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I) TIMES OF GOD'S JUDGEMENT
A) ADAM AND EVE
READ (GENESIS 3)
Adam and Eve were created perfect human beings with freedom to live fulfilled lives in a beautiful place. Unfortunately, when tempted by Satan they chose to do the one thing forbidden for them, to eat of the "Tree of Knowledge".
The result of that willful sin was great sorrow and hardship in this life and separation from God by both spiritual and physical death.
B) THE GREAT FLOOD
Through the next ten generations following Adam and Eve, mankind continued their path away from God. Cain had killed his brother Abel, then unrepentant, went out from the presence of the Lord where he fathered a civilization devoid of the knowledge of or desire for God.
When the "Sons of God" (God's people) finally began to intermarry with the "Children of Men" (unrepentant mankind after the manner of Cain), God decreed another time of judgement.
That judgement came with a great worldwide flood, destroying all of mankind from the earth except for faithful Noah, his family, and lots of animals.
C) SATAN'S JUDGEMENT
READ (HEBREWS 2.14-15)
READ (REVELATION 20.10)
During Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples, Judas had already plotted to betray Him. Near the end of that Supper, the Bible says that Satan entered Judas, inducing him to carry out his act of betrayal.
The result of Judas' deceit allowed the Jewish leaders to arrest Jesus, and turn Him over to the Romans for judgement. When the punishment of crucifixion was allowed by Pilate, it appeared that Satan had achieved a stunning victory. He had succeeded in having the Son of God killed, seeming to defeat God's Plan.
However, God always emerges victorious. After three days, Jesus was raised from the dead. It had turned out that His death was all part of GOD'S REDEMPTIVE PLAN for mankind; all part of God's master strategy to destroy Satan and his power over mankind. Satan had become the victim of his own evil plot and was himself now subject to God's judgement.
The cross became Satan's downfall sealing his fate. We might say Satan is now "out on bond", allowed by God to deceive the nations for a time but appointed for eternal death and separation from God in a place called "Hell".
D) JUDGEMENT OF NATIONS
READ (ZECHARIAH 14)
READ (ISAIAH 2.1-4)
After the conclusion of the Age of the Gentiles in which we now live, the Bible describes the return of the Lord by this Revelation text. It will be a time when God will punish the nations and those people who have aligned themselves with the world system because of their hardness and many acts of disobedience against God.
This epochal event will be preceded by a time of "Great Tribulation" followed by a time of deception when many people will turn away from God. The Lord's apocalyptic return will come unexpectedly "as a thief in the night", but destruction will occur by fire whereas it came by water at the time of the great flood.
That momentous event will mark the end of the deception of the nations because Satan will be "bound" for a period of 1000 years. This Millennium will be a time quite different from the Age of the Gentiles. There will be peace among peoples and nations; Israel will be restored to a rightful relationship with God under the leadership of their Messiah. It will be a time when the peoples of the earth who trusted God will enjoy the fruit of this earth and the blessing of God. Nevertheless, it will not be a time of perfection, for sin and death will still remain on the earth.
E) "WHITE THRONE" JUDGEMENT
The "Great White Throne" judgement serves as the final time of accountability for all those people who have not been judged up to that time. There will be many who died prior to the Lord's earlier Apocalypse, then forced to stand before God for judgement according to their works. There will also be those who lived during the Millennium who must be held accountable for their works.
Whoever's name is not found written in the "Book of Life" will be cast into Hell where Satan and other principalities will have already been consigned.
Since all people, nations, and principalities will have been judged by this time, there will be no further need for "death" (the abode of the departed body) and "Hades" (the abode of the departed soul). Therefore, these two "principalities" will be summarily thrown into Hell.
POINTS TO CONSIDER:
THE DESCRIPTION AND CHRONOLOGY GIVEN ABOVE IS BASED ON A "DISPENSATIONAL" VIEW OF THESE TEXTS. THIS APPROACH SEES GOD'S PLAN AS UNFOLDING IN STEPS OR ECONOMIES THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.
