 Our sermon title this morning is The Righteous Judgement of God, part two, our text, Romans chapter two, verses five through 11. Our text really runs from chapter two, verses one down through verse 11, and we're in the second half of this text. And Paul, again, as we're working through this section of text in Romans, is unpacking for us the righteous judgment of God. We're in a section of text that began really in chapter one, verse 18, where we learned that the righteous wrath of God is being revealed from heaven in a present ongoing matter in life today, even as we speak before our eyes. The Lord reveals His righteous wrath, and we're in a section that runs from verse 18 down through chapter three, really through verse 20, in verse 21, where Paul will begin to exposit the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ laid out in the book of Romans. But we're in this section of text where Paul is dealing with the righteous judgment, the righteous wrath of God, and he really has two purposes in mind that we've already discussed. One is to indict, universally indict, all men under sin. We are all guilty of sin against God. And one of Paul's purposes is for us to see that, for us to acknowledge our sin, for us to see the sinfulness of man. And then secondly, Paul intends in doing that to vindicate the righteous judgment of God against men for their sin. In other words, he's going to vindicate God's justice, the outpouring of God's wrath. He's going to vindicate that as righteous based upon man's sinfulness. So we're in a section of text now that deals extensively with the judgment of God against sin. And I've thought about it as we've talked in the last several weeks as we've worked through this text together about the reasons why Paul would spend a considerable amount of time dealing with this subject of God's wrath and God's judgment. Especially in a day and age like ours today, when no one covers it, no one wants to talk about it. You go in most churches, behind most pulpits. It's very seldom ever even mentioned. And Paul essentially gives two and a half full chapters here to dealing with this specific subject. And there's an important reason why Paul does that. First, I think for believers, right, he's writing to the church at Rome, full of believers in Rome. For believers, Paul addressing this subject of the righteous judgment of God offset against the iniquity, the depravity of man makes the person and work of Jesus Christ in our sight all the more precious, right? Exceedingly precious, exceedingly valuable. When you see the condition from which we've been redeemed, right? When you see how that deserves, what that deserves from the wrath of a holy and righteous God. We see the person and work of Jesus Christ magnified, right? Magnified against that black backdrop of sin and wickedness. We see our condition. We see what we deserve. We see what we are saved from, and we see Christ as precious. Also, that righteous judgment of God, the wrath of God, should point sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you're here this morning, you've never turned from your sin. You need to understand. You need to understand. There is wrath and condemnation that already hangs over your head because of your sin. Remember having this conversation years ago at a church that the Lord saved me out of, and made the comment that we are condemned. Our default positions, so to speak, are as sons of disobedience, children of wrath, as nature, by nature, like the rest, citizens of hell already, and he took great offense at that. That's exactly what the Bible says about us. Born in Adam, our default position is children of wrath, sons of disobedient, citizens of hell. That condemnation hangs over the head of every sinful person born in Adam, which is every single person in this room outside of Jesus Christ, right? So those sermons, that teaching on wrath and judgment become so important because they point the sinner to the only provision that is made for their sin, to the only remedy that they have, and that is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ revealed by God in His Word, right? But then I was thinking about it this week even. Many, many are first awakened to their need for the Lord Jesus Christ through the terror of dread that is associated with that coming judgment, right? Many of you in this room first awakened to your need for the Lord Jesus Christ through fear of God and impending judgment. And we don't want to shorthand, so to speak, the truths of God's Word by neglecting that valuable subject. But I was thinking about it this week even, and with respect to believers and God's judgment, that the righteous judgment of God should also encourage us as believers. The righteous judgment of God should be an encouragement to those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. And one of the reasons that it should encourage us is because it says something about the righteous character of God, doesn't it? That God is faithful to His Word, God is holy, God is just, God is righteous, and He will judge sin. In all the wrongs in this wicked world, God will set right. There is a day coming in which He will make all wrongs right again to the praise of His glorious grace. He will vindicate His righteousness. That's the case that Paul's making here in these chapters. He's going to vindicate His righteousness. He's going to vindicate His holiness. He's going to vindicate the righteous by judging the wicked and by setting wrongs right. He will uphold all that is good. He will uphold all that is pure, all that is clean, all that the Christian finds refreshing and a joy, the joy of our heart. He's going to uphold holiness. He's going to uphold righteousness. He's going to uphold His good, holy, and just Word. He's going to cast down all that is evil, cast out, cast out all that is unclean, unholy, unjust. And that brings joy and rejoicing to the people of God. I know that I'm not the only one. The conditions that we're in right now, the circumstances that we face, are just grieving, right? This wicked world, abortion in our country, 50 million, 60 million babies murdered for the sake of what? For convenience? Homosexuality, rampant, undermining of the family, rampant. The worldly philosophies that are just being shouted from the roof pops right now are just grieving to the people of God. They are burdensome. It's wearysome to sometimes deal with that garbage. And we find it all around us, stuffed in our ears, shoved up our noses every time you turn around, right? God is going to come. The Lord Jesus Christ will return and he will set all of that right. He's going to do away with all of that filth as he judges the great harlot and will set all things right and his righteous judgment. That kind of just outpouring of filth and garbage and wickedness can be grieving to the believer, can cause the believer to doubt, can cause the believer to feel wearied, such intolerable unrighteousness poured out of the world, cron him through the roof, right? Our politics are a raving embarrassment. Just ungodly worldly thoughts, ungodly actions, ungodly people can