I want to welcome Bill and Debbie
to our congregation. Bill and Debbie are true brothers
and sisters in Christ and we love you and appreciate you and
look forward to your message. So Bill, you come and share the
gospel with us. Thank you, Winston. If you would,
let's open our Bibles to Revelation chapter 20. While you're turning to Revelation
20, let me just again I say how glad we are to be here. Thank
the Lord that he enables us to come here and the times that
we can be with you. It's good to see some old friends
I haven't seen in a while. So it's just a special day and
I speak for Debbie too. We thank you for all your hospitality
and your gifts and everything that you've done for us and your
prayers especially. And I do want to tell you that
the folks in Ashland at 13th Street Baptist send their greetings,
too. Always we invite you to come
and visit us. Not much to see in Ashland except
two bridges, one's blue and one's green. And that's it. And I can take you on a 20-minute
drive, well, actually about a 15-minute drive through three states, Kentucky,
Ohio, and West Virginia in 15 minutes. If you're interested
in that, but more so if you're interested in meeting some brethren
in Christ and worshiping with us, come on up. We've got plenty
of room. Just don't all come at once.
Come in increments. We're glad to be here. Alright,
let's look at this passage in Revelation chapter 20. Look at
verse 11, the last verses of this chapter. It says, and I saw, this is the
vision that the Lord gave to the Apostle John on the Isle
of Patmos. And I saw a great white throne
and him that sat on it, from whose faith the earth and the
heaven fled away. And there was no place found,
was found no place for them. 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 books according
to their works. And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it, and death and hell, and that word hell there
is the grave, delivered up the dead which were in them, and
they were judged every man according to his works. And death and hell
were cast into the lake of fire, and this is the second death,
that's eternal death, and whosoever was not found written in the
book of life, was cast into the lake of fire. Now the title of
this message is just simply Final Judgment. And as I told you in
the first hour in the back there, I was going to deal with this
subject, just some very simple issues of final judgment through
the scriptures. And so I'll probably repeat some
of the things that I said earlier, if you'll bear with me. But there
are so many myths and religious myths that revolve around the
subject of final judgment. For example, people, and a lot
of good questions, good questions, when will the day of judgment
be? People are interested in that.
Who will be judged? Who will be the judge? That's
an important question there. I'm gonna deal with that today.
Will there be one judgment or two? I believe there'll be one,
but a lot of people believe there'll be two. Will there be one judgment
for believers and another for unbelievers, if there are two?
Well, like I said, I believe there's going to be one, but
we'll see this. Will we be judged first by Christ for our sins
and second for our works as believers? Well, I don't believe that, but
we're going to look at some scripture today. And here's basically what
I want to give to you today from the Word of God. First of all,
I want to talk a little bit about the certainty of final judgment.
There is a judgment coming. And then secondly, I want to
talk to you about the person of the judge. Who is the judge
of all things? And then thirdly, I want to talk
to you about the standard of final judgment. There is a standard
by which all men and women will be judged. What is that standard?
And then lastly, I want to talk to you about the hope of final
judgment. So let's get into this. First
of all, the certainty of final judgment. We have a revelation
from God in his word that the final judgment is an impending
certain reality. Many people don't, either they
don't believe in a final judgment or they live like there's not
going to be one. And so we understand from the
Word of God that it is appointed unto men once to die and after
that the judgment, that's Hebrews chapter 9. As I said earlier
in the first hour that we have a life to live, we can't deny
that. We have a death to die, we can't deny that, and then
we have a judgment to face and an eternity to spend. But make
no mistake about it, there is going to be a final judgment.
