The King Judges Unbelievers Part 2

For to Jesus phone number for many people find the idea of hello what the Bible teaches that there is an ultimate lake of fire, where unbelievers will go today the basis of judgment for those who never heard the gospel and the basis those who did the Moody Church in Chicago this morning when with Dr. Sir, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Insert many say that hell is unjust for those who die never having even heard of Jesus will Davis you know what I like to emphasize is that people will be judged not for the light that they didn't have but for the light that they did have.

And I think that throughout all of eternity.

We will agree that what God did was eminently just.

I've written a book entitled the King is coming. Actually, it is an exposition of 10 events that you, my friend, in one way or another are going to be involved in all of them future. All of them momentous for a gift of any amount. This book can be yours. Here is what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com in a moment I'm going to give you a phone number but I want to thank you in advance for helping us as we continue this ministry in 20 different countries go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. We believe that this resource will be of tremendous insight and help to you in your Christian walk.

Now let us listen to God's word and the doctrine of hell. Now you have to understand that the principle by which God is going to judge is simply this, people are going to be judged on the basis of what they did with what they knew. Based on their conscience based on the light of nature, and based on whether or not they ever heard the gospel.

All of that factors in. I mean nobody is going to stand there who's never heard of Jesus they've never heard the gospel. Some pagans somewhere and God is going to say to them while I'm sending you to hell because you didn't believe on Jesus and I would be manifestly unjust. How can you hold people accountable to respond to a message that they never heard so that's nothing to be a part of the. The thing is going to be what they did with what they knew intuitively because of conscience. They knew that lying was wrong and yet they live intuitively because of conscience. They knew that immorality was wrong and yet they were immoral. There was something deep within them, that told this is not the way it's to be and they squelched their conscience.

The light of nature reminds them of the greatness and the grandeur of God. If they had contemplated that they have known that as well. And then if they heard the gospel. My, how much more responsibility. They would have Jesus made the statement. He said that it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment that it will be for those cities that rejected me when I was here on earth. Why, because of so much more light is factored in MRD Hahn, who is a Bible teacher of another era said that for the headhunter who never heard of Jesus, his hell will appear as heaven in comparison with the person who listened to the gospel and hardened his heart against it and did not believe Jesus made it very clear that responsibility is based on knowledge, the one who knew God's will is punished more than the person who didn't.

It is all fair and then not only that, but they are judged. Also, on the basis of the impact that they had in terms of the perpetuation of evil. You know Jesus said that if you offend a little child.

If you cause a child to stumble, it would be better for you if you were drowned in the sea. Actually be better than to do that because if you take a child and he's not just talking about predators he's talking about parents who don't live for their children and teach them the way of righteousness he's talking about causing little ones who believe in Christ to stumble very serious. Now you take for example a man who is absolutely committed to morality.

He wants to be the most immoral man that you could possibly imagine. That's one thing that will incur one kind of judgment but now take this man and not only does he want to be immoral. He wants to dedicate his life to make sure that others are immoral to enter glamorizing so he begins publishing pornographic magazines that are sold by the millions every month at throughout all the world and there are people who are hooked on pornography because he introduced it to them.

The Bible says in Romans chapter 2 that there are those who not only do evil, but they take pleasure in those that do, so he gets pleasure from knowing that his own lifestyle which is been so immoral has now been passed off on to so many incur much more severe judgment.

Teachers so we could just go into the New Testament. False teachers because it's one thing to be wrong about your view of hell and salvation.

It's another thing to preach it to millions and to get them to believe until all of the judgment is going to be meticulously needed out in accordance with what they did what they talked about and who they were so much van for the records and their examination. Next, we find that to the sentence is pronounced and then they are brought forth and this is the second death of anyone's name. There's a second book here now was not found written in the book of life. What's that book of life. We've encountered it before in the book of Revelation heavenly the book of life is the book of the redeemed you. Member chapter 13 when we mentioned it and I commented on it. It is the book of those have been purchased by Christ and belong to him and them so far as we know, nobody in this judgment is found in that book, those whose names are found in that book they had a separate judgment, but they are in heaven with Jesus. If you been following this series of messages you will know that and so I can imagine that there are people who are good arguments able will look again. Look again my name should be there Lord, did we not cast out demons in your name and in your name do many wonderful works of the Lord will say to them. I never knew you depart from me, you workers of iniquity.

Your name isn't in the book of life, and so everyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire is a pastor, Luther, this is overkill what you mean the lake of fire. Okay. So they send against God. Okay, so they were evil but wise, such as strict judgment.

