Romans 2:2-8
Standing Before God

There is no greater spirit damper anywhere than the topic of God’s
judgement. In an age when most churches want to do nothing more than
sing, praise, and preach "feel-good messages," few will preach are
will listen to a sermon on that topic and fewer still are the
preachers who preach on it.

However, judgment is a fact. It will happen; and that being the case,
mankind needs to know about it.

Read text.

Paul wrote this book to the church at Rome.  Obviously, there were
some problems occurring either in the church or around that church
that were serious.  In dealing with them, Paul spoke on the fact that
everyone would have to stand before God in judgment.

I. There is judgment.

Romans 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of
God….

    A. That statement is simple; only three words, but it is one of
        the most hated truths of the human race, but it is in the
        Bible and if we are going to preach the whole Book, we must
        preach the whole truth.
    B. Consider there are actually several judgments that deal with
        people and it is possible for some people to go through more
        than one.
        1. Judgment of the World’s Population
            a. The tribulation
            b. Seven years in which God judges the people that will
                currently be living on the world.
            c. The Book of Revelation summaries that judgment,
                especially chapters 4-19.
            d. This will be the worst time period of human history,
                in part because that generation of people will
                experience all the wrath that God HAS NOT BEEN
                pouring out on the human race for their sinfulness.
                (1) People in our generation doubt the existence of
                     God in part because when they do something
                     wrong—against the Bible—nothing happens.
                (2) That is because of the MERCY of God.
                (3) However, when God’s mercy runs out, whatever
                     generation is living on the earth at that time,
                     will experience ALL the wrath of God from ALL
                     the sins that have been adding up in ages past.
        2. Judgment of the Nations
            a. This judgment will occur after the Tribulation and as
                the millennial reign of Jesus begins on the earth.
            b. \\#Matt 25:31-46\\
            c. This is a judgment of WHOLE NATIONS and they will be
                judged on how they have treated Israel.
            d. If this judgment were to begin today, America might be
                in a pretty good light, but as America turns from God
                and Israel, our standing dims.
            e. I have never completely understood that judgment.
                (1) The text indicates that the nations that have
                     treated Israel badly, the goats, will NOT enter
                     into the kingdom of God.
                (2) In my mind, the only thing that means is that
                     those nations will be eliminated.
                (3) What I do not understand is does that mean the
                     people will be eliminated too or just their
                     nation?
        3. Judgment of the Unsaved
            a. That is called the Great White Throne Judgment.
            b. \\#Rev 20:11-15\\
            c. That is the most frightening of all judgments.
            d. Every soul who refused to accept Jesus as their Savior
                will be brought to that judgment, found guilty, and
                cast into the Lake of Fire forever.
            e. That judgment is rigged.
                (1) In fact, all of them are.
                (2) God has already decided what the punishments will
                     be and even knows who is going to be found
                     guilty.
        4. Judgment of the Saved
            a. Bema-Seat Judgment
            b. There are several texts that discuss this judgment,
                but I will mention \\#1Cor 3:11-15\\.
            c. This is a judgment for every person who has accepted
                Jesus as their Savior.
            d. We will be rewarded according to our WORKS since we
                have been saved.
            e. Friend, don’t take that lightly.

2Co 5:11  Knowing therefore the terror of the
Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest
unto God….

    C. Get this.  It is possible for a human being to go through
        THREE of these judgments.
        1. Those unsaved who are living at the time of the Rapture of
            Church, could live through the Tribulation, stand at the
            Judgment of the Nations, die and then stand at the Great
            White Throne Judgment.
        2. These are not ALL of the judgments, but they are the
            primary judgments of PEOPLE.
    D. \\#2\\ Notice that these judgments will be conducted based on
        TRUTH, what actually happened.

Romans 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of
God is according to truth against them which
commit such things.

        1. We have gone from the place of having too little
            information to having too much information (or perhaps I
            should say having too much false information.)
        2. I have no idea how good or bad the people in our world
            really are, BUT GOD DOES.
        3. God has kept a ledger of what we REALLY DID.
        4. Some say there are three kinds of truth.
            a. What we think we did.
            b. What others thing we did.
            c. What we really did.
        5. God has the account of what we really did, really thought,
            really said, and really meant to happen.
        6. That is the ledger He will be using at the judgments.