Turn back to John chapter 25 with me. Now just like we read
there in Revelation chapter 20, that is a revelation, a description
of final judgment in symbolic language in Revelation 20. But
look at John chapter 5 and look at verse 25. This is the Lord
speaking to His disciples and other hearers. John chapter 5
and verse 25. And He says, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall
hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall
live. Now, He's speaking of the new
birth there. And when you hear with spiritual
ears, you know the Lord taught that in Matthew chapter 11 when
he began to speak in parables and the disciples asked him why
was he speaking in parables. Up to that time he had been preaching
clearly in plain simple language the gospel of God's grace in
the salvation of sinners by himself, by Jesus Christ. based upon what
he would accomplish at Calvary in his death and dying for the
sins of his sheep, and the fact that he would die and be buried
and raised again the third day for the justification of his
people, and how he would ascend unto the Father and ever live
to make intercession for his people. He preached that in such
plain, simple language And the Pharisees and many of their followers
kept denying and denying and opposing, and finally he had
enough of it, and they passed that point of no return, and
he pronounced judgment on them by speaking in parables. He didn't
speak in parables because he wanted to give us some children's
stories, or some kind of a simpler language. In fact, the parables
were intended to hide the gospel from those who refused to believe
the gospel. And so, when they asked him in
Matthew 11, why do you speak in parables? He said, because
they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not. And he said, but
blessed are your eyes for they see. Blessed are your ears for
they see. He said, it's given unto you
to know the mysteries of the kingdom. So here, when he says,
the hour is coming that when the dead shall hear the voice
of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live, he's talking
about the new birth, but he goes on further, verse 26. For as
the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to
have life in himself, and hath given him authority to execute
judgment also, because he's the Son of Man, in other words, because
he's the mediator, God and man in one person, he's been given
the authority to judge. so he says in verse 28 look at
this marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all
that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth
they that have done good under the resurrection of life and
they that have done evil under the resurrection of damnation
now that doing good and doing evil has to do with your relationship
with Christ Those that have done good are those who believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ and walk in honor of Him, not trying to
earn their salvation by their works, but seeking to honor Him
by their lives. In other words, as a testimony
of His grace and His goodness. And we dealt with that in the
last hour. The issue of works at the judgment
is not what our works do for us, but what our works say about
us as evidence of God's grace. as evidence of His mercy, as
evidence of our faith in and trust and submission to Christ
and love for Him. And that's back here in Revelation
20. That's what he's talking about here when he says, judged
every man according to their works. It's not going to be a
situation where God outweighs your good works with your bad
works or your sins, and whichever one tips the scales, that determines
whether you go to heaven or hell. It's an issue of evidence and
fruit me all that which is the power of god in the salvation
proving you to be a child of god not making you a child of
god you can't earn your salvation and you don't deserve your salvation
if you're saved by the lord god and let me tell you something
this is this is something we need to understand i've been
preaching this message i don't know how long it's what thirty
years or more right now i'm no more deserving of salvation than
I was when it first started. And I have yet to earn my salvation
and will never earn my salvation. My salvation is totally a matter
of God's grace in Christ. It's never at any time in my
life, and I hope I'm growing in grace and knowledge, but my
growing in grace and knowledge is not my righteousness before
God. Christ is my righteousness. And that's what we're going to
understand here about the judgment, as it is appointed unto men once
to die, but after that, the judgment. There is a final judgment. All
things were going to be declared before the whole universe. And
that's important, too. This judgment is a declarative
judgment. Well, let's talk about the person of the judge. Who
is the judge? Now, back over there in John
chapter 5, the Lord said that all judgment has been committed
unto the Son, as the Son of Man. And what that's talking about
is Christ as the mediator of his people, he will judge the
quick and the dead, the scripture says in Revelation. The quick
being the born again, the dead being those who die in their
sins. But look at the book of Acts chapter 17. I want to use
this verse for two points in this message. First of all to
show you who's going to be the judge. Acts chapter 17, this
is Paul's message to the Greek philosophers on Mars Hill. and there's going to be a judge
and Paul when he preached this message he dealt with them where
they were they didn't know anything about the Old Testament scriptures
so he didn't preach the Old Testament scriptures they knew something
in their natural conscience about a creator they didn't know much
about him so that's where he began the God of creation and
then he goes right down to bring them to Christ to point them
to Christ And he talked about the Gentiles during the time
of the Old Covenant. They didn't have the revelation
of the Old Covenant like the Jews did. And it says in verse
30, it says they were ignorant. The times of this ignorance God
winked at, that word winked at, that's just a way of saying God
overlooked it. In other words, He was in forbearance over that. He didn't destroy them immediately.
He put up with a lot. But now, because the gospel has
gone out to every nation now, or is going out to every nation,
God hath commanded all men everywhere to repent. Bring sinners to repentance. That's the gift of God. The faith
is the gift of God and repentance. Look at verse 31. Now why? What
is this repentance, this change of mind, change of heart to be
based on? He says in verse 31, because
God, that's the he there is God, hath appointed a day. in the
which he will judge the world in righteousness. We're going
to talk about the standard of judgment in a moment, but he's
going to judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. God's going to judge the world
by a man whom he hath ordained. Now who is that man? I look on,
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath
raised him from the dead. It's a man whom God hath raised
from the dead. Who is it? This is the God-man.
