Roseavenue.org

 

Sunday, December 14, 2104 am                            Basics Index

 

BACK TO BASICS 40
The End Times
The Day of Judgment

 This month we are studying the end times.  Last week we discussed the 2^nd Coming of Jesus noting it is a day yet future.   It is a day that will come as a thief in the night and when it comes that will be it as every eye shall see and know.  2 Peter 3:10 describes this with other points.  Because we don’t know when that day will come we need to always be ready for that day.  ONE reason we need to be ready for that day is because of what will happen – we will stand before God in judgment.  In our lesson this morning we want to discuss that Day of Judgment. 

 I.                     It will happen –

a.        Just as we discussed the certainty of the 2^nd coming last week, so there is certainty of judgment.  In fact, as you will see in this lesson, scriptures are abundant in declaring both its certainty and some of the details. 

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

2 Cor. 5:10 tells us that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 

c.        The day has been appointed – Acts 17:30-31 – by God. 

Mark 13:32-33– Jesus taught that of that day and hour none knew about, including Him. 

d.       2 Tim. 4:1 – it will happen at His 2^nd coming

 

 II.                    It will be universal –

a.        Matt. 25:31-32 – all nations will be gathered before Him.  The sheep and goats will be separated.

b.       2 Cor. 5:10, we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 

c.        John 5:28-29, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

d.       Rom. 14:10 – we shall ALL stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

e.       This includes Christians – Romans 14:10, 1 Peter 4:17 – speaks of judgment beginning at the house of God.
NOTE: This is important when we consider the doctrine of eternal security.  If once one is saved, he cannot be lost, then there is no need for the righteous to be judged. 

 

 III.                  We will be raised from the dead

a.        John 5:25-28 – Jesus teaches that the hour is coming when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God.  All in the graves will hear and come forth. 

b.       1 Cor. 15:50-53 speaks of how our corruptible bodies must put on incorruption.   The dead will be raised incorruptible.

c.        1 Thess. 4:15-17 – Paul explains how we who are alive will not precede the dead.  The dead in Christ will rise “first.”

 

 IV.                  Christ will be the  judge –

a.        John 5:22, 26-27 – in a passage that addresses the authority of Jesus, He stated that judgment has been committed to Him.  On another occasion, Jesus noted that His FIRST coming was NOT to judge but to save.  (John 12:47)  His 2^nd coming will be for judgment as this text bears out.

b.       Acts 17:31 – God has appointed a day in 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.”  In this last phrase, there is no question as to whom Paul is speaking about concerning who will judge us.

c.        2 Cor. 5:10 – we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

 

 V.                   The word of God will be our standard –

a.        John 12:4 8, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48, NKJV)

b.       Romans 2:16 says, “in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”   Clearly the gospel of Paul was NOT His invented gospel but the gospel of Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:11-12)

c.        Revelation 20:12 tells us, “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.”  We are going to be judged by “books” indicating that something written will be the standard.  Our deeds (which we will discuss in a few moments) will be weighed according to that which is written in the books.
Why “books” instead of one book?  Perhaps, this is reference to different standards that applied to different ages – for us the New Covenant, for Jews prior to Christ’s coming - the Old Covenant, and whatever law existed for Gentiles and during the patriarchal dispensation for them.  NOTE: IT is not that you get to choose WHICH one will judge you.  Each one is exclusive to a particular time and/or situation.

d.       We will be judged righteously!  God is a just and righteous judge.  He will be fair in that day
Rom. 2:5, “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,”

 2 Tim. 4:8, Paul described the Lord as “the righteous judge, who would reward him with his crown. 
1 Pet. 2:23, Jesus as He lived an example for us, “committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”

e.       It will be without partiality – associated with God’s just and righteous judgment. 
Rom. 2:11 says, “there is no partiality with God”
1 Peter 1:17 – tells us that he judges “without partiality” according to each one’s work.

 VI.                  We will be judged individually –

a.        When I stand before God, I am going to have to answer for myself.  We will not give an account for what our parents did or what Adam and Eve did (cf. Ezek.  18:4, 20)

b.       Rom. 14:10-12 – speaking of all standing before the judgment seat of Christ and then says, “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”

c.        God will make NO mistakes.  Mankind is often flawed in his judgments because he may not have all  the facts, but God knows and sees all things.  Nothing is hidden from Him (Heb. 4:12-13)

 VII.                We will be judged by our deeds –

expanding upon our individual judgment, we note that we will give an accounting for our own lives.

a.        Matthew 25 deals with judgment.  Both the parables of the prepared and unprepared virgins, as well as the parable of the talents, deals with giving an accounting for our efforts.
Then in Matt. 25:31-46, we read that when the Son of Man comes with his angels he will gather all nations and judge them.  The examples given are based upon what we have and have not done.  Have we cared for others as we ought to?

b.       Rev. 20:12, which speaks of the books that will judge us says, “And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” 
Eccl. 12:13-14.  “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”

c.        Rom 2:5-10,  “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

d.       Every idle word - Matt. 12:36-37 will be accounted for in the day of judgment
Our deeds – 2 Cor. 5:10 – we will give account for the things done in the body whether good or bad.
Our thoughts – 1 Cor. 4:5, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”

e.       Even the “hidden things” – we CANNOT hide from God.  We may succeed in hiding our faults from man, but God sees all. 
1 Tim. 5:24-25 – “Some men’s sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.”
Heb. 4:13, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

 VIII.               Our eternal destiny will be determined by our deeds –

a.        Whether good or bad – we will determine where we spend eternity. 

b.       The righteous will be rewarded with heaven – everlasting life - Matt. 25:46, Rom. 2:7, 2 Tim. 4:8 speaks of the crown of righteousness that awaits us.  In our next lesson we will discuss the eternal destiny of the righteous.

c.        The wicked, those who do not obey will be rewarded with everlasting punishment - 2 Thess. 1:7-10, Rom. 2:8, etc.   We will address this for our final lesson in this theme of back to the basics. 

 

The Day of Judgment is coming.  Are we ready for that day? One though to consider as we conclude this lesson is that how we finish is what is important.  No matter where you are right now, if you are out of favor with God, you CAN change and make yourself right with Him.  By obeying His gospel.  Either in becoming a Christian or returning to Him if you have drifted away.   Take care of yourself and be prepared.