107: Joshua Budney - Anticipating the Judgement

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   Welcome to the Good Christadelphian Talks podcast. I'm Levi. And I'm Chris. Thank you so much for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one talk a week to help each one of us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post at the start of each week for you to listen with a short intro beforehand to kind of set the stage for the talk you're about to hear. And now let's hear more about this week's talk. This week's class is by Brother Josh Budney, given at the Stoughton, Massachusetts midweek class, one of them last month. And this class was suggested to us then, and we both Chris and I both really enjoyed listening to this class and are excited to share it. Josh did a great job exploring what our mindset should be at the judgment. And, you know, I think, again, kind of that constant struggle between faith versus works that we have in our minds. And I think some of the confusion that we can get, Josh does a really good job kind of unpacking that. The class ends up being just, again, really encouraging and really thought provoking. So excited to share it. As I said, this was a suggestion to us. We've been really enjoying, you know, getting so many suggestions over the summer with so many people kind of listening in different places and things like that due to Zoom.

2. 1:40

   So thank you for that. And please keep them coming to our email or our social channels. For here is Anticipating Judgment by Josh Budney. So tonight, I really want all of us to take this hour to consider the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and specifically think about the time just before the kingdom when we are told very clearly that we are going to be judged. And it is the final step before our acceptance into that kingdom. And this is not going to be by any means a comprehensive study. This is a very big topic. But I really want to consider with you our feelings and our anticipation of the judgment seat right now, because I think that's a very big and a very important topic. And I think that this topic has some very far-reaching implications in the rest of our walk in faith and in our relationship with God. So right off the bat, let's all just consider to ourselves the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 14 10 says, for we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

3. 2:50

   First Corinthians 5 10 says, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Just consider to yourself, how does that make you feel? When you think of that day or that process, what comes to mind? Are you nervous?

4. 3:15

   Do you not really give it much thought? You know, how do you deal with, well, the enormous event that's really that we all have to go through before we can be granted into the kingdom? For myself, I've thought a lot more about this process more recently in my life. You know, I've definitely found myself to be nervous. As each new life challenge comes along, I worry that God gets tired of me or just that there's no way I'd be able to make it through this judgment process. And when I was younger, it honestly didn't bother me.

5. 3:51

   I was taught from a young age that the kingdom was coming, that God loved me, and that provided my life followed a pattern of godliness, I would be there in that day. And it was very simple, and I didn't really worry about whether or not I would make it through. And that childlike understanding, it's a very simple and beautiful understanding of events at Christ's return, and I truly believe that it's the right one. If you find yourself worried, unsure, nervous, doubtful about Christ's return and the subsequent judgment, I really hope that tonight gives you a refreshed perspective and brings you back to that childlike understanding of God's love and Christ's return. We're actually told how we're meant to feel about the judgment seat. God tells us that. There's a right and a wrong answer, essentially.

6. 4:40

   He gives us wonderful assurance when it comes to judgment day. And I really think this is an important principle to understand. The feeling that God wants us as believers to feel is confidence. He actually wants us to feel confident and at ease when considering the coming judgment process. 1 John 2, 28, And now little children abide in him so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. Confidence when he appears, how amazing is that? It's not fear at what the judgment verdict will be, but confidence. So let's unpack that. What is this confidence even in?

7. 5:23

   What in that day could we find ourselves so confident about in ourselves, in our faith and actions? I mean, if you're sitting there thinking, like, yeah, I'm feeling pretty good about this. I'm a good person. My faith is strong. I'll probably be accepted. I think that's a little misguided, honestly. I think that's a little bit of the wrong kind of confidence. I think this confidence is just all about God's love for us and his willingness to forgive us. Everyone, if you can, please open your Bibles to Romans chapter 3. And these are some very, very essential verses that I find very encouraging and I'd love to read together with you. So Romans chapter 3, and we're only going to read a couple. We'll consider verse 23. Right here. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness because in his divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present times that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

8. 6:43

   This confidence that the judgment is not in ourselves, clearly. You know, we are told clearly and we fully understand that we are not actually worthy of the kingdom. We don't meet that standard. That was never the point, though. God knows this and God always knew it. And that's where Christ's sacrifice comes in. We are confident that God, through Jesus' sacrifice, will forgive us of our sins and that he wants to give us the kingdom. That's where the confidence is. So let's consider that verse in 1 John 2, 28 again. I'll read it again.

9. 7:23

   And now, little children, abide in him so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his doing. So there's a little stipulation there. If we abide in him, we may have confidence. Now, you might read that and you might say, well, I definitely have and do say this. I make mistakes all the time. I am a sinner. I'm not sure I can really say that I abide in him.

