Post by arete on Feb 4, 2014 20:28:55 GMT
Introduction:
We sometimes criticize others unfairly. We don’t know all their circumstances, nor their motives. Only God, who is aware of all the facts, is able to judge people righteously. John Wesley told of a man he had little respect for because he considered him to be miserly and covetous. One day when this person contributed only a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him. After the incident, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. He explained that before his conversion, he had run up many bills. Now, by skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself he was paying off his creditors one by one. “Christ has made me an honest man,” he said, “and so with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few offerings above my tithe. I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest.” Wesley then apologized to the man and asked his forgiveness… We come this morning to Romans 2 & God’s views on judging…
Context:
In Romans, God has brought an indictment against man that he suppresses the truth & knowledge of God. The evidence is plain: man prefers to bow in worship to anything so as to avoid worshiping & being accountable to God. Then, a verdict was passed. God gave man up – he gave mankind up to sin – sin became both the crime and the punishment – for sin leads to more sin and it all pays off as death. Mankind has a long list of sin – and while we might be tempted to categorize sin by how bad we think it is, God categorizes sin differently. All sin is heinous. All sin requires the blood of Jesus in order to be washed away. Finally a stout warning was given about the hypocrisy of judging sin while committing it. We come again to Romans and begin again with the warning…
Body – Romans 2:1-11 – ESV
God’s Righteous Judgment
2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.
Sharp Warning vv. 1-2
There are some who teach that this warning was given to the Jews because they had the Law. I do not believe that because of Romans 1 – Paul was writing to all the saints in Rome – Jew & Gentile. Further, when Paul begins to teach concerning the Jews and Israel, he is very specific & clear.
Because of the nature of sin and the nature of man – no one has an excuse to judge another and to condemn. This does not mean that we become permissive about sin in ourselves or in others. Rather, we must stand firm in the judgment of God – what he says is evil we must say is evil – also, we must not withhold grace and mercy from another. God alone judges each person – and if he extends grace & mercy – who are we to withhold it
When we judge another in our own righteousness, we stand condemned. When we condemn sin, we do not do it as a lofty judge sitting over a lowly criminal. Instead we do it as a humble sinner – knowing that we too sin. When we condemn sin according to God’s standards and preserve the person as valuable & in need of hearing the truth of sin AND the truth that God forgives – then our message will be heard
Concerning God’s right judgment – we know that God rightly judges all sin. He is not fooled because he sees us clearly & plainly. He judges rightly those who wallow in sin. He also judges rightly when we assume his role as judge – at those times we are also in sin.
Illustration:
Supreme Court Justice Horace Gray once informed a man who had appeared before him in a lower court and had escaped conviction on a technicality, “I know that you are guilty and you know it, and I wish you to remember that one day you will stand before a better and wiser Judge, and that there you will be dealt with according to justice and not according to law.”
Application:
When I consider God as judge, I remember my favorite OT passage. Eccl 12:13-14 – The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. When tempted to consider another person and ask how God could forgive them or use them in ministry – remember, He was able to forgive and use you. If God can forgive and use someone like me, then no one is beyond his ability to save or to serve others – therefore we have no excuse to judge others more harshly than God has dealt with us. Every lost sinner is potentially a brother or sister in Christ. We have no right to withhold the hope of Jesus Christ from those who desperately need to hear it, just because we would sit in judgment over them. Trust in the Wise Judge – God will do what is right.
Stored Wrath vv. 3-5
Paul moves from a sharp warning to some dire consequences. Do we really think that we will not be held accountable before God? This is important for us. While God may in mercy withhold his wrath on lost sinners until the due time – as our father, he will not withhold from us his loving discipline. Such discipline comes in many forms, but if we stubbornly reject him as judge so we can sit in his seat, his love will demand our discipline.
Our stubbornness in such things is an affront to the person of God. It is presumptuous. Christians can find themselves in the same mistakes of the Jews – thinking that because we are God’s saints, we are immune to his judgment.
The presumption comes when God is slow to discipline us. He is patient and kind. He is rich in patience and kindness. He will not fly off the handle the way we earthly parents might fly off. God’s kindness to his children is seen in how he gives us time to repent. Repentance requires that we agree with God we were wrong and that we actively pursue what God says is right. In some situations that will require heavy consequences such as apologizing to one another, repaying a debt, or even admitting legal fault and paying a debt to our society.
