Do You Really Want God To Judge You?
The bible verse that’s thrown in an open-air preacher’s face more than any other is Matthew 7:1 – Judge not that ye be not judged. This may very well be the most overused and misquoted verse in the Bible. If you read further past verse one, you will see that Jesus is saying don’t be a hypocrite. I shouldn’t preach against adultery if I’m an adulterer. Jesus isn’t saying we shouldn’t judge (in fact He tells us to judge with righteous judgment – John 7:24). Along these same lines, we frequently hear people shout “Only God can judge me.”
This is really what I want to talk about tonight. If you believe this way then I ask: Do you really want God to judge you? Yes, people say only God can judge them like that’s a good thing. Is this really what you want? Are you really looking for God’s judgment? God judged the whole world when He flooded it and only Noah and the seven other souls on the ark were saved. The rest of mankind, estimated to have been 3 Million people at the time died in the flood. Why? Because God judged them! Do you really want God to Judge you?
God Didn’t Find 10 Righteous People in Sodom
God judged Sodom and Gomorrah. He found them guilty. In fact God told Abraham that He wouldn’t destroy Sodom if He found 10 righteous people in the city; only 10! Obviously, God didn’t find even that few of people in Sodom who were righteous. So instead of sparing the city, God rained down brimstone and fire from Heaven (Genesis 19:24). God judged these wicked cities and utterly destroyed them. Are you sure that God’s judgment is what you are looking for?
There are many other examples in the Bible of God’s judgment. He kicked Satan and one third of the angels out of Heaven. The Lord judged the nations in the land of Canaan when the Israelites defeated them because those nations worshipped false gods and especially because they committed the horrendous sin of burning their own children to false gods. (This reminds me of the false god of abortion). Then God judged Israel and Judah because they committed the same abominations as the nations that God destroyed before them.
Do You See The Pattern?
I hope you see the pattern here. If you really understood God’s righteous judgment, it would be the last thing in the world you would want. You do not want God’s judgment, but this is what you will receive if you die in your sins. If you die outside of Christ Jesus. It is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Again, you do not want God’s judgment, but this is what you will receive if you die as an unbeliever. Jesus Christ is the only Savior of mankind. If you foolishly die in your sins, not only will you receive God’s judgment, but the punishment lasts forever.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
You May Say Only God Can Judge Me…
Do you really want God’s judgment? Those whose names are not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire. Death and Hell will also be cast into this lake of fire? Hell a party place? Absolutely not. It is a place of pain, misery and never-ending torture. Who will be cast into the lake of fire? All who die outside of Jesus Christ. You may say only God can judge me, but do you really want Gods’ judgment?
In Revelation 21:8 Jesus says these words: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Again, Jesus warns about the second death, which is never-ending death and He also talks about the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. Who ends up here? All unrepentant liars. Folks that includes every single person that has not surrendered their life to Jesus. You really want God’s Judgment? You really want to spend eternity suffering in the flames of the lake of fire where the worm dies not and the fire is never quenched (Mark 9:43-8)?
God Judging You Is The Last Thing You Really Want
Oh, you may say that only God can judge you, but the reality is that’s the last thing you want! You don’t want God’s judgment. You don’t want to suffer the torments of the lake of fire for all eternity. No, you don’t want God’s judgment; instead you should want and you do need His mercy and grace. Mercy is God not giving you what you deserve and grace is God giving you what you don’t deserve.
We all deserve to suffer eternal damnation in the lake of fire. That’s what each and every one of us deserves. Why? Because we’ve all rebelled against God. We’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
You and I deserve God’s judgment, we really do. But God. But God demonstrated his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). We deserve God’s righteous judgment; His righteous wrath over our sins. All sin is rebellion against God. We deserve the eternal torments of the lake of fire for rebelling against God. But God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God’s Grace And Mercy
What undeserved grace God shows those who are His children. What unmerited mercy He gives those who follow Jesus Christ the Lord. Yes, what amazing love God bestows upon those of us who repent and believe the Gospel. Does God automatically forgive everyone because Jesus died on the cross? Is everyone automatically saved? Is there universal salvation? Absolutely not!
Jesus warned that unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:3). The very first message Jesus preached when He walked this earth was repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:14-15). God commands us to repent. That includes every single human being. We are to repent. But will everyone? Of course not. Some will willingly bow the knee to an organization started by man, but they will not bow the knee to King Jesus who is Lord of all. Sadly, many people say “We will not have this man – Jesus reign over us (Luke 19:14).
God Commands All To Repent
Oh, but God commands you to repent. It’s not a polite request. God isn’t pleading with you to repent. No, He commands you to repent. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).
We are to have repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).
Do You Confess Or Hide Your Sins?
He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy (Proverbs 28:13). Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance (Romans 2:4)? For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world works death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). Oh godly sorrow works repentance to salvation. Come to Jesus and be saved. Turn to Christ and live. Live more abundantly in this life and receive everlasting life. For those who repent and surrender their lives to Jesus, He says that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Receive God’s mercy tonight. Receive God’s grace. Repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus. Trust in His finished work on the cross. Oh, repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ and be saved. Be saved tonight. Receive everlasting life. Become a new creature in Christ. No matter what your sin of choice is, Jesus can set you free. Whom the Son sets free is free in deed. Be cleansed. Be made whole. Repent and submit your life to Jesus Christ the Lord and be saved.
You Say Only God Can Judge You
You may say only God can judge me, but you really don’t want God’s judgment. God’s judgment is just and righteous. All who foolishly die in their sins, who die without Christ Jesus, will suffer God’s righteous anger over their unrepentant sins for all eternity. Believe me, you do NOT want God’s judgment. Instead, you need His mercy and grace and the only way to receive that is through Jesus Christ alone. He is the only Savior. There is no other savior.
You can’t earn salvation and you can’t work your way to Heaven. or by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Lord Jesus is the only one who can save you from our sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). Oh, believe Jesus’ words. Believe in Christ Jesus for your salvation. Repent of your sins and trust Jesus for your salvation. Receive God’s mercy and grace; not His judgment.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on July 31, 2020)