We Persuade Men

Q: What does the Bible say about eternal life and our dwelling place in heaven?

The Bible teaches that believers are promised an eternal dwelling place made by God, distinguishing it from our temporary earthly bodies. In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul explains that while our earthly bodies are like tents that will eventually be destroyed, we have a heavenly dwelling place prepared by God. This promise of an eternal home is central to the hope of every believer. As Paul mentions, 'In my Father's house are many mansions' (John 14:2), emphasizing the spiritual reality of our future, not merely a physical structure. The longing for this eternal dwelling reflects our desire to be in the presence of Christ, who Himself said that to depart and be with Him is far better (Philippians 1:23).

Q: How do we know the judgment of Christ is true?

The judgment of Christ is affirmed in Scripture, where it states that all judgment has been committed to the Son by the Father. In John 5:22, Jesus makes it clear that the Father judges no one but has entrusted all judgment to the Son. This establishes Christ not only as our Savior but also as the appointed Judge. Paul's elaboration in 2 Corinthians 5 emphasizes that all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, where each will receive what is due based on their actions in the body. The certainty of this judgment is highlighted throughout the New Testament, reaffirming that our relationship with Christ will ultimately determine our standing before Him at that day.

Q: Why is understanding the judgment seat of Christ important for Christians?

Understanding the judgment seat of Christ encourages believers to live faithfully, knowing they will be accountable for their actions. The judgment seat of Christ serves as a reminder for believers to live their lives with awareness of their accountability to God. As Paul argues in 2 Corinthians 5:10, all will be judged according to what they have done, whether good or evil. This knowledge motivates Christians to pursue holiness and to be diligent in their service for the Lord, knowing that their lives have eternal significance. The promise that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1) reassures believers that while they will be judged, they stand secure in Christ's righteousness, making their judgment an evaluation of rewards rather than a sentence of condemnation.