II. God will be the Judge and we will be the defendants.
    A. But there will not be much of a defense if you do not have
        Jesus.
        1. Jesus is not just your Savior.
        2. Jesus is also the only Defense Attorney there is.

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

    B. Paul gave some warnings concerning the things that some are
        doing to condemn themselves.
        1. Some are thinking they will get out of the judgment.

Romans 3:3  And thinkest thou this, O man, that
judgest them which do such things, and doest the
same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

        2. Some despise the mercies of God.  (That means some taket
            what God gave to help them and use it to sin.)

Romans 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his
goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not
knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance?

            a. There are three mercies mentioned in that verse which
                God has shown every person alive.
                (1) Goodness - Kindness, gentleness
                     (a) Friend, God has never treated any person with
                          anything other than kid gloves—SO FAR.
                     (b) I know some people have had some pretty
                          tough lives through no fault of their own,
                          but it is through the fault of those who
                          have gone on before them.
                     (c) All of the starving, sick, naked, war-torn,
                          and oppressed peoples of this world have
                          had cruel and wicked sinners take them down
                          that road.
                     (d) That does not mean that the people there
                          today do not need our love, compassion, and
                          help.
                     (e) But it is time people quit blaming God for
                          the harvest of their sins.
                     (f) Do not take the good things God has given
                          (heath, family, work, pleasure) and use it
                          sin against God.
                (2) Forbearance - Self restraint
                     (a) God has been holding His wrath in check for
                          centuries—to some extent, for millenniums.
                           i. That has been awfully good for us,
                               hasn’t it?
                          ii. It is going to be awfully bad for
                               those alive at the end.
                     (b) Why is God holding Himself back?
                           i. I can only guess.
                          ii. To make faith work.  If God judged and
                               rewarded instantly, there would be
                               no need for faith.  Things would all
                               happen in real time.
                         iii. God wants man to live and obey by
                               faith.
                          iv. How are you doing with that?
                     (c) Then why pour all of His wrath upon one,
                          last generation?
                           i. Because the sin of earth must be
                               judged.
                          ii. Noah’s generation was a last
                               generation, then the FLOOD.
                         iii.  Isaiah’s generation was a last
                               generation, then the ASSYRIANS.
                          iv. Jeremiah’s generation was a last
                               generation, then the BABYLONIANS.
                (3) Longsuffering - God puts up with a lot
            b. If you are alive today, enjoying God’s gift of life
                without serving Him, you are abusing these mercies.
                (1) Paul warned against it.
                (2) \\#5\\ You are "treasuring up the wrath of God."

Romans 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent
heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against
the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God;

                (3) Paul was saying that abusing those mercies is
                     "storing up" or "making deposits" into the bank
                      of God’s wrath.
                (4) Remember, YOU HAVE TO STAND BEFORE GOD
                     IN JUDGMENT.
                      (a) On that day, the vault will be opened and
                           of your sins WITH INTEREST, will be
                           brought out.
                      (b) The payment for sin is very high and you
                           will have not DEFENSE without Jesus!
        3. There are more warnings here, but for the sake of time
            (and fear), I will not mention them.  Instead, let me
            tell you what you need to do.

III. You need a Savior and Defense Attorney
    A. Most people want to work for their salvation.  Earning
        salvation seems built into the nature.
    B. If you want a works’ salvation, let me give you four works
        to do.

Matt 17:5  While he yet spake, behold, a bright
cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out
of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

        1. LISTEN to Jesus.

Mark 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison,
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of
the kingdom of God,
15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe
the gospel.

        2. There are two commands in that last verse.
            (a) REPENT - The best you know how, surrender yourself to
                 God.
            (b) BELIEVE - Believe that Jesus died for you and will
                 save you.

Luke 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do
not the things which I say?

        3. OBEY Jesus.

You will stand before God in judgment.  You will.  Ignoring it, will
not make it any less true.  What you need to do is not to ignore it
but to prepare for it and to prepare today.

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