[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfredo, Georgia. It is our prayer that you will be blessed by the preaching of God's Word.
[0:13] All right, take your Bibles if you would and turn to the book of Romans, book of Romans chapter 2. I'm excited to be able to take you to a passage of Scripture that teaches a very strong truth that is probably very shocking to every one of us. Romans chapter 2, judgment day is coming.
[0:33] Judgment day is coming. The Apostle Paul, or the Holy Spirit working through Paul right in this book, is establishing very clearly that everybody everywhere is a sinner and everybody everywhere deserves to go to hell.
[0:50] And he tells us that judgment day is coming. It's pretty easy for you and I, for you and me, to think that things are, for you and I to think that things are pretty much on their own course and I do what I want to do and there won't be judgment and none of that's going to happen.
[1:08] The Bible's clear. We will be judged. And I want you to read with me, if you would, Romans chapter 1. And we'll read down from Romans chapter 2, verse 1, down to verse 16.
[1:21] We'll be focusing on verse 6 and following, but I want you to get this whole chapter with me. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest.
[1:33] For when thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. For thou that judgest doth the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
[1:47] And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and dost the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
[2:02] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds, to them who by patient continuance and well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality eternal life, but unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath.
[2:34] Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile. But glory, honor, and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.
[2:48] For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.
[3:00] For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts are meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.
[3:24] Father, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. Father in heaven, I love you. And I thank you for your word.
[3:35] And I thank you even for the hard parts. I thank you for the parts that even call our attention and make us wake up and realize that there will be a judgment coming, a judgment for lost people, a judgment for saved people.
[3:48] And I pray to your God that today you might deal with our hearts and you might cause us to wake up and to take a reality check, a reality pill, and realize that you are in charge.
[4:00] You are God. You are judge. You do rule. You do reign. And you do and will one day judge us. I pray, God, that you would save those that aren't saved.
[4:12] I pray, God, that you would help Christians to quit playing with sin and to take seriously serving you. I pray, God, that you would help us to realize that we are being judged according to our works, according to our deeds.
[4:26] And I would give you great honor and great glory and great praise for what you do. In Jesus' name, amen. This is one of those passages that you are kind of somber.
[4:37] It's almost like you are in a funeral. You know, when you get ready to purge a funeral, you don't go in in a jovial mood. You don't go in laughing and cutting up because it's a funeral and somebody died.
[4:50] In this passage of scripture, it says this, judgment day is coming. Judgment day is coming. First thing that you might write down is there is definitely coming a day of judgment.
[5:03] Read with me verse five, if you would. Romans chapter two and verse five. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.
[5:22] The Bible is clear. There is coming a day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. The Bible says in second Peter chapter three and verse seven, the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
[5:45] There's coming a day of judgment and losing perdition of ungodly men. The Bible says that Jesus will judge the living and the dead.
[5:57] Both the living and the dead will be judged. In second Timothy chapter four and verse one, the Bible says, I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick or living, but a circle around it, write the word living, the quick living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.
[6:17] He will judge both those who have already died and those that are living now and will be alive when he comes. By the way, when he comes, when he comes, he will come in angry vengeance on all of those that have rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ.
[6:36] I think it's easy for us to get a picture in our heads of a sweet old man in heaven. There are two extremes. One side of us sees a sweet old man who loves everybody, who loves everybody and God is love and everything's okay.
[6:50] And the other is an angry God. Both are not, they're both caricatures, but I promise you when he comes in judgment, it will be rough.
[7:01] Second Thessalonians chapter one, verse seven, the Bible says, and to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[7:22] Do you have your Bible open to that verse? If you don't, would you write down what it says so you can look it up later? He's coming in flaming fire. He's coming to take vengeance on those that do not know God and those that do not obey the gospel.
[7:37] Who's coming to take vengeance? The very Lord Jesus is coming. The very Lord Jesus. In Revelation chapter 20, verses 11 through 15, you find the story of the great white throne judgment.
[7:52] And that's the judgment of lost people. On another day, at another time, we'll talk about how there will be two different judgments. There's a judgment for those that are born again, and that's called the judgment seat of Christ.