The storing of wrath is a scary subject. One part of the scariness is that multiple sins add to the total response. Some may think that if I sin once, I might as well keep sinning for a bit before repenting. That is not wise. Our rebellion requires a response.
The wrath stored here deals with both the lost and the Christian. Those who continue in the death of sin will receive complete & precise justice for the total of their sins. Those who have life in Christ will be dealt with according to the discipline demanded for our rebellion against our heavenly Father. We will not lose our place as his children. We will receive his loving discipline - & I have never known a child to relish their discipline.
Illustration:
Hebrews 10:26-31 - For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Application:
The wrath of God is a frightening concept. That is why it is so necessary to share the Good News of salvation in Christ with those who have no Savior and Advocate. God’s anger should also frighten us. While we know that God is not just waiting to squish us because of his mercy, we cannot abuse his mercy. Mercy will not stay God’s discipline from us the way it stays him from pouring wrath on unbelievers. His mercy on His children demands our discipline. It would not be merciful or loving to allow us to reap the harvest of sin and rebellion. And so, God’s mercy on his children is seen in his discipline
Serious Outcome vv. 6-11
First, this section is not teaching a works based salvation. That would be in contradiction to what Jesus taught and the teachings of Scripture. Instead, Jesus taught us that what we do reflects what is in our heart. While works do not and cannot save – works do reflect a saved life. When a life is right with God we will see good works. The absence of works indicates either a lost sinner or at the very best a truly carnal believer who will be disciplined
However, each person will be judged before God based on what they have done or not done in life. While those who trust in Christ will be saved – Scripture tells that some will be saved as if escaping a fire (1 Cor. 3)
For those who have been saved by trusting in Christ alone, the effect of eternal life will be seen. The evidence will be that such a life will be marked by patience, good works, and the seeking for glory, honor, and immortality. While not specifically detailed here, the glory and honor sought is not for the person but for the Savior. The immortality sought is not an end of itself – but the goal is to be forever in the presence of our God and Savior.
For those who remain dead in sin – the charge is roughly the same since Paul started this letter – rejection of the truth in favor of selfishness. Rejecting God & embracing unrighteousness are synonymous. Such requires wrath & fury. The reason for these two words together – wrath is used both for believer and non-believer and indicates an intense anger toward the sin act. Fury is a term that speaks toward that wrath being poured out. While believers are saved from the pouring out of God’s wrath, the lost are objects of that pouring.
The seriousness of this outcome is intense, but it includes great hope – especially for any of us who aren’t Jewish. There was a tendency in Judaism that Paul would have learned as a rabbi. That was that the Jewish people would all be saved because they were special to God. Sure some Gentiles might be saved, but Jews were all getting in regardless of how bad they were.
That should sound familiar. Lots of folks believe that as long as grandma believes in Jesus and I attend a church and take communion, etc., I get into heaven no matter how I live.
However, the hope here is that God’s salvation is for EVERYONE. All who call on Jesus’ name as Savior are God’s children whether they are Jews or Gentiles. This is very good news. The True God in a sense is the God of the Jews. He has a special covenant relationship with the physical offspring of Abraham. Yet, God is also the God of the whole world and all who follow Abraham’s example of faith belong to God’s family.
Likewise, as God does not show partiality in salvation, he shows none in his righteous condemnation either – no matter who someone is related to or where they go to church or what nation they are born in – if they reject God on his own terms, then they stand condemned
Illustration:
A flood of false doctrine has lately broken in upon us. Men are beginning to tell us “that God is too merciful to punish souls forever...that all mankind, however wicked and ungodly...will sooner or later be saved.” We are to embrace what is called “kinder theology,” and treat hell as a pagan fable...This question lies at the very foundation of the whole Gospel. The moral attributes of God, His justice, His holiness, His purity, are all involved in it. The Scripture has spoken plainly and fully on the subject of hell... If words mean anything, there is such a place as hell. If texts are to be interpreted fairly, there are those who will be cast into it...The same Bible which teaches that God in mercy and compassion sent Christ to die for sinners, does also teach that God hates sin, and must from His very nature punish all who cleave to sin or refuse the salvation He has provided. God knows that I never speak of hell without pain and sorrow. I would gladly offer the salvation of the Gospel to the very chief of sinners. I would willingly say to the vilest and most profligate of mankind on his deathbed, “Repent, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be save.” But God forbid that I should ever keep back from mortal man that scripture reveals a hell as well as heaven...that men may be lost as well as saved. Anglican Bishop J.D. Ryle, about 100 years ago.
