Jesus won’t judge me

MYTH # 3 – JESUS WON’T JUDGE ME

PREACHER – ANDREW MORRIS 

This really is such a mammoth topic and particularly sensitive. I remember a famous preacher who was quoted as saying the man who isn’t deeply grieved and who doesn’t weep at the thought of loved ones on their way to hell shouldn’t preach on the topic. So I feel particularly inadequate for this topic and truth be told I wouldn’t be speaking on it if Meg had not pulled out.

What would I like for you to get out of tonight? Well two things- 1) That our response to this topic would not be to question God with regards to judgement and eternal judgement but rather that it would lead to an acknowledgement of the seriousness of sin in God’s eyes and worship (Rev 19: 2 He judges fairly he punishes justly, and he has condemned the famous prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication; he has avenged his servants that she killed. They sang Alleluia! The smoke of her will go up for ever and ever and ever. Then the 24 elders and the four animals prostrated themselves and worshipped God seated on His throne…). His righteous and justice will lead to worship one day, we will not be holding anything against God because we disagree with His judgements or find them unfair. 2) That this would not be merely informational but transformational, that in some small way we will check ourselves tonight and have a renewed concerned for the lost around us.

I truly believe that despite the sensitive nature of the topic, that it needs to be spoken about and that largely the church has shied away from addressing it adequately, preaching and teaching rightly on it and unashamed allowing this doctrine to be a guiding light and motivation in part for our missional activities. I think it is so important and in many times in the churches history we have neglected certain aspects on the nature of God to our detriment and I think this doctrine has to do with so much more than just heaven or hell (important as they are) but boils down to an issue about the very nature of God (Ex 34: 6-7). I think it is true that if you throw away the idea of God judging people and that there are eternal consequences in many ways, by implication you have done away with the substance of christianity which is the forgiveness of sins through the redeeming work of Christ on the Cross. It would be to deny Jesus Lordship over his creation and Jesus as Saviour.

A bleak picture (Gen 3) The human race is unfortunately in a very bad way. We are under judgement. We are under a curse. We are condemned already. Sinful from birth so in nature (the core is rotten even if the outside looks good). Sinful in our actions (totally depraved).

I can’t spend too much time here but say you have a situation were you’re chatting to someone who doesn’t believe there’s a God, you manage by the grace of God to bring here to the acknowledgement that there must be a God but then you have to bring them to a belief that it can only be the God of the bible, here’s were he or she gets hung up on some bible problems, there’s no hassle with God but that the God of the bible will be judging people and punishing them for their misdeeds eternally. How would you justify that?

God must judge. I got thinking about this when I needed to come up for reasons for why God judges when at teen church we had a debate about this but couldn’t use the bible because we were arguing with non believers in a hypothetical situation.

-Part of the reason God is God or rather by definition why he is God is because he is perfect, his perfection leads to our worship. However would perfection be perfection if God were to be morally indifferent, no right or wrong or if there was no sense of justice when these standards had been transgressed?

-To deny judgement would be to deny ourselves justice, the human heart cries out for justice. We see and we know almost innately when something is wrong or when we have been wronged if there is no law or judgment then there can be no ultimate justice. I would say that despite some sophisticated advances in law and court systems in some parts of the world there is just as much if not more injustice in the world now than has ever been.

-There would be chaos, so to advert public chaos laws have to be set in place but just setting laws in place does not ensure order unless you can, will and do enforce the penalty. The Law is a representation of God Holy nature. He is truth itself so does not lie therefore he requires that of us. He does not commit adultery or even look on others lustfully so he requires the same of us. It is deeper than that but you get the idea, the Law was not some good ideas thought up by God to wreck our fun but they work to keep order in society because they are a reflection of His nature but if he was in impotent God and there was no enforcement of the law they would be worthless. People don’t obey laws that aren’t enforced.

-Then there’s the problem of evil- how do you explain it, if there is no standard then you can’t tell what is right and wrong and this standard needs to be more objective than humans deciding what is right and wrong because this varies in lots of ways from culture to culture. Who would be the standard and if you say there can be no objective standard we reach it by consensus, that’s a problem for me because what if I don’t agree with the consensus then I would be oppressed.

-I think eternal consequences to our choices in this life gives incredible value to life and dignity to the individual. We make choices everyday some more important than others, do you take particular care to make good decisions when you know they will affect others and that the implications are going to be affecting you fro life (who to marry, what to study), of course you do. Being aware of eternity and eternal consequences we give life and our choices the gravity they deserve. If this is all there is it leads to passivity and/or immorality. -Eternal punishment gives sin its true heinous, hideous, hellish nature.