Second Corinthians, chapter 5, is our text for the message this
morning. We'll begin reading with verse
1. Second Corinthians, chapter 5,
verse 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, this flesh, this body, Paul likens
it to a tent, a frail tent, which is erected for a while, but is
subject to be destroyed. And this tent shall be folded
up and laid aside shortly. But when it happens, we have
a building of God. That's those dwelling places
our Lord was talking about. In my Father's house are many,
not material mansions, but dwelling places, a building of God, a
house. not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens. For in this tabernacle, in this
tent, in this body we groan, we're troubled, we weep, we cry,
we sob, we moan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house,
which is from heaven. That building not made with hands,
but made by God, eternal in the heavens. Verse 3, if so be that
being clothed, we shall not be found naked, ashamed. Whosoever believeth on him shall
never be put to shame. We're not disembodied spirits
floating around in space. We have a home. We have a dwelling
place. We have a building. We have a
covering, we have a clothing, clothed upon with our building
which is of God. For we that are in this tabernacle
do groan, being burdened. Not for that we would be unclothed,
that's not our desire just to be done with life. That's not our desire just to
be, to escape from this suffering, this veil of tears. We're not saying we'll be glad
when it's all over just from the fact that we'll not have
to bear it anymore. We have something in mind greater
than that. We don't just, we're not just
designed to leave here, we're designed to go somewhere else.
You understand what he's saying? He's saying we that are in this
tabernacle do groan being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed,
but clothed upon. That mortality might be swatted
up in life, of life. Paul said, I want to depart and
be with Christ. It's not just a matter of departing,
it's a matter of being with Christ, which is far better. For me to
live is Christ and to die is gain, because I'll be like him. Now, verse 5 says, he that hath
wrought us right in place of that word wrought, prepared us. He that hath prepared us for
this selfsame thing, to be like Christ. Actually, he's predestinated
us to be like Christ. Now, he that hath prepared us
for this selfsame thing is God. He's the one that has loved us,
and chosen us, and called us, and redeemed us, and sanctified
us, and justified us, and He's the one that'll raise up our
bodies and make them like His own. It's of God, who also had
given unto us the earnest, what's that word mean? The token. You who buy property, you pay
earnest money. That's a down payment, that's
a promise, that's a token, that's a pledge that there's more coming. And what God, it says here that
God who's prepared us to be like Christ has given us an engagement
ring, a pledge, a promise. And that pledge and promise is
His Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Therefore, we're always confident not presumptuous,
but confident, bold in Christ. I know whom I have believed.
I'm persuaded he's able to keep that which I've committed to
him. He that believeth on the Son hath life. We're confident.
Knowing this, while we're at home in this body, we're absent
from the Lord. That's right. For we walk by
faith and not by sight. All this comes to us by faith,
not by sight. Faith is the evidence of things
not seen. Faith is the proof of things
not seen. And we're confident, I say, and willing, we're willing,
rather, to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
That's our chief desire. is to be with Him. Therefore,
wherefore we labor that whether we're present with the Lord or
whether we're down here, absent from the Lord, we may be accepted
of Him. And we're accepted of Him in the Beloved in Christ
Jesus. Now look at verse 10. Here's
where I want to begin and comment for a little while. For we must
all appear We must all appear, every son of Adam, daughter of
Adam, we must all appear, of every kindred, nation, tribe,
and tongue unto heaven, we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the
things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether
it be good or whether it be evil. I know, I'm confident of this.
Paul says that there's a judgment. He wrote in Hebrews, it's appointed
unto men once to die, and after that, judgment. We must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ. John wrote in Revelation, I saw
the dead, small and great, stand before God. The sea gave up the
dead which were in it, death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them, and everybody stood before God to be judged. And Paul calls it here the judgment
seat of Christ. Why does he call it the judgment
seat of Christ? Well, let me show you that. Hold
that place there and turn to John 5. John chapter 5. It says here in John chapter
5, verse 21, now listen, the judgment seat of Christ. See, Christ is the issue. He
that believeth on the Son hath life, he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life. It says in John 5, 21, for as
the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so
the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the Father judges no man. but hath committed all judgment
to the Son, to Christ. There's a scripture in Hebrews
that talks about Jesus Christ and describes Him as the one
with whom we have to do. Somebody says, well, and I guess
this is said in various places, I believe in God, but I don't
believe in Jesus Christ. I want nothing to do with Jesus
Christ. I'll deal with God. I think the Muslims work this
way. In other words, Allah, God, but
Mohammed is their prophet, not Jesus Christ. And I'll not consider
Jesus Christ, and I'll not deal with Jesus Christ, and I'll just
dismiss Jesus Christ from my mind. Let me tell you something.
The Father judges no man. He's committed all judgment to
the Son. And listen to this verse. in
Acts chapter 17. Now listen carefully to this
one. And as Paul said in Hebrews, Jesus Christ is the one with
whom we have to do. God has ordained it. We have
