Eternal Judgement

Well, brethren, if you turn with me to Ephesians 1, verse 5, we have a scripture there that says, Ephesians 1, verse 5 says, when you read it in context, which basically starts from verse 3, he says, blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then he says, because he chose us, it says in verse 4 and verse 5, he says, having predestined us to be his sons, in other words, to sonship, as sons of, as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, to the Father. God has predestined us to sonship through Jesus Christ. This is an amazing promise that the world does not understand. It really is so big, because God wants you and I to be his children. And he's doing it, and he's dedicated that responsibility to Jesus Christ to execute this plan, to fulfill this plan, which involves many steps. And as we covered in a Bible study recently in Matthew chapter 11, Matthew chapter 11, verse 26 and 27, let's just look at it quickly. Matthew chapter 11, verse 26 and 27. The reason why I like in the scripture, because it's one that normally we don't turn to on this topic, but it's quite revealing, yeah? It says, even so, Father, for he seemed good in your sight. It was God's wish, it's God's will. And then he says that, all things have been delivered to me by my Father. And yeah, within this context, you are about saying that Christ is going to give us rest. And he says, this is God's will, that everything was delegated to me by my Father.

All things that had been handed over to me, have been entrusted and delivered to me, as it says the Amplified Version, by my Father. So God has a plan to have children. And the execution of that plan has completely been entrusted to Jesus Christ to do it. And part of that plan is that you and I ultimately reach perfection. That you and I ultimately become like the Father, perfect. Now, that is too difficult for you and I to comprehend, because I mean, we are long way from perfection. But in Hebrews chapter 6, Hebrews chapter 6, talks about that very briefly. Hebrews chapter 6. And he says, therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let's not be talking about just the basic things.

Let us go on to perfection. Let us strive to the goal. And the goal is to be sons and daughters of Christ. And we can't go and relay the foundation of the basic steps that are required on this way to eternal life. The foundational steps are there. They can't be challenged. They are resurrection from... repentance from dead works, faith towards God, the first pair or the two go hand in hand, which in a sense are parallel to God's early days of Passover and 11 bread, which basically means we've got to repent and do our part. And then we get on to the second step, which is the doctrine of baptism and laying on our hands, which parallels the second step in God's plan of salvation, which is Pentecost, which represents baptism and receiving of God's early Spirit through the laying on of hands. And then it gets on to the third pair. Yah in chapter 6 verse 2 says, of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. Yah is the pair of two foundational steps on the way to perfection, on the way to eternal life, which is the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment, which again parallel the third festival set of steps, which represents trumpets, atonement, the feast and the lost great day, because that's the resurrection and eternal judgment. And judgment those go hand in hand. And today, brethren, I want to talk to you a little bit more about this foundational step, which is eternal judgment. I have discussed the others in previous sermons, but I want to talk very specifically about this one, about eternal judgment. Now, the world with its traditional Christianity talks about, well, God is merciful, which is correct. Of course God is merciful. But they take it to a step which says, therefore, He will never reject anyone. Now, God does expect, even though He is merciful, He expects a response and repentance and steps and us to have certain steps on the way to eternal life. That's why it talks about, yeah, let's go on to perfection. We've got to do, we've got to have some basic steps on that way to perfection.

And ultimately, the last one of these is eternal judgment.

And judgment is a major theme in the Bible and in the New Testament, of course. And think about it, judgment is nothing else in its basic principle than making a decision. Making a judgment, making a decision. And you and I have to make this patience with our lives. And that's why it says, if you judge yourselves, you're not going to be judged. Why? Because you and I are making decisions in our lives not to do X, Y, Z. And therefore, why would God then make the decision of whatever? Because you are making that judgment yourself. So, judgment is a big, a big part of the Bible, because it's a point of making decisions. In fact, of making the right decisions. And it goes all the way back to the two trees. Think about it. You've got to choose within the tree of life or the tree of life of death. It's right back to that. And the end of the Bible it says, and he that is, he will have the three access to the tree of life. It ends exactly with that end result.

Now, who's doing the charging? Ultimately, of course, it's God. Turn with me to Romans chapter 2 verse 16. Romans chapter 2 verse 16.

Romans chapter 2 verse 16.

He says, it says, in the day when God will judge the secrets of man by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. He said, God will make the judgment. Of course. But you know what? He's delegated it to Jesus Christ. That's what he says. Yes. God will make the judgment. But he entrusted it all to Jesus Christ. And Christ is the one that is actually going to be the judge. It's entrusted to him. Look at John chapter 5. Look at John chapter 5 verse 26. John chapter 5 verse 26.

