The Rich Man And Lazarus Quiz - [Luke 16:18-30]

Condemnation, Christ’s Sacrifice, and the Meaning of Justification

I need to go back and rewrite my email because that's even better. I mean, that's a very clear statement of the situation. But let's just focus on that word condemnation. Thank you. On that word condemnation.

Therefore, as one text has said, condemnation for all men. What does that mean? It's just like I was telling Terrell last night. It means that all men deserve all of them. In fact, the top of page 64 says, Condemnation is a judicial pronouncement upon a guilty person.

It is, you know, to illustrate, it's like the judge swinging the gavel and saying, You're guilty. And not only that, not just guilty, but pronouncing judgments. Saying what he deserves, ultimately. Condemnation.

What condemnation is Paul writing about? What is sufficient penalty for it? What is he talking about? The guilt of violating the law of God, that we all stand guilty before the law, before God, violating His law.

What is sufficient penalty for it? You know, a few stripes. Eternity in hell. This is what Henderson says. Since in the preceding context, Paul has no less than three times mentioned Christ's death for his people, in verses 6, 8, and 10.

And also, look at verses 7 and 9. I mean, this whole passage is what it's all about. It's certain that also here, in verses 18 and 19, the reference is to that supreme sacrifice. However, we should not interpret this concept too narrowly.

Christ's voluntary death represents His entire sacrificial earthly ministry, of which that death was the climax. Now, we've talked about this on many occasions. It wouldn't be enough for Jesus to simply come to earth and die.

And hence, since I'm talking about Mormonism in a sense anyway, what did Jesus's death accomplish? Well, we know what it accomplished, but here's even confusion in Christianity. And it's so great to have this whiteboard.

Let's say that this is the state of Adam before he fell. This is him in the garden. Now, in this state, Adam never sinned. Was he heaven-bound? He wasn't going to die. And he could have gotten to heaven, but what did God tell him?

Did God give him commandments that he needed to obey? Yes. So there was a sense in which he needed to obey, right? And he needed to obey perfectly to get to heaven. And once he disobeyed, of course, he fell.

He fell out of grace and all that. Now, what some say, even some Christians say, is that Jesus's death brings us right back up to there, to neutral. Well, I think that this might be right. In this sense, that just his death, that's all it did.

But what's the line that says, even more are we saved by his life? I mean, we need both. We need his perfect life and his death. In other words, to get technical, his passive obedience, which is ultimately encapsulated in his death, because he doesn't resist it even though he could, and his active obedience, for example, honoring his mother and father, all commandments.

So we need both of those, ultimately, to get to heaven. It's not just enough to get to neutral, whatever that would be. We need the whole thing. So the idea that somehow Jesus's death or his life accomplished nothing for us would be wrong, because we're under obligation, true or false, to obey everything that God has commanded.

So it's not just enough to not sin. We needed to also be perfect in obeying, and there are many commandments, like I just pointed out, with the mother and the father. How about, I shall love the Lord thy God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

That's an affirmative command. In other words, it's not just something that you can passively do, it's something you have to actively do. And so Jesus obeyed passively and actively. He never, obviously, killed anyone or anything of that nature, but he also actively obeyed perfectly.

So there's active and passive obedience, and this wouldn't be enough. And this is what the Mormon Church teaches, that Jesus basically brings us back to neutral, and then it's up to us to save our work, which would consist of things like tithing, going to the temple, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, and that's how to do that.

Jesus did something great for us, but we have to finish it off. And so they would say things like, grace takes up where our works leave off. Grace carries us the rest of the way. So let's just not go through the concept.

But it's just interesting then, in verse 18, to see that one trespass was a condemnation for all men. So one act of righteousness is a justification for all men. That is, the summation, that one act of righteousness is the summation of all that Jesus Christ did in coming, taking on a body, that was obedience to the Father, and then living a perfect life, and dying a sacrificial death.

He did the Father's will. He lived a perfect life. And note that in verse 18, it says, Hendrickson again, where it's told that one trespass resulted in condemnation for all the men, but one act of righteousness resulted in justification, issuing in life.

