Boldness In The Day Of Judgement

to be here with you. Turn with me to 1 John chapter four. I was thinking this morning, Brother Paul, he read this from Exodus 33 to begin, kind of start the conference, but that prayer, show me thy way. Show me thy way. And if thy presence go not with us, don't let us go. And then that third request, show me thy glory. I think that could be our prayer every time we prepare to gather together. We desperately need the Lord's presence. 1 John 4, 17. The Lord willing, this will serve as our text this morning. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, So are we in this world. Boldness in the day of judgment.

Yesterday back home, one of the men inadvertently set the alarm off at the church. Nobody took any notice of it. Fortunately, it wasn't any type of emergency, right? But I was thinking about that. In our day, that alarm was going off and nobody was concerned about it. And I fear in our day, that's the case. The alarm's going off and nobody's paying any attention. Nobody cares. This boldness in the Day of Judgment, that's not the result of ignorance. It's a result of a good hope. Our brothers and sisters, they just sang about that. In the Beloved. In the Beloved accepted him out there.

The Day of Judgment, it's not to be A day dreaded by the believer. In Christ, there's the key, in Christ, we've already stood trial. We've already been acquitted. Our representative has bore the penalty of sin. boldness, boldness in the day of judgment. Our punishment, it's past. He bore our sins in His body on the tree.

God's Word declares this in Isaiah 53, He was numbered with the transgressors and He bear the sin of many. and he made intercession for the transgressors. Romans 8 verse 1, there is therefore now, think about that, right now, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walked not after the flesh, but after the spirit. No condemnation in Christ. He bore not only the penalty of sin, but also the judgment and condemnation for the sins of his people.

All of them. Past, present, and future sin. They've all been taken away. boldness, boldness in the day of judgment. Paul in Hebrews 10, 19, he said, having therefore brethren boldness to enter in to the holiest by the blood of Jesus Christ. No condemnation, no curse, there can be none. Christ is the successful Savior.

He was made a curse for us. Now by nature, man should dread the presence of God. And rightly so, for our sins, they hold us guilty. Outside of Christ, there's guilt, there's condemnation. Guilt, condemnation, hell must come to the minds of those outside of Christ. Again, the natural man has every reason to fear the presence of God. But not the believer. Not his people. We should be able to approach death and judgment with confidence. with cheer for the love of Christ. Romans 8, 29, turn there with me. Hold your place, but turn to Romans 8. Look at verse 29.

FOR WHOM HE DID FORENO, HE ALSO DID PREDESTINATE TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN. GOD IN HIS ETERNAL PURPOSE HAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A PEOPLE JUST LIKE HIS SON, CONFORMED to the image of Christ, to be the firstborn among many brethren.

He's the firstborn. That's the Lord's choice. The firstborn had, back in the Old Testament, the firstborn had authority over all the other sons and acted as the Lord's priest. And Christ is the firstborn of his father. He's the firstborn of all of God's sons. They're all chosen in Him. He's the firstborn from the dead to die no more. As the firstborn, His is the chief glory.

And all His people are in Him and are gonna be made just like Him. Is our love made perfect? That we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as He is. I want us to leave here just with that in our head, in our heart. As He is, so are we in this world. Boldness, confidence in the day of judgment. And I have just four reasons. Four reasons, let's look at these together here this morning.

As he is, here's the first one, as he is, he's the son of God. As Christ is the son of God by nature, we're the sons of God by adoption. His by adoption. God the Father has given His Son a people out of every kindred, out of every tribe, out of every nation, and by the power of His Spirit, by the preaching of the gospel, the child of God receives Christ lovingly. Thankfully. Willingly. And we receive Him as God's gift.

That's what you do with a gift, isn't it? Why is it so hard for us? John, you mentioned this the other day. Sometimes it's hard to accept a gift, isn't it? But why? When a gift's given in love, tenderness, What else is there to do? God's people, when given that gift, they'll receive it. They'll believe it.

And as the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, is the only begotten of the Son, so are we. HE'S THE SON OF GOD BY NATURE, ETERNALLY BEGOTTEN BY THE FATHER. HE'S CALLED GOD'S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. AND HIS PEOPLE ARE SONS BY ADOPTION. WE'RE HIS BRETHREN. AND AS SUCH WE ARE SONS OF GOD. SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT. IT SAYS BELOVED Is that not what the Word of God says? Beloved, now, now are we the sons of God. And here's an amazing thing. He's not ashamed to call us His brethren. We've given Him every reason to be, but He's not ashamed to call us Rather, and there's only because we're truly sons of God. Sons, because as he is, so are we.

