Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / Romans 2:6-11
Transcript
- 0:00You guys be seated.
- 0:13We are continuing our study through the book of Romans.
- 0:16! We are in Romans chapter 2.
- 0:18! If you want to grab a copy of God's Word.
- 0:23Romans chapter 2.
- 0:28We're going to start.
- 0:30Our text this morning is verses 6 through verse 10.
- 0:45And it reads,
- 0:47He will render to each one according to his works.
- 0:51To those who by patience and well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality,
- 0:58he will give eternal life.
- 1:00But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth,
- 1:04but obey unrighteousness,
- 1:06there will be wrath and fury.
- 1:09There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil.
- 1:13The Jew first and also the Greek.
- 1:16For God shows no partiality.
- 1:27Pray with me.
- 1:29Fathers,
- 1:33Fathers,
- 1:34as we have read your Word,
- 1:37I pray, God, that you would speak now through it.
- 1:41That you would teach us that your Spirit,
- 1:45who is already here,
- 1:46who is already moving,
- 1:47would continue to move and work in such a way
- 1:49that our ears would hear a word from you,
- 1:52that our hearts would be changed.
- 1:56And because of our hearts being changed,
- 1:58our lives and our actions and our works will be changed.
- 2:01God, we need you this morning.
- 2:04We plead with you to speak to us.
- 2:07In Jesus' name, Amen.
- 2:10There's some great weight to these verses this morning.
- 2:16The truth that all of us,
- 2:17all of us are going to be judged
- 2:19and some will be in tribulation and distress forever,
- 2:22while others will be given honor and glory and peace.
- 2:28And I hate to tell you,
- 2:30but this is just the tip of the iceberg of theological questions
- 2:34that Paul is really going to start answering as we go through Romans.
- 2:39We're just scratching an itch
- 2:41that will not stop itching for quite a long time.
- 2:46This morning, we start dividing people into two groups or two teams.
- 2:52Now, do you remember a couple of weeks ago,
- 2:53we talked about the superiority issue of the Jews
- 2:56when we talked about verses 1 through 3 or 1 through 2.
- 3:01They thought that they were better
- 3:03and they put themselves in one group
- 3:05and everybody else in another.
- 3:06They thought better of themselves or more of themselves.
- 3:13This morning, we're going to break into two groups.
- 3:16We're going to talk about two groups
- 3:18and the only two groups that matter.
- 3:21The only two groups that matter,
- 3:23and that is righteous and unrighteous,
- 3:26Christian and non-Christian,
- 3:28believer and unbeliever.
- 3:30One team you can and will never leave
- 3:34and the other, by God's grace,
- 3:36you can leave and join the other team.
- 3:40This, for us, is kind of like the playoffs.
- 3:42This is like game one.
- 3:44Each team, each win,
- 3:48each team builds momentum with the win.
- 3:50So as we get further and further down,
- 3:53we end up winning the championship.
- 3:56And for us, that championship is Romans 8,
- 3:59Romans 9, Romans 10, 11, 12, onward.
- 4:02Right now, Paul is building a case
- 4:04and we're just now starting to really get into the teeth of this case.
- 4:10An ancient Roman ruler named Brutus the Elder
- 4:13had two sons
- 4:15and learned that these two sons
- 4:17were conspiring to overthrow the government.
- 4:21An offense carried the death penalty.
- 4:24At the trial, the young men tearfully appealed to their father,
- 4:28calling him by endearing names
- 4:30and appealing to his parental love.
- 4:34Most of the crowd there also started pleading for mercy for them.
- 4:38But because of the severity of the crime
- 4:41and possibly because they were the son of a high-ranking official
- 4:44and he held them hot to a higher standard,
- 4:47he not only ordered,
- 4:49but witnessed their execution.
- 4:51Parents, feel free to use that as an illustration for your kids.
- 4:56I know I will be using that with my four.
- 5:00Someone commented about the incident
- 5:02and said,
- 5:03The father was lost in the judge.
- 5:09The love of justice overcame the fondness of the parent.
- 5:13The love of justice overcame the fondness of the parent.
- 5:21This morning we're talking about judgment.
- 5:24As cruel and as terrible as that story,
- 5:27our judge judges rightly.
- 5:30Our judge judges based on his righteousness.
- 5:33He'll never get lost in the judge.
- 5:35For he cares about his creation.
- 5:39We are created in his image.
- 5:41And he cares so much that he does not want any to perish,
- 5:44but all to come to repentance.
- 5:46As 2 Peter 3, 9 tells us.
- 5:49He is fatherly.
- 5:50He is caring.
- 5:52He is righteous.
- 5:54But he is also just.
- 5:56Which means,
- 5:58as we've been studying through Romans,
- 6:00Romans 1,
- 6:01and beginning of Romans chapter 2,
- 6:04we are all guilty
- 6:05for sins that we've committed,
- 6:08the sins we will commit.
- 6:11And this,
- 6:12this is what makes the gospel so great.
- 6:16This is what makes it so awe-inspiring
- 6:17and so much more mind-blowing,
- 6:19is the fact
- 6:20that we're all guilty.
- 6:22And the judge who judges justly,
- 6:24who judges righteously,
- 6:26is also merciful
- 6:27and cares for what he has created.
