Sunday Sermons
The Main Event
The Main Event
The Bible is filled with examples of God in the past intervening and judging human wickedness. Many of these examples deal with nations, such as when God brought judgment upon Egypt (Exodus 12:12), the Canaanite tribes (Genesis 15:16), Ammon, Moab, Edom, Babylon, Nineveh and such judgments even came upon His own people when they sinned and did not repent (2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 36). God has even intervened on a universal scale in the past and brought judgment upon all living beings (Genesis 7-8). Yet the Bible also speaks of a judgment that will be final – in the sense that the physical universe will be completely removed (2 Peter 3:10-13), and time and history end. It will be a judgment that is simply followed by eternity, heaven and hell (Matthew 25:41,46; Revelation 20:14-15), and which all the enemies of God are silenced (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
Proof
In the city of Athens, the Holy Spirit, speaking through the apostle Paul, argued that Jesus' resurrection from the dead is proof that God will indeed judge the entire human race, and Jesus will be the judge (Acts 17:31). Since God has intervened many times in the past and brought a judgment upon the entire world (2 Peter 3:6-7), specific nations, and even upon His own people when they rebelled (Matthew 24), such is also proof that God's promise of a future judgment is certainly not an empty one.
Jesus is the Judge
Our Judge clearly pointed out in many passages (Matthew 25:31-32; 2 Corinthians 5:10). This should remind everyone that the same Jesus that taught in the gospels and spoke through the apostles is the exact same Jesus who will judge the world. He is not going to be different from the Jesus in the gospels. He is not going to teach something different or have a different perspective or standard. So if I know that my life would not presently please the Jesus that I read about in the gospels, I already know that I am not prepared to meet Jesus the Judge.
The Standard is the Word of God
Jesus specifically said that the words that He taught while on earth would judge us on the last day (John 12:48). Unfortunately, some people have read Matthew 25:31-46 and have come away thinking they are safe just as long as they help a stranger now and then. Loving my neighbor as myself is an essential aspect of being a godly person, yet it is not the only criteria upon which we will be judged. The New Testament equally speaks of specific immoral behaviors, that if persisted in, will bring condemnation at the judgment (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:6). And also cites false doctrines or departing from Scripture that will also condemn individuals (2 John 9; Revelation 22:18-19).
Obey, Obey, Obey
Repeatedly, those who end up saved or rewarded at the last day are people who have been obeying the word of God. We find this clearly in the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 7:21) and other passages. For example, Romans 2:8 says, "and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil". Or, 2 Thessalonians 1:8 "Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus".
Deeds, Deeds, Deeds
Over and over we are told that we will be judged on the basis on what we actually did in this life. Good intentions do not count. In addition, we are not exempted from judgment if bad things happened to us. What other people did or did not do has nothing to do with our accountability to God. We will be judged by what we actually did (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:13 "They were judged, every one of them according to their deeds"). To put it another way, I am not exempted from the judgment just because some bad things happened to me, people let me down, gave me bad advice, steered me in the wrong direction or were bad or discouraging examples. Noah was still expected to build the ark, even if no one helped him outside of his own family.
Impartial
Everyone will be present at the Judgment there are not exceptions (2 Corinthians 5:10)… the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the famous and the forgotten, all will stand before Him. This judgment will be so impartial that God will even condemn professing Christians who have not been faithful to Him (Matthew 7:22-23).
Surprises
Jesus noted that one big shock will be the number of professed believers in Jesus who end up lost (Matthew 7:22-23). Another surprise will be that all the secrets will come out on that day. Sins that were not forsaken, but kept carefully hidden will be exposed (1 Timothy 5:24-25). In addition, all the real reasons why people did not believe will be brought to light, and their true motivations will be revealed (Romans 2:16). So now is the time to own up and correct whatever is not right in our hearts. Now is the time to come clean.
Like a Thief
There will be no signs that precede this event (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3). The only warning is the warning that all can read for themselves in the Scriptures. When He arrives it will be so sudden (5:2), there will be no time to repent or make amends.
Why Does There Need to be a Final Judgment?
1. It will enable God to reward His faithful children before all who have lived. So it will also be a day when God demonstrates how merciful He is. Just look how much He was more than willing to forgive! The life of each individual follower of God will glorify Him (2 Thessalonians 1:10). And many of the faithful will be people who had the most challenges, struggled most intensely against sin, had the biggest hill to climb, and yet, like Joseph and Daniel, with the strength God supplies, they did it. Among other things, the devil who arrogantly claimed that no human being would ever love God from pure motives will be proven to be a liar. His secrets will come out as well!
2. Judgment enables God to be just and bring punishment (despite His mercy) upon all who persisted in rebellion. The point will be made that God is impartial, just, merciful, long-suffering and truly not wishing for any to perish. The idea that "God sends people to hell" will be replaced with, "God tried to prevent people from ending up lost, but they sent themselves there".
3. All the excuses will be removed that day. All the false accusations against God will be silenced. Everyone will see that all human beings had many second chances, they all had access to the truth, they could have believed in Him, served Him, and they could have remained faithful. One life another after another will demonstrate God's grace and patience. In every instance, the only obstacle that really came between an individual and eternal life, was not opportunity, rather, it was simply "self".
Finally, the fact that we are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), and made a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8), demands that we recognize what a responsibility and privilege it is to be allowed to live on this earth. The fact that we are created in the image of an Eternal Spirit, means that our existence came with great responsibility. Our existence is too precious to simply live for self. It is only right that God's precious creation returns to Him (Ecclesiastes 12:7) and gives an account for the previous privileges they were given. It is something that we simply "must do" (2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 4:13). To be such an amazing creation of God, a being that can glorify God – and yet choose to not do it, is a tragedy. In the Bible we find that people who truly want to be good, long for the day of seeing Jesus and when we can have Jesus examine the fruits of our labors. Like any child who loves their parents, we long for the day when we can show our Eternal Father what we have accomplished (Matthew 25:22). Nothing can match or take the place of a "well done" from our heavenly Father. And every day of life we are closer to hearing those very words!
Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net
