Scripture Reading: Romans 2:1-6
We Will be Judged
Intro.
1. "Don't judge someone just because they sin differently than you do." - Sign, Christ Lutheran Church, Ferndale WA (5/12/16)
-Message: Since we are all sinners, nobody should make any judgments.
2. This denies the truth that Jesus taught:
a. Matt. 7:1-5: Prohibits hypocritical judging, while approving careful discernment of right and wrong, to both help another (7:5) and protect yourself (7:6). Heb. 5:14
b. Jno. 7:22-24: Judge righteous judgment.
c. Lk. 12:57: "Why...do you not judge what is right?"
3. At the heart of the "judge not" mantra is that people do not want to be judged and their sins exposed, Jno. 3:19-21. Doers of truth come to the light and its scrutiny (21); those practicing evil hate the light (20).
4. We will not escape judgment; We will be judged. How do we react to this truth? We ought to prepare to be judged, Acts 17:30-31 .
I. WE WILL BE JUDGED BY THE LORD, Jno. 5:22-23.
A. Everyone: Saints and Sinners, Acts 17:31; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 10:30.
1. We have boldness in the day of judgment, not fear, 1 Jno. 4:17-19.
2. World sins boldly, refusing to acknowledge God's judgment, and so refuses to be affected by its approach, 1 Cor. 15:32; 1 Ths. 5:2-3.
II. WE WILL BE JUDGED BY A COMMON STANDARD: WORD OF GOD.
A. All will be Judged by Divine Truth, Jno. 12:48-50; Rev. 20:12-15.
-Our words and our deeds will be judged, Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10.
B. We Accept the Lord's Judgment, not Men's, 1 Cor. 4:1-5.
1. We are careful not to judge on the basis of human will / wisdom.
2. We will not be swayed by public opinion/pressure that denies the truth of God! Rom. 8:31 (The truth shows when God is "for" us.)
III. WE ARE JUDGED BY THE WORLD WHEN WE ARE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST.
-"Oh, you're one of those people!" Matt. 26:69-74
A. Judged as Evildoers, 1 Pet. 2:11-12; 3:15-17; 4:4-5.
1. As narrow-minded bigots, homophobic, xenophobic, Gal. 4:16.
2. Judged as "judging" when we speak God's judgments from His Scriptures. (Remember: They judged Jesus as "afflicted by God")
B. Judged as a Cult (blinded, mindless, controlled), Matt. 7:20; 15:10-14.
C. Judged as Insignificant and in Error, cf. 1 Pet. 3:20-21.
-Not only by the world, but also by some brethren.
Conclusion
1. It is a small thing to be judged by men, using their self-defined, human standards of right and wrong, 1 Cor. 4:3-5.
2. We must judge ourselves against the standard of God's word, and conform to it, 1 Cor. 11:31-32; 2 Cor. 13:5.
3. The issue is not: "Do not judge," since we are all sinners.
4. The issue is: Judge righteously by using God's standard of judgment, His word (truth, Scriptures).
5. Knowing that we will be judged with the judgment we render is an incentive to judge righteously, without hypocrisy, without favoritism, without harshness, without vengeance, Matt. 7:2.
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: May 13, 2016