Application:
What this means is that it doesn’t matter who you are related to, or even how bad of a life you have lived – God can save you. Many of us live in the reality of that saving power. Yet, we can act as if some people are not worthy or are beyond God’s power to save. Not true. Once again, an essential to spreading the Good News that Jesus saves to the people around us is that they need to be saved. When we proclaim that God is love, we are doing a disservice to God and to others – because God is also just and holy. People need to know that if they persist in sin, they will receive the due penalty – the full wrath of God. The need must be seen before the cure makes any real sense. Hell is a bad word and not just because people use it as a curse word. Hell is a bad word because people are dying and going there every second of every day. We cannot neglect that truth when we proclaim salvation in Christ.
So What? How does this work out in our lives?
God is God and you’re not. Neither am I. For that we should be thankful. God is our Judge. While we can hide nothing from him, and we could from another man, no other man could set us free from the debt of our sin. As we enjoy the freedom from the ultimate penalty of sin, we should never withhold such hope from someone else. We should not put ourselves in God’s place to judge, nor should we neglect to share either the doctrine of hell nor the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ
We should live in awareness of God’s wrath on sin. This requires knowing what God says is sinful. We must publicly & privately identify sin as sin and not excuse it as disease, or a mistake, or an alternative lifestyle, or any such lie. This also requires that we understand that God will discipline us when we rebel against him and pursue sin. Even more, we must understand and proclaim that God will pour his wrath and fury out on all who reject him and his great salvation. When we proclaim salvation in Christ, we must teach both what God saves us from – death and hell, and what he saves us to – a life marked with good works and an eternal relationship with him on earth and in heaven
Let us as a family of believers remember that God called us to himself. He called us to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. He did not call us to replace him as God and Judge. We are free from the burden of playing God. Instead let us be his children, his saints, and not neglect to stand firm on the truth of hell, on the truth concerning sin, and on the truth of salvation
Benediction – Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
We sometimes criticize others unfairly. We don’t know all their circumstances, nor their motives. Only God, who is aware of all the facts, is able to judge people righteously. John Wesley told of a man he had little respect for because he considered him to be miserly and covetous. One day when this person contributed only a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him. After the incident, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. He explained that before his conversion, he had run up many bills. Now, by skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself he was paying off his creditors one by one. “Christ has made me an honest man,” he said, “and so with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few offerings above my tithe. I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest.” Wesley then apologized to the man and asked his forgiveness… We come this morning to Romans 2 & God’s views on judging…
Context:
In Romans, God has brought an indictment against man that he suppresses the truth & knowledge of God. The evidence is plain: man prefers to bow in worship to anything so as to avoid worshiping & being accountable to God. Then, a verdict was passed. God gave man up – he gave mankind up to sin – sin became both the crime and the punishment – for sin leads to more sin and it all pays off as death. Mankind has a long list of sin – and while we might be tempted to categorize sin by how bad we think it is, God categorizes sin differently. All sin is heinous. All sin requires the blood of Jesus in order to be washed away. Finally a stout warning was given about the hypocrisy of judging sin while committing it. We come again to Romans and begin again with the warning…
Body – Romans 2:1-11 – ESV
God’s Righteous Judgment
2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.
Sharp Warning vv. 1-2
There are some who teach that this warning was given to the Jews because they had the Law. I do not believe that because of Romans 1 – Paul was writing to all the saints in Rome – Jew & Gentile. Further, when Paul begins to teach concerning the Jews and Israel, he is very specific & clear.
Because of the nature of sin and the nature of man – no one has an excuse to judge another and to condemn. This does not mean that we become permissive about sin in ourselves or in others. Rather, we must stand firm in the judgment of God – what he says is evil we must say is evil – also, we must not withhold grace and mercy from another. God alone judges each person – and if he extends grace & mercy – who are we to withhold it
When we judge another in our own righteousness, we stand condemned. When we condemn sin, we do not do it as a lofty judge sitting over a lowly criminal. Instead we do it as a humble sinner – knowing that we too sin. When we condemn sin according to God’s standards and preserve the person as valuable & in need of hearing the truth of sin AND the truth that God forgives – then our message will be heard
Concerning God’s right judgment – we know that God rightly judges all sin. He is not fooled because he sees us clearly & plainly. He judges rightly those who wallow in sin. He also judges rightly when we assume his role as judge – at those times we are also in sin.