[8:03] And there's another judgment that's called the great white throne, and that's a judgment for lost people. But he's coming. There is going to be a judgment. This world is not set on its axis to do what it wants to do and live the way it wants to and no consequences.
[8:18] Revelation chapter 20, verse 11. The Bible says, I saw a great white throne. And he that sat on it, he is so fearful that the heavens and the earth flee away.
[8:29] And in verse 12, the books were opened and they opened the books. And another one of those books was open was the book of life. And it says in verse 12, they were judged out of those things, which were written in the books, according to their works, according to their works.
[8:44] In verse 13, he judges every man according to his work. Matthew chapter 13 and verse 41. The Bible says, the son of man, that's Jesus, shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom, all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and cast them into a furnace of fire.
[9:07] There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
[9:20] I'll stop. That's a lot of Bible verses. Would you look this way just a second? Listen to this clearly. There is a judgment day coming.
[9:30] And I will show you before I'm finished this morning, that the first and the harsh thing in this passage is, that judgment's for lost people. And I don't care how sweet your aunt is, and I don't care how sweet your mom is, and I don't care how sweet your neighbor is, and I don't care how nice that other person is, I don't care how moral they are, Jesus is coming in flaming judgment, to cast them into a furnace of fire, if they don't know Jesus Christ as their Savior.
[9:57] There is a hell. There is a judgment. There is a God coming. And he will judge them according to their works. And the main work everyone does is obey God.
[10:09] And the obedience that we have towards God is, that we realize that we're sinners, that we realize that we deserve to go to hell, and that we believe that God sent his son, in human flesh, to down on a cross, so all could be saved.
[10:23] In a second, I'll show you that we're all going to be judged. I'm going to be judged, and you're going to be judged. And to be blunt honest, there are some things in the Bible that ought not be taken lightly. The messages that shouldn't be preached with smiles on our faces.
[10:36] There are messages in the Bible that should leave a heaviness about us. There are messages in the Bible that should bring great responsibility to us. We should know there is a coming day of judgment.
[10:51] And that's what the Bible teaches. Now, the next few things I want to show you, the next three things I'm going to show you, are going to be how he says in this passage that he will judge us. He's going to give us an outline of how he'll judge us.
[11:03] And I'll end on a happy note for you if you're a born-again Christian. And I'll show you our answer and what God's answer for us is. But you need to know there is a judgment day coming.
[11:16] There is a judgment day coming. Lost people will go to hell. Lost people will go to hell. Christians will be judged according to what they've done in their body.
[11:26] To find out whether what they have used their abilities and their talents in the correct way. So number two, write this one down. Number one, there is a day of judgment. Number two, write this down.
[11:36] Every person will be judged according to their deeds or their actions. The Holy Scriptures say that every person will be judged according to their deeds or their actions.
[11:48] God knows what I'm doing. God knows what I'm thinking. God knows what I'm feeling. God knows what I'm doing. And he says in Romans chapter 2 and verse 6, Who will render to every man according to his deeds.
[12:04] Would you read out loud with me verse 6? Could I get you to read that out loud in one strong voice? Would you read it with me? Are you ready? The Bible says, Who will render to every man according to his deeds.
[12:16] By the way, it's talking about both saved and lost. Read verse 7 with me. To them who by patient continuance and well-doing seek for glory and honor, he has immortality and eternal life.
[12:28] So as he looks, there are some who patiently, continually, enduringly seek the glory of God and the honor of God. And he has immortality and eternal life for them.
[12:41] But verse 8 he says, But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, God has reserved for them indignation and wrath.
[12:51] Verse 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile.
[13:02] But glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. For God has no respect of persons. No respect of persons with God.
[13:13] There's a clear teaching throughout your Bible that God will judge us according to our deeds. The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 3 verses 10 and 11, and I'm just going to read you verse 11.
[13:25] It says, The reward of his hands shall be given him. The reward of his hands shall be given him. You do wrong, you'll receive what you've done.