Let's think about that for a little bit what if the greatness of a sin was dependent on the person against whom it was committed.

Let's just assume that you know when we are boys growing up on the farm. Someone has given this illustration, which I'm using when we are boys out in the farm is just throw snowballs at one another. No big deal. But you know if you throw a snowball at a post man.

The mailman you might be in a little bit of trouble your throat at a policeman you might be even in more trouble you throw it at the president and your arrest.

You said yourself, wait a moment throwing a snowball used to do them all the time and were growing up in Iowa. What's what's wrong with throwing snowballs at the present wait a moment. The higher you go up in the latter, the more culpability and those small, petty sins that people commit thinking it's no big deal. It is a big deal because all sin ultimately is against the holy transcendent pure eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent God, and that makes it a big deal. So sin is a much bigger deal than you and I think it is because of whom it is committed against is another thing. You are an eternal being, whoever you are today listening by whatever means, let me tell you, you will live somewhere internally and remember this that those who find themselves in this judgment are eternally guilty, eternally guilty while you sell as they fire of hell literal. I don't know because on the one hand, it says the fire in the other hand, it's his outer darkness where you are separated from others. Both of those descriptions are in the Scriptures, even if it is symbolic. It has to be symbolic of something something horrendously awful and catch this now for all of eternity and I could get illustrations to help us understand the dimensions of eternity. I won't do that but it is a long long long time with no and and so they are thrown alive into the lake of fire, the regrets are eternal. Imagine with a heightened memory and ability to recall everything including this message today at the Moody Church imagine these words being replayed in your mind and you said I sat there and he gave an invitation to come forward and I because I was concerned by what others think of me and now look where I am thinking those thoughts throughout all of eternity.

As Dante said in his inferno abandon all hope, ye who enter here so pastor Luther you said that the problem with these people as they lacked something that God needed what was it, well you know what the good news is this the people who aren't here who are in God's presence, they settled out of court. That's what they did.

They took advantage of a provision that God made so that you don't have to be here, and the provision sounds something like this for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. He who believes on the son is not condemned, but he who believes, not on the son is condemned already because he has not believed in the son of God.

Jesus said that those who believe in him will not see death. Well, they will die physically, but they will be raised and and here's the good news.

The good news is this that these people took advantage as I hope you have been, as I have, they took advantage of settling out of court because Jesus said that if you believe on if you believe that my death was a sacrifice for sinners. If you believe that and you receive it as your gift.

You will be saved on the basis of my merit because I boring your hell when I died on the cross and if you trust me you don't have to bear yours. Isn't that good news you civil why Jesus why Jesus than the wheels out there was a Savior whom are you going to go to Buddha Buddha didn't claim that he was a Savior in light Mohammed himself said that he wasn't sure of his final destiny he can't help you. Sorry buddy can Krishna can help you Baha'u'llah Shirley County, city had enlightenment but note no answer to the problem of sin. You see, because Jesus was God. He's the only one qualified to give you the righteousness that God will accept.

He gives you two gifts, forgiveness, and righteousness. The gift of God of righteousness, so that you are credited with his righteousness, even though it isn't inherently yours.

It is his but it's given to you and on that basis, God's as well. If you trust my son like that.

I will welcome you into heaven as if he is as if you are my son going to be welcomed and received.

That's why Stephen when he was being stoned. He looked into the heavens and he saw Jesus on the right hand. Jesus was in effect saying Stephen be faithful because when you die on the pier for you and tell you this, Stephen will not be at this day of judgment, and neither will you. And neither will I if we humble ourselves, admit our sinfulness and believe on Christ friend of mine said that he saw a bumper sticker actually a very blasphemous bumper sticker I might say it said he died in 33 A.D. Get over it. Imagine that we say yeah he died in 38 A.D. he was raised three days later he's coming again were going to worship him and we will never get over it. Okay, are you okay with that you trusted Christ to save you. So I'm unsure hey you haven't because assurance comes to those who believe like we sang a moment ago the vilest of sinners who truly believes that moment from Jesus apart.

Listen there going to be people in heaven who committed sin is much greater than those who showed up at this judgment because they received Christ as Savior. They will make it to the pearly gates all because of the him it's all about him, but yet to receive his provision so that excuse. Have you brought to this meeting.

So what mental barrier what hardness of heart stands in the way of you responding to Jay's. In a moment. Our soloist is going to come and he's gonna sing a song that we ought to sing more often rescue the perishing. It's a song for all of us after he sings that we are going to sing a stanza or two of just as I am. I was watching a Billy Graham special last night I do that whenever I can, and he was on last night and I was reminded of that song that I love so much.