- 6:31You see,
- 6:31I know everybody in here knows
- 6:33that Osama bin Laden has been killed.
- 6:37You see in the coverage
- 6:38how a lot of the news
- 6:40used Google Earth
- 6:42and we were able to zoom in
- 6:43onto the compound
- 6:45and zoom in kind of to the area.
- 6:48Google Earth,
- 6:48you couldn't do that five years ago.
- 6:50Maybe six.
- 6:51I don't know.
- 6:53I'm kind of lost
- 6:54when it comes to time.
- 6:56But I think
- 6:56that concept of zooming in,
- 6:58we kind of need to do
- 6:59for this text this morning.
- 7:00We kind of need to start
- 7:01with a big picture,
- 7:03make a couple observations,
- 7:05and then close in
- 7:06on the text.
- 7:08So, big picture.
- 7:10Judgment is inevitable.
- 7:11It's going to happen.
- 7:14Verse 2 tells us
- 7:15that the judgment of God
- 7:16rightly falls on those
- 7:18who practice such things.
- 7:21Verse 3,
- 7:22if you practice such things,
- 7:23do you think you will escape
- 7:24the judgment of God?
- 7:27Verse 6,
- 7:28He will render to each one.
- 7:31Verse 9,
- 7:32there will be
- 7:33tribulation and distress.
- 7:35There's a future tense
- 7:36to those last two.
- 7:37He will render
- 7:38and there will be.
- 7:40It's going to happen.
- 7:41Turn to Revelation chapter 20.
- 7:43Last book of the Bible.
- 7:47Revelation chapter 20.
- 7:53We'll read a few verses.
- 8:01The book of Revelation
- 8:02is a vision given
- 8:04to the Apostle John
- 8:05concerning things that come
- 8:07and things that have already happened
- 8:09or are happening.
- 8:10Revelation chapter 20,
- 8:13verse 11.
- 8:15Then I saw a great white throne
- 8:17and Him who was seated on it.
- 8:20From His presence,
- 8:21earth and sky fled away
- 8:22and no place was found for them.
- 8:25And I saw the dead,
- 8:26great and small,
- 8:27standing before the throne.
- 8:29The books were opened.
- 8:31Then another book was opened,
- 8:32which was the book of life.
- 8:34And the dead were judged
- 8:35by what was written in the books
- 8:36according to what they had done.
- 8:38And the sea gave up
- 8:40the dead who were in it.
- 8:41Death and Hades gave up
- 8:43the dead who were in them.
- 8:44And they were judged,
- 8:45each one of them,
- 8:46according to what they had done.
- 8:49Then death and Hades
- 8:50were thrown into the lake of fire.
- 8:52This is the second death,
- 8:53the lake of fire.
- 8:54And if anyone's name
- 8:55was not found written
- 8:56in the book of life,
- 8:57he was thrown
- 8:58into the lake of fire.
- 9:01This is what's going to happen.
- 9:02It is inevitable.
- 9:04This is what is to come.
- 9:06So all of history
- 9:07is moving towards this day.
- 9:11Everyone dead and alive
- 9:12will be judged.
- 9:13So judgment is inevitable.
- 9:15Big picture.
- 9:16Judgment is going to happen.
- 9:18Another observation,
- 9:19big picture,
- 9:20is judgment will be made
- 9:21on all people.
- 9:25Verse 6 of Romans chapter 2
- 9:26says he will render.
- 9:28So judgment will be rendered
- 9:29or paid on all people.
- 9:32In Romans chapter 2, verse 1,
- 9:34it says every one of you who judges.
- 9:36Every one of you who judges.
- 9:39Verse 2,
- 9:39falls on those
- 9:41who practice such things.
- 9:43Verse 3,
- 9:44those who practice such things
- 9:46escape the judgment of God.
- 9:48Verse 6,
- 9:49to each one or everyone.
- 9:52Verse 9,
- 9:53every human being
- 9:54who does these things.
- 9:56Verse 10,
- 9:56everyone who does good.
- 9:59And then we have the two groups
- 10:01that the Jewish people
- 10:02divided into.
- 10:02Jew first,
- 10:04verse 9,
- 10:04and also the Greek.
- 10:05And repeats it again
- 10:06in verse 10.
- 10:07Jew first,
- 10:08and also the Greek.
- 10:12Christian and non-Christian,
- 10:14those who know Jesus
- 10:15and those who do not
- 10:16are going to be judged.
- 10:18Paul is building the case
- 10:19that all people,
- 10:21no matter who they are,
- 10:22from whatever walk of life,
- 10:23are guilty
- 10:24and will be judged.
- 10:26The man who lives in the city
- 10:27who used to go to church.
- 10:29The woman who works in a church.
- 10:31The homeless guy in Gainesville.
- 10:34The teacher who is an atheist.
- 10:36The tribe in Indonesia
- 10:37who has never heard Jesus
- 10:38or the gospel.
- 10:39The cello player in Italy.
- 10:41Mother Teresa.
- 10:42Adolf Hitler.
- 10:43John Calvin.
- 10:44All will be judged.
- 10:46You and me.
- 10:48And without Christ,
- 10:50we will be found guilty.