cause the people of God discouragement. Turn with me to Psalm 73. I was thinking about this with respect to how we are to respond and how we're to think rightly about that. Psalm 73, the righteous judgment of God that is coming should be an encouragement to believers. Brother, sister, be encouraged. Why? Because God is coming in judgment. Be encouraged. Psalm 73, look at verse 1. Truly God is good to Israel, who is the Israel of God now, the people of God who are children of Abraham by faith. Faith in Jesus Christ, right? These promises apply to us. Truly God is good to Israel, such as our pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled. Why? My steps had nearly slipped. Why? For I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. The psalmist is saying, I'm discouraged. Discouraged by what appears to be the prosperity of the wicked. Discouraged by the rampant wickedness that I see all around me. My steps nearly slipped. My feet almost stumbled. Verse 4, there are no pangs in their death. Their strength seems firm. They are not in trouble as other men, or they plague like other men. Therefore, pride serves as their necklace. They walk around in their pride and their haughtiness. Violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with abundance. They have more than heart could wish. They scoff, speak wickedly concerning oppression. They certainly do that today. Scoff at Christianity. Scoff at the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They speak aloftly. Verse 9, they set their mouth against the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth. Therefore, his people return here and waters of a full cup are drained by them. They say, how does God know? And is there knowledge in the most high? They would say, no. Behold, these are the ungodly who are always at ease. They increase in riches. Surely, the psalmist says, surely I've cleansed my heart in vain. You see his discouragement? Almost to the point of despair. I've cleansed my heart in vain. Washed my hands in innocence. For all day long, I have been plagued, chastened every morning. If I had said I will speak thus, behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of your children, God. When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me until, until I went into the sanctuary of God. Until I came here. We hear God's word proclaimed. We think of God's word together. We look at the truth of the scriptures together. We unfold exactly, exactly what's going on. What God is doing. And we take encouragement at what God is doing, right? Then, then he says, verse 17, I understood their end. Surely, Lord, you set them in slippery places. You cast them down to destruction. Now listen, the psalmist is encouraging his heart with their impending judgment. When the wickedness of this world will be cast out, when the wicked will be cast down, the psalmist is encouraging his heart with the judgment of God that is coming. Brother and sister, there is a judgment coming, be encouraged. When righteousness will reign, the rule of his reign, the scepter of his kingdom is a scepter of righteousness. When the scepter of the kingdom now is a scepter of wickedness, righteousness will reign because Jesus Christ is returning, right? You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation in a moment. They are utterly consumed with terrors as a dream. When one awakes, so Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image. People don't like to hear of God in these terms. This is exactly how the Bible presents him, right? You will despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved and I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant. I was like a beast before you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with your counsel and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you, oh God? There's none upon earth that I desire besides you. Lord, please come quickly, right? My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who desert you for harlotry, but it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all your works. Praise God, praise God. There is a judgment coming. Turn with me to Revelation 19, Revelation 19. Speaking of the righteous judgment of God, reflecting on his promise of a righteous judgment can keep us brothers and sisters from becoming discouraged, can keep us from becoming bitter or becoming jaded, right? Focusing on his righteous judgment, the promise of his coming judgment, all wrongs made right. Revelation chapter 19, and look at verse one. Now think about the context of this worship from Revelation 19. The whore Babylon has been thrown down. The harlot, this world system, wrecked, ruined, destroyed at his coming. And listen to this, it's in verse one. After these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven. Who is that? Those are the saints. Those are the saints. That multitude in heaven saying, hallelujah, salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God. For true and righteous are his judgments because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication. And he has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her. Again they said, hallelujah, her smoke rises up forever and ever. And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who sat on the throne saying, amen, hallelujah. Then a voice came from the throne saying, praise our God, all you his servants and those who fear him, both small and great. The people of God praise him for his righteous judgment. Verse six, I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thundering saying, hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory. Why for the marriage of the lamb has come and his wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be a raid and fine linen, clean and bright for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. It is good for us to consider the righteous judgment of God. Do you see? It is good to think and meditate on his promises and God is not slack concerning his promise as some count slackness, but he is long suffering, not willing that any should perish but that all of us should come to repentance. The Lord gathering him in his elect, but there is a day coming, a day coming when his patience, his forbearance will come to an end and God in righteousness will judge. So I think it's good for us to consider Romans chapter two, this section of text in the book of Romans for us to consider in detail the righteous judgment of God and for us to consider what it is that Paul's saying here. And we began to consider this text under three headings last week, specifically in verses five through 11. Heading one, God's judgment is righteous. God's judgment is righteous. Heading two, God's judgment is impartial and three, God's judgment is retributive. Righteous, impartial and retributive. Last week we considered point one together. Consider now with me points two and three beginning with God's judgment is impartial. God's judgment will be seen as a righteous in the day of judgment and the day of wrath because God's judgment is impartial. Look at verse five with