THE TYPE OF JUDGEMENT THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH ALL FIVE OF THESE EVENTS HAS TO DO WITH CONDEMNATION. IN THIS NEGATIVE SENSE, THE DECISION BEING MADE BY GOD CONCERNS SEPARATION FROM HIM AND/OR CONSIGNMENT TO HELL.
IT MIGHT APPEAR FROM THE SCOPE OF THESE JUDGEMENTS THAT NO PERSON, NATION, OR SPIRITUAL PRINCIPALITY WHO HAS DISOBEYED GOD IS EXEMPT FROM THIS JUDGEMENT OF CONDEMNATION.
THERE IS NO REPRIEVE, APPEAL, OR SECOND CHANCE FROM THIS JUDGEMENT; IT IS FINAL.
READ (JOHN 5.24-30)
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Based on the Matthew text, what would you say is the situation with respect to the majority of people in the world, people who have never "believed" in Jesus Christ or are even aware of God's Plan of salvation? Will they be subjected to this judgement of condemnation? Yes ___ No ___ Why?
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Based on the John text, what would you say is the situation with respect to "believers" in Jesus Christ? Will they be subjected to this judgement of condemnation? Yes ___ No ___ Why?
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A) THE "JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST"
READ (ROMANS 14.10-12)
READ (II CORINTHIANS 5.10-11)
READ (GALATIANS 6.7-10)
READ (I JOHN 2.28)
THE WORD FOR "JUDGEMENT" USED IN THE ROMANS AND CORINTHIANS TEXTS IS NOT THE SAME WORD AS THE ONE USED FOR THE JUDGEMENT OF CONDEMNATION, BUT SPEAKS OF A DECISION THE LORD WILL MAKE WITH RESPECT TO THE FRUITFULNESS AND FAITHFULNESS OF BELIEVERS.
THE "JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST" FOR BELIEVERS CONCERNS A DECISION CHRIST WILL MAKE ABOUT THE BELIEVERS LIFE AFTER THAT PERSON WAS SAVED.
THAT DECISION WILL NOT INVOLVE HEAVEN VERSUS HELL, BUT IT WILL INVOLVE THE QUALITY OF THAT BELIEVER'S LIFE.
THE GALATIANS TEXT INDICATES THAT AN ATTITUDE OF INDIFFERENCE, CARELESSNESS, OR DISREGARD BY A BELIEVER WILL BE EVALUATED BY GOD, FOR HIS PLAN OF SALVATION CAME AT A HIGH PRICE AND HE WILL NOT BE MOCKED.
THE I JOHN TEXT INDICATES THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A BELIEVER TO BE ASHAMED WHEN HE APPEARS BEFORE CHRIST.
ALL OF THESE TEXTS SUGGEST THAT A TIME OF JUDGEMENTAL REVIEW, NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, AWAITS EACH AND EVERY BELIEVER.
B) THE BELIEVER'S LIFE EVALUATED
PAUL IS SPEAKING TO BELIEVERS HERE AND LIKENS EACH OF THEIR LIVES TO A "HOUSE".
THERE IS ONLY ONE ACCEPTABLE "FOUNDATION" ON WHICH THAT "HOUSE" MUST BE BUILT, AND THAT "FOUNDATION" IS JESUS CHRIST.
THEREFORE, EACH PERSON NEEDS TO BE CERTAIN THAT IT IS BEING BUILT ON A TRUST IN THE "ONE" THAT GOD SENT TO BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, FOR ONLY THAT FOUNDATION WILL HAVE ETERNAL VALUE.
HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THAT CERTAINTY, A PERSON STILL MUST BE CONCERNED THAT THEIR LIFE IS BUILT IN A WAY TO WITHSTAND THE "FIRE" OF GOD'S PERFECT SCRUTINY, FOR ANYTHING THAT FALLS SHORT OF HIS STANDARDS WILL SUFFER LOSS.