- 10:52And must be punished
- 10:53like the sons of Brutus the Elder.
- 10:55Father.
- 10:56This is where we are.
- 10:59So two big observations.
- 11:01Judgment is inevitable.
- 11:02It's going to happen.
- 11:05Second,
- 11:06judgment will be made
- 11:07on all people.
- 11:09But thirdly,
- 11:10where I kind of want to stay,
- 11:11where we're going to kind of
- 11:12camp out this morning,
- 11:13judgment will be based
- 11:15on works.
- 11:17Judgment will be based
- 11:18on works.
- 11:20Verse 6 of chapter 2 says,
- 11:22He will render to each one
- 11:24according to his works.
- 11:28Now, if you were just
- 11:29to say this verse,
- 11:30if you were just to say it
- 11:32just the same way
- 11:33that I read it to you,
- 11:34just that verse,
- 11:36you could build
- 11:37a works-based theology
- 11:38out of these ten words.
- 11:40No doubt.
- 11:42He will render each one
- 11:43according to his works.
- 11:46You could build
- 11:46a teaching out of it
- 11:48and it would be heresy.
- 11:51And it would deem
- 11:52the death and resurrection
- 11:54of Jesus Christ pointless.
- 11:57If salvation
- 11:58was totally based
- 11:59on how good we could be,
- 12:01of how many good things
- 12:04we could do,
- 12:04have the good things
- 12:05outweigh the bad,
- 12:07then there would be no need
- 12:08for a substitutionary atonement.
- 12:10There would be no need
- 12:10for Jesus to die
- 12:11for our sins
- 12:12because we could just
- 12:13live good and earn it.
- 12:15Live good and earn God's favor.
- 12:17Remember,
- 12:18in holding the atonement precious,
- 12:22we are holding
- 12:23to our depravity.
- 12:24We're realizing
- 12:26the reality of who we are
- 12:28and our need of God's grace.
- 12:30And that is biblical.
- 12:33So, if that's not
- 12:35what Paul is trying to say,
- 12:36what is he trying to say?
- 12:37Because, let's be honest,
- 12:38that sounds like
- 12:39what he's saying is
- 12:40if we just do good works,
- 12:43then we'll be judged
- 12:43accordingly
- 12:44and we'll make it.
- 12:45In the context of Romans,
- 12:48though,
- 12:48Paul is making a case
- 12:50that all mankind
- 12:51have been cursed
- 12:53from the Garden of Eden
- 12:54and each one of us
- 12:56carry the guilt of sin.
- 12:58As we've gotten
- 12:59into chapter 2,
- 13:00he's left no one out.
- 13:05Not a single person
- 13:06is without sin.
- 13:08And all of us
- 13:08are in need
- 13:09of something miraculous
- 13:10that we cannot do.
- 13:13Chapter 1,
- 13:14chapter 2,
- 13:15and chapter 3
- 13:15are all on a collision course
- 13:17for verse 21
- 13:18of chapter 3.
- 13:19They're all headed
- 13:20to this one verse.
- 13:22And then Paul
- 13:23unfolds that one verse.
- 13:26Look at chapter 3,
- 13:27verses 11 and 12.
- 13:30None is righteous.
- 13:32No, not one.
- 13:33No one understands.
- 13:34No one seeks God.
- 13:36All have turned aside.
- 13:38Together,
- 13:38they have become worthless.
- 13:41No one does good.
- 13:42Not even one.
- 13:43Verse 20.
- 13:46For by works of the law,
- 13:48no human being
- 13:49will be justified
- 13:51in his sight.
- 13:52So by works of the law,
- 13:54by being good,
- 13:55no human being
- 13:56will be justified
- 13:56in his sight
- 13:57since through the laws
- 13:58come knowledge of sin.
- 14:01And then we come
- 14:02to verse 21 and 22.
- 14:06But now,
- 14:08the righteousness of God
- 14:09has been manifested
- 14:10apart from the law.
- 14:11the righteousness of God
- 14:12has been unfolded,
- 14:14has been made aware of,
- 14:16has been laid out for us
- 14:18apart from the law,
- 14:20separated from the law.
- 14:21Although the law
- 14:23and prophets
- 14:23bear witness to it,
- 14:25the righteousness of God
- 14:27through faith
- 14:27in Jesus Christ
- 14:28for all who believe.
- 14:31This is where we're headed
- 14:32in Romans chapter 2,
- 14:35verses 6 through 10.
- 14:36This is the context.
- 14:37This is kind of where we sit.
- 14:41So now we have
- 14:42what he's not saying.
- 14:43In order to see
- 14:44what he's saying,
- 14:45we need to bring it in
- 14:46a little bit.
- 14:48Verse 6.
- 14:49He will render to each one
- 14:50according to his works.
- 14:52Judgment is based on works,
- 14:55but salvation is not.
- 14:57Okay?
- 14:58Judgment is based on works,
- 14:59but salvation is not.
- 15:01Salvation is secure in Christ,
- 15:03is through Christ,
- 15:05is for Christ.
- 15:06What he's saying,
- 15:08what Paul is saying here,
- 15:09is that our works
- 15:11will prove
- 15:12which group we're in.
