stand before the
judgment seat of Christ.
The bamer.
For it is written as I live says
the Lord every knee shall bow to me
and every tongue shall contest to me.
So then each of us shall give account
of himself to God.
And remember there's only one person that you
have to give account of.
That's yourself.
You don't have to give account of me
or your pastor.
And you waste a lot of time judging
others.
Some of you when you should be judging
yourself.
The only person you're going to have to
give account for is yourself.
And that you're going to have to do.
So Paul says each of us shall give
account of himself to God.
Now that's each of us Christians.
And then in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 he
returns to the same theme.
2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10.
For we, Christians, must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ.
That each one may receive the things done
in his body according to what he has
done whether good or bad.
We must all appear it says.
But the Greek says we must all be
made manifest.
There will be no secrets.
Everything will be totally exposed.
Nothing will be hidden.
And we will be before the judgment seat
of Christ.
To receive according to the way we have
lived in the body.
Now what we have to say is there
are five main features of this judgment.
I'll just go through them very briefly.
It's individual.
Each one will answer for himself.
It's for the things done in the body.
The way we have lived while we were
in this body.
There are only two categories, good or bad.
1st John 5 17 says all unrighteousness is
sin.
Anything that is not righteous is sinful.
You see this third category has slipped into
people's thinking and it deceives so many.
There is no neutrality.
The next principle is it is not for
condemnation.
That's very, very important.
We're going to be judged but we are
not going to be condemned.
If we are true sincere believers in Jesus.
The principle of judgment is for assessment of
service.
Let me give you three scriptures which maybe
will comfort you at this point.
I see some of you looking a little
concerned.
Which isn't a bad thing to be, believe
me.
John chapter 3 verse 18.
Jesus says he who believes in him is
not condemned.
But he who does not believe is condemned
already.
So, if we are truly believers in Jesus.
We will be judged but we will not
be condemned.
And then again he says in John 5
verse 24.
Most assuredly I say to you, and that's
the most emphatic way that Jesus can express
himself.
Most assuredly I say to you, he who
hears my word and believes in him who
sent me has everlasting life and shall not
come into condemnation but has passed from death
unto life.
And finally Romans 8 chapter 1.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus.
So we're not talking about a judgment of
condemnation.
We're talking about judgment which will assess the
service that you've offered to Jesus during your
life.
And the clearest place that this is described
is 1st Corinthians chapter 3 verses 11 and
following.
1st Corinthians chapter 3, 11 and following.
Paul is speaking about building the church.
And he says no other foundation can anyone
lay than that which is laid, which is
Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with
gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw.
Each one's work will become manifest for the
day will this declare it.
Because it will be revealed by fire and
the fire will test each one's work of
what sort it is.
If anyone's work which he has built on
it endures he will receive a reward.
If anyone's work is burned he will suffer
loss but he himself will be saved yet
so as through fire.
And the NIV says like one escaping from
the flames.
So that's the essence of the judgment of
Christians.
First of all we have to be built
on the foundation of Jesus Christ.
There is no other foundation.
Then we have to determine what's the value
of the service that we've offered.
And things that are easy to acquire can
be offered in large quantities.
Wood, hay and stubble.
But they all be burnt up.
The things that are valuable are not obtained
in large quantities.
Gold, silver, precious stones.
See some people just assess the quantity of
their service.
But that's not the way God assesses it.
Now I want to offer you some suggestions
as to how we can be sure that
our service will stand the test of fire.
I want to suggest you three ways that
you can assess your own service.
First of all what is your motive?
The only motive that's acceptable to God is
for God's glory.
And a whole lot of what is done
in the church today is done by men
for their own glory.
I say personally, and this is simply a
personal observation.
I think the greatest problem in the church
today is personal ambition on the part of
ministers.
The largest church, the longest mailing list, the
most miracles.
That all will be burned up because it's
motive is wrong.
In 1 Corinthians 10 verse 31 Paul says
therefore whether you eat or drink or whatever
you do do all to the glory of
God.
There's only one acceptable motive for our service
and that is the glory of God.
Somehow I feel that Lord wants me to
pause there.
Just give you an opportunity to consider what
has been motivating you in your services.
In your service for him.
You see Paul said we need to be
renewed in our minds in Romans chapter 12
verse 1.
And I think the difference between the renewed
mind and the unrenewed mind is this.
The unrenewed mind comes to a situation and
says what's in this for me?
The renewed mind says where will God get
glory?
It's a total change of motive.
I think this applies very much to marriage.
I think many marriages are unhappy because the
people approach them with an unrenewed mind.
The attitude of each is what will I
get out of this?
Will it make me happy?
That's almost a certain recipe for an unhappy
marriage.
The right motive is what can I give?
Not what can I get, but what can
I give?
And when two people meet together with the
purpose of giving to one another they'll have
a happy and successful marriage.
It's the whole issue of motivation that's really
important.
Secondly, if your work is to stand the
test of fire it must be done in
obedience to the Word of God.
That's the only acceptable basis.
In Matthew chapter 7 Jesus spoke about two
different kinds of persons.
The one who built on the sand and
the one who built on the rock.
And He said at the end Matthew 7.
I'm in Mark, that's why I'm having trouble.
But I'll be there.
Matthew chapter 7 verses 21 and following.
These are the words of Jesus.
Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord
shall enter the kingdom of heaven but he
who does the will of my Father in
heaven.
So, the only acceptable motive is to do
the will of God the Father.
And then Jesus goes on with something that
offends some people.
He says many will say to me in
that day Lord, Lord have we not prophesied
in your name cast out demons in your
name and done many wonders in your name
and then I will declare to you to
them I never knew you depart from me
you who practice lawlessness.
I have by the grace of God been
privileged to cast out many, many demons.
I've seen a number of very definite miracles
take place.
I have frequently prophesied.
I want to tell you I do not
base my hope of heaven on any of
that.
And anybody who does is in danger.
There's only one essential requirement for heaven.
It's doing the will of the Father that
is in heaven.
And Jesus says to these miracle workers depart
from me you who practice lawlessness.
And you know many of them are a
law to themselves.
They do basically whatever they feel like.
Take whatever they can get and ignore the
great central principles of the Word of God.