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. So the Father has eternal life in himself. That's it. He's got life. Nobody can take it from him. And so has the Son. And verse 27. And has given him authority. The Father has given Jesus Christ authority to execute judgment also.

The Father has delegated all judgment to Jesus Christ. The judge. Think about it like the Supreme Court judge. That the Father has appointed is Jesus Christ. Of course, the Father is making the judgment. Because Jesus Christ will do according to the Father's will.

But he's delegated it to the Son. Verse 28. Do not unravel at this, for the hour is coming into which all, all, every single person, all, does not mean just a few. Does not mean just the good and not the bad. It means all who are in the graves. That means good and bad. All will hear his voice, will hear Christ's voice. And come forth. In other words, they will resurrect. Everybody will resurrect. So there will be a resurrection of the dead. All good and bad. All. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life. In other words, the resurrection that is direct. It's like express ticket to eternal life. Direct. And those who have done evil, in other words, they have not repented, they have not come to Christ yet, they have not been overcoming, they have not gone through that process yet, to the resurrection of judgment. Now, I know some of the Bible translations say resurrection of condemnation, but that is an incorrect translation because the Greek is kenos, which means judgment. The resurrection of judgment. There will be a resurrection of judgment. The first resurrection is a resurrection of life. Eternal life, direct. You've already been judged. Tink, go. In the other one, you haven't been judged yet. You've got to go through a judgment. A judgment process. So, yeah, we have either eternal life, which means we judge now, and therefore, at the resurrection, your judgment has happened already, because direct to life, or a resurrection of eternal judgment, which means you'll be judged later.

And the final outcome of this judgment is eternal. The final end result of this judgment is eternal. That's why it's eternal judgment. It's either eternal life or eternal death. The final outcome of this eternal judgment is either life or death. Just look at the same chapter, just a little earlier, in verse 21. John chapter 5, verse 21 and 22 says, For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so, the Son gives life to whom He will. Yes, the Father has that power, and the Father did resurrect Jesus Christ, but the Father is now delegated to Christ to resurrect all the others. For the Father judges no one. Yes, God judges, but technically speaking, He does not judge because He's delegated that judgment to the Son. But has committed all judgment to the Son. He's delegated it all to the Son. So that all should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Look at how Paul put it here in Acts 17 as well, please. Acts 17, Acts 17, verse 30 and 31. Acts 17, verse 30 and 31. Truly, these times of ignorance got overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. When we get to the point that that vial is removed, when we get to the point that that vial is removed, then we start getting it. When you and I get it, you and I are accountable to answer for it. God overlooks the times of ignorance when you didn't get it, but now that you get it, that's it. Therefore, now because you get it, better repent. Because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. There will be a day in which God will judge the world in righteousness, but not God personally. He will buy the man, He will do it by the man, who is ordained, who is appointed. And He appointed, He gave the responsibility of being, let's call it, a Supreme Court judge to beat Christ.

So, it's Christ that is going to do the judging. Now, indeed, some people then say, oh, well, then why did Christ say this? Yeah, in John chapter 8. So, let's look at it. John chapter 8. John chapter 8 verse 15.

Christ is talking to the Pharisees and He says to them, you judge according to the flesh. You Pharisees are judging according to what you can see, according to physical things.

He says, I judge no one.

Obviously, according to the flesh. He doesn't judge anybody according to the physical things. And yet, if I do judge, and we know you will judge, my judgment is true.

For I'm not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. In other words, I judge according to God's will, according to the Father's will.

So, we've seen, I think it's very clear, that God will judge, but He will actually judge it through or by Jesus Christ. The one that is actually doing the judging is Jesus Christ. That has been clearly evident through the scriptures we've read.

And this was also known through the scriptures in the Old Testament. So, let's just look at one specific scripture, which is Psalm 98. Psalm 98.

Psalm 98. Let's just read in the context in chapter 1. It says, O sing to the Lord Yahweh, Y-H-W-H, and you song. For He has done marvelous things. His right hand and His only arm have gained Him victory. How is He talking about? As you can see, we're going to read it. You can see He's actually talking about Jesus Christ. You see, there are two Yahwehs. There are two beings in the Bible referred to as Yahweh. And look at it a bit further. Look at in verse 5. Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of the song, with trumpets in the sound of the horn, shout joyfully before the Lord the King. Who is the King of Kings that's coming down? Who is the King that is going to come down as King of Kings?