to deal with him, either in faith or unbelief, either in justification
or condemnation, but Jesus Christ is one with whom we have to do. You see, he made himself of no
reputation, and took upon himself the habit of a servant, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore
God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will
bow, in heaven, in earth, and under the earth, and every tongue
shall confess that he is Lord. He's the one with whom we have
to do. It's not a debatable issue. Now look at Acts 17, verse 31. Acts 17, let's read verse 30.
And the times of this ignorance, God winked at, or God, longsuffering
and patient, put up with it. Old Testament heathenism and
paganism and idolatry, and God suffered it. But now, through
a revelation of Christ his Son, through the coming incarnation
of Christ his Son, but now he commands all men everywhere to
repent. Change your mind. Change your
mind. That's what repentance is. Change
your mind. Masters. Because he, God, hath appointed a day
in which in the which he will judge this world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance
unto all men, in that he raised that man from the dead. There
you have it. And that's what he said over
in 2 Corinthians 5. This earthly tabernacle is going
to be dissolved. And some folks are going to have
a building not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. And those
who've been brought to some understanding of God's grace and mercy in Christ
are bold and confident in this expectation and hope. But we
all are going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
And Christ is the issue. God judges, the Father judges
no man. He's committed all judgment to
the Son. He's the one with whom we have
to do, either now or then, but we have to do with Him. Because
God has appointed a day in which He's going to judge this world,
a day. And the judgment will be on the basis of their attitude
toward that man. That man. Alright, verse 11. Then knowing therefore the terror
of the Lord. And it's not, my friends, I don't
claim to have any special revelation of judgment. I don't know what
it's going to be. I don't understand it. Condemnation,
I don't understand that. I don't preach a whole lot about
eternal hell, fire and brimstone, because I don't understand these
eternal matters. Don't claim to have any insight
into these things. But I tell you, from my understanding
of God's Word, and from my understanding of God's dealings with His enemies,
you can call it the terror of the Lord. It's the terror of the Lord,
that's what it is. Listen to Cain. Cain brought his own works and
deeds before God. as a sacrifice. He built an altar. He came to worship God, and this
man built an altar. And on that altar, instead of
putting a sacrifice, a sin offering, as God commanded, he put the
fruits and labors of his hands. Like they said in Matthew, we
preached in your name and did many wonderful works. And God
rejected him. Of course, they had to reject
him. Without blood, there's no forgiveness of sin. All things
are purged by the blood. Without the death of Christ,
there's no acceptance. Abel brought the sacrifice, the
sin offering, the lamb offered up its blood, showing the death
of Christ when he came. God rejected Cain, and Cain got
angry and killed his brother. The first blood shed on this
earth was shed over religion. I'll show you tonight my message.
There's more wars and more blood shed over religion than any other
single cause in the history of man. And the first blood on this earth
was shed over religion. What part of religion? How we're
to approach God. That's right. By blood or by
works. By Christ or by our good deeds. And he killed his brother, and
God pronounced judgment on him. And Cain went out from the presence
of the Lord, making this statement, My punishment is greater than
I can bear. Now, that's the terror of the
Lord. My punishment is greater than I can bear. Whatever it
might be. You say, I don't believe in fire and hell. Well, what
difference does it make? Being separated from God is hell. Isn't
it? Eternal darkness is hell. Eternal
judgment is hell. My punishment is greater than
I can bear. Look at the flood. Look at the Red Sea when Pharaoh's
troops were devoured by the water. Look at Sodom. Look at Jerusalem
when the Roman Emperor Titus, 70 A.D., came in there destroyed
the city and plowed it up. Blood flowed down the streets.
But hadn't they said, His blood be on us and our children? Isn't that what the Jews said
at the Pilate's judgment hall? He said, What shall I do with
Jesus which is called the Christ? They said, Crucify Him. He said,
Why? Why? What evil hath He done? Let His
blood be on us and our children. Be alright. Still is. You see, my friends, and get
this now, listen to me. If you don't hear anything else
I say, listen carefully to this. Preachers, most of them have
missed it. God's judgment is not on people because they stole
a watermelon. I hear this little mundane materialistic, infantile preaching. If you go
to the movies, if you watch television, if you play cards or do something,
God sends you to hell. This is a bunch of baloney. Judgment,
the judgment of God is always connected with a refusal to hear
God, to believe God. to bow to God. That's judgment. Go all the way
through the Scriptures. God's merciful to sinners. God's
kind to sinners. Look at our Lord. Hear Nicodemus. Proud, moral, pharisaical, religious. He came to Christ on the basis
of his works, his deeds. He refused the sacrifice, he
refused to believe Christ, he refused to follow Christ, and
Lord rejected him. Then he came to a woman at the
well, been married five times, and was living with a man who
was not her husband. Well, boy, she's a candidate
for hell. No, she's a candidate for mercy. Nicodemus is a candidate
for hell. I take you all the way through
Scripture and show you how the Lord is merciful, merciful, merciful
to sinners, to people who fail, people with infirmities, people
with shortcomings, people that stumble and fall, and He lifts
them. Look at all the way through the
Scriptures. But His judgment and His wrath