me. But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to each one according to his deeds. God's judgment, the outpouring of God's wrath will be revealed to everyone in that day as righteous do in part two, one, an impartial process and two, an impartial standard. I want us to understand the case that Paul's making. God's wrath, God's judgment is righteous do in part an impartial process and secondly an impartial standard. Look at the impartial process with me. God will render to each one. He will render to each one. Now these words, render to each one, communicate an impartial process of judgment. Will render, future tense speaks of a certain future day of retributive justice involving reward or wrath. He will render to each one. Speaking of God's retributive justice speaks of a certain future day. God has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness, right? To each one, those words, to each one applies that judicial act universally and individually to all people without exception and without distinction. I want us to unpack that a little bit, okay? Will render a certain day of judgment where God will repay reward or wrath to each one applying that judicial act to everyone universally and individually without exception, without distinction, okay? Will render. Those words further clarified by what will be rendered in verses seven through eight. Look at verse seven with me. What will be rendered? Verse seven, eternal life to those who by patient continuance and doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality. But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath. Now all of a sudden we're presenting with a distinction, aren't we? There's a distinction here in their conduct. We'll talk about that in a moment. To each one, those words are clarified without exception. Those words further clarified by verses nine and 10. Look at verse nine with me. Tribulation and anguish on every soul of man. Do you see that? Every soul of man who does evil without exception, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, meaning without, referring to everybody else. The Greek referring to everybody else without exception, but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good without exception to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Judgment will be rendered upon all universally, individually, and without exception, without distinction. Now the only distinction that you'll see there is a distinction with respect to order. We'll talk about that more in a moment. To the Jew first and also to the Greek. Judgment begins at the household of God. We'll talk about the order, that distinction of order in a minute. But even that distinction, Jew first and also the Greek, is meant to communicate that all will come under judgment. The Jews might have thought to themselves that judgment wouldn't take place for them because they're of their father Abraham. But judgment comes to all both Jews and Greeks without exception, without distinction. That's the point of Paul's statement there. Judgment will not take place according to families or nations. It doesn't matter what family that you came from. Doesn't matter that your father was a pastor. Doesn't matter what household you grew up in. Doesn't matter that you were raised in Abraham's household, so to speak. Doesn't matter. Judgment will not take place according to nations. Each one will be judged individually. The Jews might have thought that they were in for all their religious privileges, all their religious blessings. Those privileges, those blessings will be nothing. They will be nothing in that day, right? It won't matter that you were circumcised or not circumcised. It won't matter that you were baptized as an infant into a covenant community. Listen, there is no covenant community for children of wrath or sons of disobedience. There's no covenant under which they can be baptized into that community. No covenant with a living God aside from the new covenant through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no new covenant community, so to speak, for those sons of disobedience. It won't matter what kind of church you belong to. God's judgment involves an impartial process, an impartial process. There are no loopholes, no exceptions. I heard the story of W.C. Fields. He was on his deathbed after living a profligate life. He was on his deathbed. And someone came in, found W.C. Fields, thumbing through his Bible. And he says, what are you doing reading the Bible? He says, I'm looking for loopholes. There are no loopholes, no exceptions. No loopholes, no exceptions to be found in the words every soul or every one or two each one. Every person individually will come under judgment. Second Corinthians chapter five, verse 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one, every individual without exception, without distinction, may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. You see, an impartial process, it's an impartial process. Your spouse will not be standing there with you. There will be nobody there next to you that will vouch for you or your righteousness. If you're outside of Jesus Christ, you have no advocate. Young boy, listen to me, young girl, your mom or dad will not stand there with you on that day. And mom and dad, it makes no sense for you to withhold these truths from your young son or daughter when God will hold them accountable in that day. There's a story in the Old Testament. I think it's King Jehoiachin, if I'm not mistaken. King Jehoiachin is an eight-year-old king. He took the throne at eight years old. God says in his word that that eight-year-old king did evil, did wickedness in the eyes of God, and God intended to judge him for it, and he's eight years old. There is a point at which children become fully accountable for their sin, and they will stand in the judgment before God alone, and give an account to him for what they've done in the body, whether good or bad, okay? Let's not be deceived with false theology that's a fruit of worldly philosophy that runs around churches today. Let's speak honestly with ourselves about what the Bible says. The certainty, the certainty of will, render, rules out the possibility of some court-appointed attorney rushing into the last moment with a stay of execution. His justice doesn't work that way, right? God has appointed already decreed, already decreed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained, and he has given assurance of this to all by raising him from the dead. Paul describes it, verse five, as a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Now, this day approaches. This day approaches. It's a day according to 2 Thessalonians chapter one, verse eight, it's a day when the Lord Jesus Christ comes in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God. The judgment of God will be revealed as righteous on that day due to its impartial standard. Impartial process, he will render to each one impartial standard according to their deeds. The judgment of God will be rendered to each one universally without exception, without distinction. And so what will then distinguish each one at the judgment? How are they distinguished? They're distinguished by their deeds, verse six. God will render to each one according to his deeds. Do you see? According to his works, according to his actions. Now elsewhere in the Bible, those works are described either as good or evil. One of the two, right? Either as good or evil. Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verse 14. God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. Every work is categorized as good or evil. John chapter five, verse 28. Do not marvel at this. The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life, those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation, good or evil. First Corinthians chapter three, verse 13. Each one's work will become clear for the day that day of judgment will declare it because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire will test each one's work of what sort it is. Second Corinthians chapter five, verse 10 again. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. On that day of judgment, works will be either good or evil, righteous or unrighteous, and God will judge and reward accordingly, right? It is an impartial standard. Here in Romans chapter two, Romans chapter two, the distinction is made here between those who doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality, and those who are self-seeking do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, tribulation, and anguish, okay? The definitive explanation of this comes in verse 13. Look down at verse 13. Paul says in verse 13, not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified. Those who are good are those who do the law. Do you see? Those who are good are doers of the law. We're not gonna, we're gonna talk about that text more in detail next week. Those who are good are those who do or obey the law. The impartial standard of God's righteous judgment in that day then is the law of God. Do you see? It's the law of God. The law of God will be the determining factor in what works are considered good and what works are considered evil. Those who do good, in other words, those who obey the law of God are rewarded, you could say here, we're gonna look at that in detail, but are rewarded with glory, honor, and peace. If you look at it in verse 10, peace is added to glory and honor. Those who do evil do not obey the law, but rather obey unrighteousness, they're rewarded with indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, verses eight and nine. Now, if you're thinking through this, right, you're thinking, it seems to introduce a bit of a contradiction, doesn't it? These verses seem to introduce a contradiction. Elsewhere and frequently in the Bible, Paul asserts that no one is justified before God because of good works. By works of the law, no flesh will be justified. Romans chapter three, verse 19, flip the page, Romans chapter three, look at verse 19. Now, we know, we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by deeds of the law, good works, deeds of the law, good works, right? You could say by good works, no flesh will be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Now, we're gonna look at this contradiction. There's a parent contradiction in great detail next week. It's not a contradiction, it's an apparent contradiction. There are no contradictions in God's word, right? We use the analogy of faith, right? The analogy of faith, scripture, interpreting scripture to understand what appears to be an apparent contradiction. But that's how you work out your theology. You use the Bible to interpret the Bible and you work out your theology in detail, you come to good theology, right? It's generally at the neglect of that process and allowing contradictions to run amok that you have heresy. You end up in false theology, false churches. We're gonna look at that in detail next week in verses 12 to 16. But it raises a very important question and it's a question we need to be able to answer to better understand our text, right? How does a final judgment where we are recorded, rewarded according to our works, fit with a salvation that is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone apart from works, right? You see the issue at play, right? How are we to understand the standard by which we are going to be judged in the last day, on the last day, how are we to see how a final judgment according to works fixes with or mixes with, fits with salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone apart from works. Our justification, our right standing with God, the basis on which we are declared righteous in God's sight, the Bible is very clear, is not according to works, not according to what we've done. We have no good works with which we can commend ourselves to God. Our works have absolutely nothing to do with our salvation. I'm gonna be really clear about that. We are justified, reconciled to God on the basis of grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. So what part then can works play in our judgment? What part then do works play in our judgment? What will our judgment look like? I thought our sin had been forgiven. Is our sin gonna be brought up in that day? I want you to think with me, this is important, okay? It's important to understand this. So we think about the Christian life rightly so that we think about the judgment rightly so that we understand rightly what our salvation entails, what it doesn't entail. Thinking wrongly can lead you into all kinds of trouble, all kinds of heresy. Let me give you three wrong answers to those questions and then I wanna give you the right answer, okay? Three wrong answers, we'll discuss the right answer. First, wrong answer. Many actually think, most actually think that at the judgment, their good works will be weighed against their bad works and their good works will outweigh their bad works and getting them into heaven, okay? Most people, every other world religion uses that methodology. They are looking at that particular standard and a vast majority of professing Christians when you actually witness to them will give you that kind of an answer. I gotta clean my life up. I know I gotta get back to church. I'm not going anywhere, unless I get back in church, unless I do this, that, or the other thing, imagining that somehow their works contribute to their salvation. If their good works outweigh their bad works, they're admitted to heaven. Well in the judgment, good works, works aren't weighed against one another. That wouldn't be an impartial standard. Good works, works aren't weighed against one another but against the perfect law of God. Works aren't balanced with one another. Works are weighed against the perfect law of God. One violation of law, the Bible says, carries with it a death sentence. Look at all the trauma and tragedy caused by Adam eating when he shouldn't have eaten, right? Plunging the world into the wickedness that we see today. One violation of law carries with it a death sentence. Romans chapter six, verse 23, the wages of sin is death. Galatians chapter three, verse 10, cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them, cursed. Add