That's Jesus Christ. Everything has been delegated to Christ to execute by the Father, according to the Father's role, as we saw in Matthew 11. And look a bit further in verse 9. For He is coming. Who is He that is coming? It's Yahweh. And He says He is coming to judge the earth. Who is coming to judge earth? Who has been given the responsibility to do all judgment? Christ! With righteousness, He shall judge the world.

And the peoples with equity. And Yah lies a beautiful thing about judgment. You know, quite often we think judgment, now is the day of judgment. And it's kind of seen as quote-unquote a negative thing. A perception.

But you know, when there's justice in the land, when what is right is rewarded, and what was wrong is punishment, is punished, isn't that a time to be joyous?

Because today there's no righteousness in the land. That's why there is no time to be joyous. But when there is righteous judgment, and the good are rewarded according to the goodness, isn't that a time of rejoicing and happiness? And when Christ comes to earth, it comes to judge the world. And that's why we'll have that wonderful world tomorrow. Because righteousness dwells.

So judging is a beautiful thing when it's done the right way. And note that Christ, just like Christ had judgment delegated to him by the Father, he will not do all the judgment himself. He in turn will also delegate. Just like the Supreme Court, there are other courts. And when the situation comes comes to the Supreme Court, but it's delegated to other lower courts. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 6.

Do you not know that the saints will charge the world? The world?

Or is that a contradiction? No. It just means that Jesus Christ has then in turn delegated some of his judgment responsibilities down to others. Like, you know, the time of Moses, you know, his Father in-law told him, you know, you've got all these things you've been, you know, delegate and start let that person do a work, let a person, some rulers of 10, others rulers of 50, others ruler of 100, and so on. And so Christ is going to delegate. And you and I will have, will share that responsibility with Christ as righteous judges.

And let's continue reading then in verse 2. And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? So we've got to learn now today to make right decisions, to discern right from wrong. We need to do that. We'll even judge angels, as we see in the next verse. So we have to make right decisions today. We have to learn how to judge today. So we'll judge, obviously it's the Father, but it's delegated to Christ, and Christ in turn will delegate portions of it to different saints. Accordingly, as you will determine. And what will be the standard that people will be judged by? And what will be used to judge them? Well, let's look at Ecclesiastes chapter 12. Ecclesiastes chapter 12.

Right at the end of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon says, Remember now you're creating the days of your youth before the difficult days come, and years drawn here when you say, I have no pleasure in them. I was just talking to my wife as we were driving, and we were just rehearsing of discussing certain things that happened or did not happen during our youth, and now God somehow inspired us to make right decisions. And now we look back, and we can only thank God that we made those right decisions, that we were not quote-unquote pulled by peers that had wrong influences, and did some wrong things.

We could have done them. It's not that we were any better than others. It's just somehow something God threw in us, and it just helped us things like, yeah, remember now you're creating the days of your youth, and we have to remember this, particularly as young people.

How many young people have made mistakes in their youth? Now, I understand some mistakes. You know, they can be corrected, but there are some mistakes young people make. They've got to pay for the rest of their lives. And so we need to remember that. But continuing there in verses 13 and 14, at the conclusion of the matter, it says Solomon says, fear God and keep His commandments. For this is all, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

So you and I are going to be judged by our works, by the things that we've done or not done, including secret things, secret words that other people don't know that maybe nobody knew. It's kind of, you know, the this crime scene we haven't found out yet who's the who's the person that did this thing, you know.

So God will bring all those things to light. God will bring it all. But the point is, fear God, keep His commandments, for this is all. If you and I are doing the right things and we have good works, okay, we do have some bad works, but we've repented. We're now working on a good work. Judgment should be a time of rejoicing. Judgment should be a time of great excitement.

Should be a time of enthusiastic. Finally, there's going to be right judgment. Hooray! Hallelujah! And judgment, the final day, the final decision, the final declaration of a niyad, the judge says, this is what's going to do, is when God is going to inform you and I of His decision. And I'm sure it's God through Christ again, so it'll be Christ, but it's God's decision and He's world of what and where and how you will spend eternity doing the ideal best suited job for you.

Really your dream job, the job that you can't even dream because it's better than your dreams. So isn't judgment the greatest moment of your life? So sometimes we look at eternal judgment or maybe in the past by half, maybe it's just me, but quite often we tend to look at eternal judgment as, oh, well, there's going to be judgment.

