Remember the grand context—Rom 1:16-18, 3:9-20—Man Cannot Save Himself
We can be saved only by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Why is it that it is only by faith that one is righteous?
(1) Because of the wrath of God at the sin of man, which we find out in Rom 3:9-12 is universal.
(2) How then can anyone be considered righteous? How can anyone face the judgment and come out clean? No One CAN!
We are condemned by our heritage (ADAM’s Sin Rom 5:12) and by our own works.
There are a couple of solid doctrinal issues that must be studied in conjunction with this passage, and Lord Willing, we will address those issues next Sunday morning.
We need to take a look at God’s system of judgments, to see that there is no such thing as one general judgment.
We also need to take a careful look at the issue of conscience.
Today, however, we will concentrate on the central message of this text: The righteous judgment of God.
The controlling verse in this passage is the bottom line—Rom 2:16. As in other places, Paul makes the point that the day of judgment is coming; the day of wrath, the great white throne—
1. Judgment Day is Coming—(Rom 2:12) "For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law…(parenthesis)… 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."
a. Let’s Look at this great verse— “…16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel…”
b. This lays all out into four basic points about the Great White Throne
(1) The Day
(2) The Judge and the Judged
(3) The Standard
(4) The Gospel
2. “…The Day…”—this is the day toward which history has been pointing since Creation.
a. The Day of the LORD, a whole Bible Concept—and it is not only one day, but an entire program of events that stretch out over a long period in the end times.
(1) This day will come after the watchmen are gone. 1 Thes 4:13-5:4
“The only way this day could break unexpectedly upon the world is to have it begin immediately after the rapture of the church. It is thus concluded that the Day of the Lord is that extended period of time beginning with God’s dealing with Israel after the rapture at the beginning of the tribulation period and extending through the second advent and the millennial age unto the creation of the new heavens an new earth after the millennium.” J Dwight Pentecost Things to Come—page 230
(2) The Day will culminate with the destruction and reconstruction of the universe.
(2 Pet 3:10) "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."
(Rev 20:11) "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them."
(Rev 21:1) "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea."
b. This day will include great destruction and great struggles
(1) (Isa 2:12) "For the day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up; And it shall be brought low;"
(2) (Joel 1:15) "Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty."
(3) Peter mentioned it at Pentecost—(Joel 2:31) "The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD."
(4) (Joel 3:14) "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."
(Acts 2:20) "The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD."
(2 Pet 3:12) "looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?"
2. The judge and the things judged “…when God will judge the secrets of men…”
a. God is the righteous judge
(Gen 18:25) ""….Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?""
(Psa 50:6) "Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge. "
(Psa 75:7) "But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another."
(Psa 94:2) "Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud."
(Isa 33:22) "(For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Lawgiver, The LORD is our King; He will save us);"
(2 Tim 4:8) "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."
(Heb 12:23) "…to God the Judge of all…”
(John 5:22) ""For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,"
b. The Secrets of Men
(1) God is a God who reveals secrets and who knows all.
(Dan 2:27-28) "Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 "But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. …”
(2) Sin will not remain concealed.
(Num 32:23) ""… you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out."
(Job 12:22) "He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light."
(Eccl 12:14) "For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil."
(Luke 12:22) "Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on."
(1 Cor 4:5) "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God."
(Psa 19:12) "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults."
(Psa 90:8) "You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance."
(3) Cain thought his sin was hidden, but his brother’s blood cried out
(4) Joseph’s brothers cruelly kept their sin hidden for many years, but the famine brought it to light.
(5) Judas thought his little deal was secure, but the hound of Heaven would not let him rest—and he went out and hanged himself.
(6) Achan hid his spoil under his tent—but God discovered it
(7) David thought he’d gotten away from it, but the thing did not please the LORD
(8) No matter how you cut it, all of the secrets will come out, and you will answer for each one, unless they are hidden in the blood of Christ
c. The White Throne Judgment—Rev 20:11-15
(1) First, the dead are summoned from every conceivable place
(2) The Books Will Be Open
(a) The secrets will all come out
(b) The things in the books will be open for all to see
(3) Some will attempt to mount a defense—(Mat 7:21-23) ""Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
(4) But those who are in attendance at the Great White Throne will have no way of escape. The blood of Christ is not available to the ones judged here—their doom is sealed, and the Book of Life is there as an authoritative witness that their names are not found there.
(5) The Doom is Inescapable for those who do not know Him, they will die in their sins
3. The Exemplar of Judgment “…by Jesus Christ…”
a. The Standard is Perfection—2:7-10
(1) “…by patient continuance…” – In other words, like Christ—immutable, the “same yesterday, today, and forever…”
(2) By patient continuance “…in doing good…” It is NOT in avoiding evil or sin—it is “in doing good…”
(3) by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
(a) The MOTIVE has got to be pure at all times as well! We have to be seeking only the things of God continually
(b) We have to seek to attain to His Glory, which no one has done nor can do—Rom 3:23
(4) Only One has ever kept this standard—Jesus—Heb 4:15-16
4. According to WHAT? “…according to my gospel…”
a. But I thought the Gospel is about Good News!
b. How can this word of judgment be good news?
(1) First, it glorifies the truth and the honor of the Righteous Judge, who has been attacked and maligned by ungodly men, and who has spoken all of these words and many more through His prophets
(Jude 1:14-15) "… "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.""
(2) Second, it glorifies God’s justice and holiness by taking seriously man’s violations against the Laws of the Righteous Judge—The Law is upheld, and Good triumphs
(3) Third, this day exalts the Lord Jesus to the place where He deserves to be, worshipped by all of the universe—“Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess, that Jesus is Lord, to the Glory of God The Father…” Phil 2:11
(4) Fourth, this day exalts the love of God who has sent His only-begotten Son to save sinners.
(5) And there may be many more things to be added, but this passage about this day shows again the Love and Mercy of God, because you are hear, alive, and able to hear and respond before it is everlasting too late.
c. According to the Gospel preached by Paul, you have been warned—flee from the wrath to come!
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