to that the complication that everyone is born dead in trespasses and sins. And option number one is a fool's hope. You think that way? It is a fool's hope, it's not the way that it works. God's righteous judgment is according to an impartial standard. Second wrong answer, second wrong answer. Many believe that the judgment of believers in the last day is merely hypothetical. It's merely hypothetical. The Bible talks about judgment for all, talks about a judgment that believers will be present at, but it can't mean that believers will actually undergo some kind of a judgment because all of our sins have been forgiven in Jesus Christ. And so the judgment of believers is merely hypothetical and the Bible speaks of it hypothetically. The problem is that the Bible doesn't seem to refer to it hypothetically. The words don't appear to be hypothetical. In second Corinthians chapter five, verse 10, Paul tells believers that we must all, speaking to believers, he says to believers, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and not just to appear there, but so that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Doesn't sound hypothetical to me. Paul tells the Corinthian church that each one's work will be tested by fire, whether wood, hay, and stubble, or gold and precious stones, right? Here in Romans chapter two, verses seven through 10 are not hypothetical. Verse seven, eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality, but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath. In other words, it's not hypothetical on one side of that equation and not hypothetical on the other side of the equation. Neither are hypothetical, right? Judgment is going, we're gonna face judgment in that day. The judgment will not merely be hypothetical for believers. We'll talk about why in a moment. Third wrong answer. Some teach that the good works of believers in fact actually count toward our salvation in that day. That the good works of believers actually count for some kind of merit at the judgment. This is a relatively newer heresy called the new perspective on Paul, right? New perspective on Paul, and it's particularly dangerous and particularly deceitful because you might not be aware that that's what you're reading or looking at when you're reading and you're looking at it, okay? They would teach, listen, if it's a new perspective on Paul, probably a good indication it's not a true perspective on Paul, okay? And that's not in every case that if it's new it's not true. However, if it's true, it's very likely not new. You just haven't found it yet in history. But if it's new, it's very likely not true. You should look at it with some healthy suspicion. All right, the new perspective on Paul. We are justified or saved by grace alone through faith alone apart from works. They would assert that. But then, then, God requires the fruits of faith which prove to have merit at the judgment. You see the subtle distinction. We're saved by faith alone, you know, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, but then God requires, as evidence of that faith, requires meritorious fruits that prove the evidence or the efficacy of that saving faith. Once justified, once justified, we must then prove our justification and sustain our justification for the judgment at the last day. An element of our justification is future. There's a heresy called future justification where we're justified by faith but not fully completely justified because in that day we'll receive a full and final justification on the basis of the good fruits of faith, do you see? And my works, my faithfulness as it were, day to day, will either be good enough to justify me in that day or they won't. And this way of thinking again is particularly dangerous. The Christian through faith in Jesus Christ is justified, period through faith in Jesus Christ. He who believes has present active indicative has eternal life. The one who is not believed is condemned, okay? It turns the Christian life into then a pursuit of meritorious works and keeping with faith. You aren't entirely justified now. There's an element of your justification that is yet future. You must persevere in good works until the end at which time at the end you will be finally justified on the basis of faith plus those faith justifying meritorious good works. There's all kinds of groups that have made a cottage industry of this heresy over the centuries. The Catholic church being the principal of them, the chief of them, even to the point of imagining that all your wicked works must be paid for you by yourself either in purgatory through penance in this life or through purgatory in the next before you can enter heaven. It's just the same, a repackaging of that same heresy. And this is the very error that Paul deals with in Galatians. Listen to Galatians chapter three verse one. Oh foolish Galatians, calling them essentially a bunch of fools, listen, you foolish people. Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Of course by the hearing of faith. Are you so foolish then verse three having begun in the spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? In other words, are you going to resort to justification by works now that you've put your faith in Jesus Christ and justified by the spirit makes no sense. No sense, right? No, there is no merit associated with our works. There never can be any merit associated with our works. There never will be any merit associated with our works, right? Paul clearly says there is none righteous. There is none who does good. No, not one by the works of the law. No flesh will be justified in his sight. Period, period. So then what role will works play in the judgment? What's the right answer? Well, we're justified by faith. Scripture is clear. So how will works then factor in the judgment? Works will distinguish the one who has faith from the one who does not have faith, right? Works will distinguish the one who has faith from the one who doesn't. Works, the works have absolutely no merit but give evidence of saving faith in Jesus Christ and the work of his spirit within us, right? The Lord says by their fruits you will know them. By their fruits you will know them. The cause of our acquittal is the person and work of Jesus Christ alone but good works done in faith performed in the power of his spirit are the evidence of our union with him, right? They evidence that we are vitally connected to the vine, right? That we are a branch vitally connected to the vine. Good works are the evidence of our union with Jesus Christ. In fact, the only way, the only way whereby anyone can produce any work that would be considered good by God is in union with Jesus Christ. Whatever is not of faith is sin. Whatever is not of faith is sin. Turn with me to James chapter two. Let's look at an example of this. This is what James is speaking of. James chapter two and drop down to verse 14. Works are not meritorious but works give evidence of a vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ and are the fruits of a genuine faith. Verse 14, what is a prophet, my brethren? If someone says he