Illustration:
Supreme Court Justice Horace Gray once informed a man who had appeared before him in a lower court and had escaped conviction on a technicality, “I know that you are guilty and you know it, and I wish you to remember that one day you will stand before a better and wiser Judge, and that there you will be dealt with according to justice and not according to law.”
Application:
When I consider God as judge, I remember my favorite OT passage. Eccl 12:13-14 – The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. When tempted to consider another person and ask how God could forgive them or use them in ministry – remember, He was able to forgive and use you. If God can forgive and use someone like me, then no one is beyond his ability to save or to serve others – therefore we have no excuse to judge others more harshly than God has dealt with us. Every lost sinner is potentially a brother or sister in Christ. We have no right to withhold the hope of Jesus Christ from those who desperately need to hear it, just because we would sit in judgment over them. Trust in the Wise Judge – God will do what is right.
Stored Wrath vv. 3-5
Paul moves from a sharp warning to some dire consequences. Do we really think that we will not be held accountable before God? This is important for us. While God may in mercy withhold his wrath on lost sinners until the due time – as our father, he will not withhold from us his loving discipline. Such discipline comes in many forms, but if we stubbornly reject him as judge so we can sit in his seat, his love will demand our discipline.
Our stubbornness in such things is an affront to the person of God. It is presumptuous. Christians can find themselves in the same mistakes of the Jews – thinking that because we are God’s saints, we are immune to his judgment.
The presumption comes when God is slow to discipline us. He is patient and kind. He is rich in patience and kindness. He will not fly off the handle the way we earthly parents might fly off. God’s kindness to his children is seen in how he gives us time to repent. Repentance requires that we agree with God we were wrong and that we actively pursue what God says is right. In some situations that will require heavy consequences such as apologizing to one another, repaying a debt, or even admitting legal fault and paying a debt to our society.
The storing of wrath is a scary subject. One part of the scariness is that multiple sins add to the total response. Some may think that if I sin once, I might as well keep sinning for a bit before repenting. That is not wise. Our rebellion requires a response.
The wrath stored here deals with both the lost and the Christian. Those who continue in the death of sin will receive complete & precise justice for the total of their sins. Those who have life in Christ will be dealt with according to the discipline demanded for our rebellion against our heavenly Father. We will not lose our place as his children. We will receive his loving discipline - & I have never known a child to relish their discipline.
Illustration:
Hebrews 10:26-31 - For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Application:
The wrath of God is a frightening concept. That is why it is so necessary to share the Good News of salvation in Christ with those who have no Savior and Advocate. God’s anger should also frighten us. While we know that God is not just waiting to squish us because of his mercy, we cannot abuse his mercy. Mercy will not stay God’s discipline from us the way it stays him from pouring wrath on unbelievers. His mercy on His children demands our discipline. It would not be merciful or loving to allow us to reap the harvest of sin and rebellion. And so, God’s mercy on his children is seen in his discipline
Serious Outcome vv. 6-11
First, this section is not teaching a works based salvation. That would be in contradiction to what Jesus taught and the teachings of Scripture. Instead, Jesus taught us that what we do reflects what is in our heart. While works do not and cannot save – works do reflect a saved life. When a life is right with God we will see good works. The absence of works indicates either a lost sinner or at the very best a truly carnal believer who will be disciplined
However, each person will be judged before God based on what they have done or not done in life. While those who trust in Christ will be saved – Scripture tells that some will be saved as if escaping a fire (1 Cor. 3)
For those who have been saved by trusting in Christ alone, the effect of eternal life will be seen. The evidence will be that such a life will be marked by patience, good works, and the seeking for glory, honor, and immortality. While not specifically detailed here, the glory and honor sought is not for the person but for the Savior. The immortality sought is not an end of itself – but the goal is to be forever in the presence of our God and Savior.
