God is Judge

God is Judge

Romans 2:1-16

I. GOD IS JUDGE MEANS THAT GOD IS NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO MAN FOR HIS ACTIONS.

A. If God is answerable to man, then it is no longer God Who is Judge but man.

B. Righteous and blameless Job was so sure of his righteousness that he began to demand that God give an account of his actions (Job 13:13-28; 27:1-6; 31:1-40; 32:2; 35:2; cf. Job 34:5,10,12; 40:8).

1. Job’s 10 children died, Job lost all his wealth, Job was afflicted with painful, maggot infested boils.

2. God speaks to Job from the whirlwind but never gives Job any answer for His actions. Instead, asked Job seventy questions!

a. “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2)

b. “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?” (Job 40:8)

II. AS JUDGE, GOD HUMBLES/OPPOSES THE PROUD (Psalm 76:12; 138:6; Proverbs 3:34; 8:13; Matthew 13:12; 1 Peter 5:5-6; James 4:6)

A. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:4-5,18; cf. Proverbs 6:16-17; 11:2,5; 18:12; Jeremiah 49:16; Amos 6:12-14; Obadiah 3, 4)

B. The pride/humbling and praise of Nebuchadnezzar:

1. Pride of Nebuchadnezzar:

a. I myself have built Babylon the Great (Daniel 4:30).

b. I myself have built this royal residence (Daniel 4:30).

c. I have done these things by my might (Daniel 4:30) .

d. I have done these things for the glory of my majesty Daniel 4:30).

2. Humbling of Nebuchadnezzar:

a. Nebuchadnezzar’s residence changed from the royal palace to the meadow.

b. He was driven away from mankind.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (Romans 6:20-22)

c. He ate grass like cattle.

d. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven.

e. His hair grew long like eagles’ feathers.

f. His nails grew long like birds’ claws.

g. The only cure for Nebuchadnezzar was to “look up” and acknowledge the “Most High” (Daniel 4:34)

3. “I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever” (Daniel 4:34-35).

“They that know God will be humble and they that know themselves cannot be proud.” (John Flavel)

C. Fallen man takes pride in sin and boasts in his unrighteousness (Romans 1:30,32; Philippians 3:19; Jude 13).

1. Laughing about drunkenness and manslaughter.

2. Gay Pride.

3. Sinful man isn’t content with boasting in their shame. Sinful man takes it a step further and shames people for pursuing purity, holiness and righteousness.

“And He [Jesus] ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.” (Acts 10:42)

D. Religious people can be some of the most proud and arrogant people on the planet!

1. Speaking against sin from any motive other than love leads to pride and arrogance.

2. Forgetting God’s grace in our lives leads to God’s Judgment.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? (1 Peter 4:17-18)

III. GOD’S RIGHTEOUS AND IMPARTIAL JUDGMENT ACCORDING TO WORKS IS INESCAPABLE.

A. Rich/poor; slave/free; great/small; Jew/Gentile – all are accountable to the righteous Judge (Revelation 6:14-17).

B. The chances of your escaping God’s judgment are less than the chances that you will never die (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Hebrews 9:27).

C. As our Savior and Mediator it was not possible for Jesus to escape God’s wrath for the sins of His people! (Matthew 26:39; cf. Psalm 11:6; 75:8,9; Isaiah 51:17, 19, 22; Jer.25:15–16; 49:12; 51:57; Ezek.23:31–34).

1. “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38).

2. “His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:44).

3. “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

4. “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42).

God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, (Acts 17:31) to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. (John 5:22,27) In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, (1 Cor. 6:3, Jude 6, 2 Pet. 2:4) but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Cor. 5:10, Eccl. 12:14, Rom. 2:16, Rom. 14:10,12, Matt. 12:36–37) (Westminster Confession of Faith 23:1).

And certainly he underwent death, not merely that he might depart from earth to heaven, but rather that, by taking upon himself the curse to which we were liable, he might deliver us from it. He had no horror at death, therefore, simply as a passage out of the world, but because he had before his eyes the dreadful tribunal of God, and the Judge himself armed with inconceivable vengeance; and because our sins, the load of which was laid upon him, pressed him down with their enormous weight. There is no reason to wonder, therefore, if the dreadful abyss of destruction tormented him grievously with fear and anguish (John Calvin, The Harmony of the Gospels).

QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION

Take what you have learned this morning and make it into a prayer for yourself, your family, the church and/or the nation(s). Remember that prayer consists in Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.

What was the title of this morning’s sermon?

Is God accountable to man for His actions? Explain.

What was Job’s sin after he lost his ten children, his health and wealth?

How did God respond to Job?

“When the devil cannot stray us from a good work, then he laboureth by all means to make us proud of it” (Henry Smith).

Have you ever read the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride in Daniel 4? If not, read it this afternoon.

How does fallen mankind take pride in their sin?

Who is Melissa Arrington?

Explain why religious people can be some of the most proud and arrogant people on the planet!

Explain why the chances of your escaping God’s judgment are less than the chances that you will never die.