and His anger is upon those who say, We'll not have this man
reign over us. I will not believe. I will not
bow. I will not receive Jesus Christ. I will not worship Him. I will
not own Him as my Lord. I will not own Him as my only
mediator between me and God. Now there's where the problem,
that's where she falls. That's where God will deal with
you in judgment and me too. And there's a lot of preachers
that are really cleaning up our town and working on the races
and all the other things. That's a pack of foolishness.
This world's always been on horses and it always will. That's right. The issue is the Word of God.
The issue is the character of God. The issue is the purpose
of God. The issue is the Son of God.
The issue is where do you stand where God is concerned. That's
it. I tell you that, now the truth. And God's people, God's people
are going to walk with God. You don't have to worry about
keeping the the people of God, people that know Christ and love
Christ and love His Word and love His commandments, you don't
have to worry about keeping them out of places and away from places
and away from things. That's not their desire. That's
not their way of life. That's not their walk. That's
not what they want to do. They want to glorify God. They
don't need a bunch of rules and regulations to keep them straight.
The Spirit of God keeps them straight. The man that has to, you have
to lock your car to keep somebody out of it, he's a thief. Locks and laws were not made
for righteous men, but for ungodly people. That's the reason you
need policemen. If everybody in this town knew Christ, you
wouldn't even have to have a policeman, except for direct traffic. And
then people would let other people park in front of them. That's
right. That's right. Wouldn't need one.
Wouldn't need a judge. Christ is our judge. You see the issue, I'm telling
you, we're going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
And I'll tell you this, don't stand there in your righteousness,
stand there as a sinner washed in the blood. Washed in the blood,
that's it. That's it. Men do not perish
by an act of sin, they perish because of a will of rebellion. put her down, mark her down.
Men do not, when they stand before God at the judgment, they are
not judged by an act of sin or a fall or a failure. They are
judged by a state of heart, will of rebellion. Our Lord delights to show mercy.
You see, if a man's in Christ, there's no judgment. Turn to
Romans chapter 8. Listen to this. Am I making clear
what I'm saying? Romans chapter 8. Listen. Verse
1. There is therefore now no condemnation. That word is judgment. There's
no judgment to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh but after the Spirit. Look at verse 31. Romans 8.31, what shall we say
to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not freely with
him give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It's God that justifieth. Who
is he that condemneth? It's Christ that doth. Yea, rather
is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who maketh
intercession for us. My friends, When we stand before
the judgment seat of Christ, if He's my Advocate, if He's
my Judge, and He's my Mediator, and He's my Lawyer, and He's
my Savior, what have I got to fear? Nothing. But when men stand
before the judgment seat of Christ, to whom Christ is nothing, they
have great fear. Great fear. Verse 11 again, knowing therefore
this terror of the Lord, I persuade men, I persuade them, be you
reconciled to God. For we are made manifest unto
God, and I trust also made manifest in your consciences. In other
words, God knows us, Paul's talking about himself here now, God knows
me, He knows my heart, He knows my motive, He knows my sincerity,
He knows my message, He gave it to me, and He knows that I
labor for His glory, and you're good, I hope you know it. That's what he said. Verse 11, the last line, he says,
we're made manifest to God. God knows I'm telling the truth.
And I trust you know it in your conscience. And what I'm saying
so. We got to die. We got to lay
aside this tabernacle. We've got to stand before God
in the judgment. And it's the judgment seat of Christ. And
our relationship with Christ determines how we endure that
judgment. And it's not going to be on the
basis of, like Top Lady said, we sin every second and therefore
we sin two and a half billion times in eighty years. How in
the world is God going to judge me on the basis of one act of
transgression? That's not it. Christ died for
our sins. The judgment of God is based
on attitude. Will. Spirit. My attitude toward Him. I believe. Help my unbelief. I do believe. I believe His Word. I believe
Him. I believe His Son. I rest in Him. I tell you, if we're judged by
the law, we don't want to be judged. The law demands perfection,
demands I love God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength.
I don't. Wish I did. It demands I love
my neighbors myself. I don't do it. I wish I did. But I do believe that Christ
is the Savior of sinners. And I expect to miss the judgment
and its condemnation in Him no other way. That's right. All right, verse 12. And the
apostle is saying here, And listen, we commend not ourselves again
unto you. I'm not defending myself. I'm not defending myself or my
gospel for your sake. But I'm doing this to give you
occasion to glory on our behalf that you may have somewhat to
answer them with glory in appearance and not in heart. Now listen,
let me sum that up. Paul says this. I'm not defending
myself and I'm not defending my gospel for your sake. You
know it's the truth. You know what I'm preaching is
the truth. I'm saying these things, all of this, that you might have
a reply for these false teachers and false religionists who glory
in appearance. They glory in appearance and
not in heart. They glory in the size of the
buildings. They glory in the size of the
crowds. They glory in the influence that they have. They glory in
the things they've accomplished. They glory in the good deeds
that they do. They glory in the professions
they get. They glory in the baptisms. They glory in their growth. They
glory in appearance. They glory in the things that
