Judgment

[0:00] My subject is judgment, and we're reading from John 16 from verse 7. Of sin, because they believe not on me.

[0:34] Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see me no more. Of judgment, because the Prince of this world is judged. Of sin, of righteousness, of judgment.

[0:47] Three great themes of the Bible. Sin. God's Spirit will convict the world of sin. Sin, what is it? It's falling short.

[0:58] It's missing the mark. It's the transgression of the Lord. It's rebellion against God. Sin, the Bible says, is like scarlet and like crimson. In Isaiah 1 verse 18.

[1:10] Sin, it stains you. It marks you. It's like using a permanent marker on a whiteboard. It stands out, and it's hard to remove. Scripture concludes that all are under sin.

[1:24] Galatians 3 verse 22. Thank God, he has opened a fountain for sin and uncleanness, it says in Zechariah 13 verse 1.

[1:35] Speaking of our Lord and his cleansing work at the cross. Christ was manifested, it says, to take away sin. Christ's blood redeems from sin.

[1:48] Christ's blood cleanses from sin. God's Holy Spirit will point out your need of the sin bearer, the one who carries our sin. Do you see your crying need of the Saviour from sin?

[2:03] Matthew 1 verse 21, it says, Friends, there is an antidote for man's dread affliction of sin.

[2:21] There is salvation. In Acts 4 verse 12, it says, Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.

[2:36] The Lord Jesus, in talking of sin, says that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin. He will convict the world of sin because they believe not on me. The greatest sin, really the most foolish sin, is to disbelieve the one who can save you from your sin.

[2:55] 1 Timothy 1 verse 15 says, This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief.

[3:11] So he's come to convict the world of sin. Secondly, he's come to convict the world of righteousness.

[3:23] Righteousness. Paul talked along the same line when he met with Felix, this obstinate ruler. In Acts 24 verse 25, it says that as Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come.

[3:39] It says of Felix that Felix trembled. And he answered, said, Go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

[3:52] God's standard of righteousness is so great. And Felix trembled at the sound of it. How great our sin. How great our need of righteousness.

[4:03] How awesome the looming coming judgment. Thankfully, Christ is made righteousness to his people, it says. In 1 Corinthians 1 verse 30.

[4:16] In Titus 2 from verses 11 through 14, it says, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

[4:53] Righteousness. Now, when I say righteousness, we're not talking about self-righteousness. Our righteousness is fully and completely Christ in us.

[5:05] Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 30. Righteousness. Righteousness. It's something we can hunger and thirst after.

[5:18] Christ makes a difference, a noticeable difference in the life. It says, be separate from the world. Will we rise up? Will we be distinct?

[5:30] Will we be determined to honour him above all? Do right. 1 Timothy 4 verse 12. It says, Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

[5:51] Be an example. In your word. In your conversation. In your charity. In your spirit. In your faith. In your purity. When he has come, he shall convict the world of sin.

[6:04] He shall convict the world of righteousness. And he shall convict the world of judgment. Judgment. 2 Peter 2 verse 9.

[6:15] It says, The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment.

[6:26] To be punished. Hebrews 9 verse 27. It says, And as it is appointed unto men once to die. But, after this, the judgment.

[6:42] The day of judgment. It's surely coming. Woe betide those who are not made just. They who are not saved face eternal punishment. It's on its way.

[6:54] The day. The day. Are you prepared? Are you watching? Are you watching? Are you watching? Or, are you slumbering? Many churches are slumbering.

[7:05] I read an article that commented how many churches are closing down. As we know, Sunday evening services. It's a sign of the times, isn't it? Christians are slumbering.

[7:17] A day of judgment is coming. A day of reckoning. A day of separation is coming. In Matthew 25 verse 46 it says, And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.

[7:37] Which would you rather? Eternal life or eternal loss? Eternal punishment? This is a gripping phrase. A real fate that awaits the Christless ones.

[7:50] Eternal punishment. Our minds can scarcely conceive of it. The punishment of those in hell. Gehenna is unending. The fire is unquenchable.

[8:01] Matthew 3 verse 12. This Greek word for unquenchable is asbestos. A term which denotes that which cannot be extinguished. Hell is described as a lake of fire.

[8:14] Burning with brimstone. Revelation 19 verse 20. Friends, hell is real. Hell will last forever. Acts 17 30 through 31 it says, And the times of this ignorance God winked at, But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.

[8:35] Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

[8:50] Revelation 20 verse 11 it says, And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them.

[9:02] And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book, according to their works.

[9:20] Revelation 20 verse 13 it says, And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them. And they were judged, every man, according to their works.

[9:35] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

[9:47] These are sobering words. Christ judged the Pharisees the strongest. Are we guilty of the same mistake as they? Of trusting of their own religious ideas instead of the Saviour?

[10:01] Their own religious works? Will we receive rather the simple gospel? A young girl, Melissa, asked her parents if they could stop by the library on the way home from church.

[10:13] When asked why, she explained, This morning my teacher told me that the only way we get to heaven is if our name is written in the Lamb's book of life. I just wanted to make sure that my name is in there.

[10:27] Will we make sure our name is written down? Written down with eternal, indelible ink. Will we have that inheritance reserved, confirmed, assured in heaven for us?

[10:40] Will we know that eternal, everlasting, never-ending life that God can give us and assure us of even now, today? When he has come, he shall reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.

[11:00] Pray that you might be on the right side of the cross. Not the shadow side, but the sunshine side. That you might not be not sheltered from his wrath, but that you might come under the shelter of the cross.

[11:14] That his payment can be your part. That his payment can be your provision for your sin. May the Lord bless you.

[11:41] Thank you.