has faith but does not have works, can faith save him? Can that kind of faith save him, right? What is a prophet? I have faith in Jesus Christ but he has absolutely no works. James is asking, can faith that is alone that way, can that save anyone? Is that saving faith? Is that genuine faith? You see what James is asking, right? If a brother, verse 15, if a brother or sister is naked in destitute of daily food and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does that profit? Do you notice in that a similarity to Matthew chapter 25 that we looked at last week and the judgment of the sheep and the goats, right? He says to those on his left hand, in as much as you didn't do these things for these people, you didn't do them to me. He says to those on his right, in as much as you've done these things for the least of these, my brethren, you've done them to me, right? Sounds like a similar concept, doesn't it? James is saying the same thing. This is how works fit in the judgment. Thus, verse 17, also faith by itself if it does not have works is dead. Works and the judgment will give evidence to the genuineness of faith. We'll give evidence to a vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, someone will say, verse 18, you have faith, I have works. Well, show me your faith without your works. Show it to me. How can it be proved? How can it be evidenced apart from work? You see? I will show you my faith by my works. That's what's going on in the judgment. You believe that there is one God? You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble. You say you believe, but what causes you to differ from a demon, right? How would we distinguish between you and a demon on the basis of your word or profession alone? No, works give evidence of a genuineness to faith. Works give evidence of a vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Works distinguish true faith from false faith. Works distinguish a living faith from a dead faith. Works distinguish believers from unbelievers in this sense as does Matthew chapter 25 of the judgment. Do you see? Works though will also distinguish between the Christian and the mere professing Christian. One whose religion is all in his head, religion on his lips, and never really makes it into his heart. Works done in union with Jesus Christ distinguish the one who merely professes faith, distinguishes him from the one who truly possesses faith. And who is the one who is quote unquote justified before God, the one who has genuine living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The one who is justified, forgiven of his sin on his way to heaven. The one who is adopted into the household of God, reconciled to God, heirs and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who has a genuine living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's on the basis of that faith and that faith alone that he is justified, right? Made right with God, declared to be righteous. John chapter three, verse 36, he who believes in the Son has present active, everlasting life. He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides present active on him. For by grace you have been saved through faith, that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast. In Romans chapter two, verse five, back there Paul says, Paul describes the day of judgment as a day of wrath, a day on which will be revealed the righteous judgment of God. It's revealed as a righteous judgment in the sight of all, do in part an impartial process where God renders to each one what is due and do an impartial standard where God judges each one according to his law. Because verse 11, there is no partiality with God. Verse 11 is connected there, do you see? To verse nine, verse 10, 11, or to verse seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, sort of a parenthesis if you will, verse 11 connected there to verse seven. That impartiality reveals the judgment of God as unquestionably righteous, right? That impartiality reveals the judgment of God as unimpeachable, as unassailable, irreproachable. And that should be comforting to everyone who puts their faith in him. Should be comforting to every Christian, why? Because God can't be bought. God can't be persuaded apart from his word, away from his word. God cannot and will not change his judgment, change his standard. Standards won't change, process won't change. God will not change his mind, will not alter his judgment. This judgment has eternal effect, eternal effect. Partiality, any partiality would violate the very character of God who is impartial. Any partiality would undermine, think with me, any partiality would undermine the person and work of his own son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will never, never undermine the person and work of his own son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But any partiality says work isn't everything or isn't efficacious, isn't powerful enough or isn't all that there is and so gives partiality over here. No, never, never, that will never happen. Therefore, brother and sister, we are secure in him. Secure in his judgments. All our sin was laid upon him. If you're in Christ, all your sin was laid upon him. The righteous judgment that we deserved was poured out in full on him at the cross and nothing, nothing of our guilt remains. End of story. It is finished, the Lord said. And that is a righteous judgment. That judgment is as righteous as he is righteous. And for that reason will not change just as he is unchangeable and is as eternal as he is eternal. Do you see? It is unimpeachable, irreproachable, unassailable, a judgment with eternal effect. And we consider in that that God's judgment is righteous. Do you see? And we take comfort in that. We take encouragement from that. God's judgment is righteous. Point two, God's judgment is impartial. Well, point three, God's judgment is retributive. Retributive. God will render to each one according to his deeds an impartial process, an impartial standard. And what is it that will be rendered? Verse seven, eternal life. To those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor and immortality. But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil of the Jew first and also of the Greek. But glory, honor and peace to everyone who works what is good to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Paul is asserting in this retributive judgment, Paul is asserting that the way in which you live your life on this side of eternity will determine the outcome of your judgment and the life that you live on the other side of eternity. There is a connection. There's a connection. Those who persevere in doing good seeking for glory, honor, immortality, peace from verse 10, they receive eternal life. Those who are self-seeking, those marked by a pattern of disobedience and unrighteousness, they receive indignation and wrath. Verse eight, tribulation and anguish. Verse nine, God's justice, judgment is retributive. The emphasis that Paul's laying out here in these verses pertaining to both is the habitual pattern of one's life, the habitual pattern of your