Hell Where Self is King — E.A. Johnston

Self-Rule as the Root of Sin

When I was a kid of a boy, I loved playing the game of checkers. I'd move those plastic red and black pieces around that checkerboard with one goal in mind, and that was to say two words, King me, king me.

And most kids grow up with those two words still on their lips in life, King me, king me. I used to belong to a country club and some of the richest, bold, grown babies ruled there in the men's grill, demanding their way with king me, king me.

Men loaded with money and full of themselves, who had to always have their way. Worself was king, king me. Would you like to know, friend, the shortest definition of sin? And I'd say in the book of Isaiah, we find out what it is, for it states, All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way.

A sin is going our way, when we know it isn't God's way. And that's a picture of this world and this generation, which populates it. Everyone is going their own way. But Proverbs states, There is a way which seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof is death.

It's your way, or the highway. It must always be your way. You run your life, and you will have it your way, your selfish way, your sinful way. No matter the price and no matter the cost, you're gonna get your way, friend, and heaven help the fool who stands in your way.

Isn't that right, friend? You got your money your way, you got your position your way, you earned your reputation your way. The king in your life goes your own way, and that king is self, and nothing and nobody better get in your way.

You're very secure in the way you like to go, and you're going your way. But that way is to hell. Worself is king, king me. But that doesn't apply to me, you say, preacher. I'm the head deacon around here.

Religious Activity Cannot Replace Submission to Christ

That doesn't apply to me, preacher. I support this church, and without my money and my influence, they will fold. I give generosity to God. I can prove it. I know I'm saved. Do you, friend? How can you be saved, and be full of the world, and full of yourself, and go your own way?

My Bible declares the name is 3 -3. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Christ is either ruling as lord of your life, or he isn't. And if he isn't, you are. Are you walking with God, or going your own way?

That's a question, friend. Can God walk beside you, into the places you go? Can God walk beside you, in the nighttime hours? Can God walk beside you, in all your dealings with your fellow men? Do your family members fear your hot temper?

You like to get angry whenever things don't go your way, your way. It has to go your way. Or your whole apple cart is turned over on its side, and out spills those green sour apples as you fume and fuss, because you didn't get your way.

The Gospel Confronts Self and Sin

Have you ever heard the gospel, friend? I'm not talking about what your average pastor spouts off in his pulpit. I'm asking you, have you ever heard the gospel of the Son of God? Because I'm going to preach it right now, and you won't like it one tiny bit.

It will rub against your most precious idols, and it will put a thorn in your most beloved sin. Upgoing your way to hell is easy, because self sits on the throne of your heart, and you've convinced yourself that you were going to heaven, because you have a pretty good opinion of yourself.

Yourself, self, self will lead you to hell. King self, your rebellion and self-ruled life will send you to hell. You better hear me now, friend, if you don't want to be deceived and under a false delusion of security.

When all hell is at the end of the path you're traveling. Because you're a good church member, you think you're all right, but perhaps you've never really come under the sound of the true gospel of the glory of God.

Salvation is in God's hand, not yours. Walking an aisle can't save you. Repeating a prayer can't save you. Making a decision for Jesus won't save you either. There are multitudes in hell at this hour who did what the pastor told them to do, thinking it was salvation.

But many false shepherds preach only a savior from hell. Did you hear that? I said, many false shepherds preach only a savior from hell. The real gospel exalts God Almighty, whose sin is only begotten Son to save his people from their sin.

The Christ of the Bible is a savior from sin, from self, from Satan, from death, and from judgment and hell. The reason you sit deceived in church is that you know nothing about a living Lord who has rights and claims on followers of his along the narrow way.

Christ's Lordship and the Call to Crucified Discipleship

A crucified Christ must have crucified followers. Listen friend, you are not saved unless you are saved from sin and rebellion against God and his Son. The Lordship of Christ is not a reality in your daily living.

You are Lord of your life, and I can prove it because if someone more powerful than you came along and took away all your rights, you'd scream bloody murder until you got your own way. No one rules you but yourself as you live to gratify your flesh and pay homage to God for a couple of times a week at church with your money and your time.

But that is even done so. You will receive recognition from others because self is on display in your life. You're going your way to hell, and you will keep going to hell unless you are saved from sin, saved from self, saved from Satan, saved from death.