This is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the judge of all. He's
the judge of the quick and the dead. All judgment has been committed
unto him. Do you know why? Because he earned
that right. Now how did he earn it? Through
his obedience unto death for the salvation of his people.
Christ is the one, the second person of the Holy Trinity. who
came to this earth as sent by the Father to confront sin, to
oppose sin and temptation. He opposed the devil. He defeated
the devil at every turn, even at his birth, but even at the
Mount of Temptation, but mainly at the cross. We're going to
look at that in just a moment. He defeated the world. He said,
I've gained victory over the world. he said I've defeated
the world and he defeated the flesh now he had no sin in himself
in his own human flesh but he had weaknesses and infirmities
when he didn't eat he got hungry just like you and I get hungry
when we don't eat he sorrowed when they drove the nails in
his hands he hurt just like you and I would hurt he got thirsty
all of these things these are the infirmities of the flesh
now he did all that without sin Hebrews 4 tells us He had no
sin, he knew no sin, there was no sin contaminated his mind,
his affections, his will, he was the perfect sinless God-man,
but he was man in every way that a human being can be a human
being but without sin. and as man as God man he walked
this earth and he confronted all the enemies that stand against
him and his people and he gained victory and therefore he earned
the right to be the sovereign judge of all things at the judgment
so there is a final judgment coming and secondly the person
of the judge that's Christ you're going to have to stand before
Christ at judgment that's what he's saying now the word of God
constantly warns the wicked of the terror of divine judgment.
We read that this morning in 2 Corinthians 5 and verses 10
and 11, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord. The Word
of God constantly warns the unbelieving against the everlasting wrath
of God. And I want to tell you something, the day of judgment,
now listen to me very carefully, you know there are some preachers
who call themselves Christian who use the judgment to literally
try to scare the hell out of their people. You know that? That's what they're trying to
do. They see people and they say, well, you're not doing enough,
so I'll talk about judgment. You're not doing enough. Well,
what is enough? Do we ever do enough? None of
us ever do enough. Enough to what? That's the thing. But you know the day of judgment
is never in the Bible described as a terror to believers. the
sinners who are saved by the grace of God, or even a thing
to be dreaded by us. We're not even to dread the final
judgment. And that's what leads me to my third point here. What is the standard of final
judgment? Now look back at that Acts chapter
17 and verse 31. It says here in Acts 17, 31,
it says, because he hath appointed a day. into which he will judge
the world in righteousness." Now, righteousness is the standard
of the judgment. In other words, in order to enter
glory, to stand at judgment, and to enter glory, heaven's
glory, the new heavens and the new earth, to be eternally accepted
and in eternal, blessed, uninterrupted, perfect communion with God, to
live forever and ever and ever in that blessedness, to be entitled
to eternal life. In order to do that, you and
I have to be righteous. That's what that says. If you're
not righteous in that day, then you will perish eternally, the
scripture says. You'll be damned eternally. And
if you have no righteousness, that measures up to this standard
of righteousness, then you have reason to fear and dread the
judgment. Now, most people would say, well,
I have righteousness. How did you get it? How did you
come to be righteous? Well, there are a lot of different
ways that people talk about it. But how righteous do you have
to be? Now think about that. You know, somebody says, well,
I'm not perfect, but I'm doing the best I can. Well, the Bible
says man in his best state is what? altogether vanity. That's worthless. That's what
that means. Worthless. You see, doing the best you can
will not make you righteous. How righteous do you have to
be? Well, look on in Acts 1731. He's going to judge the world
in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, who is
the judge, but also who is the standard of righteousness. You
have to be as righteous as Christ is. You say, well, I try to love
everybody. You probably don't. And I probably
don't. Not like we ought to try. But
let's say for the purposes of the argument you did. Let's say
you were doing your best to love everybody. Do you love perfectly
even your worst enemy? Do you love like Christ loves?
That's the issue. Because that's what righteousness
requires. It's what it requires. I mean, the law of God requires
perfect love towards the one who would do you the most harm.
That's what it requires. Love your enemies. That's what
it says. And Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount, loving
your friends, that's not good enough because even the heathen
do that. Love your enemies. That's what Christ did on the
cross when he died for our sins. He was loving his enemies. even
when we were yet enemies Christ died for the ungodly Romans chapter
5 all the time you say that we
were we were in unbelief the Bible says we were enemies of
God so how how how much love do you have to have perfect love
you say well I tried to treat everybody equally well do you
do it perfectly without prejudice without preference without any
self-wishing upon yourself something good. You see, that's what it
is. You have to be as righteous as
Christ. Well, what does the Bible teach
about that subject? You see, the only way that I
can be as righteous as Christ is to be found in Christ. Turn to Philippians chapter 3. This is the standard of final
judgment. And nothing else will cut it.