- 15:13They'll prove
- 15:14what team we're on,
- 15:15so to speak.
- 15:16Our works
- 15:17will show the world
- 15:19who we belong to.
- 15:20What Paul has done
- 15:21is he's basically
- 15:22put a giant poster board
- 15:23or a giant white board up,
- 15:25drawn a line down the middle
- 15:27and said,
- 15:27here's team one,
- 15:28believer,
- 15:29here's team two,
- 15:30non-believer,
- 15:31and your works
- 15:32are going to prove
- 15:33which side you're on.
- 15:34That's what Paul has done here
- 15:36and laid it out for us.
- 15:40As definite
- 15:41as God's judgment is,
- 15:44our works
- 15:45are just as definite
- 15:46in determining
- 15:47who we are in Christ
- 15:48or with Christ.
- 15:51It doesn't matter.
- 15:54It's that definite.
- 15:57Now,
- 15:57this shouldn't shock
- 15:58any of us.
- 16:00In Matthew 7,
- 16:00Jesus teaches on false prophets
- 16:02and says in verse 16
- 16:04and repeats it again
- 16:05in verse 20,
- 16:06you will recognize them
- 16:07by their fruit.
- 16:09Now,
- 16:09this is regarding
- 16:10false prophets,
- 16:12but the same is true
- 16:13for those who do good,
- 16:14who seek,
- 16:15as verse 6 says,
- 16:16for glory
- 16:16and honor
- 16:17and immortality.
- 16:19You will know them.
- 16:20You will recognize them
- 16:21by their fruit.
- 16:23And the idea
- 16:24of doing good works
- 16:26is an idea
- 16:27that's been preached
- 16:28since the beginning
- 16:29of the church
- 16:30because it's been
- 16:31in the word of God.
- 16:33Ephesians 2.10 says,
- 16:35for we are his workmanship.
- 16:38Listen to this.
- 16:38Created in Christ Jesus
- 16:40for good works,
- 16:43which God prepared beforehand
- 16:45that we should walk in them.
- 16:48So we were created
- 16:48in Christ Jesus
- 16:49for good works.
- 16:51Philippians 2.12 and 13 says,
- 16:53therefore,
- 16:54my beloved,
- 16:55as you have always obeyed,
- 16:56so now,
- 16:57not only as in my presence,
- 16:58but much more
- 16:59in my absence,
- 17:01work out your own salvation
- 17:02with fear and trembling.
- 17:04For it is God
- 17:05who works in you
- 17:06both to will
- 17:07and to work
- 17:08for his good pleasure.
- 17:10The twist,
- 17:11the mistake,
- 17:13is when people
- 17:14take verse 6
- 17:15of Romans 2
- 17:16out of context
- 17:17or take Ephesians 2.10
- 17:19without reading
- 17:20Ephesians 2.8 and 9.
- 17:22For by grace
- 17:22you have been saved,
- 17:23not by works.
- 17:24We as believers
- 17:29have a responsibility
- 17:31to do good.
- 17:33To live as if our lives
- 17:34have been changed.
- 17:36Because guys,
- 17:37our lives have been changed.
- 17:39The gospel doesn't just
- 17:41change your heart.
- 17:41This doesn't give you
- 17:42a new heart.
- 17:43The gospel changes
- 17:44a life.
- 17:46It changes the life
- 17:47to the point that
- 17:47things you used to do,
- 17:49you don't do.
- 17:50Decisions you made,
- 17:51you make no more.
- 17:52Your want-tos change.
- 17:57See, when the Bible
- 17:58talks about the heart,
- 17:59for example,
- 18:00Matthew 22.37
- 18:01where Jesus says,
- 18:02You shall love
- 18:03the Lord your God
- 18:03with all of your heart,
- 18:05with all of your soul,
- 18:06and with all of your mind.
- 18:07He's not talking about
- 18:08an organ the size
- 18:09of your fist.
- 18:11He's talking about
- 18:12your gut,
- 18:13your inner person.
- 18:14What makes you
- 18:15who you are?
- 18:16What causes you
- 18:18to make the decisions
- 18:19that you make?
- 18:20And the gospel
- 18:20transforms that heart.
- 18:22So as verse 6
- 18:26reads in Romans chapter 2,
- 18:28He will render to each one
- 18:29according to his works.
- 18:31The gospel transforms
- 18:32a life so that our works
- 18:33then are different
- 18:34than what they used to be.
- 18:38And we'll be okay
- 18:39with being judged
- 18:40by our works.
- 18:43Another observation
- 18:43that we need to be clear on
- 18:45is that there is
- 18:46a distinction
- 18:47or a division
- 18:48between teams.
- 18:49And I've kind of
- 18:49highlighted that
- 18:50with the whiteboard example.
- 18:54You're on one team
- 18:54or another.
- 18:57That's it.
- 18:58Christian or non-Christian.
- 19:00Righteous or unrighteous.
- 19:03You cannot live both lives.
- 19:07If you have a new heart,
- 19:08you are a new creation,
- 19:09as 2 Corinthians 5 tells us.
- 19:11Matthew 6, 24
- 19:15in the Sermon on the Mount.
- 19:16I love the Sermon on the Mount.
