Principles of Divine Judgment

We have on the screen this picture of Lady Justice I think is going to come there she is, and that perhaps said children. Perhaps some of you wonder why is lady just as blindfolded. That seems to be strangers holding the scales of justice. Why is she blindfolded. Well, the reason Lady Justice is blindfolded is very very important because justice is meant to be blind in the sense that every single person in our country and really another legal systems as they come before a judge is the go through the legal system that all meant to be treated fairly and impartially. That is a respective of your gender of your beliefs or your background, the color of your skin, your ethnicity, whether you're rich or poor everyone. The theory is, is to be treated with justice and to be treated equally under the law. That is very very important for Americans but we realize that human justice is far from perfect. For example, those who can't afford expensive attorneys are much more likely our country to get a verdict against them than an individual or a rather the person who can afford an expensive attorney is much more likely to get a decision in their favor than the person who is poor.

A person was a minority, a person who can't afford an attorney. Some people individually getting attorneys at all.

Justice system is sometimes manipulated manipulated by witnesses who lies manipulated by attorneys. Sometimes, law enforcement officers present the present false evidence.

Sometimes judges and juries are far from impartial. Sometimes a prejudice. Sometimes it open to be bribed and so one could say of Lady Justice is blindfolded. Sometimes it seems that she sees through the blindfold because not everyone is treated equally under the law.

Although the theory is that each of us should be treated equally. Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about because you had an experience of the legal system to be treated you, at least in your opinion is unfairly, unjustly, perhaps in a court of law. Perhaps a word, perhaps in your family. Perhaps in the community justice in our world is not always fair justice in our world is certainly not always impartial, but a wonderful thing. Then Paul is presenting it here in our passage that although human justice is often unfair and human justice has its favorites. God's justice is perfect. God's justice is impartial, God has in that sense and dispensing his judgment.

We will learn has no favorites. Now does that make you feel that make you feel comfortable or on comfortable before reading the text. Let's remember the context Paul is presenting the gospel of God concerning his son, our Lord Jesus Christ he's dealing with the question of the righteousness of God.

What does this righteousness of God mean and how can we attain the righteousness of God and before Paul presents a wonderful message of the grace of God revealed in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is preparing us. You might say, rather laboriously I don't think so. By the certainly very careful rather painstaking to prepare us for the message and he does it in a very startling way. We found a way that we may not like in the way which is certainly countercultural to our culture. But in a way which I would suggest to you is absolutely necessary. He's presenting the universality of sin is telling us that all of us are sinners and I realized that's not the approach of many preachers today is mantra is God wants you to be successful. God wants you to be happy. Jesus is that Jesus is there to help you fulfill your dreams and all of that kind of hot pipe and all of that kind of manipulation that Paul get it wrong. As he begins to write to the Romans by the gospel is Paul's method wrong. Did you get it wrong as he talked so much about sin and the judgment of God. I don't think so.

CS Lewis said I didn't go to religion to make me happy. I always do a bottle of port would do that if you want to religion to make you really comfortable.

I certainly don't recommend Christianity Romans is the inspired word of God. One of the reasons in Calgary. We go consecutively through the word of God is that we learn truth that God thinks is important. I don't choose my favorite passage of my favorite topic to impose on you. Rather we go through the Scripture passage after passage as some of it perhaps thought mines more interesting than others, but perhaps a little tedious but we are recognizing that God is the one who has given us his word and Paul is telling us that every single one of us come short of God's standard is told to some people sin very flagrantly as he dealt with at the end of chapter 1, but he also tells us in the opening verses of chapter 2 that we thought of a couple weeks ago, nice people, religious people, moral people also get it wrong. They fail, they come short of the glory of God.

I remember as a boy on the vacation with my parents. In fact, the little village where I spent some time this summer and that my father was in conversation with a woman who lived in the village about the gospel he was telling about Jesus Christ as you is not a believer in Christ.

I remember standing there and vividly remember the recalling the women sing to my dad's name was Tom Thomas Monroe.

She says Tom attending the rights that I have to come to God the same way as those people meaning criminals people that she might look down on.

She was a rather self-righteous respectable well-to-do type of person and she couldn't get it in our mind that she had to be saved exactly the same way as a murderer as an adult or as a thief. My dad told her yes because all of us have sinned, and this is what Paul is saying, let me ask you, how will it be for you when you stand before God.