This shows that justification not merely overturns the verdict of guilty, setting aside the sentence of doom, but also opens the gate to life. It's not just enough, again, that he set aside the guilty verdict.

In fact, you know, it's kind of interesting because, you know, Pastor Michael was saying, you know, justification, a lot of people say it's shorthand, or another way of saying it, is just as if I had never sinned.

But it's more than that. You know, it's like I was watching some crime show the other day, and somebody was found not guilty. What does not guilty mean? It means there wasn't enough proof to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that that person actually did it.

Could they still have done it? Yes. And that's not enough justification. Justification would be, not only are you not guilty, but you are wholly innocent. Not on your own merits, but on the merits of Christ.

The Curse of a False Gospel and the Sufficiency of Christ

Okay. Let's talk about curse. Let's look at Galatians 28. You know me, I have a passion about this verse. And I have a passion about it, not only because of my background, but because I think, you know, when you look at the largest false religion in the world, Galatians 28 is spot on.

And it would seem like.

We're definitely too close. But even if we, an angel from heaven,.

Should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preach to you, that would be a curse. And when I say largest false religion in the world, I'm talking about Islam. And Mohammed's husband was visited.

By an angel, I think it was, Gabriel,.

And told basically that the Bible was corrupted and he needed to correct it. And so this angel then dictated to Mohammed the Quran. And that was the basis of the religion. He would say, okay, here we have an angel, a fallen angel, you know, appearing to him.

I don't know. And he just made the whole thing up. But it's a religion based on a visit from an angel. It's just totally wrong. It should be a curse. F .F. Bruce writes, when he's talking about letting it be a curse, letting it be anathema, he says, this is a more solid formula than the imprecation, that's kind of the negative, what's an imprecatory psalm, you know, curse.

It be my enemies kind of thing.

That's what an imprecation is. Revelation 22, 18, which is, who has Revelation 22, 18 memorizer can sort of say any person who adds to or takes away from this shall receive the condemnation or the judgment of all of it.

If they don't add or take away from this book. So this is a more solid formula than the imprecation of Revelation 22, 18 on amplifying or diminishing the text of the Apocalypse, Revelation, anathema, that's what that says in Greek there.

The B is an N. Theta is a theta. So it's anathema is the regular that's what LXX is. A rendering of the Hebrew word there for banned. In a holy war, the harem involved in practice the destruction of everyone and everything that fell under it.

That's why you hear people say, oh, the God of the Old Testament, he was so mean, look what he said. He said, you have to destroy everybody in that city. You have to destroy everything in it. In theory, whatever was under that harem was under the ban was completely devoted to Yahweh.

That is, they weren't to take anything of it because this wasn't a war of plunder, this wasn't a war to make themselves rich, it was a war dedicated to obeying God. And that's why it was sacrilege for Achan to take for himself some of his clothes of Jericho.

But while that was the original sense of harem and of anathema, it is not the sense here. The sense is may the divine curse rest on him. Where Paul says he could pray for himself anathema or pray himself to be accursed accursed from Christ if his Jewish kinfolk could be saved thereby.

Paul says no matter. I would do anything to see Jews come to faith, including having a curse placed upon myself. And it's that same way, he says, look, I would willingly undergo the curse of God if Israel would be saved.

And that's the same way he's using it here in Galatians 1 -8 that whoever teaches a different gospel should be accursed. He goes on, but why should he express himself so vehemently against those who preach a different message from his own?

Partly because he felt the preaching of salvation by law keeping to be a snare and a delusion which put the souls of men and women in jeopardy. Partly also because of its adverse implications for the authenticity of Christ.

Okay, two parts there. First of all, this idea of working, of obeying, of doing something to add to our salvation.

Appeals to us or doesn't appeal to us?

It appeals to us. I mean, we want rules, you know, you just tell me what to do and I'll get it done. Tell me I can't have toast in the morning, I'm fine with that. If that'll get me there, then that's what I'll do.