[13:37] Jeremiah 17 10, the Bible says, I the Lord search the heart. I try the reins, the motivations of a man, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doing.
[13:50] Number one, there's a judgment day. Number two, the judgment is according to our deeds. Jesus taught that. Jesus taught that. The Bible says in Matthew 16 27, For the Son of Man shall come in glory of his Father with his angels and reward every man according to his works.
[14:13] In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 10. So you'll know that this also applies to Christians. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 10. Some of us could easily be sitting here saying, Yeah, well that's them.
[14:23] That's not us. And God's not concerned about what I do because all I've done has already been forgiven. Very true. But don't you dare take this slapstick comedy attitude you have towards sin.
[14:35] Those that love God love holiness. He said, Be holy. Be holy like your Father is holy. Be perfect like your Father is perfect. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 10, the Bible says, We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
[14:50] That's our judgment. That's for born again believers. That everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he had done. Whether it be good or bad. Whether it be worthwhile or worthless.
[15:03] But we will receive. We will receive judgment at the judgment seat of Christ. In Galatians chapter 6 verses 7 and 8 and 9.
[15:13] The apostle Paul is talking to Christians and he says, Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth through the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption.
[15:25] If you decide, I don't want Jesus. I want to live in the flesh. I want to do my own thing. And you don't get saved. You'll reap corruption and hell. But he that sows to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.
[15:37] You decide, I love Jesus and I give my life to him. You'll reap life everlasting. Let us not be weary in well-doing. For in due season we shall reap if we faint not.
[15:49] There is a judgment day coming. And he does judge us according to our deeds. Now salvation is purely by faith. Salvation is purely by faith. But listen to what I'm going to tell you.
[16:00] True faith produces works. True faith produces works. If a person claims to be saved, but shows no spiritual fruit or growth, then they should be concerned about their salvation.
[16:14] If a person claims to be saved, you say, I've been born again. You say, God's done a work in my life and there's no fruit. You should realize something must be wrong.
[16:26] Something must be wrong. Jesus said you could tell a tree by its fruit. In Matthew 7, 16, he said, you shall know them by their fruits.
[16:37] Do men gather thorns or figs of thistles? Wherefore, by their fruits, you shall know them. So just let me stop and say to you, there are two judgments.
[16:47] And if you're a born again believer, you won't go to hell. If you're a truly born again believer, it's not a judgment about whether or not you'll go to heaven or hell. That's not the judgment. The judgment for you will be a judgment of rewards.
[16:59] But if you're not saved, there is hell coming. Judgment's coming. God knows that you have a contentious attitude. God knows that you're an angry person against God.
[17:12] And he knows that God knows you refuse to honor him. He knows that you refuse to seek his glory. He knows that you refuse to obey him. And he's coming. But even for Christians, we will be judged according to our deeds.
[17:24] And rewards will be given to us. The truth is that every man will give an account for their life. Romans 14, 12 says, So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
[17:39] Every one of us. Paul includes himself. Every one of us will give account of ourselves to God. Our salvation is strictly by faith.
[17:50] But he still judges us according to our works in regards to rewards. Outward godly works are the evidence of an inner faith. You ought to write that down.
[18:02] Outward godly works are the evidence of inner faith. If you're a born again Christian. And everybody claims to be. Boy, if you live in the southeast United States, you're saved.
[18:14] You're going to heaven. But your faith never produces works. You will be. We will be judged according to our works.
[18:26] According to our deeds. In verse 7, Romans 2, 7. Right in front of you. It says, To them who by patient continuance and well-doing seek for glory and honor.
[18:38] He has immortality and eternal life. Would you underline that? It's a patient, everyday love God. Everyday serve God. Everyday just keep doing right.
[18:50] Because that's who you are. That's what you want. That's what comes out of you. He has eternal life. It's enduring, enduring right. It is, man, I really got saved.
[19:02] I really got born again. He really changed my life. This is a new me. I can never go back to who I used to be. Do you do these things?
[19:13] Do you do those things that show the heart of someone who is seeking God and his glory? Do you do the things that show, boy, I love God and I seek God? It's a good time today.