men see and men brag on and men are are impressed with. Paul said our glory is not in
appearance, it's in heart. Now give an example. There's a lot of charitable work
going on which is good. 100% behind everything, the Salvation
Army, the baskets, Christmas, and all these things. Helping
people. The big problem in doing this,
our Lord warns us, He said, don't do your good deeds before men
to be seen of them. Otherwise you have your reward.
When they see you and brag on you, that's it. And I see some
organization giving a thousand dollars to a charity and there's
the president with a check in his hand presenting it and a
picture in the paper and they brag on him. And people brag on all these
different things that are done. We do these things. This church
does these things. Get one of those financial statements
back there. But we don't advertise it. Do
your deeds and your righteousness before God in secret. And your
heavenly Father which sees in secret rewards you and blesses
you openly. But don't do these things to be seen of men. Don't
pray to be seen of men. Don't do your deeds to be seen
of men. Last year, this church gave $47,000
to social services, down here, and individuals to help people
pay gas bills and light bills and buy groceries. I'm talking
about $1,000 a week. And no picture's ever been in
the paper. And no financial statement's ever been in the paper. And no
bragging has ever been done. Last year you gave $107,000 to
missionaries alone. Get one of the statements and
read it. But you young people listen.
We do these things. We help the Salvation Army. We
give groceries. We got people in here every day
almost getting help. But we don't glow in appearance. Do it as unto the Lord. Do it secretly. Do it because
you love Christ and love people, not to get credit for it. Don't
advertise it, what you give and what you do. God won't bless. That's apparent. They glow in
appearance. I want to read you a letter.
This blessed me. I've read it three or four times.
I've read it to several people. There's a little lady up in Eastern
Kentucky, about 100 miles from here, 74 years old, whom I love
very much, a widow. She's been supporting our television
program as long as I've been on, almost 20 years. I get a
letter from her every month with a check for $100, $150, $200. And I wrote her a few, I write
her every time she sends a check, I write to her and thank her.
But I wrote her recently and I questioned her ability to give
like that. I said, now don't, don't feel
like you have to do that. Don't feel like that you have
to give like that. I said, don't, don't do without
to help this problem. You know, I just didn't want
her to suffer. I didn't want her to support
this program and be shorn herself. Well, she wrote to me. And she let me have it. Bless
her heart. She said, dear preacher, that's
what she calls me, her preacher, I hope this finds you and Doris
well and your health better. What I send to you to help the
ministry or yourself is not mine, it's the Lord's. As you have
said in your sermons, or maybe in the one that I've played a
lot, I feel that soon our lucre is only going to be fit for burning
anyway. Our Lord has blessed me beyond
or as much as anyone, and one I hold dear is you who
preach his word to me. giving him all the glory, he
who is the hope of our salvation and our righteousness. Praise
and glory be unto his holy name. I need your prayers if you just
knew how much. I want to answer your letter as by his grace I will. Pray
for my friend too. Hoping to see you again. If a
car around here can find its way again to Piteville, I'll
be able to come. But with mutual hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ, I remain your friend." Isn't that precious? That's where it is. Nobody knows
her name. Nobody knows. She said her needs. She said, I need your prayers
if you just knew how much. God knows. This is what I'm saying
here. This is what Paul is saying.
These people glory in appearance. And I want you to have something
to answer them with. Answer them. God's people give,
and God's people love, and God's people help others, but they
don't brag about it. Understand? They don't advertise
it. They don't put it in the paper.
Okay? Is that enough saying? Did I
settle that? That's what that's saying. And
verse 13, I've got to hurry here and quit. But he says, whether
we be beside ourselves, it's to God. Some people, Paul's dedication
to the gospel, people said he's a fanatic, he's radical, he's
a madman. Much learning has made thee mad.
Well, he said, that's all right. If I'm mad, if I'm crazy, if
I'm beside myself, it's to God. or whether I be sober, it's for
your cause. If I'm calm and reserved and
subdued and solemn, it's for your cause. Here it is now. It's the love
of Christ that constraineth me. It's the love of Christ. Because
we thus judge, if he died for all, then we're all dead, and
that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live to themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose
again. Let me read you that in an amplified
version, those two verses. For the love of Christ controls
us, urges us, impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction,
if he died for us, then we were dead. And he died for all of
us, so that all of us who live may live no longer to yourself,
but to him and for him who died and rose again. That's what motivates us, constrains
us, and restrains us. All right, I'm going to stop
there. I've preached long enough. I hope that'll be a blessing
to you. Ronnie, let's sing 199. 199.

We Persuade Men

What does the Bible say about eternal life and our dwelling place in heaven?

How do we know the judgment of Christ is true?

Why is understanding the judgment seat of Christ important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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We Persuade Men

What does the Bible say about eternal life and our dwelling place in heaven?

How do we know the judgment of Christ is true?

Why is understanding the judgment seat of Christ important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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