Saved from judgment and hell. King self must be dethroned and another enthroned there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is King. He will not step down and crown you King. You cannot live in rebellion against God and his Son.

God does not condone sin. Jesus never preached a sin in religion. You cannot love this world and make Jesus secondary. The Lord Jesus Christ sits on a throne, and he's seated right next to the Father, and he earned that right by a wave of bloody cross.

The Cross and the Justice of God

The reason the cross was crimson red, with Christ's blood all over it because of the blackness of man's sins, my dirty sins, your dirty rotten sins. Every nail pounded into the hands of our blessed Savior were explanation points of sin, where self had to have its way, where sinful man said, King me, King me, King me.

And Christ the King submitted to that cruel and noble cross to dethrone every sin-loving sinner who comes in him and believes on him. I know I am a sinner, and I need a substitute for sin in the person of Jesus Christ.

Christ was made sin on that cross to satisfy the justice of God. God is a God who must punish sin by carrying out the sentencing of the law to the utmost satisfaction. Your good opinion of yourself, friend, won't hold water against the strictness and severity of God's holy law.

Almighty God requires perfection to get to his heaven, and brother, you are far from perfect. I can ask your loved ones for their opinion. If you've not turned from your wicked ways and repented and broken off from your most beloved sins, then you are deceived as you go on your way, your way, your selfish way, your hell-bound, selfish, self-seeking, self-satisfying way, King self, strutting his way on to hell.

Rejecting the Lordship of Christ

There is no one walking around heaven, friend, saying, King me, King me. But there are plenty in hell who got there by rejecting the lordship of Jesus Christ. Now, you don't like that kind of preaching, do you?

I've had deacons come at me with hatred in their eyes. Get in my face and tell me off because of this gospel of the lordship of Jesus Christ, which is gospel that has all rights and claims on a person.

Some good church people absolutely hate the doctrines of repentance and the lordship of Christ. Oh, many in our church today say they love Jesus. They'll hold up their hands when they're singing in the church.

Oh, they love Jesus and they will praise him so long as he doesn't get in the way of their daily living. Many today would rather gather like that crowd in Christ's day that cried, We will not have this man reign over us.

So they did away with him. And that's exactly what you do when you willfully sin and have your own way. You crucify flesh the Lord, fresh the Lord of glory. Should Jesus save a man from hell who still loves sin and had to have his way?

Should he? Just because one time back yonder you made a little public profession and decided for Jesus won't keep you from having the Lord of glory put his foot on your neck when he makes his enemies his footstool.

Repentance and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

You better throw down your shotgun of rebellion at the foot of a sovereign or take your rebellion to hell with you, friend. You either repent and turn from your selfish wicked ways and submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ or you will surely burn in hell as you hang on to that shotgun of rebellion as you go on your own way in life.

We like sheep have gone astray, but we have turned everyone to his own way. In other words, each one to his own way, and that's the way to hell. Going your way, your way, your selfish way, and that's the way of death, the way of king self, the meager little brand of gospel preaching heard mainly today can't save a flea much less a sinner hoarding in his sins and in love with himself.

God will have no rebels in his kingdom going their own way. Do you know that Christ came to save lost sinners? Have you ever taken your place, friend, at his feet as a lost needy sinner? Jesus said, for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

You cannot have Christ and hang on to your sins. You cannot have Christ and still go your own way. The rich young ruler went on his own way, but he had a walk away from Christ to do it. There is only one way, friend.

It's narrow. You must strive to enter in. You cannot casually walk upon a broad road where self is king, and sin has its way, and have any hope of heaven. Hell is a place where self is king. Oh, friend, won't you turn to the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ?

The New Birth and Final Call to Surrender

Are you under the shelter of his blood? Have you ever been born again? Have you ever come under conviction by the Spirit of God and seen yourself as a hell-deserving rebel who is sin sick and needy of a remedy for sin?

Have you ever been saved, or did you just join a church? Are you still going your own way? You must exercise repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to stay out of hell and be saved. Do you want to be saved?

Or do you want to be crowned king? Self must be dethroned, and another enthroned there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Repent before it's too late. Let us pray.