[19:25] When we're talking about judgment, it's a very good time to stop and say, I need to make sure that I'm saved. I need to make sure I'm going to go to heaven. I need to make sure that I'll not be judged for my obstinance and my contentious spirit and my rebellion against God.
[19:40] It's a good day to realize there is a judgment day coming. Do you seek to honor God with your life and all that's within you? Look at the attitude he talks about in Romans chapter 2 verses 8 and 9.
[19:52] He says, Can I just get you to look at verse 8 with me for a second?
[20:05] In verse 8 he said, There's a group of people, man. They're just upset and angry. They're upset with God. They don't like the ways of God. They don't like the things that God has to say. They don't obey the truth.
[20:16] But instead of that, they obey sin, unrighteousness. They obey things that are wrong. And God's indignation and wrath is coming. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil.
[20:30] I don't care if you're a Jew or a Gentile, Paul said. But glory and honor and peace to every man that worked the good. To the Jew first and also to the Gentile. There is no respect of persons with God.
[20:44] These guys were contentious. They do not obey the truth. They obey sin. God promises them punishment. And it doesn't matter to God who they are racially, nationally, or economically.
[20:57] They have God's promise. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil. First thing.
[21:09] There is a judgment day coming. There is a judgment day coming. Heavy, heavy hangs over our head. Number two. He judges us according to our deeds.
[21:22] And you can have all the good deeds in the world. And if you're not born again, you're going to go to hell. But if you're a Christian and God isn't producing through you a desire to glorify him and seek him, you ought to do a big checkup right now.
[21:38] There is a judgment day coming. And he is going to judge us according to our deeds. Number three. There's no partiality. No partiality.
[21:49] Romans chapter 2 verse 11. There is no respect of persons with God. Some guys sinned without the law and some guys sinned with the law, but it doesn't really matter.
[22:02] You see, what was happening was those Jews were like, surely God's going to judge those Gentiles. They didn't have the Ten Commandments. They don't know the truth. They don't do right. They deserve to be judged, but we're doing pretty good. And he said, no, let me explain something to you.
[22:13] Judgment on Jews and judgment on Gentiles. Judgment on church goers and judgment on those that don't go to church. Nobody's getting away with it. Everybody's going to be judged.
[22:26] Everybody's going to be judged. God judges all men equally. In Acts chapter 10 and verse 34, Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth.
[22:36] I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. In Colossians 3 25, the Bible said, but he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he had done. And there is no respect of persons.
[22:49] All men die for sin. Those who have had the law and those who do not have the laws. Jews should expect no special treatment, even though they lived more moral lives than the pagans.
[23:00] You know, the Jews, man, even if they weren't really believers and even if they were contentious and even if they were rebates, but if they were moral, he said, don't be mistaken. God judges everyone equally.
[23:14] Actually, and I think every Christian in this room ought to listen to this. Actually, the more you know, the heavier your judgment. The more you know, the heavier your judgment.
[23:26] In Luke chapter 12, verse 47. And I'd like to read this with you. I really wish you'd look it up. I want you to understand that you know a lot about the things of God. And sometimes that knowledge gets you all puffed up, but it doesn't humble you and cause you to realize you need God.
[23:44] Luke 12 47 says, and that servant, which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
[23:54] But he that knew not did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required.
[24:06] To men have committed much of him. They will ask the more. You know what he's saying? Hey, Jews, you know a lot. Don't you think God's going to be really mad at those pagans?
[24:17] He's going to be madder at you. And if you're a born again believer and you're in this room, praise the Lord. And I'll talk about that in just a little bit to you. But you know, if you're a lost person, you're attending church and you've never truly been born again.
[24:30] You've never truly repented of you saying you've never truly put your faith in Christ, but you're a good person. And you go to church and you've been baptized and you do right and you pay your bills and you figure somehow that's going to let you off the hook.
[24:45] That's just what the Jews thought. And the apostle Paul says, no, it won't let you off the hook. If you know the law and you don't do the law, it doesn't get you out of anything.