- 19:18I don't know if you've noticed
- 19:19how many references
- 19:20we've had going through Romans
- 19:22in the Sermon on the Mount,
- 19:23but it's incredible.
- 19:25624 says,
- 19:26you cannot serve two masters.
- 19:28You can't do it.
- 19:30It cannot be done.
- 19:32And it's your works
- 19:33that tells us
- 19:34which master you serve.
- 19:37Now,
- 19:38this does not mean
- 19:39that we'll live perfect lives.
- 19:41It does not mean
- 19:42that we'll be perfect.
- 19:45But it means that we try.
- 19:47It means that we
- 19:48were convicted of our sin
- 19:50and we repent of that sin
- 19:51and we continue down that road.
- 19:53Turn to 1 Timothy 4.
- 19:56This is a small observation,
- 19:58but it communicates
- 19:59what I'm trying to say here.
- 20:02In chapter 4,
- 20:03Paul is giving Timothy
- 20:04some instructions
- 20:05of being to a young pastor.
- 20:11He gives these instructions
- 20:13starting in verse 12.
- 20:17In 1 Timothy 4,
- 20:19let no one despise you
- 20:20for your youth,
- 20:22but set the believer
- 20:24an example in speech
- 20:25and conduct
- 20:26and love
- 20:26and faith and purity.
- 20:27Until I come,
- 20:28devote yourself
- 20:29to the public reading
- 20:30of Scripture,
- 20:31to exhortation,
- 20:33to teaching.
- 20:34Do not neglect
- 20:35the gift you have
- 20:36which has been given you
- 20:37by the prophecy
- 20:38when the council of elders
- 20:39laid their hands on you.
- 20:41Practice these things.
- 20:42Immerse yourself in them
- 20:44so that all
- 20:45may see your progress.
- 20:48Praise God
- 20:49that doesn't say
- 20:50all may see your perfection.
- 20:51all may see your
- 20:53perfect life.
- 20:55No, it's your progress.
- 20:59It's a small observation,
- 21:00but even Timothy,
- 21:02who was a pastor,
- 21:03who Paul discipled and led,
- 21:06was not going to be perfect.
- 21:08And you and I
- 21:08are not going to be perfect.
- 21:10But we can progress
- 21:11down this road
- 21:12of the Spirit
- 21:15and having a new life
- 21:17and a new heart.
- 21:19So if there's division,
- 21:21if there's a distinction
- 21:22between the two teams,
- 21:23let's look at
- 21:24what makes that division up.
- 21:26Back to Romans chapter 2.
- 21:30So the first group,
- 21:31we're going to say
- 21:32the first group is
- 21:33the righteous,
- 21:34the Christians.
- 21:35And these distinctions
- 21:36are found in verse 7
- 21:38and verse 10.
- 21:41To those who by patience
- 21:42and well-doing
- 21:43seek for glory
- 21:44and honor
- 21:45and immortality
- 21:46you will give
- 21:47eternal life.
- 21:48Verse 10,
- 21:49but glory and honor
- 21:50and peace
- 21:50for everyone who does good.
- 21:52The Jew first,
- 21:53also the Greek.
- 21:54So verse 7,
- 21:56by patience
- 21:56in doing good.
- 21:58Patience,
- 21:59one of the fruit
- 22:00of the Spirit.
- 22:00So God's Spirit
- 22:01is on our lives.
- 22:03Patience
- 22:03in well-doing
- 22:04and doing good.
- 22:06Seek glory.
- 22:07Sounds selfish,
- 22:08but it's God's glory
- 22:09that we seek.
- 22:10His glory will be
- 22:11our desire.
- 22:13And it should be
- 22:13our highest desire.
- 22:16Verse 7,
- 22:18again,
- 22:18seek honor.
- 22:21Not the honor
- 22:21we'll receive here
- 22:22on earth
- 22:23because that
- 22:23feeds my flesh.
- 22:25That feeds my
- 22:26desire to please people.
- 22:29Even as I'm standing up here.
- 22:32But to not the honor
- 22:34that we'll receive
- 22:34here on earth
- 22:35from men,
- 22:35but the honor
- 22:36from God,
- 22:37like in Matthew 25,
- 22:3821,
- 22:38where he says,
- 22:39well done,
- 22:40good and faithful servant.
- 22:42That will be our desire.
- 22:43That will be our goal.
- 22:44That will be what we seek for.
- 22:47Again,
- 22:47in verse 7,
- 22:48we'll seek immortality.
- 22:51First Corinthians 15,
- 22:5253 says,
- 22:53when it's perishable body
- 22:55must put on the imperishable
- 22:56and this mortal body
- 22:58must put on immortality.
- 23:00The end result
- 23:01of our final perfection.
- 23:05Verse 7 says,
- 23:08God will give eternal life.
- 23:09Now guys,
- 23:13that's a simple term,
- 23:15but born again or not,
- 23:18Christian or not,
- 23:19we're all going to have
- 23:19eternal life.
- 23:21It's where that eternal life
- 23:22is going to be.
- 23:24Are we going to be with Christ?
- 23:25Are we going to be honoring
- 23:26and worshiping Him alone?
- 23:27Are we going to be in torment?