The one that I want to be played when I'm dying in a hospital. Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me and that thou bids me come to the O Lamb of God, I come I want you to come and I want you to shake my hand right front here to receive counsel that you might leave here today and no that your name is actually in the book of life. Don't let your friends keep you couples can come together. Families can come boyfriends, girlfriends you join me up here after we have prayed together after we have listen to a song and then we shall sing one let us pray father. What more could we say, except that we thank you that you give us the privilege of settling out of court. We thank you today for Jesus who came to rescue us as we were perishing. Help us to spread that message to everyone we meet in one way or another to represent him well because eternity is coming for all those who never believed on Jesus, perhaps listening by radio or the Internet or right here in the balcony of Moody Church in the lower floor cause them today to believe overcome their resistance and grant them salvation in Jesus, my friend. Today, this is Pastor Luther I want to speak directly to your heart. You have just heard a very hard message but I believe that it's a true message I want to warn you that unless you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior. Your eternity is going to be horrible and eternity is a very long time.

We might argue with God saying that he's the one that of course seems to be harsh from our standpoint, but he makes the rules. He knows who he is and we submit to his holy word. Would you believe the gospel today, right where you are admitting your sinfulness and your need of a Savior. I've written a book entitled the King is coming.

It's a resource that we are making available to you so that as you think about the future you will think about how to live in light of it for a gift of any amount. It can be yours. Here is what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. The future is coming and there's nothing that we can do about it except prepare RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 it's time once again for you to ask Pastor Luther a question about the Bible or the Christian life. So to rheology is a fancy word for the study of salvation. There are two major theological camps on how people actually come to Christ. Bonnie was sister running to win, and is concerned about what she hears Pastor Luther and she says from what I understand about John Calvin. He believed that only the people that God shows will be saved. You said you believed that what John Calvin taught was right. I believe that everyone who's ever been born will have a choice to make. I don't believe that God just chose who he wants to go to heaven if God only chose certain people, then why would Jesus have to die it would be unnecessary. Is this true now.

Bonnie, you've asked a number of different questions and I need to separate them out so to clear the air. First of all, not sure what context you heard me talk about John Calvin, but I don't agree with everything that Calvin believed, and that's why I don't like to be called a Calvinist. For example, he believed in infant baptism. He had a different view of the church, and so forth. So I need to separate that out but the whole issue of whether or not the Bible teaches that only those who have been chosen by God will be saved.

That isn't an issue that somehow arose with John Calvin. The real question is not what Calvin taught the real issue is what the Bible teaches. And as you know in the book of Ephesians.

For example, it talks about the fact that we have been chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world and the gospel of John. You have a phrase that is often repeated it.

Jesus talks about those whom the father has given me and I think he uses that phrase six times in John 17 alone and that's a group of people whom God chose to be saved. So whether Calvin teaches it or not is not the issue.

The question is, is this what Paul and Jesus taught and I think that we have to agree with Paul and Jesus on this point and keep in mind that the invitation is for everybody who's whoever wills may come, but as you know, there's some people who come and some who don't. The other comment that I want to make is you're saying. If God just chose certain people. Why did Jesus have to die. Whether or not God chose certain people, of course, Jesus had to die because even if God just chose certain people, somebody would have to die for their sins, they have to be reconciled to God.

God would have to justify them. So I hope that what I've said here is helpful.

Let me give you sort of a summary because these are huge doctrines on the one hand, the Bible does teach that God has elected people to eternal life. On the other hand, we do have the invitation for all who wish to believe. And if that people listening right now have the desire to believe they can then prove, in effect, that they are God's chosen by believing so we need to be able to hold those two points.

Intention.

I think that that this is as far as will get today in giving this answer, but I want you Bonnie to wrestle with the Scripture yourself. Read it carefully think about what it says and I hope that you're able to live with attention that on the one hand, the Bible does teach about the elect. On the other hand, the invitation is for everyone and individual responsibility is taught in the Scriptures. Thanks Bonnie for making us jump into the deep end of the swimming pool. God bless you and you have a good day and thank you Dr. Luke surfer that jump into the pool. If you'd like to hear your question answered.

Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor Luther or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us at running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 one day heaven will literally come down to earth in the form of the new Jerusalem. This is what Jesus meant when he said in my father's house are many of us next time I'm running to win will contemplate the wonder of the holy city. Thanks for listening to our series on the return of Christ running to win is sponsoring by the teacher