Nothing else will measure up. You say, well, I'm going to do
my best to be religious, to be faithful, to go to church. All
that, none of that will make you right. Baptism will not make
you righteous before God. That's not the purpose of baptism.
The purpose of baptism is not to do anything for you the purpose
of baptism is to testify of you that's what it's for here in
Philippians chapter 3 here's the apostle Paul look at this
he says he's talking about in verse 7 he says but what things
were gain to me now what he said what he's saying there when he
says gain to me he's talking about all his religious efforts
that he thought at one time recommended him unto God and he thought that
was gain He thought, you know, the Jews basically, they rested
in three things to prove that they were children of God, that
they were saved. Number one, their physical connection with
Abraham. They'd say, we be Abraham's seed. You remember John the Baptist
in Matthew chapter three, when he was calling the Pharisees
and Sadducees to repentance, he said, and think not to say
in yourselves, we be Abraham's seed. He said, God's going to
lay the ax to that root. In other words, just because
you're a physical descendant or have some kind of physical
connection with Abraham doesn't mean anything in God's kingdom.
Secondly, they depended upon their circumcision. The circumcision
of the male who was the representative of the whole family. Physically
circumcised. Well, Paul said, God forbid that
I should glory save in the cross of Christ by whom the world is
crucified unto me and I unto the world. And in Christ Jesus,
he said, neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision,
but a new creation. It doesn't matter whether you're
a Jew or Gentile. In God's kingdom, that means
nothing. In Christ, there is no Jew or Gentile. We're all
one in Christ. and then thirdly their works
under the law of Moses they said we have Moses and Christ said
in John chapter 5 he said Moses will be your accuser he'll condemn
you because he said Moses wrote of me if you'd believe Moses
and done the things Moses said you'd believe Christ but he says
here in this issue he says in Philippians 3 he says but what
things were gained to me verse 7 those I counted loss for Christ
In other words, when it comes to my standing before God, and
my salvation, and my justification before God, and my entitlement
to eternal life, and my entering into glory, all those things
I used to think were in the profit column, I now put in the loss
column. They didn't do anything for me.
Didn't earn salvation. And why? Why, Paul? Because I've
seen what does get you into heaven. Let's put it that way. What is
that? Christ. And he says in verse
8, Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom
I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ. Now you know what Paul's talking
about? He's talking about all his religious works, all his
religious efforts before he came to a saving knowledge of Christ.
Okay. Now what about afterward? What
about once God saves you? Now then do you start working
your way into heaven or working your way for your rewards? Absolutely
not. Look on, verse 9. He says, I
do count them but done that I may win Christ and be found in him,
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law. Now Paul's
talking about his efforts to obey God after salvation. Not
having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ. That's the faithfulness
of Christ. His faithfulness to do what God
sent him to do. Now what did God send him to
do? Send him to redeem us from our sins. What was the cost of
redemption? His blood. Not your tears, not
your efforts, his blood. What can wash away my sins? You ever sung that hymn? What's
the next line? Nothing but the blood. Now if
you don't agree with that, don't sing that hymn anymore. if you
believe it's something else if you think it's the blood plus
the blood plus my repentance I heard a preacher at Atlanta
say it one time he said the cost of forgiveness is repentance
now it's on the surface that may sound alright but that's
not true the cost of forgiveness is not your repentance the cost
of forgiveness is the blood of Christ what can wash away my
sins nothing but the blood of Jesus What can make me whole
again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
And then there's my favorite hymn. My hope is built on nothing
less than what? My tears plus Jesus' righteousness.
No. The blood and righteousness of
Christ. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. And I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name, on Christ the solid rock
I stand. And just like Paul said, all
things were lost, all things, all other ground is sinking sand.
That's it. Now this judgment here is by
that standard. You have to be as righteous as
Christ is. So therefore, what is the hope
of final judgment? That's the last point. What's
the hope of final judgment? I want you to turn to some scripture
with me on this. I want you to look at several
things. I want you to go back first to Isaiah chapter 28 in the Old
Testament. Now a lot of people have a refuge. A refuge that they consider,
this is my refuge from the wrath of God. Now the question you have to
confront, is it a refuge of lies? Or is it a true refuge that will
shield you from the wrath of God? Well look at Isaiah chapter
28, verse 14. Now Isaiah is preaching to a
rebellious people, the Jews, in the southern kingdom of Judah.