- 23:30As we'll see here
- 23:31in a few minutes.
- 23:33Verse 10,
- 23:34glory and honor and peace.
- 23:36And we will seek these things
- 23:38with our lives.
- 23:39And through our works,
- 23:41God will give them
- 23:41to those who do them.
- 23:45So that's the first group.
- 23:47The second group,
- 23:48the characteristics
- 23:49of the unrighteous,
- 23:50the non-Christian.
- 23:51These are found in verse 8
- 23:53and verse 9.
- 23:55But for those who are self-seeking
- 23:57and do not obey the truth,
- 23:59but obey unrighteousness,
- 24:01there will be wrath and fury.
- 24:03There will be tribulation
- 24:04and distress
- 24:05for every human being
- 24:06who does evil.
- 24:07The Jew first
- 24:08and also the Greek.
- 24:11Self-seeking.
- 24:13Where yourself,
- 24:15your desires,
- 24:16your
- 24:16yourself,
- 24:18I'll say that again,
- 24:19yourself is your God.
- 24:22If that is your God,
- 24:24then there's no room for God
- 24:25in your life.
- 24:28That person does
- 24:29what pleases them.
- 24:31No matter what,
- 24:32they worship
- 24:33whatever they feel like.
- 24:36Verse 8 says,
- 24:37does not obey the truth.
- 24:39If a person only does
- 24:41what feels good
- 24:41and what they want,
- 24:43then the obvious outcome
- 24:44is not to obey anything
- 24:46except themselves.
- 24:48And of course,
- 24:49they're not going to obey God
- 24:50and they're not going to
- 24:51obey His truth.
- 24:55Rebellion and disobedience
- 24:56is at the root
- 24:57of the fall
- 24:58in Genesis chapter 3.
- 25:00You know,
- 25:02Galatians chapter 5
- 25:03tells us the fruit
- 25:04of the Spirit,
- 25:04but it also tells us
- 25:05the fruit of the flesh.
- 25:07It also gives us
- 25:08a more exhaustive list
- 25:10of the fruit
- 25:12of the flesh.
- 25:14The outward
- 25:14working
- 25:16of the flesh.
- 25:18Verse 8 says,
- 25:19they obey
- 25:20unrighteousness.
- 25:22As I've already said,
- 25:23no one can serve
- 25:24two masters,
- 25:25so
- 25:25you obey
- 25:27the other.
- 25:29A person is either
- 25:30righteous
- 25:30or unrighteous.
- 25:32He's either godly
- 25:33or ungodly.
- 25:38Verse 8 says,
- 25:39wrath
- 25:40and fury
- 25:41will come
- 25:42to the unrighteous.
- 25:45Wrath
- 25:46signifies
- 25:47the strongest
- 25:48kind of anger.
- 25:50The strongest
- 25:51kind of anger
- 25:51when God's mercy
- 25:52and grace
- 25:53are fully removed
- 25:54or fully exhausted.
- 25:58Wrath.
- 26:00Fury.
- 26:01Another translation
- 26:02says indignation.
- 26:05The root
- 26:05was used
- 26:06to describe
- 26:07of a man's
- 26:08breathing violently
- 26:09while pursuing
- 26:10an enemy
- 26:10in great rage.
- 26:12Breathing violently
- 26:14while pursuing
- 26:15an enemy
- 26:15in great rage.
- 26:17In Hebrews,
- 26:18in the book of Hebrews,
- 26:19it's used
- 26:19to describe
- 26:20Pharaoh's
- 26:20murderous
- 26:21fury
- 26:22at Moses.
- 26:24In Luke 4,
- 26:25it's used
- 26:25to describe
- 26:26the Jews
- 26:26in the synagogue
- 26:27in Nazareth
- 26:28who wanted
- 26:28to throw
- 26:29Jesus off
- 26:29a cliff.
- 26:31In Acts 19,
- 26:32it describes
- 26:33the pagan
- 26:33Ephesians'
- 26:34reaction
- 26:35when he described
- 26:36their idols
- 26:36as being worthless
- 26:37and no gods
- 26:38at all.
- 26:40This fury
- 26:41will be released
- 26:42from God
- 26:42into or towards
- 26:44those who remain
- 26:45unrighteous.
- 26:47Verse 9
- 26:48tells us
- 26:48tribulation
- 26:49and distress.
- 26:54Tribulation
- 26:54and distress
- 26:55for every human
- 26:56being who does
- 26:56evil.
- 26:57The Jew first
- 26:58and also
- 26:59the Greek.
- 27:01Now guys,
- 27:01after last
- 27:04spring,
- 27:04we went through
- 27:05the book
- 27:07of 1 Peter.
- 27:07We know
- 27:08that there's
- 27:08going to be
- 27:08tribulation.
- 27:09We know
- 27:09that believers
- 27:10and unbelievers
- 27:11are going to
- 27:12suffer.
- 27:13Believers
- 27:13especially
- 27:14are going to
- 27:14suffer in
- 27:15this world.
- 27:16We know
- 27:17this.
- 27:17But our
- 27:18hope is
- 27:19in the
- 27:19temporary
- 27:19nature
- 27:20of our
- 27:20suffering
- 27:20that it
- 27:21ends.