You remember when David, when he sent his trusted servant down there to Lodabar to fetch Mephibosheth? Remember that? He fetched him and he brought him back And David said this, he said, I'm gonna show you mercy. I'm gonna show you mercy for the sake of another. Mephibosheth was a, I mean, he was a son of the enemy. He was lame on his feet. David said, I'm gonna show you mercy for the sake of another. And this is what was said, Mephibosheth said the king.

He's gonna eat where? Is he gonna be down in the servant's quarters? Out in the garage? Where's he gonna be? He's gonna sit at my table. How? As a guest? As a friend? No, as a son. We're sons. We're sons by election. We're sons by adoption. And we have the nature as son by regeneration. We're made a new flesh.

Turn to Galatians 4 with me. Look at verse 6, Galatians 4, verse 6. Go back to verse 4. When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them under the law. THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION OF SONS. LOOK AT VERSE 6, AND BECAUSE, WHAT DOES THAT SAY? YE ARE SONS. BECAUSE YE ARE SONS, GOD HAS SENT FORTH THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO YOUR HEARTS, CRYING, ABBA FATHER, WHEREFORE THOU ART No more a servant. What are you? A son. And if you're a son, you're an heir of God through Christ.

John Gill wrote this, he said, this is a privilege that exceeds all others. He said, it's better to be a son than a saint. He said, angels are saints, but not sons. their servants. He said it's a great act to redeem one from slavery. It's a great act to pardon a criminal. It's a great act to justify the ungodly. But it's a far greater, higher, and more glorious act of grace to make that redeemed slave. That pardoned felon, that justified sinner, a son.

Beloved, beloved, are you listening? Now are we the sons of God. As Christ is the son of God, so are we. in this world. Here's the second point, as he is, as that son is loved by the father with an everlasting and unchangeable love, so are we. So are we loved with the same kind of love even while we're in this world. Behold, BEHOLD, WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED THE SONS OF GOD. THEREFORE THE WORLD KNOWETH US NOT, BECAUSE IT KNEW HIM NOT. BELOVED, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD, AND IT DOTH NOT YET APPEAR WHAT WE SHALL BE. BUT WE KNOW THAT WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE JUST LIKE We'll see him as he is.

Jeremiah wrote this in Jeremiah 31, he said, the Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying, yea, have I loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." An everlasting love, an everlasting covenant, giving his people an everlasting consolation and a good hope through grace. That's what Paul told the Thessalonians. Listen, our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our father, which hath loved us. and hath given us an everlasting consolation and a good hope through grace."

Everlasting. And Gabe said this, he read this, I'm the Lord. I change not, therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed. He does not change. His love does not change. It's an everlasting and unchangeable love. and a result of His love for His people, God gave His Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Turn with me to John chapter 17. Let's turn there, John 17. Look beginning with verse 20. This is the high priestly prayer of our Lord. Look at verse 20 of John 17. He says, neither pray I these for these alone, not just those disciples and apostles that were in front of him, but for all who will receive and believe the gospel. He said, I pray not for these alone, but for them which also shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.

And that the world may believe that thou has sent me and the glory which thou gavest me, I've given them that they may be one. even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may be perfect. Perfect in what? It has to be perfect to be accepted. And that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast, listen to this, hast loved them as thou hast loved me." Let me read that again.

He says, Father, you think about this. How much does the father love his son? He said, you've loved them as you have loved me. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me. For thou lovest me from before the foundation of the world.

That's the same love he has, that's the same love he has for his people, our Lord said that. As Christ is loved by the Father, so are His people. As He is, so are we in this world. Third, as He is, as He is a man of sorrows, afflicted, tempted, hated, tempted of Satan, so are we. So are his people.

Our Lord was described as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Remember that when he was out there tempted in the wilderness? Men hated him. Men hated his gospel. Has that changed in our time? Men still hate him. Men still hate the truth of the gospel. They hate a God that is sovereign. They hate a God that does with his own what he will. And this world hates those people that believe it and rejoice in it.

Peter wrote this in 1 Peter 4, he said, Beloved, think yet not strange concerning the fiery trial that is going to try you as though as though some strange thing has happened to you. Nothing out of the ordinary about that but read he says rejoice. Rejoice in as much as you are partakers of Christ's suffering that when his glory shall be revealed you may be glad also with exceeding joy. Don't be amazed, don't be surprised when difficult trials and afflictions come upon you. Afflictions and trials and suffering, as you well know, are the common lot of God's people. They are in our day and they have been in all ages. Our Lord, He suffered hatred. He suffered reproach.