life. Those who buy patient continuance. In other words, the abiding disposition of their heart and mind is to do good. Verse seven, everyone who works what is good. Verse 10, both a present, active, ongoing habitual pattern of life, both not meritorious works, but both giving evidence of the reality of genuine saving faith, giving evidence of a union with Jesus Christ. He's not speaking of sinless perfection here, but he's speaking of a holy direction. He says seeking, seeking is a present, active, ongoing pattern of his life. He is seeking good, seeking for glory, not glory for ourselves, not self-aggrandizement. We're not self-seeking, but the glory of what we shall be in heaven, the glory of our inheritance, the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ having done all in us that he's done to make us who we are, right? It's speaking of the glory of our inheritance. Romans chapter eight, verse 18, the sufferings of this present time, not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. Whose glory is that? His glory, right? But we enter into that glory. That's the glory that we're seeking. Honor, not honor for our own accomplishments. Look at all that I've done. No way. But that which comes to us as joint heirs with Jesus Christ, that which comes to us on the basis of our union to Jesus Christ, we enter into his honor when we seek for his honor. And then lastly, immortality. The word literally means incorruptibility, incorruptibility, immortality. It's that which cannot decay or see corruption, right? That which is immortal cannot, it's not just immortal in terms of length of time. It's indecayable, it's incorruptible. It does not decay, does not wear out in terms of the quality of that length of time. Does that make sense? Incorruptibility, that which will not decay nor see corruption, not simply last forever, but not subject to decay forever, right? The believer is seeking that which is above. Colossians chapter three, verse one. He is seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And that is an evidence of genuine saving faith by which he has eternal life, right? And he receives that glory, honor, and then Paul adds peace in verse 10. He receives that glory, honor and peace. Peace meaning reconciliation with God, communion with God, right? The highest degree of intimate communion that we'll have with God himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, his spirit in eternity forever, we'll receive that peace, right? In that day, peace. Romans chapter five, verse one. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we are justified, no future justification, it's been done, if you put your faith in Christ. We now have as a present reality, peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The fullest enjoyment of that, the fullest experience of that will be in eternity. Likewise, likewise then, Paul refers to those who are self-seeking men, those who do not obey. Present active ongoing disposition towards disobedience as a pattern of their life. Giving evidence of a lack of genuine saving faith. In other words, listen, if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you've been born again, right? You've been born again. You've been made a new creation. What changed about you when the Lord caused you to be alive from dead and trespasses and sins? What's changed about you? If you're genuinely saved, if you've been born again, then your disposition has changed, your nature has changed, your mind has changed, your affections have changed, your desires have changed, your imaginations have changed, your hopes have changed, you're hungering and thirsting once for sin, now for righteousness, that's changed. You become a new creation. What's changed? Everything has changed. So how are you gonna live in keeping with that change? You're gonna live like a new creation, you see? It gives evidence of a vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ. It gives evidence that you've been born again. It gives evidence of a genuine faith. By the same token, right? In the reverse, Paul is saying, if you've not been changed, what's the ongoing disposition of your mind and your heart? Making provision for sin, desiring sin, living for sin, wanting sin, not wanting to read my Bible because I don't like to read my Bible. I don't want to know him in that way, not wanting righteousness. Maybe I feel guilty sometimes and I think I want it, but then what's the evidence of an unchanged heart? I'm right back to it. Carefree, throwing myself into it, right? Living in the course of this world, just like I always did, just like everybody else does. In other words, no change is evidence that there's no change, no faith, no new birth, you see, a present active ongoing disposition towards disobedience as a pattern of life. Still dead in sin, still living according to their sin nature, they obey unrighteousness. And what are they seeking? They're seeking after evil. Receiving then as just retribution for their sin, receiving indignation. Indignation is a righteous anger. They receive the anger of God toward them. They become objects, are objects of God's anger. Do you see? Wrath, wrath is the punitive outpouring of that anger. The punishment that is poured out in righteous anger. Both of those statements, indignation and wrath, speaking of the disposition and actions of God, right, the dispositions and actions of God. Then what is man's experience of that disposition? Tribulation and anguish, right? Do you see the difference there? Indignation and wrath, referring to the disposition of God. Tribulation and anguish, man's eternal experience of that wrath and anger. Tribulation speaking of great affliction, anguish, great distress, great affliction, great distress. God's impartial standard applied in God's retributive justice, do you see? His justice, His judgment is retributive. Now that impartial standard applies just as rigorously to the Jews as it does to everyone else, right? Just as rigorously to the Jews. Notice the priority that God gives to judgment is to the Jew first and also to the Greek, right? The Jews would have thought that, you know, because we have Abraham as our father, we're somehow exempt from judgment. Somehow we're excused as those who are righteous under the law, we're circumcised. We keep the feast days, we wash our hands, we clean the outside of the cup. And John says, do not think to say to yourself, we have Abraham as our father. I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. They don't have their heritage to rely on. Even now, John says, the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear what? Good fruit as an evidence of faith. Good fruit, every tree that does not bear good fruits. Well, I thought it wasn't salvation by works, it's salvation by faith, right? This is not a salvation by works, it's a salvation that works, do you see? Every tree that does not bear good fruit. I thought it was by faith, yes. And faith produces good fruit, right? See the connection. Don't accuse me of being a works righteous, legalistic heretic. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ. Every tree which does not bear fruit is cut down, thrown into the fire. That's what the Bible says. The Jew would have thought to himself, we will not be judged. Why do we need to repent? We're not gonna be judged. Paul says that the judgment is for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Judgment begins at the household of God. Far from somehow exempting the Jews from judgment, all the blessings that they enjoyed, their participation in the covenants of the promise actually increased their accountability before God. You'll be judged first, right? To whom much is given, what? Much is required, much is required for those who reject the revelation that they've been given, for those who reject the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, there will be a priority of judgment. Same principle applies in salvation. We see this teaching throughout the New Testament. It's for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. If they believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, embrace him in faith as their Messiah, there's also a certain priority given to Jews in salvation, Jew first and also the Greek. How that works, not exactly sure, but the principle is here in the text, right? And Paul brings it to our attention. The principle applies to us as well. There is a sense in which the principle applies to us. We have so many blessings. The word of God in any translation at the click of a button within seconds. And we don't read our Bible. We don't concern ourselves to know who God is or what God is revealing. That's shamefully, shamefully negligent, you see? There's a priority given to judgment. The greater the light, the greater the heat, you see? Maybe you grew up in a Christian home. You grew up with mom and dad who taught you the Bible, who took you to church, praise God for that blessing. How many countless untold masses grew up without that blessed privilege, without that blessing, right? Great privileges and blessings that many, many, many have never had. What are you doing with them, right? Will you receive the grace of God in vain? That principle applies to us as well. Paul concludes this section of text with a brief summary in verse 11. Four, because there is no partiality with God. It is a righteous judgment due to an impartial process, an impartial standard. God's judgment is righteous. God's judgment is impartial. God's judgment is retributive. Many a condemned sinner has fabricated for himself a false hope that God is somehow partial. Happens all the time. People are deceived on a regular basis. Partial to the fact that he was brought up in church. Partial to how badly he wanted to be holy or how badly he wanted to live a righteous life. Partial to how sincere his heart was. I meant it when I prayed that prayer. I mean it when I pray to you now. Partial to how sincere his heart was. Partial, even though his actions didn't show that he was true to his profession. Partial to some decision that he made. Partial to some religious pattern that he has in his life. Jews trusted in themselves that they were righteous. Many modern day professing Christians trust in a loving, forgiving idol of their own imagination, a God of their own making. It's not the God of the Bible. And the Lord says himself, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have I not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, done many wonders in your name, done all these things in your name, Lord. And then the Lord says, I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. In other words, you who make an ongoing pattern, an ongoing disposition of your life, self-seeking, not obeying the truth, but obeying unrighteousness. You see, a judgment according to works. Do not mistake his goodness, his forbearance, his long suffering with tolerance for your sin. He will one day soon sit upon a throne of judgment. But it is the grace and mercy of God that he extends to you now, this word of his forbearance and his goodness and his patience and his kindness in the preaching of the gospel that you may turn at his reproof and live. He sits now upon a throne of mercy and he bids you come. Come to the Lord, you who are weary and heavy laden with your sin. Come, he will give you rest. The gospel is being preached, there is still time. There's still time, there's still time. But that day is approaching. We don't know if it'll be this afternoon, next week, next year. We don't know when that day or hour will come, but that day is rapidly approaching. Are you ready? Are you ready? Believers, God's judgment reveals something about his character, doesn't it? His holiness, his goodness, his righteousness, his justice, who he is and what he has done and we rejoice in that, we worship him for that. If knowledge of his righteous judgment does not draw you nearer to him in faith, then you've got a misunderstanding of who God is and what God has done. You are worshiping a figment of your own imagination. We're to worship him as both a loving father and we're to worship him as the righteous judge of all the earth who will always and forever do right, amen. Praising him not only for his mercy and grace, but also for his holiness, for his righteousness. We will praise God for his righteous judgment, singing hallelujah with the saints when the harlot of Babylon is thrown down. We grieve over injustice and such intolerable unrighteousness in man's judgments can cause us to be discouraged, but be encouraged, brother and sister, there is a judgment coming. Reflecting on his promise of a righteous judgment should encourage us that he will make all wrongs right. All praise, honor and glory be to the righteous judge of all the earth, amen. Amen, pray with me. Father in heaven, Lord, we praise you and worship you that you are righteous, holy, and just and good, that you are patient with us, Lord, kind and compassionate, reigning on both the just and the unjust, giving us food and gladness of heart. In all this you've done good, Lord, not leaving us without a witness of yourself, and we're grateful to you for that. Grateful to you, Lord, for the provision that you've made for our sin and the person and work of your own son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and ask you now, Lord, to lay these truths upon our hearts and minds that we might know you as you've revealed yourself, we might worship you as you've revealed yourself, and we might follow you and serve you as we should. If there's anyone here, Lord, who doesn't know you, I pray, they would see in your righteous judgments cause to turn from their sin and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone. We praise you and thank you for the work that he did in our place as wretched sinners to bear the shame and guilt of our own sin upon himself on the tree. We're grateful to you, Lord, that you in grace and mercy have poured out those blessings upon us. We, Lord, long to be and anticipate being with great expectation, want to be, Lord, trophies of your grace into eternity worshiping you and praising you for all that you've done. We love you, we thank you for this time together. In Jesus' name, amen.