WE MAY EACH SELECT THE BUILDING MATERIALS, AND EITHER COMBUSTIBLE OR NON-COMBUSTIBLE "PRODUCTS" MAY BE USED, SO THE RESULT OF THE LORD'S FINAL "JUDGEMENT" IS UP TO US.
NOTICE THAT THE REVELATION TEXT REFERS TO THE "NEW JERUSALEM" AS THE "BRIDE, THE LAMB'S WIFE", AND THAT IT CONTAINS NO WOOD, HAY, OR STRAW.
REMEMBER FROM THE EARLIER STUDY ON THE CHURCH THAT THE CHURCH IS DESTINED TO BE THE "BRIDE OF CHRIST".
Remembering that these people to whom Paul was speaking were already saved, can you give some practical examples of "wood, hay, and straw"?
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Again remembering that these people to whom Paul was speaking were already saved, can you give some practical examples of "gold, silver, and precious stones"?
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Would it be possible for a genuine born again believer to be acting in a way that is obviously right and proper, yet have it add up to "wood, hay, and straw"? If so, How?
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Would it be possible for a genuine born again believer to be engaged in work for the Lord, building the Kingdom, yet have it add up to "wood, hay, and straw"? If so, How?
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C) HOW TO AVOID "JUDGEMENT"
READ (GALATIANS 5.16-25)
READ (I JOHN 1.8-9)
THE ROMANS TEXT INDICATES IT IS POSSIBLE TO AVOID THE CONDEMNATION OF GOD COMPLETELY FOR THOSE "IN CHRIST" WHO DO NOT WALK ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT.
THE GALATIANS TEXT DEFINES PRECISELY THE RESULT OF WALKING IN THE SPIRIT, CONTRASTING IT WITH WALKING IN THE FLESH.
NOTICE THAT IF ONE IS LED BY THE SPIRIT, THAT PERSON IS NOT UNDER THE LAW. SINCE GOD'S LAW IS THE STANDARD BY WHICH WE ARE JUDGED, IT FOLLOWS THAT THOSE NOT UNDER THE LAW ARE NOT SUBJECT TO GOD'S JUDGEMENT.
THEREFORE THE RESULT OF WALKING IN THE SPIRIT WOULD BE TO BUILD ONES "HOUSE", I.E. LIFE, IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE "GOLD, SILVER, AND PRECIOUS STONES".
THE I JOHN TEXT INDICATES THAT TRY AS WE MIGHT, ALL STILL DO SIN, BUT AS THOSE THINGS ARE CONFESSED, I.E. AGREED WITH GOD, THERE IS CONTINUAL CLEANSING FROM THE PENALTY AND POWER OF SIN.
Think about what it would mean to "walk in the Spirit". If someone were walking in the Spirit, how would that person be making decisions and reacting to situations?
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If one were fully walking in the Spirit, would there ever be a decision or situation too small or insignificant to turn over to the Lord ? Yes ___ No ___
Look at the items listed in Galatians 5.22-23. Into which one of the following categories would you place them?
Works? _____
Attitudes? _____
Feelings? _____
Do our good works play any role at all in the business of salvation? Yes ___ No ___ Why?
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Where does the faith come from that is required to receive God's grace?
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Do God's works play any role in the way we are to build our "house"? Yes ___ No ___
How would you relate God's works with "walking in the Spirit"?
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If our works play no role in salvation, how would you reconcile verse 10 with verse 9?
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III) PERSONAL CONCLUSIONS
Are you on the path toward the "judgement of condemnation" or the "judgement of reward"?
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If you are on the path toward the "judgement of condemnation" and do not want to continue that course, work through the Basic Bible Studies on REPENTANCE, FAITH, and THE NEW BIRTH.
If you are on the path toward the "judgement of reward", how are you building your "house"?
Out of wood, hay, straw? _____
Out of gold, silver, and precious stones? _____
A little bit of both? _____
If it is mostly out of wood, hay, and straw, are you willing to now decide to begin "walking in the Spirit"? Yes ___ No ___
Questions and/or Comments
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