- 27:22It comes
- 27:22to a
- 27:22point
- 27:22of
- 27:23ending.
- 27:24But for
- 27:25the unrighteous,
- 27:26it will
- 27:26never end.
- 27:28For the
- 27:28unrighteous,
- 27:30it will be
- 27:30eternal
- 27:31tribulation
- 27:32and distress.
- 27:34The word
- 27:34of distress
- 27:35literally means
- 27:36a narrow
- 27:36place
- 27:37and used
- 27:39to describe
- 27:40solitary
- 27:40confinement.
- 27:43Solitary
- 27:43confinement is
- 27:44described as
- 27:45one of the
- 27:45worst punishments
- 27:46for people
- 27:47in prison.
- 27:48One of the
- 27:48worst.
- 27:50Imagine,
- 27:51guys,
- 27:51imagine an
- 27:52eternal
- 27:53punishment
- 27:55that involves
- 27:57that same
- 27:57type of
- 27:58torture or
- 27:58distress
- 27:59without ever
- 28:00being lessened.
- 28:01that's
- 28:02what happens.
- 28:05That's what
- 28:05the people
- 28:06who do evil
- 28:07are headed
- 28:07to.
- 28:08For every
- 28:08human being
- 28:09who does
- 28:09evil.
- 28:11So their
- 28:11works
- 28:11will prove
- 28:15or their
- 28:15judgment
- 28:16will be
- 28:16based on
- 28:17works.
- 28:18So why
- 28:20is this
- 28:20important for
- 28:21us?
- 28:22Why do we
- 28:23need to know
- 28:24any of this?
- 28:25If we're a
- 28:26Christian,
- 28:27we can just
- 28:27kind of glance
- 28:28over this
- 28:29and say,
- 28:29it doesn't
- 28:30concern me.
- 28:32I hope I've
- 28:33proved to you
- 28:34that it's
- 28:34important,
- 28:34but here's
- 28:35four things.
- 28:37The first
- 28:38thing is we
- 28:38need to know
- 28:39what group
- 28:39we're in.
- 28:40We need to
- 28:41know what
- 28:41team we're
- 28:42on.
- 28:44And our
- 28:44works will
- 28:45tell us.
- 28:50We need to
- 28:50know,
- 28:51secondly,
- 28:51we need to
- 28:52know what
- 28:52others look
- 28:53like on the
- 28:54other team.
- 28:54We need to
- 28:55know their
- 28:55works so
- 28:56that we can
- 28:57decide how to
- 28:58minister to
- 28:58them.
- 28:59And we
- 28:59can help
- 29:00them.
- 29:03Third thing,
- 29:04works are
- 29:04important,
- 29:06but not so
- 29:08that they lead
- 29:09to salvation.
- 29:10They're
- 29:10important because
- 29:11they prove
- 29:12salvation.
- 29:13They prove
- 29:14salvation.
- 29:18And
- 29:19fourthly,
- 29:19why this is
- 29:20important is
- 29:21the gospel
- 29:21doesn't just
- 29:22change a
- 29:22heart.
- 29:23It changes
- 29:24the life.
- 29:25So if you're
- 29:26truly born
- 29:26again and
- 29:27you don't
- 29:28have a
- 29:28changed
- 29:28life,
- 29:29I'd
- 29:30question the
- 29:31first part.
- 29:33James
- 29:34chapter 2
- 29:35verse 14
- 29:36through 26,
- 29:38James is
- 29:38laying out
- 29:39and basically
- 29:40saying that
- 29:40faith without
- 29:41works is
- 29:42no faith
- 29:43at all.
- 29:44Faith without
- 29:44works, in
- 29:45fact, is
- 29:45dead.
- 29:48It does
- 29:49not exist.
- 29:50It does
- 29:50not live.
- 29:53So my
- 29:54question for
- 29:55all of us,
- 29:56for everyone
- 29:58in here,
- 29:59does your
- 30:00works prove
- 30:01your salvation
- 30:02or does
- 30:03your works
- 30:04prove that
- 30:05you are
- 30:05truly not
- 30:06born again?
- 30:08Does your
- 30:09works prove
- 30:10your salvation
- 30:11or does
- 30:12your works
- 30:13prove that
- 30:13you are
- 30:13truly not
- 30:15born again?
- 30:16That's where
- 30:17the rubber
- 30:17meets the
- 30:18road.
- 30:19It's good
- 30:19to do good
- 30:20things.
- 30:20It is
- 30:21good to
- 30:22be loving.
- 30:23It is
- 30:24good to
- 30:24be caring,
- 30:25to have
- 30:25mercy on
- 30:26people,
- 30:27to be
- 30:27part of
- 30:28social
- 30:28injustice
- 30:28groups,
- 30:31and all
- 30:32that is
- 30:32great.
- 30:33But without
- 30:34Christ, it
- 30:35is worthless.
- 30:36Without
- 30:37Christ, you're
- 30:38still doing
- 30:39evil.
- 30:44Tribulation
- 30:45and distress
- 30:45is what's
- 30:47in your
- 30:47future.
- 30:48we're
- 30:51going to
- 30:51be judged.