But He says mercy overcomes judgment. Why? Because there's going to be that joyful mercy from God. If we are repentant, if we're doing the right things, it'll be a great time. There'll be a great time. A time when there'll be the marriage supper, a time will be the new heaven and new earth, a time of some magnificent reality that you and I cannot even begin to contemplate. And that's why the Bible doesn't tell us much more about that new heaven and earth because we just can't even grasp it.

And that's why John stated, I think it was Christ stated in John, John 14 verse 2. Christ stated in John, turn with me to John 14 verse 2, John 14 verse 2. There was on that night after the foot washing before He was betrayed. In John chapter 14 verse 2 He said, My father's house are many mansions. In the kingdom of God, where you and I will be ruling with Christ as sons and daughters of God, there are many positions of responsibility, many things to do. Because think about it, there's a whole eternity. There's all the universe out there. There's plenty things to do. There are many mansions. And if He were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you. Why? Because He is now interceding for us as our High Priest, helping us make it.

So the whole universe is a big place, a big place. And eternity, I think it's a long time, a long time. And God has ideal job for you and for me. And you will be judged by the works. Now, you know, for instance, in Revelation 20, okay, Revelation 20 specifically talking about the second resurrection in this section, yeah? But the principle applies. And so let's look at the principle, yeah, because it says, Revelation 20, verse 11 and 12, it says, then I saw a great white throne and He must sat on it. And we know who's got the responsibility of judging from whose first face the earth and heaven led away and it was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great. In other words, the people that had died, whether they were important people or not important people, standing before God, it was resurrected, and the books were opened, which is the Bible. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. So, so yeah, we are standing for judgment according to the book, which is God's word, the Bible, the standard, God's commandments. And then there's another book open, which is the Book of Life, which is eternal life. Now, as you get judged, it says, well done. There it is. Your name goes on the Book of Eternal Life, and now you have life eternal in that course of time. And the dead, which judge according to their works. It was the dead, which are now resurrected and living, are judged according to their works by the things which were written in the Bible, in the books.

So, what will judge us all? It's our actions, our works, and we're going to judge according to the standard, which is God's word, the Bible. Now, when is that judgment? Is that going to be like a snap decision at the last moment? Well, turn with me to Revelation chapter 11. Revelation chapter 11. Revelation chapter 11, yeah, starting in verse 15, talks about the seventh angel salted, and it was, so this is the seventh trumpet, and the kingdoms of the world become Christ's. And it says in verse 18, that nations were angry to fight against Christ, but it says what happens is it's the time of the dead, when they should be judged. So, yeah, we have. The resurrection is a judgment, because when the dead are judged, it means that some dead are judged to remain dead for a little longer, for another thousand years, and the other dead are judged to be resurrected straight away. So, that moment of resurrection when Christ comes is a judgment of the dead. Some dead are judged to be resurrected immediately, and some dead are judged to wait another thousand years. So, that alone is a judgment of the dead. Right, and that you should reward your servants, the saints, right? So, there's going to be that reward. Once you Once you're resurrected, there'll be a reward. There's a judgment there that you will receive a reward. Now, this judgment that God does, it's orderly. It's not chaotic. It's orderly. It will take place in an orderly manner. Now, today, God is preparing a people. You know, the mission of the church, preach the gospel and prepare the people. God is preparing a people, which hopefully it's you and I, to be at the first resurrection. And those people He's preparing now are those that He's developing now, that He's judging now, that are going through this probation or testing period now of evaluation and overcoming till the end, so that when Christ comes at the resurrection, we can help Him judge the others as, like, you know, lower court judges and do that process. But we've been qualified as capable to be ruled as kings and priests.

And then the others will not be forgotten. There are millions of other people that have died, that you and I don't know who they are. You maybe just need to look at three or four generations in your own family tree, and you probably don't even know who those people are. What about those people they lived before the time of the flood? Or people they've lived and died during the flood? What about the people that died during the Black Death, that great epidemic or bubonic plague that hit Europe in the 14th century? You don't know who they are, but God hasn't forgotten them, and they'll be judged. What about those people that died in Hiroshima or Nagasaki? Or whatever it is, the First World War, which had terrible deaths? What about that little baby that was just born and then died?