We saw two weeks ago. As you take your Bible and open it to Romans chapter 2 we saw two weeks ago.

In verse 11, Paul writes for God shows no partiality. I would suggest that every one of us shows some partiality. All of us of our prejudices and biases and we like some people better than others. That is true, but God is not like that God is absolutely just, God chose St. Paul no partiality.

The NIV says God shows no favoritism is related to the first 11 verses of chapter 2 we saw that God's justice is based on truth. It's also based on our deeds because we must distinguish the way of salvation from the life of salvation. It is true that were saved entirely by grace were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. That is absolutely true.

But Paul is going to expire that our words and our deeds are a demonstration of our faith simply puts those saved are not safe to live as they like and if you profess to be a follower of Jesus Christ and this made no difference in the way you live. You can take the title of Christian but I would suggest you may not truly be saved by the grace of God. True followers of Christ, as opposed to false professors live for Christ. Now in a passage this morning. Chapter 2 verses 12 through 16. Were going to look a little closer. This principle of divine judgment were going to learn that the judgment of God.

Unlike human judgment.

The judgment of God is always impartial.

God is absolutely just when you and I stand before God in a future day as each one of us will each one of us is going to stand before God.

You can be absolutely sure whoever you are you going to be treated with justice because God's justice is always impartial. Let's send and read together. Romans 12 from verse 11 through 16 mistreated thoughtfully bring it with me for God shows no partiality for all who have sinned with either the law will also perish without the law and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law, for it is not the healers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires. They have a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law, they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. While their conscience also bears witness and the conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus imminently decided the fascinating section of Scripture, hope you're enjoying the cities on Romans as much as I am William Tyndale are his readers to learn Romans by heart. He said the more it Romans is studied, the easier it is, the more it is chewed in the pleasanter minutes. So the more you study Romans. The more you understand the more you chew on it, the sweeter it will be to your taste is look at the first is really good verses 12 and 13, we see that in judgment. God shows no favoritism to the Jew verse 12, all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law, for it is not the healers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

The Jewish nation provided privilege they had the Mosaic law and Paul here in verse 12, is making a basic distinction between those who he says under the law.

Jew and those who are without the law, the Gentile Jews had the law, but having the law, and even knowing the law is not going to be a defense against the judgment of God is Paul's argument. The Jewish nation had the law in the synagogues. The law was there they were privileged that they had the look they could not plead ignorance of the law. They knew the law but having the law in their heads didn't mean that the law was in their hearts. It certainly didn't mean that they were obeying the law, Paul is saying baby Jews will be judged by the law. They have received the law and when they stand before God.

God is going to judge them in the light that they had namely that of the Mosaic law, but Paul is saying here in verse 13 possession of the law is not the point.

It is obedience to the law. What was the problem the Jews would not doers of the law. Member James says if you hear the law hear the word but you don't do it you are deluded your self deceived perfection in keeping the law would lead you to justification, yes if someone perfectly kept the law of God, the Mosaic law, they would be justified in the presence of God. Verse 13 the sink, but what's the problem was in the what James in the New Testament says James to verse 10 for whoever keeps the whole law as impressive. Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has been has become accountable for all of here is an individual who is very religious.

He knows the law, he follows the law, he follows it. Strictly we can say he follows the religious right, but yet one day he doesn't keep the Sabbath one day. He does not honor his father and mother.

One day he covets his neighbors, horse or donkey or Cadillac just one occasion James is saying in the Below you're going to be justified by the law you got to keep all of the law and of course none of us know, Jew nor Gentile could ever keep the Mosaic law. Paul is going to explain later in chapter 8 that the only people who can fulfill the righteous requirement of the law of those who are going to walk according to the spirit verses three and four Romans chapter 8, but Paul's Paul's point here is this by receiving the law, the Jewish nation was greatly privileged by the disobeying the law and they did not follow the requirements of the law to remember even before they received the law. What happened Moses is up on Mount Sinai.