And men naturally, and women naturally, want rules to obey. The more rules, the better, and there is no better religion for that than Islam, because there are rules for literally everything. And the other side of this is, Bruce argues, that the adverse implications for the authenticity of Christ, why?

Because this very idea would undermine the finished worth of Christ. Jesus says it is finished. Well, it's not finished, if somehow, you know, thanks to Jesus I'm now at neutral, and now it's up to me.

Well, it wasn't finished. And Paul's saying, you're accursed if you believe that, because you are undermining the sufficiency of Christ. You're saying the cross isn't enough. Jesus didn't finish it. And that's why Paul says accursed.

Josh, go ahead. One, five, three, nine. Would you read five, three, nine? Sorry, I'm sorry. We'll give it to you. What did you say? Everlasting destruction? I mean, the idea you have there is not either of annihilationism, it's not some kind of —eventually we all get there sort of idea— it is the process internally being destroyed.

Dr. Thomas, one of my seminary professors, wrote this. He said, two types of repainted God deserve consideration in light of the Christians present trouble one is the trouble or one is toward the troublers in verses 8 and 9 and the other towards the trouble verse 10 he will punish is literally rendering vengeance that's what's going to happen to those who are the word stem for vengeance is the same as that for right in verse 5 and just in verse 6 it has no overtones of selfish vindictiveness or revenge but proceeds from the justice of God to accomplish appropriate punishment for criminal offenses.

When the wrath of God makes itself felt at the revelation of the Lord Jesus all humanity will face dreaded agonies. In other words this isn't again this caricature of God that he's somehow vengeful that he's going to punish people.

It's what they deserve. It's what they have earned. It is the right thing to do. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked right. He's not delighted by this but it is something that he must do in order to uphold his justice.

Promise goes on to say the most sobering experience of all will culminate God's righteous judgment against his enemies. They will be punished with everlasting destruction. Literally they will pay the penalty.

Everlasting destruction. The price must be paid in return for the suffering inflicted on God's people talking about during this time. And the persecution of God's people. And that price is none other than everlasting destruction of the Greek word of all that gross destruction does not refer to annihilation which cannot be everlasting by definition right the word in the Septuagint sexes and New Testament usages never has this meaning but rather turns on the thought of separation from God and loss of everything worthwhile in life.

Just as endless life belongs to Christians endless destruction belongs to those permanent separation from God come out forcibly in the phrase from the presence of the Lord. Banishment from the Lord's punishment words cannot adequately adequately express the misery of this condition.

On the other hand those in Christ can anticipate the very opposite they will be put forward for us. So I'm going to see the two opposite ends of the spectrum. And they're really ultimately there is nothing in between.

You're either in the presence of Christ forever eternity enjoying him forever or you are in hell undergoing trouble on the stressless. With the coolness to these words referring to hell to the eternal nature of the judges of God against those will not receive.

Christ will not bow to get rid of that. Interesting how it says in the Jews first verse also the Greek. Where else will we see that. Yeah just in Romans 1 right where it says. For I'm not ashamed of the gospel for his power for salvation to everyone who believes in the truth first.

And also the Greek it's like he has a theme going on because there's a second universal guilt of mankind both Jew and Gentile. But talking about trouble and distress. Trouble is a strong word. Leon Morris writes with a meaning like pressure to the point of breaking is thus used a dire calamity of the top of 66.

Imagine that for a moment that's the idea of trouble pressure to a point of breaking squeeze to the very point of breaking. That's trouble. And then distress is not nearly as common a word. It conveys the idea of being cramped for lack of space still doesn't sound very pleasant and thus of extreme affliction.

This combination found again in Romans 835. 2nd Corinthians 6 4 adds up to rather severe trouble. This all tells us is for every human being who does evil. Well how is it that we can sin or do evil in the presence of the Lord and not undergo this.

We know the answer to that is through Christ. The universality of this punishment is further brought out of the first of the Jews and then of the Gentiles. If you have the Jewish expectation that it was the Gentiles only right it would be judged by God because they were saved by the nature of being Jewish they thought while they themselves would escape.