Brethren, all those people will be remembered by God, because it says all the deaths, small and great, will be made alive. So turn with me to Revelation 20, verse 4. Revelation 20, verse 4.

It says, and I saw thrones, and they let sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. So who are those? Those are the saints, resurrected saints. They will be judging under Christ, as we've seen, and their judgment will be delegated to them. And those people, as it says at the end of that verse, they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. So they are judging the people that are living in a millennium. That means our children and great-grandchildren, they said, they just survived into the millennium, and will be judging them. Then, a thousand years later, as it says in verse 5, but the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. A thousand years later, the rest of the dead will then be resurrected, and then that day of judgment will continue. But now, for those other people, then we're deemed to stay in the graves for an additional thousand years. And we know, you know, our Christ talked to the Pharisees and to them and said, listen, it will be more horrible in the day of judgment to Sidon and to Sodom and Gomorrah and to Adres, because, and the Queen of Sheba. You read that in Matthew 11 and Matthew 12, then to you, because they repented. Or if they had had somebody greater than Jonah, like me, they would have repented. And even in Assyria, they had Jonah and they repented. So it would be more tolerable to them on the day of judgment when you, both you and them, are together at that period of judgment. So the resurrection itself is a time of judgment, and the resurrection and what happens beyond that period after the resurrection is a period of judgment. Now, if you look at a court case, usually, you know, the court gets seated, they get seated, and what is it? You've got a prosecutor and you've got a defense attorney, right? Now, who's the prosecutor? Who's the prosecutor? Who institutes a legal proceeding against you and I? It's Satan. It's Satan. Look at Revelation chapter 12, verse 9 and 10. Revelation 12, verse 9 and 10.

And so the great dragon was cast onto Alton, the serpent, who deceives the whole world. And then look at verse 10, and he says, he is the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night. He is the prosecutor all the time, they're accusing you and I day and night before God. Look at what? So and so. Look at, put your name there and put somebody else's name. Look at what's out there. Look at it continuously, accusing you and I before God. He is the prosecutor. But then, we also have a defense attorney. And who's our defense attorney? 1 John chapter 2 verse 1. 1 John chapter 2 verse 1. 1 John chapter 2 verse 1.

My little children, these things are right to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Our advocate, our defense attorney is Jesus Christ. And he intercedes for us. You read that in Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 7. Look at it with me, please. Hebrews chapter 7. Hebrews chapter 7 verse 21. The latter part of verse 21. Hebrews 7 verse 21. He says, we have a priest according to the order of not his neck, which is Christ says, and then continue reading in verse 24 and 25. But he, because he continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. The high priest's job, his job is to intercede for us, is to be our advocate, our defense attorney, and he's protecting us. Therefore, he is also able to save to the outmost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. He lives to intercede for us. As an advocate, he is interceding and saying, no, look, yes, he has been accused of this, but look, he or she has repented, and look at his attitude. He's really trying to change, and look, let's give him another chance, or give her another chance. So, he is our defense attorney. Now, in this court case, there's also witnesses. Now, who are the witnesses? Now, who are the witnesses? 1st Samuel 12 verse 5. Here is a situation when Samuel came, and he said 1st Samuel 12 verse 5. 1st Samuel 12. 2nd Samuel 12 verse 5. And then he said to them, the Lord is witness against you, and is anointed, he is witness this day. So, God and he is anointed, that's Jesus Christ, the Messiah, are our witnesses.

God sees everything. So, God is a witness. Look at Romans chapter 1 verse 9. Romans chapter 1 verse 9.

He says, For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son. God is our witness. God sees everything. But not just him. I mean, angels are also witnesses. They see what you and I are doing. So, they are witnesses. And look at 1st Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 10. 1st Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 10.