[24:56] And then Jesus gave an illustration where he said, hey, the more you know, the harsher the judgment. If you didn't know it was wrong, that's one thing. I'll give you a few licks. I'll give you a few stripes.
[25:07] But if you knew and you know, some of you have been going to church all your lives. You know all the truths, but you have never humbled yourself before an almighty God and said, I am a sinner and I deserve hell and I want to be saved.
[25:22] I want to trust Jesus. You have yet to do that. Even the lost man knows that he needs God. Romans 2 14 through 15 says, because the Bible says in Romans 2 14 through 15, that he put a conscience in a man to let a man know that there was a God.
[25:40] He showed him in Romans 1 20, that there was a creation. He shows him in Romans 2 15, that there is a law and it's a law written in our hearts. They know he knows in his heart what is right and wrong.
[25:52] He knows that he needs forgiveness. He knows that that he needs God, even if he doesn't know the truth. Cornelius was a man like that in Acts chapter 10. He knew he needed God.
[26:03] He didn't know God, but he was pleading to know God because he figured it out. Man, I am a sinner. I need God. And he was pleading and God sent a witness to him. So number one, judgment day is coming.
[26:17] Number two, he will judge us according to our deeds. And number three, he will judge us impartially. He won't look down and say, well, they're Americans. They have given a lot of money away. They've done a lot of good stuff and they all go to church and they're moral and they're not like people in other countries.
[26:32] He won't say that at all. He will actually look down and say, you knew better, stronger punishment. Now, fourth thing is he will judge our motives, the secrets of our hearts.
[26:43] And if you're at all like me, you know, I've not really been guilty of very many open outward sins. I was raised in a Christian home.
[26:54] I made a profession of faith when I was seven years of age. I went to church nine months before I was born. I've been in church all my life. I've been in church way more than three times a week for the 58 years that I've been alive.
[27:07] I've been to church many, many extra hours. And it might be easy for me to say, well, I don't have any sins. But he says, I know your secrets.
[27:18] I know your motives. In Romans chapter two and verse 16, in this, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
[27:32] God shall judge the secrets of men. Nobody knows what I've done. Nobody knows where I've been.
[27:43] Nobody knows what I've done. No one knows what I've thought in my heart. I'm a good guy. But God knows.
[27:54] But God knows. That's a Bible teaching all through your Bible. Say, I just thought it. I never did it. God knows even your thoughts and your imaginations.
[28:05] In 1 Chronicles chapter 28 and verse 9. David talks to his son Solomon. He tells him this truth. And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind.
[28:19] Listen. For the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee. But if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.
[28:33] He searches all hearts and understands all imaginations of the thoughts. God knows. God knows.
[28:45] He knows what I think. He knows the thoughts that I've had. To be blunt honest, there's a lot of actions I haven't been very guilty of, but I have thought so much about them.
[28:56] God knows. God knows. I didn't do that, but I thought that. You know, you could like to rest in the Old Testament like the Jew and say, in the Old Testament, it said thou shalt not murder.
[29:08] Thou shalt not kill. But Jesus said in the New Testament, whoa, whoa. I'm going to go one step further. You have heard it said thou shalt not kill. And I say unto you, if you have said thou fool in your heart, if you've hated your brother, you have committed that sin.
[29:23] You have heard it said in the Old Testament, he said, that you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, that if you look at a woman and lust on her in your heart, you see, he judges not only your actions, but your attitudes.
[29:36] Not only your actions, but your thoughts. He judges the secrets of man. He judges our very thoughts. In Psalm 139.1, the Bible says, O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me.
[29:51] Thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down.
[30:03] And art acquainted with all my ways. In Psalm 139.1, he said, I know you know me. I know you've searched me.
[30:14] I know you know me. I know you know where I've been sitting. And I know you know where I've been standing. I know you know where I went down. And I know you know where I got up. I know you understand my thoughts even when I'm a long ways away from you.
[30:26] I know that you are around me everywhere I go. You compass my path. You are acquainted with all my ways. He will judge our very secrets.