It is noteworthy that Paul sees the Jew as the first recipients of judgment. Why. Why would you say that. Why would he even imply that this is this combination of Jew and Greek here embraces the whole of mankind.

For Greek is used the same sense of Gentile. So there you have it. I mean this is the whole world stands on this tonight on the box hell. So let's just let's talk about judgment day. I want to talk about it basically from the point stand standpoints or viewpoints of Jewish and the judgment that we undergo heaven hell and everything in between.

And that was the judgment day. Talk about the penance. Eat judgments. Hear that word sometimes. What does it mean. Well first of all we have to understand when it occurs. It occurs after the rapture when the church is taken up.

But before tribulation before the Millennium should probably draw a diagram before the Millennium and before the final judgment of God when he pours out his wrath on sinners forever. Now it's interesting because the the idea of judgment is something I don't think we talk about a lot for us we think about in terms of others.

But essentially because there are a number of judgments the first judgment being the judgment of believers. And but then what other kind of judgments are talked about. How about book of revelation. Judgments are the great white throne judgment which is for some believers.

How about old judgments. As revelation unfolds we see the constant. They're called judgments because they are the outpouring of wrath upon humanity upon the fallen world culminating in the second coming and then the Millennium.

All of the dead were not in Christ shall rise and they shall receive their ultimate judgment. But I thought we'd just spend maybe a few minutes this morning talking about judgment for the believers in the seat meaning tribunal.

A magistrate would address assembly from a chair placed on the structure especially a judicial bench. It's interesting because my reading on this it also would talk about an Olympic judge would sit kind of above the games watching them.

And it's that same word that he would kind of sit in this throne lofty you know above everyone. And then they would approach him to receive their medals after the competition was completed. And that's the picture.

No one believers will undergo this judgment. Instead because of their trial of Christ they will receive a different judgment of great white throne. The Bible knowledge commentary. This issue of the believers eternal destiny will not be at stake.

This was settled by his faith in Christ. Each believers life of service will be under review in which some loss some loss will be experienced will be rewarded for what's in yours. Let's go ahead and look at.

Let's look at Romans. Let's look at first Corinthians 3 versus what same principle you know again and again and again the Apostles are faithful in expounding and explaining what the Lord Jesus Christ himself taught.

They don't make things up. They don't create new ideas. They they teach what Jesus himself taught. Let's look at Romans chapter 14. This is 12 14. Each of us will give an account of himself before let us not pass judgment on women.

Rather decide never to put a stone in God's heart. I know and persuaded that the Lord Jesus I mean the key the key words of lambers. Well so that each of us will give an account. Now obviously Paul is not addressing unbelievers there Friday notice a letter to believers.

And in what sense did they do that. Well we already read in first Corinthians. But here's what says. Well back. So it's kind of old English with the top of 67 the question to be tried and decided. Speaking after the matter of men at this tribunal that the beam seats.

And this reference is not that of glory or perdition. It's not heaven or hell that's already been decided. The persons of the examined are accepted. In other words those standing before Jesus are not going to hell.

They're going to heaven. The inquiry is in the domestic court of the palace. So to speak in regard to the king so as issues and value of his accepted servants labor and conduct as his representatives in their moral life.

The Lord of the servants come up and reckoneth with them. They have been justified by faith. They have been united to their glorious head. They shall be saved whatever be the fate of their work. Whatever be the fate of their work.

But what will their Lord say of their work. Will they say good well done goodness faithful servants. What have they done for him in labor and witness. And above all in character. He will tell them what he thinks.

He will be infinitely infinitely kind. But he will not flatter me. Can you imagine standing kneeling laying face flat. However I'm sure we'll probably be standing I guess before the Lord. But do you imagine having him say something like.

Great job Steve you never made any mistakes. Good job. Never pass up any opportunities. Good job. You know he's not going to do that. He's going to tell the truth. And you know what the truth will be.