-Battle with the idea of eternal punishment but not eternal reward.

This was our destiny- but praise God the only way who could help did and this is what it looks like.

Yes God will judge to satisfy his righteousness and justice but he also saves to satisfy his love two of the many aspects of God’s nature which he acts according too and perfectly, all the time.

God won’t judge Let’s reflect a bit on the nature of God because this is where the law finds it’s source and what lot’s of people including Christians refer to lull themselves into what I believe is false security that allows them to continue in their sin or let them off the hook in reaching out to people with the good news.

That’s more Old testament vibes- no then you haven’t read about Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5, or Jesus scathing condemnation of the religious leaders in his sermon of woes, or about the great orator Herod being struck down by an angel of the Lord or even read revelation a book full of the judgements and retribution on rebellious humanity and Satan and his minions.

Or they are inconsistent in there idea of how God will mete out justice it won’t be on them. The thing about justice is that by definition it can have no favourites or let people off otherwise it wouldn’t be justice.

I just want to say before I continue that I affirm these things about the nature of God but it is half the face of God.

God is good- Part of the reason God is God or rather by definition why he is God is because he is perfect, his perfection leads to our worship. However would perfection be perfection if God were to be morally indifferent, no right or wrong or if there was no sense of justice when these standards had been transgressed?

God is kind- Kindness of God leads to repentance but they forget the scripture Rom 11:22 don’t forget God can be severe as well as kind; he is severe to those who fell and he is kind to you, but only as long as he chooses to be, otherwise you will find yourselves cut off too.

God is loving- how can a loving God send people to hell? God does not send people to hell he gives them what they wanted by virtue of their beliefs and practices here on earth. He is getting rid of sin and if you are adamant to cling to your sinfulness you will be thrown away with your sin. The snake story. God does not want to get rid of you but sin and the source of sin.

God of grace- cheap grace, abuses of grace to allow for sin. The Chronicle reading and Angie analogy.

Jesus will judge

Some of the strongest statements of wrath and judgement. Jesus is most definitely a judge and enforcer of his law over humanity Some quote these scriptures to justify a position of Jesus as more grace than anything else, remember john says he was full of grace and truth. They quote scriptures like Jn 8: 15 Jesus saying I judge no man. Jesus was saying that he doesn’t judge after the flesh like we are prone to do. For I have come not to judge the world but to save the world (Jn 12: 47). Dangerous lob sided reading of scripture but which we’re all prone to but you can see how dangerous it can be, Jesus didn’t come to judge because the world was already under judgement of God and so needed saving. A belief friends, that Jesus is not going to judge anyone is a myth, Scripture says of Jesus, His own words actually Jn 5: 22 the father judges no one but has committed all judgement to the Son.

Jesus will judge you I would love you to show me a scripture Christian where you can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that despite being a Christian (you’re saved right), that you will not stand before God one day and still give account of your life. Some will quote Rom 8: 1 means that there’s no condemnation for those in Christ- yeah for sure that says nothing about you not being judged it just means that despite being judged one day you are not going to get what you deserve and in fact God is going to be so ridiculously good to you because he values his sons sacrifice so highly, that he’s going to let you spend eternity in his presence enjoying and experiencing true life and life to the full.

Here’s why I believe this: Bible says one day we’re all going to standing before the judgement seat of Christ Rev 20: 13 Everyone will be judged according to the way in which they have lived.

He judges in this life 2- this apparently is for our own good and to chastise us, discipline us so that we are not condemned with the rest of the world. 1 Cor 11: 32 talks about those not partaking in the Lords supper rightly and being struck with sickness, even death in some cases.

He will judge the quality of your life’s work- Well done good and faithful servant. 1 Cor 3: 12 You will be saved but your work is of no eternal value. Store up for yourselves heavenly treasure. Stress the point about what we’re doing with our lives as Christians. Teachers will be judged more harshly- James to whom much is given much will be required. Retribution and reward.

Implications

He will judge others- Psalmist lamenting people getting away with wickedness, God assures him that he will deal with them. Comforting thought that despite appearances ultimate justice is coming.

He will judge you- heed the warnings judgement is coming (Nigel’s car), and make your life count here and now and into eternity.

Where are you with Christ- there is place where the judgement the wrath of God has fallen already. Story of the fire and the prairie family. Call on the coming judge to your present saviour.