For those who remain dead in sin – the charge is roughly the same since Paul started this letter – rejection of the truth in favor of selfishness. Rejecting God & embracing unrighteousness are synonymous. Such requires wrath & fury. The reason for these two words together – wrath is used both for believer and non-believer and indicates an intense anger toward the sin act. Fury is a term that speaks toward that wrath being poured out. While believers are saved from the pouring out of God’s wrath, the lost are objects of that pouring.
The seriousness of this outcome is intense, but it includes great hope – especially for any of us who aren’t Jewish. There was a tendency in Judaism that Paul would have learned as a rabbi. That was that the Jewish people would all be saved because they were special to God. Sure some Gentiles might be saved, but Jews were all getting in regardless of how bad they were.
That should sound familiar. Lots of folks believe that as long as grandma believes in Jesus and I attend a church and take communion, etc., I get into heaven no matter how I live.
However, the hope here is that God’s salvation is for EVERYONE. All who call on Jesus’ name as Savior are God’s children whether they are Jews or Gentiles. This is very good news. The True God in a sense is the God of the Jews. He has a special covenant relationship with the physical offspring of Abraham. Yet, God is also the God of the whole world and all who follow Abraham’s example of faith belong to God’s family.
Likewise, as God does not show partiality in salvation, he shows none in his righteous condemnation either – no matter who someone is related to or where they go to church or what nation they are born in – if they reject God on his own terms, then they stand condemned
Illustration:
A flood of false doctrine has lately broken in upon us. Men are beginning to tell us “that God is too merciful to punish souls forever...that all mankind, however wicked and ungodly...will sooner or later be saved.” We are to embrace what is called “kinder theology,” and treat hell as a pagan fable...This question lies at the very foundation of the whole Gospel. The moral attributes of God, His justice, His holiness, His purity, are all involved in it. The Scripture has spoken plainly and fully on the subject of hell... If words mean anything, there is such a place as hell. If texts are to be interpreted fairly, there are those who will be cast into it...The same Bible which teaches that God in mercy and compassion sent Christ to die for sinners, does also teach that God hates sin, and must from His very nature punish all who cleave to sin or refuse the salvation He has provided. God knows that I never speak of hell without pain and sorrow. I would gladly offer the salvation of the Gospel to the very chief of sinners. I would willingly say to the vilest and most profligate of mankind on his deathbed, “Repent, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be save.” But God forbid that I should ever keep back from mortal man that scripture reveals a hell as well as heaven...that men may be lost as well as saved. Anglican Bishop J.D. Ryle, about 100 years ago.
Application:
What this means is that it doesn’t matter who you are related to, or even how bad of a life you have lived – God can save you. Many of us live in the reality of that saving power. Yet, we can act as if some people are not worthy or are beyond God’s power to save. Not true. Once again, an essential to spreading the Good News that Jesus saves to the people around us is that they need to be saved. When we proclaim that God is love, we are doing a disservice to God and to others – because God is also just and holy. People need to know that if they persist in sin, they will receive the due penalty – the full wrath of God. The need must be seen before the cure makes any real sense. Hell is a bad word and not just because people use it as a curse word. Hell is a bad word because people are dying and going there every second of every day. We cannot neglect that truth when we proclaim salvation in Christ.
So What? How does this work out in our lives?
God is God and you’re not. Neither am I. For that we should be thankful. God is our Judge. While we can hide nothing from him, and we could from another man, no other man could set us free from the debt of our sin. As we enjoy the freedom from the ultimate penalty of sin, we should never withhold such hope from someone else. We should not put ourselves in God’s place to judge, nor should we neglect to share either the doctrine of hell nor the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ
We should live in awareness of God’s wrath on sin. This requires knowing what God says is sinful. We must publicly & privately identify sin as sin and not excuse it as disease, or a mistake, or an alternative lifestyle, or any such lie. This also requires that we understand that God will discipline us when we rebel against him and pursue sin. Even more, we must understand and proclaim that God will pour his wrath and fury out on all who reject him and his great salvation. When we proclaim salvation in Christ, we must teach both what God saves us from – death and hell, and what he saves us to – a life marked with good works and an eternal relationship with him on earth and in heaven
Let us as a family of believers remember that God called us to himself. He called us to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. He did not call us to replace him as God and Judge. We are free from the burden of playing God. Instead let us be his children, his saints, and not neglect to stand firm on the truth of hell, on the truth concerning sin, and on the truth of salvation
Benediction – Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.