He's receiving the tablets of the law written with the finger of God as impressive as soon as Moses is up in the mountains and he's receiving the tablets and the people are done by the bottom and they get getting tired. Moses is up in Mount Sinai too long. What's going on and so Aaron things well that we are member that members the gods of each of the delivered us and so they get the earrings and they get the jewelry to gold of the people of the melted diving that they construct the calf and the sun worshiping the calf reminding them of the gods of Egypt remember what happens when Moses comes down in the he can believe what he says even before the law is handed over to the people they have broken identity smashes the tablets of the law and says the added one of you down in any says well you know we just got this golden put in the firemen came the car really like to say silly things like that when you send or just happened.

Moses has the say no is people have sinned a great certain Israel brought themselves under the judgment of God. Paul's point is crystal clear. Having the Mosaic law does not exempt you from the judgment of God. Yes, it was a tremendous privilege that the Jewish nation received the law, but with a greater responsibility with a greater privilege, there came the greater responsibility therefore verse 12 the Jews who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law and judgment. God shows no favoritism to the Jew.

Verses 14 and 15 and judgment. God shows no favoritism to the Gentiles for when Gentiles, verse 14, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires. They have a law to themselves, even though they don't have the law, they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts for their conscience also bears witness with their conflicting thoughts accused or even excuse them now the Gentiles than of the Mosaic law. Paul is is saying that not having the Mosaic law is not a defense against the judgment of God.

They are verse 12 the yard with the law, but someone says that seems a bit tough. We can understand the Jewish nation they received the law they had priests and prophets that tell them the law they should've known better and they broke the law.

It is writing that they receive the judgment of God, but not the Gentiles.

When can you hold people accountable who didn't have the law, can you break the law you don't have an even have the law, can you be meaningfully sad to have sinned. If you don't know what sin is, as defined by the Mosaic law is not just good questions. Verses 14 and 15 give us the answer. We are judged by God. According to the light, we have not according to the light that we don't have I said before, a couple of weeks ago no one as they stand before God will say I'm an exception.

This is unfair.

Each person is going to get perfect justice dispensed by a perfect judgefall just as the Jew is not exempt from the judgment of God.

Neither is the Gentiles. They also have sinned, but how can you say that if you don't have the law answer. The Gentiles have listened to this the work of the law written on their hearts.

Amazing.

John Saad says although they the Gentiles do not have the law in their hands. They do have it have its requirements in their hearts is fascinating is a nation that receives on tablets. The written law of God, the Mosaic law. We know what it is we have a dinner, my most peers and other people they don't have the written law. Yes, says Paul, but they're also going to be held accountable because they have the law written on their hearts. I think of this. Is this true in every single one of us every single human being has an innate moral and spiritual consciousness which senses what is right and wrong. I don't know how many legal systems that are throughout the world.

But the legal systems of basic similarities. I studied Scottish law when I came to the United States.

I wasn't surprised to learn that in the United States is wrong to steal. I wasn't surprised as I traveled to Scandinavia where my wife is from to find out in Scandinavia. It is wrong to murder people is wrong to kill. I was in Kazakhstan early this year and I wasn't surprised to find that under the legal system in Kazakhstan.

It is wrong to give false witness in court shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Does this sentence come from when does this morality come from the Paul is not saying that the Gentiles of perfectly obeyed that moral law. It is true they know right from wrong, but they don't perfectly obey the law that is written on their hearts, and so also are guilty before God.

Each one of us here Paul is coming telling us this, each one of us here has a conscience.

Joe was follow your conscience conscience that tells you what's right and you say something and you walk away and think I could have been so unkind I could I have done that. How could I have been partake to that shady business practice.

I have committed that immoral act. When does that come from comes from within the thousand is a conscience. The success of the lie detector demonstrates that a conscience reveals what we believe to be right and wrong. II realize their people.

Apparently you can manipulate the lie detector, but they suppress the concepts you can give an animal a lie detector, but as human beings is a recognition that we have a conscience and when we do wrong. What happens you know your experience. You experience shame you experience humiliation you think I can't believe I did that. I can't believe I said that I Believe I saw that people so I'm not the kind of person to do that, yes, but you did that you said it, experience from Mars law enforcement or food of case after case of a criminal coming to the police and saying I need to confess. Sometimes the place of no evidence against them. In some cases the police don't even know that crime has been committed within individual's conscience has overwhelmed them and they realize I must get this off my chest that I need to go and confess that come from comes from the law written on their hearts. The conscience accusing or else excusing them know a conscience is not an infallible guy that's true but enables us to know where they were following the law written on our hearts. JI Packer writes an educated, sensitive conscience is God's monitor and allow access to the moral quality of what we do or plan to do for biz lawlessness and the responsibility and makes us feel guilt, shame and fear of future retribution that it tells us we deserve when we have allowed ourselves to defy interest rates Satan strategy is to corrupt desensitize, and if possible kill other consciences human your conscience to be killed.