And all of their leaders, all of their princes, their noblemen
had taught them that they could be saved, basically, based on
their works under the Law of Moses. Keeping the Sabbath, the
ceremonies, bringing sacrifices, not to point you to Christ, but
to make you righteous by your efforts. That's what they were
teaching in Isaiah's day. You can read chapter 1 sometimes,
and it's a real eye-opener, because the way he describes them, you'd
think that he's describing some of the most immoral people on
earth. But he's not. He's describing
religious people who are coming before God in prayers and meeting
together in assemblies. But they're doing it for the
wrong reason. Not as sinners seeking mercy. Not as sinners
who see themselves in reality as unrighteous in themselves
and know that their only hope of righteousness and holiness
is in Christ, according to God's promise. But they're coming as
sinners who think they're righteous because of their own works and
their own pedigree. and their circumcision. And he
said, I've had enough of that. So they had a refuge. What was
their refuge? We be Abraham's seed. What was
their refuge? We're circumcised. What was their
refuge? We keep the law. Well, it was
a refuge of lies. Now look at Isaiah 28, look at
verse 14. He says, wherefore hear the word
of the Lord, you scornful men, you scorn the truth, and you've
embraced the lie. that rule this people which is
in Jerusalem. Because you have said, now here's
their testimony, we've made a covenant with death. And with hell are
we at agreement? It's kind of like these fellows
who say, I know when I die I'm going to heaven. Okay? What's
your standard? What's your hope of going to
heaven? I'm a child of Abraham. I've been circumcised. I keep
the law. Today it would be like I've been
baptized. I've joined the church. I've made a profession. I had
a dream. I had an experience. I had a
near-death experience and saw the light and I walked toward
the light and God saved me. Is that your refuge? We've made
a covenant. You've made a covenant with death
and with hell. You know when you die you're not going to hell.
How do you know that? What's your refuge? And he says,
look at verse 15, when the overflowing scourge shall pass through the
wrath of God, it shall not come unto us. Well, we've made lies
our refuge. Now, they weren't stating out
that they've made lies their refuge. This is the testimony
of the prophet who's describing them. You've made lies your refuge. If your refuge from hell and
the wrath of God is your works or your religious efforts, that's
a refuge of lies. That won't stand the test, you
see. And he says, and under falsehood
have we hid ourselves. Verse 16, look at this now. Therefore thus saith the Lord
God, behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone. Now you
know what Zion is, that was a hill outside of Jerusalem. And you
know they had many hills there and there's a lot of arguing
among religious historians about what hill Christ was crucified
on, we know it was Mount Calvary. Some say that was Mount Moriah.
Mount Moriah was the mountain that Abraham took Isaac upon.
to sacrifice and it was later on the mount that the temple
of Solomon was built upon I believe that was the mountain that he
was crucified on Mount Moriah which was called Mount Calvary
in the days of his crucifixion but now this Mount Zion was a
hill and it was a special place it was a special place for King
David and Zion is now we talk about Zionism in the news today
and people talk about Judaism Zion is a type and a picture
and a symbol of the church the true church of the living God.
Believers. That's the church. It's not this
building. It's you who believe the gospel.
You're the church. We say going to church, really
the church is coming into the building. Literally. A church,
the word church means called out ones. It's the redeemed of
the Lord, the church which he bought with his precious blood,
the scripture says. He told Peter and the apostles,
he said, upon this rock, the rock of himself and his finished
work, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not
prevail against it. And that's what Zion pictures here. And
it says, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation of stone. Now,
what is the foundation of the church? The stone. Who is this
stone? The Lord Jesus Christ. And he
says, a tried stone. It's one that's been tested.
That's what that means. Christ was tested. He was tested
in his birth. He was tested on the Mount of
Temptation. He was tested on Calvary. He passed every test. So he's been tested. A precious
cornerstone. That means valuable. There's
nothing more valuable than Christ. A sure foundation. He's our surety. He was Isaiah's surety. He was
David's surety. He was every believer's surety.
The surety of the covenant. And it says, He that believeth
shall not make haste. Those who believe in this stone,
this tried, tested, precious cornerstone, foundation stone,
shall not make haste. That means they shall not be
ashamed. And he says in verse 17, look at it. Judgment also
will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, this is the measure,
and hell shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters
shall overflow the hiding place. You see, here's what he's saying.