[30:38] We have no secrets. He is searching our heart. In Jeremiah chapter 17 and verse 10, I, the Lord, search the heart.
[30:49] I try the reins to give every man according to his ways. By the way, in case you think, Hey, Austin, that's all Old Testament. That's not about us. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 4 in a sermon he preached, Matthew 6, 4, that thine alms may be in secret and the father which sees in secret shall reward the openly.
[31:13] But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, verse 6, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly.
[31:25] Verse 18, thou, thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy father which is in secret. And thy father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly.
[31:37] We're going to be judged. Every one of us. And it is time in Romans. We preach right through the Bible. And this is a heavy passage.
[31:49] I don't know how you preach a Joel Osteen message out of this one. I don't know how you get happy about this one. He basically says when he starts in chapter 2, verse 1, You're inexcusable, O man who judges others and does the same thing.
[32:04] And he said in your treasuring up days against the day of wrath, there's a judgment coming. It's according to our deeds. He's impartial when he judges us. He judges our motives and our secrets.
[32:17] Now let me give you the beautiful thing. The fifth thing you might write down. Grace is the only answer for all of our deeds. Grace is the only answer. I'll skip ahead to further chapters coming and go ahead and tell you.
[32:31] Without the Bible verses today. There is definitely going to be a judgment and we're all going to be judged. Face it. Know it. Accept it. Believe it. You will be judged.
[32:44] I will be judged. We will stand before the flaming eyes of our Lord. You say where do you get flaming eyes? In Revelation when it describes him.
[32:56] That's what it says. He can see to the core of our being. There will be no hiding anything. Know this. God is super angry with sin and it will be paid for.
[33:10] If you're here and you're not saved, you will face God. God will judge us according to our deeds or what we've done in our bodies and with our lives.
[33:22] Every person. Every person. And could I remind you that in Romans chapter 2 he said they're contentious and they don't obey God. It's like they say, look, I'm not a bad guy.
[33:36] I'm not a bad guy. So let's just think about that. No, don't be contentious. Don't think you can talk to God, the creator and judge like that. He said, do you obey or do you not obey?
[33:49] Are you contentious? He knows every out of word. He knows every evil thought. There will be no exception clauses to get you out.
[34:00] If you know or you don't know. If you knew or you didn't know. If you were really good most of the time or not good most of the time. He will judge even the things you thought about doing. He knows what was and what is in your heart.
[34:16] The only hope you have is that your sins have been laid on Jesus. And he has paid your debt. So just let me stop here and say something to you. Sin will be judged.
[34:30] Every person's sin will be judged. But the beautiful, fantastic, wonderful truth of those of us who are really born again.
[34:41] Is that our sins have been judged on Calvary's tree. On Jesus. And in Isaiah 53. He did take up all of our rebellion. And all of our contentiousness.
[34:53] And all of our wickedness. And he placed them on Jesus. And Jesus paid our sin debt. Now this is what I'm going to say to you. That ought to thrill your heart.
[35:04] You ought to be able to go. This has been a hot and heavy message. But thank God my sins were placed on Jesus. And I can say amen. And I can say that I'm saved.
[35:15] But you might be here. Your sins aren't placed on a church. Your sins aren't placed on some little prayer card you filled out. Your sins. And man we just love to convince each other we're saved.
[35:28] I got to convince you you're saved. Stage almost all the time. When the truth of the matter is. I ought to be able to look back and say. No. I know I sinned against the holy God. And I confess my sin.
[35:38] And trust in Christ as my savior. You know. And he knows. And you know. He knows. There is judgment.
[35:52] There is no impartiality. Here's what happened though. For those of us who would receive the gift. He placed all of our sin on Jesus. For the wages of sin is death.
[36:03] But. But. The gift of God. Is eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. If I got what I deserved. I would get this judgment. If I got what I deserved.
[36:15] I would go to hell. But Jesus paid my sin debt. And I received that gift. And today. I can know that I'm going to heaven. When I die.
[36:27] How many of you know. That you know. That you've been forgiven. Say amen. Praise God. And we ought to go out of here. Realize that this is no game we play. This is no.