That's the side state to be in the fisherman being she said here.

Is there something on your conscience something you did something you said maybe it was years ago. If I could covet it up if try to suppress it. That needs to be repented of that needs to be brought before God and his forgiveness. Claimant don't ignore your conscience or consciences I got a warning light in our cars which we ignore another other perils on on Wednesday here in the parking lot at Calvin coming into my car and we just had such beautiful weather here in North Carolina in November with temperatures up to 70 and almost going up to 80 and then on Wednesday, at least here in Charlotte to drop to the forte seminar to my car and as I started driving at the light went on telling me that my tires needed there. The cold weather and it tells the prince a little reading on my car saying it. You need to get it fixed.

And whatever you do don't go over 50 miles an hour could I ignore that, of course, I could ignore it not be a foolish thing to do the putting myself in danger.

I can you control a car with a the pleasures of the tires are not] of endangered other people. Of course I could ignore it, but that is telling me something is wrong in the car and if you're smart, you better get it dealt with as indeed I did. That's what conscience does like it in the prosecutor. Could you sometimes awake at night tells you it's right in the trunk. Don't ignore that the law written on your heart is the point Paul was making the Gentiles are not going to be judged by the standard of the Jew. They're not going to be judged by the law. We don't have that law they don't have the Mosaic law yes but they will be judged by what they do. No one what they do have the law written on their hearts they have theirs. 15 the witness of conscience conscience bears witness we saw in chapter 1 that the Gentile, the pagan is the witness of creation, though heavens declare the glory of God. It's a full in the said in his heart know God witness of creation, yes, but also know the witness of conscience, that which convicts us of wrongdoing, that which creates conflict within us, which, if ignored, can have devastating impact on us as individuals with accusers and excuses so I say again, don't ignore your conscience. The Bible talks about a conscience being hardened with the conscience being seared. I remember when I was practicing law. Going to visit one of my clients and asked me how weak he was my client but he was a client and that he was in prison and he was charged with a very serious assault. He'd been in a Scottish pub and he had been drinking far far too much and got into an argument which came into a fight with someone in the pub and that my client with up with his beer mug having concerns so many fights himself. He smashed the beer mug. At least it was alleged on the bar counter and to this man who was having an argument with he rammed it right in his face pretty nasty stuff with in the man was disfigured for life can imagine what happened. I got photographs from the prosecutor of the victim went to see my client who was in was in prison for some other charges as well and I thought what is good and interesting. A seven point I'm going to show him photographs of I showed you the photographs you would just absolutely find them revolting to show them no indent. He laughed.

He said he's an ugly blank blank blank as me what happened that this might have no conscience. All the other conscience as a wee boy growing up in Scotland. I'm sure he had a conscience, but I'm sure long long ago he had done things in suppress Ladin Doing evil and evil things. So now he can take a beer mug break it put in someone's face and scar them for life, and only laugh and say he's an ugly so-and-so is me don't buy that happened how important it is. We keep it in the conscience. The judgment of the Gentiles. Paul is saying is that works of the law written on their hearts. Could you imagine living in a country with no moral law.

Can you imagine a society with no consciences wise legislation reflects the moral law reflects what is good for society. But Paul's conclusion is this, that, for the Jew and for the Gentile. There is no favoritism all guilty before God.

The notice verse 16 defined as tough as convicting. I do on that day, says Paul Quinn, according to my gospel others as part of the gospel gospel is not just God's wonderful plan for you and loves you. And if you come to Jesus you can be rich and wealthy in do all what you want to do no as part of the gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ. You any secrets. Things your height from people think you maybe don't even want to think of yourself yourself of your life.

You suppress them. There are so painful that day. There's no snow secrets with God or yes you can cover up even the person that you know that knows you the best.

Doesn't know everything about you. There are things that you've done things you've said things you thought that no other human being knows, God loves and on that day according to the gospel, God judges the secrets of man notice he says by Christ Jesus gentle Jesus, meek and mild Jesus of the Bible as it he is the agent of judgment he himself says John 522 for not even the father judges anyone, but is given all judgment to the son. This divine judgment is impartial. Nothing hidden.