Exactly what. When we know. And we're not going to say oh wait you know is there an appeal court. Somehow. Surely it does not yet appear. How. But somehow eternity even the eternity of salvation will bear the impress of that award.

The impress of past service estimated by the king. What shall the harvest be. Move goes on. He says. We see here that there will indeed be a place for it in these streets of eternity. The scrutiny of the tribunal the BBC will concern not the society.

No words. Not the world at large which is important. You know we're trying to transform the world. We're trying to take on big issues trying to make this a green planet. Listen to the BBC judgment. No that stuff's gonna matter the organism.

You're not going to be judged by what you did with regard to making the world a better place. Not to be judged with regard to what church you attended in the sense that whatever the church did you're somehow going to get kind of bleach credit for why I never really served but you know I was a member of Bethlehem Bible Church and Omaha Bible Church and Grace Community Church.

And therefore I get credit for what they did. That's not good. But the the individual the man each will stand in a solemn solitude there before his divine what he was as the Lord's member as his servant.

That will be the way he shall be as such in the functions of the endless state that will be the result. In other words where you're going to be how you're going to be rewarded that is going to be determined right there based on.

But it's not the trouble of that prospect with the trouble of the world lane which means what. What's a whirling. And I'm believer as if we do not know him will scrutinize us and did not love him and conversely that he doesn't love us ever.

He's also a friend. But someone who's not going to wine is going to play exacting. Then we're just three standards for this being a secret. Three things. How well have we three or four. Three centers.

Number one. How well have our lives and ministry lined up with the Word of God. How seriously we take in the master's instructions. That will be an important factor in our rewarding. I mean that obedience matters on the day of the beam to see judgment.

The Lord's not going to say well done now good and faithful servant. If we weren't faithful we didn't do what he said. And this whole idea of well and even obviously we're not going to obey perfectly.

But the idea is we're going to be rewarded when we did obey. And you know you say I mean here's the here's the mindset. I've always had kind of a dependency judgment and this is just wrong thinking. I mean I've often thought that you know somehow when I got into heaven I was going to get there and just kind of look around and go like looking around for the security to find out like I like I snuck in like nobody knows I'm there like you know can we get a recount.

It's wrong thinking in this sense. You know I said to you know I don't really care about crowns in heaven. Well I'm thinking I'll tell you why. It's not because I or anybody else should be out for glory.

It's not because we should be thinking you know what I really want is for Jesus when I'm standing there and he's giving you the beam to see judgment. To say oh I can't handle it. Just pick me up and give me a big hug.

No. Because I want to stand before him and I want him to say well done now good faithful servant. Because I don't want to earn hurts for myself. But what I need to understand is the more I am rewarded the more obedient I was to himself sacrifice.

All matter of looking around speaking. I can't believe I'm in here. It's a matter of thinking Lord the worst with the worst torture anyone ever went on my behalf that I might even give you. Our time on earth should be consumed by thinking how can I best please my lord and master.

And it is on that day when we will find out how we have pleased him. And so that is a good thing to labor and strive for us all the time. Why. Because it was good for the Apostle Paul. It's good for us.

Yes. But it's more so because the more we are rewarded on that day it's because the more we follow Christ the more we obeyed him the more we did with he said. That doesn't mean to heaven or not. It does reflect.

Second standard reward will evaluate us on how faithful we have been as stewards of all that he has given us. Lord has given us many gifts. Even as we think about the parable of the stewards which is God has given us many things.

I mean I think of you know people who talk about that can sing. Well that's there. That's a natural ability. Number two. Spiritual gifts. Things that change upon our salvation. Our ability to do different things.

Material resources. Whether we're wealthy. Whatever we have. You know me we're not wealthy but we can grow a magnificent garden. And we give things away will fit for you. I mean these are all things. Everything we have.

We're going to be. Our training and knowledge. The more you know the more you're accountable for. It's not to know anything. Opportunities to survive. See. Even thinking about that last night. Opportunities to serve one another.