- 30:55Like
- 30:56the Roman
- 30:57Brutus
- 30:57the elder,
- 30:59justice
- 30:59will be
- 30:59given.
- 31:01His two
- 31:02sons
- 31:02deserved
- 31:02it.
- 31:04They were
- 31:04conspiring
- 31:04to overthrow
- 31:05the government.
- 31:06They
- 31:06committed a
- 31:08crime and
- 31:09he followed
- 31:09through with
- 31:10justice.
- 31:12But
- 31:13unlike
- 31:13Brutus
- 31:15the elder,
- 31:16mercy
- 31:17will be
- 31:17shown
- 31:17mercy
- 31:20will be
- 31:20shown.
- 31:22And so
- 31:23we can
- 31:23rejoice in
- 31:24reading through
- 31:25Romans chapter
- 31:26two and
- 31:26all of the
- 31:27word of
- 31:27God,
- 31:28because God
- 31:29is merciful.
- 31:33God is
- 31:34just and
- 31:35he is
- 31:35right.
- 31:37Let's
- 31:38pray.
- 31:38pray.
- 31:38Heavenly
- 31:47Father God,
- 31:49great are
- 31:51you,
- 31:51worthy of
- 31:52all praise.
- 31:54Your grace
- 31:55and your
- 31:55mercy that
- 31:55you have
- 31:56shown me
- 31:56and that
- 31:56you have
- 31:57shown others
- 31:57in this
- 31:58room,
- 31:58sometimes
- 31:59leave me
- 32:02speechless.
- 32:02why?
- 32:07I don't
- 32:07know.
- 32:11Why do
- 32:11you love
- 32:12me so
- 32:12much?
- 32:13I don't
- 32:14know,
- 32:14but I'm
- 32:14thankful that
- 32:15you do.
- 32:16I'm thankful
- 32:16that you've
- 32:16given me
- 32:17your word
- 32:18and that I
- 32:20can rejoice
- 32:20in knowing
- 32:21that my
- 32:22works
- 32:23prove
- 32:24that I
- 32:25know you
- 32:25and that
- 32:26I'm your
- 32:26son.
- 32:28God,
- 32:28I pray
- 32:28that you
- 32:29would move
- 32:29in this
- 32:29room,
- 32:30that you
- 32:30would penetrate
- 32:31the hardest
- 32:31of hearts,
- 32:33that we
- 32:34would leave
- 32:35here changed
- 32:36because you
- 32:36had spoken
- 32:37to us,
- 32:38you had
- 32:38touched us
- 32:39and you
- 32:39had taught
- 32:39us.
- 32:41God,
- 32:41be honored
- 32:41and pleased
- 32:42this morning.
- 32:44In Jesus'
- 32:44name,
- 32:45Amen.
- 32:47It's a time
- 32:48of our
- 32:48service where
- 32:49we worship
- 32:51by celebrating
- 32:52what Christ
- 32:53has done on
- 32:53the cross.
- 32:54We partake
- 32:55of the
- 32:55Lord's
- 32:56Supper.
- 32:58And guys,
- 32:59if you're not
- 33:00a believer,
- 33:01if you are
- 33:01unrighteous,
- 33:02if you are
- 33:02part of
- 33:03team two,
- 33:04there's no
- 33:05reason for
- 33:06you to take
- 33:07this.
- 33:07You're not
- 33:08celebrating
- 33:08anything.
- 33:09You're just
- 33:09taking a
- 33:09drink of
- 33:10juice.
- 33:11But if
- 33:12you are
- 33:12a Christian
- 33:13and are
- 33:14part of
- 33:14team one,
- 33:15celebrate,
- 33:16rejoice,
- 33:18because Christ
- 33:20has done
- 33:22what no
- 33:22man can
- 33:22do.
- 33:31a Christian
- 33:40Amen.
- 34:10Hiding rock and treacherous shoal, John and compass come from thee, Savior, pilot me.
- 34:40Though the sea be smooth and bright, sparkling with the stars of night,
- 34:53and my ship's path be ablaze with the light of house and days,
- 35:05still I know my need of thee, Savior, pilot me.
- 35:13And as a mother stills her child, thou canst hush the ocean while,
- 35:41voice just waves obey thy will.
- 35:47When thou says to me, then be still, sovereign, sovereign of the sea, Savior, pilot me.
- 36:11And when at last I hear the shore and the fearful breaker's roar,
- 36:29which breaks me in the peaceful rest, then while leaning on thy breast,
- 36:41may I hear you say to me, I will pilot me.
- 36:48I will pilot me.
- 37:00I will pilot me.
- 37:00I will pilot me.
- 37:16He was wounded for our transgressions.
- 37:18He was crushed for our iniquities.
- 37:21Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.
- 37:24And with his stripes we are healed.
- 37:26All we like sheep have gone astray.
- 37:29We have turned everyone to his own way.
- 37:32And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
- 37:37Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
- 37:42Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
- 37:46and whose spirit there is no deceit.
- 37:49This is the word of God.
- 37:56Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 37:58Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:00Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:01Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:02Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:03Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:04Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:05Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:06Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:08Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:09Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:10Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:11Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:12Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:14Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:15Blessed is the one who died of sin.
- 38:17Blessed is the one who died of sin.