You cannot hide anything I can hide anything before God.

Human judgment often evidence is manipulated only partial evidence is given critic 11 evidence is often hidden, not with God's judgments. It is perfect. Both Jew and Gentile have light from God one has the written law. One is a law written on their hearts both stand condemned before God. Neither complete ignorance of the law both unaccountable.

All are without excuse. God shows no partiality little favorites with God I hope will be for you.

You may be very privileged to me in a sense we like the Jew you know the Bible you been brought up with the Bible.

I was privileged to be brought up in such a home that was thought this book from his firm as young as I can remember to come to church many times every week encouraged to read this book encouraged to memorize this book and to know the Bible. What a tremendous privilege as but policy matters, not the question that it's true that is a privilege question but do you just to hear you just someone who knows it and you had, but it is never impacted your life. But there never has been, to repentance.

You've never really got right with God. You've embraced a form of religion you've embraced churchy on the tape, but when it comes right down to it, you do not know Jesus Christ. And if the truth be told, your life demonstrates that yes he covered up.

You got your secrets of some of us here think you wonderful person, but you have never yet got right with God. You rebelling against God. See salvation is not by myself trying to atone for my sins. How could I this is the wonder of the grace of God. Salvation comes Paul saying, by faith of us can save ourselves. What all guilty. I have to rely 100% on the grace of God I need not to attain my own righteousness, not to clean up my own act I can never do that. Not to attain a kind of holiness such as the medieval church taught at the time of Martin Luther and do the best you can and you and God will give you a little bit of grace as you edge as you regularly participate in the sacraments of the church. No, absolutely not. Says Luther, absolutely not. Paul is saying absolutely not. I'm saying, salvation is entirely of God's grace. You need to understand before God had guilty you her stop trying to excuse yourself. Stop trying to compare yourself with others.

Stop trying to think that there's a special privilege for you that the rules don't apply to you, that you never know you're not different.

Every single one of us stands convicted before a holy God who on that day will reveal the secrets of our product.

Know what I need and what you need is a safe one.

There of the gospel with God and his grace sends his son a perfect man, the only one who perfectly obeyed the law who lived a perfect life atoned on the cross for your sins and mine to all of our sins on himself on the tree going into death conquering that and is alive and says I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be safe. Why would you not do that. Why would you not acknowledge that you are sinful before God and cry out to him after Haley in his book strong medicine tells the story of a young woman dying in hospital attending doctors as they had and they do all they can.

But they realize this illness is incurable, and they realize that within just a short time, a matter of hours.

This young patient is going to be dead with the with the devastation the devastating impact on the family and medically speaking.

This regulation seems absolutely hopeless that unexpectedly. A drug is rushed in. This drug has been developed, but the doctors are not sure if this if this drug will work if it will be successful, but the administer this drug to the patient's and then anxiously wait and then suddenly what are we all have hope for is Arthur Daley's in this book. Strong medicine, but what they can hardly believe is they see that this drug. This medical drug is aware is taking place in the patient balance and they know she will surely recover as our situation absolutely hopeless.

We can't not try drug not to a church, not to a doctrinal statement part of the Lord Jesus who comes in love and grace to who ever you are, whether you were brought up in a strong Christian home design.

Where was on whether you were.

Whether this is the first time you've ever had the word of God.

God's word comes to you today and remind you God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. That little word parish in John 316 is the same word that we have in verse 12. All have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. Yes, all of us with and without the law. The law of Moses are with the law written on our heart make no difference what all going to perish unless the trust is in Christ within the saying about trusting in the Lord as we sing that number when you did or one you to ask the spirit of God to conviction, preferably something on your conscience for a long long time that you need to confess before God to repent, to live a life of holiness and if you've never yet trusted Christ, will you put your heart to the Savior. He says no one will be cast away if you come in simple faith. He will save you and transform your fill you with his power father, thank you for this passage. We thank you for your written law. We thank you for the law written on your on their hearts. We thank you for consciences. Father, we confess we have sometimes suppressed it in going against it, but we thank you for it to pray that we will not ignore that inner voice. We look not ignore your voice in Scripture.

But walk humbly before you, for those outside of Christ may come to him though we pray in Christ name