[36:38] Just a church service that we have. It's the truth. There is a God. There is a judgment. Lost people will stand before God. And we need to tell people about Jesus. Can you say amen right there?
[36:49] But then let me remind you of this. In this same passage. He said he's going to judge us. He's going to judge us. And could I say that somewhere along the way.
[37:01] Because you know about the grace of God. You've taken on a flippant attitude about sin. It's like I'll sin and I'll confess it later. I know he forgives me. It's like I once saved always.
[37:13] Saved I'll do what I want. I want to do. Do you not understand? You are saved by a holy perfect God. Who places in your heart a desire to serve him. And you ought to take seriously.
[37:25] We are the born again children of an almighty God. A holy God. Those that seek him. He judges Christians as well.
[37:36] Truly born again Christians have a fruit. Of what he has done in their lives. And I would ask you today. Is God at work in you? Could you look back and say.
[37:48] That's where I was. But I can see how God's really worked. And moved in me. And I can see the hand of God in my life. If you can. I challenge you.
[37:59] Man. Study the book. Get in discipleship. Learn the truths of God. Make sure you know you're saved. So many of us have been brought up. And we had godly parents.
[38:10] And so we prayed when we were two and a half. And four and a half. And five. And some of my kids prayed young too. But we. And I didn't do it out of a wrong motive. But. A lot of times.
[38:21] They're brought up. And we teach our own children. You're okay. You're okay. I'm okay. You're okay. Not true. They need to know. That they came to know Jesus as their savior.
[38:33] They need to know. That God did a work in their heart. You're not some Roman Catholic. That says. I sprinkled my baby's head. And he's okay. You're not some Protestant.
[38:43] Who said at 12. We will confirm you. And you won't go to hell. This is really heavy stuff. There is a day of judgment coming. And God will come.
[38:55] In angry. Flaming. Vengeance. On those that do not know God. And those that were contentious. Please take it seriously.
[39:07] The only hope you have. Is that your sins have been laid on Jesus. And he has paid the debt. Last statement. It is his goodness. Goodness. Or your badness. That will one day be brought to light.
[39:20] And if you're a born again Christian. When it comes judgment time. It'll be his goodness. And when God opens their books. And looks to see about a Christian. He'll say. This guy's born again.
[39:31] You say. Well why don't you talk more about that. Because this passage isn't really about that. We'll get to those passages. And we've been in those passages other Sundays. And somewhere along the way. It's easy for us to get a flippant attitude about sin.
[39:44] And forget what our God says about it. How many of you would agree. From reading this passage. He hates sin. If you believe that. Say amen. We cannot take a flippant attitude.
[39:55] He hates sin. He is judge. Do you know. That you're going to heaven when you die. I pray God's Holy Spirit would come.
[40:07] In convicting power. And say to you. No you're not saved. If you're not. And you would admit it. And surrender to him. And be saved today. And I pray that if you are saved. You'd say. Boy. Thank you God for reassuring me.
[40:18] Holy Spirit for reassuring me. That I'm born again. Because this is really. Important. Stuff. Not something you do for me. Not something you do for the church.
[40:29] Not something you do for the family. It's important. He's the God. Of eternity. He's the creator God. He's the judging God. Do you know.
[40:41] You're saved. With every head bowed. And every eye closed. Father in heaven. I love you. And I thank you for your word. And even though it's harsh. And rough today.
[40:52] I know that the grace is here. Today. To save all of us. And I know that you have saved most of us. But I know that maybe some of the people here in this room. Aren't born again.
[41:03] Haven't trusted you. Have had a flippant attitude. And I'm praying Holy Spirit. That you would come. In convicting power. Like you have in old days. And shake people to their very foundation.
[41:14] That they would trust you. Save today. Please. Save today. Please. God wake up Christians. Make us realize.
[41:25] That we do serve. A holy. And righteous God. And I'll give you praise. You have been listening to Austin Gardner.
[41:35] Pastor of Vision Baptist Church. For contact information. Location. Service times. Or more audio and video recordings. Log on to. www.visionbaptist.com Overs大的