Opportunities to serve unbelievers. I thought about when my friend Terrell wrote. And I just thought I really want to write this guy back. I go. I'm gonna teach this tomorrow. I think I better go. You know write that in and film the gospel.

I mean the things that we do. All the things that we've been given. We think about gifted men that the Lord has given. The church will just have some kind of gift and you squander it. So this is the issue.

That's one of the things that we're going to be judged on that data point. And also finally our motives. Let's look at first Corinthians 4 for my wife's favorite verses. I hear it less and less now. Probably because I'm learning to avoid it.

Therefore do not. I don't know if that's exactly what I had in mind. But okay. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time for the Lord comes will bring to light the things out in the darkness.

And then each one will receive this combination. Right. It has to do with the idea of you know what our motivation is. And if our motivation is wrong you know my wife says well that one. And that's the idea.

What. For what reason did we do it. Did we do even if we did what we ought to have done. Did we do it with the right motive. Do it out of love for someone else. Can we do it with a desire to see righteousness prevail to see the name of Christ glorified.

What did we do it so that we could be on display. Possible results due to the loss of reward or shame. And on the flip side rewards and crowns. Let's look at 2nd Corinthians 4 -8 again. I think it sort of helps to think the Apostle Paul was not perfect but he knew a thing or two.

The same thing that he says in 2nd Corinthians 4 -8. Henceforth there is laid up to me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day. And not only to me but to all who have loved his appearance.

There is a crown of righteousness that the Lord will award on this day on the day of the BBC. And not only to Paul but to all who have loved his appearing. To everyone who is saved. I'm talking to somebody on the phone the other day who's fairly desperate and I said listen.

You can either focus on your situation now it is or you can think of God's eternity. I said if today was the worst day of your life and you have to live it for the rest of your life for another 60 years.

And then you thought well okay then I'm going to spend eternity in heaven Christ I said. And I said we know it's not going to be as bad as it was. I looked forward to his appearing. Well that's the other thing I said you know what.

Here's something. Let me just let you guys in on one thing every time before I preach in the morning you know I pray and for one of them I pray this Lord. I'd like to return before I preach this service I want.

There's nothing I would I would want more than the Lord's return at any time we'd have that kind of love that expectation of his return. Where's me right. Sick Rico Roman athlete who was a winner was rewarded by the crowns by the crowds.

He usually had a laurel wreath or a garland. Or the word for crown is step on us the victor's crown for which we get the name Stephen. Whoo. However Paul would not be given a faded crown of leaves. This crown would be side with Obama page the judgments of unbelievers.

You talked a little bit about it was kind of close up with that. And I think it's motivating to think about all of the Lord has promised us to think that there's even a crown of righteousness that awaits those who simply love his appearing let alone doing anything on his behalf.

And I think if you love him can't help but do that when Christ changes your heart and your desires and your wants that can't help but stir up what you do. But Revelation 2014 talking about the very and says right there that father judgment before the way by Toronto's practice.

Pat described it earlier. Death in the 80s were from the length of fire. This is the second death. Anyone's name was not found written whose name is not as Christians who look forward to look forward to think about every person whose name is not written in the land book of life who's not saved.

It's going to spend eternally wrath of God that are motivated to think. I don't know what terrible thing I'm going to do but I have an obligation to kind of think in a way that might appeal to him that might intrigue him but without compromising the gospel.

I'm going to give like half of a gospel message a quarter for gospel message when it gets a full gospel. But I'm going to try to go to right where he is. I'm going to try to say look Carol I know this is how you look at it and what you believe.

But here's what the Bible says. And you know the people who got quite this way but you've got part of the story. And I went straight to Matthew 16 because the world's believe that the truth has appeared in the earth for 1 ,700 years.

He said nothing's gonna stop him from building his church and yet your church teaches. I went to their website it says right there this shortly after he said these things the truth vanished from the earth.

For some of you know how can I our job. And then we watch him build his church we watch him say that opportunity how blessed is the man blessings that you've given us all the gifts that you've given us.