And these trials are not by chance. They're not bad luck. They are appointed of God. They're according to the will and purpose of Almighty God. and they're used to try and test his people. They try our faith, which becomes more precious through trial. They try our love for Christ. They try our hope of eternal life, weaning us from this world. They try our profession of religion. Revealing, revealing, listen, am I following Christ? Or like some of those folks, am I just following along because of those loaves and fishes? Again, trials are not strange or unusual to the believer.

Our Lord speaking in John, He said, these things I command you, that you love one another, HE SAID, IF THE WORLD HATES YOU, KNOW THIS, IT HATED ME. IT HATED HIM LONG BEFORE IT HATED YOU. IF YOU WERE OF THE WORLD, THE WORLD WOULD LOVE YOU. BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT OF THIS WORLD, BECAUSE I HAVE CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD, THEREFORE THE WORLD HATETH YOU. Remember what I said to you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they persecuted me, they're gonna persecute you also. If they've kept my saying, they'll keep yours also, but all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

We're in this world. The believer is in this world, but we're not of this world. The believer is different. The believer is, we're set apart. It's what God's Word said, we're set apart. Believers are different from this world in character, in attitude, in principle, in affection. We don't love the things. Now, does that mean we go around and we're perfect by no means?

If we were like this world, the world would love us. Christ said this. He said, I've chosen you. I have chosen you to know me, to know my word, to walk in my word, to do my will. Therefore, the world will hate you just as it hates me. Believer's a new man, new motives, new master. Christ dwells in a man. I don't know how you can't see that. We've got a rental house. I don't know who owns it. It's across the road from us. I can tell you a whole lot about the people just by what the outside of the house looks like.

Well, David said this. He said, it's good for me. that I've been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes. Martin Luther said this, he said, I never knew the true meaning of God's word until I came into affliction. I've always found, he said, I've always found trials to be the best schoolmaster.

As he is. As he is, as he's a man of sorrows, as he was afflicted, as he was tempted and hated. So are his people. So are we. And then fourth, here's the last point. As he is now, where is he now? He's seated at the right hand of the majesty on high. As He is now in heaven, so are we. So are we. Ephesians 2, 6, He hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. He's glorified. He's one with the Father. Turn with me to one more passage of Scripture. Turn to 1 John 3. Look at the first two verses. 1 John 3.

BEHOLD, WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED THE SONS OF GOD. THEREFORE THE WORLD KNOWETH US NOT, BECAUSE IT KNEW HIM NOT. BELOVED, look at that next word, NOW. Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we're gonna be just like him. For we shall see him as he is. As he is. So are we in this world.

I was reading a while back, and I think it was Brother Don Fortner. He gave this illustration. I think it goes with the message this morning. He said he told the story of a preacher that was sitting beside another man on an airplane. And naturally, like when you're on an airplane, somebody wants to talk. And the man introduced himself to the preacher and he said, he said, I'm in business with my father. And the preacher thought for a little bit and he said, well, I am too.

And that businessman said, he said, our business is with fine jewels. Preacher said, well, ours is too. And that business said, he said, now listen, we only deal with the finest, the absolute finest of jewels. And that preacher smiled and he said, so do we. The businessman said this, he said, I'm on my way home now to meet my father. Preacher said, this is remarkable, so am I. And the businessman said with a smile on his face, I sure hope my father's pleased with what I've done.

And the preacher wiped a tear from his eye and he said, so do I. A servant, a servant wants nothing more than to hear his master say, well done. Consider this. We'll have that too. The believer will have that too. Imagine standing before the judgment of God and hear our blessed Savior say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. That's a pretty bold statement, isn't it? How is that possible?

How is that Listen, I promise you this, I am neither good, I'm not faithful. The Word of God says this, there is none that doeth good. No, no not one. They must have anticipated somebody was going to say, well what about, what about, And he says, no, no, not one. The disciples, those that were nearest and dearest to our Lord on this earth, you know what he said to them? He said, O ye of little faith. How could it ever be said to any of us Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

Turn back to 1 John 4, verse 17, just a page over there. How? What's our text say? What does the word of God say? Herein, herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. How? Because as he is, as he is, so are we in this world. Pray the Lord would teach us through his word, that he would comfort us through his word, and above all things, that he would cause us to look to his son, to look to the Lord Jesus Christ and rest in him. All right.

Boldness In The Day Of Judgement

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Boldness In The Day Of Judgement

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