If you don't stand before God in Christ, that living stone,
and turn over to Romans chapter 9 while I'm saying this. I'm
going to prove to you that this is talking, this is a prophecy
of Christ. If you don't stand before God
at judgment in Christ, washed in His blood, clothed in His
righteousness, then the hail is going to sweep away your refuge
of lies and you're going to be exposed for what you are, a sinner
who deserves eternal death. That's what he's saying. Our
only hope now and forever and at judgment is to be found in
Christ. That's what he's saying. Look
at Romans chapter 9, verse 31. He said, Israel which
followed after the law of righteousness, they were trying to be righteous,
trying to make themselves righteous, have not attained to the law
of righteousness. They didn't make it. Wherefore, or why? Because they sought it not by
faith, but as it were by the works of the law. What is it
to seek it by faith? What is it to seek righteousness
by faith? That's the question. Well, that
means I better believe enough. No. No. That means if I believe,
then my faith will make me righteous. No. What is it? Now listen very
carefully to this. They stumbled at that stumbling
stone. Now that's a quotation from Isaiah 8 and Isaiah 28.
The stumbling stone, what is that? Verse 33, as it is written,
behold, I lay in Zion, same word, Zion, a stumbling stone and rock
of offense and whosoever believeth on him, that stumbling stone,
that rock of offense is a him, it's a person, shall not be ashamed. Look at verse one of chapter
10. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel
is that they might be saved. For I bear them record, they
have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being
ignorant of God's righteousness, God's standard of judgment, they
think doing the best they can will get them through the judgment.
But if you think that, then you're ignorant of God's righteousness.
and going about to establish their own righteousness by their
works, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
There's a righteousness of God that He's given freely and they've
not submitted themselves to it. Well, what is that righteousness
of God? Verse 4, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone that believes. To seek righteousness by faith
is to seek righteousness in Christ, not in your works. That word
in there is an interesting word, for Christ is the end of the
law. Same word that Christ used in John 19.30 when he was hanging
there on the cross and he said, it is finished. It is ended. He completed the work. And now
rest in his work. One more scripture and I'll quit.
Turn to 1 John 4. That's the hope of final judgment,
my friend. To be found in Christ. Not to
be found in ourselves. Not to be found in our own works. Oh, our works will be judged.
Now, don't get me wrong. I talked about that in the first
hour, about works and what they play in final judgment. We're
to be endeavoring for the Lord. But our works will not be judged
on their merits. They'll be judged as a testimony
of this. Are we saved by the grace of
God in Christ Jesus? Now look at 1 John 4 and verse
17 if I can find it here. Get over to it. Okay. He says
in verse 17, now listen to this. He said, Herein is our love made
perfect. Now that word perfect in the
ancient language there does not mean sinlessly perfect or pure
as we see it today. Something perfect. It means,
actually it's the same root word as that word finished or ended.
It means complete. And so when he says, hearing
is our love made perfect, he means hearing is our love made
complete. Here's where love, the love of
God to us in Christ, and our love to him by the power of the
Holy Spirit is made complete, reaches its goal you might say.
Here's where our love reaches its goal. Here's the goal of
love. Look at it. That we may have
boldness, confidence, in the day of judgment. You see that? In the day of judgment? Well
now, the preacher told me if I don't get busy I better be
shaking in my boots at the judgment. No. God's Word says here's the
completion, the goal of love, divine love, that you can have
confidence in the day of judgment. Now where is that confidence
to be found? Look at it. Because as He is, that's Christ,
so are we in this world. Now when we look at each other,
we don't see perfection. And when we look inside of ourselves,
we don't see perfection. If you do, you're fooling yourself.
I know some folks who think they have a perfection inside themselves.
They don't. They're just fooling them. It's
a refuge of lies. How are we going to see the fact that as
christ is right now we're as he is right now how you gonna
see that only by pleading his blood and righteousness that's
it I'm washed in my sins you can't see that but the physical
eye but God's word says it I'm right and I stand justified right
now before God in the righteousness of Christ you can't see that
in me or about me you may catch me on a bad day You may wonder
if I'm a Christian sometimes. That's right. But I'm righteous
in Christ. Well, what about the works of
a believer? Well, we're to be striving to glorify Him and honor
Him in every aspect of our lives, the way we think, the way we
talk, the way we act, our worship, in every way. Not to be saved,
not to be righteous, but because we already are in Him. And our
works are to be a testimony to His goodness, His righteousness,
His greatness, His power, not our own. But we can have boldness
because we're in Him. That's what He's saying here.
We're in Christ. And we have no other plea but
Him.