1st Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 10. He says, You are my witnesses, and God also. So, Paul is here talking to the Thessalonians saying, You brethren are witnesses too. How can you be witnesses? You are witnesses of the works that we do with one another, your witnesses. Our works are a witness. Our works are a witness. Look at Revelation chapter 2. Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3, that's the seven letters of the churches, seven churches. And Revelation chapter 2. In each one of those letters, it starts at the beginning, not necessarily at the very first verse of that letter, but at each one of those letters, it says, I know your works. Look at 2 verse 2. I know your works. 2 verse 9. I know your works. 2 verse 13. I know your works. 2 verse 19. I know your works. Each one of them, it says, I know your works. And as you look at an example, our type of works, in chapter 3, in chapter 3, we've got, in verse 8, it says, talking to the church in Philadelphia, it says, I know your works. I see that you, I have said before you an open door, and one can shop it, and you have a little strength, and you have kept the word, and have not denied my name. So, yeah, other works which are witnesses, which God knows and sees, and these are good works. On the other side, in the same chapter, verse 15, we've got the church, Yah, to Laodicean, in verse 15, it says, I know your works, that you know that cold no hot. I could wish you a rather cold hot. So God knows our works. If our works are look warm, if we're not zealous and motivated, God can see it too, and that's a witness against us. So our works are witness. So we've got seen who's doing the judging, what are the standards of the judgment, who's the prosecutor, who's the defense attorney, who are the witnesses. So now let's look at the court case. Yes, Satan comes in, and he says, look at what he has done, or what she's done. And Christ says, yes, fine, but look, he's repented, or she's repented, and have been baptized, and has changed his life. And yes, he or she has still problems. The Satan says, yeah, he's baptized, but look, he's still doing this, and he's after baptism. And Christ says, yes, but he's overcome. Oh, but look, he's baptized, and he's doing this. Now let me ask a question. How much ammunition are you giving Satan with your works? Are you giving Satan, am I giving Satan more ammunition for him to attack us and accuse us because of what you and I are doing?

Of course, we need to have a repentant attitude. Like Paul said, nothing good in me, and who can save me this by Christ? And he says, now there remains no condemnation on us because on the other side of the year, if you say you have no sin, you're a liar. Look at 1 John chapter 1, 1 John chapter 1, 1 John chapter 1, verse 9, 1 John chapter 1 verse 9. He says, he was used as 1 John chapter 1 verse 9 says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So we're standing in this accusation. You and I can go to the throne of God, Hebrews 10, in a new and living way, because Christ through his blood went through the veil. So you don't have to wait for Passover. You don't have to wait for Day of Attonement. You can go now, any moment, when something goes wrong, whatever it is, you and I can go on our knees and through Christ's blood, we can go through the veil directly to God's throne. And at that moment, we can repent and confess. That is beautiful. That's why it says it's the new and living way that in the Old Testament, they don't understand. So you have that access. You have access because that court case is now in place for us in the Church, because we are judging now. Us in the Church, we're being judged now. Our judgment is now. So are we admitting? Are we confessing? Are we coming clean? Are we overcoming? Are we giving Christ the ammunition for Him to fight for you and me? Are we giving Him the ammunition for Him to fight for us? In other words, are we confessing? Are we trying to change? Are we making our effort? Are we giving Him the ammunition? Are we judging ourselves? Look at 1 Corinthians 11. This is a scripture under the apostle context here. But in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 31, and I mentioned this before, he says, for if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. If you and I are evaluating ourselves, if you are discerning, and because of that, we are coming to God's throne and asking for forgiveness and confessing and admitting what we're wrong, it's not worth to to bluff, because in front of God, you and I can't bluff. So just come clean and say, yay, I've done it. I messed it up again, but I'm trying. Help me. Give me the strength from your Spirit to help me overcome again. Please, I need your help. So if we're judging ourselves, we're not going to be judged by Him, because we're already being judged and already been confessed and already come clean.

Brethren, we need to watch our works. Look at Matthew 25. Matthew 25. In the sermonette, we looked at Matthew 25 from the point of the 10 versions, but now let's look at Matthew 25 from another point. And that's verse 31 through 40. He says, the Son of Yah, when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels were clean, He will sit on the front of His glory, and all the nations will be gathered, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd divides the sheep. And now He's judging according to their works. And whatever they physical or whether they spiritual, whatever it is, He's now separating them. He's separating them. So brethren, there is going to be a judgment. There's no questions about it. But there is one thing that I want to leave with you as a reminder. Judgment does not have to be negative. It can be positive. A time of exciting, of enthusiasm, because it will be righteous judgment. And justice will prevail. So if you are applying those Beatitudes that Christ talked about, being humble, and being teachable, and repenting, and hungering, and thirsty for righteousness, and all those things, and being merciful, and being harnessed, and sincere, and planned, and really, God sees that.

Judgment is a time of joy. Judgment is a time of joy.

So brethren, the doctrine of eternal judgment is foundational of the principles that God has given us on our way to perfection. It is a basic doctrine of the Church. Through this, the foundation is laid on our way to perfection, to eternal life. So brethren, let us go on to perfection with an encouraged and positive attitude, because we have a loving and merciful Judge.