10. 7:49

    And we absolutely need to be repentant of our sins and strive to do better, to follow Christ's example, to be humble and admit that we've made a mistake. But again, by God's love and mercy via Christ's sacrifice, we're not doomed by our sins. 1 John, this is such an incredible letter. It actually spells out for us what that means. We don't have to guess at what it means to abide in him. He tells us.

11. 8:14

    1 John 4, verse 13 says, By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his spirit, and we have seen and testified that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God.

12. 8:37

    So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. What that's reminding us is that our relationship with God is one based on love, not fear. The judgment process that we are to undergo, it's not based on fear and punishment, but love and mercy. That is how we have confidence on judgment day. That is the approach that we're granted to have by God. And if you're anything like me, and you still find yourself thinking, well, there's just, I just don't know if I could ever actually be considered to be accepted into the kingdom. If you don't, if you're still in your heart, find yourself struggling with that. The letter gives us reassurance, specifically for those who feel that way. If everyone could be in 1 John for this, these are, if you aren't already, please open to 1 John 3, because this is one of the most reassuring verses that I think is in the Bible.

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    So 1 John 3, and I'm going to read from verse 19. Remember, he's talking to us that are doubting that this is ever something that we could be a part of. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him. For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God. When our heart, when we ourselves are condemning ourselves prematurely, when we are the ones telling ourselves that we're never good enough, God is greater than that feeling. He's greater than what's in our hearts. He's greater than our own self-condemnation.

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    He's greater than the sins that we commit. And that is the most reassuring concept that I think I've ever heard. And just remember that verse in Romans that we started with. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We still abide in him when we repent of our sins and try and do better. We abide in him despite our sins that we struggle with. God is greater than our own fears and self-condemnation when we worry.

15. 11:35

    We have to remember that our righteous judge is on our side. Whatever you're struggling with right now or have in the past, it's not too big that God can't forgive it. Always remember that. Now, with all this in mind, it is important to make the distinction that not everyone is going to be in the kingdom.

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    This is a part of our doctrine that I think is one of the harder lines that we have to draw between ourselves and other Bible students and denominations because we know very well that there will people who will be rejected. If we reject God, he will reject us. We are not guaranteed salvation. That's not what we're doing.

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    And I think that's where this is the part where our fear and nervousness comes in. You know, what if I'm not good enough? What if I fall into that unrighteous category? And again, an understandable feeling, but really, I want to try and make the two concepts very clear. The Bible tells us who will not be in the kingdom.

18. 12:46

    It's very clear. 1 Corinthians 6, verse 9, Ephesians 5, verse 5, And the key distinction that I can best make here is that if we show a pattern of sin in our lives, if sin is what we are seeking, if that is the direction that our life goes, we will be condemned. We will not make it through the judgment process.

19. 13:42

    That doesn't... Christ died for our sins. He extended his hand out to us. But what we have to do is we have to take the hand. He is not going to grab us despite everything. We have to reach out as well if we want to ever make it into that kingdom. So, my point that I'm trying to make with all of this is that, yeah, we sin.

20. 14:07

    We are not worthy. That's not the point. Christ came, gave us that covering for our sins, and if we reach out back to him, we can be lifted up out of the condemnation of death that our sin brings. And I guess to help put this in perspective, let's consider those mentioned in Hebrews 11.

21. 14:30

    And while it's not our call to make, of course, I think everyone here would say that the people in Hebrews 11 are some of the best candidates to be raised and see the kingdom. But let's look at some of the skeletons in these closets, shall we? Jacob in Hebrews 11, he lied to his father.

22. 14:46

    He stole his brother's inheritance. He did a lot of other questionable things as a leader. Things, you know, sins. He was a very... He was a flawed person. Moses, great leader. He also murdered a guy. He was a very flawed leader. He was proud at times, and he rejected God at times. Still renowned for his faith.

23. 15:05

    David? He saw a woman, murdered her husband, and then took her as his wife. That's not okay. That's not great. Samson? He killed people left and right. He slept with prostitutes and many other unsavory things. And the point here, those are all rough things that they needed to repent of and by no means are excusable.

24. 15:34

    But the point is, is despite their sins, they still are able to turn around and still are able to be saved by God through his grace and mercy and forgiveness, as long as they showed repentance and remorse and humility.

25. 15:55

    So to summarize what we've discussed so far, we can have a wonderful confidence in the love and the mercy of our God, both now and on Judgment Day. The judgment process is one based on love and mercy, not fear and punishment. It's because of Christ's sacrifice that our sins do not mean we are barred from the kingdom, provided we repent and we ask for forgiveness.

26. 16:19

    All right. So keep everything that we've discussed in mind so far. And I want to turn at this a little bit. So I think one of the reasons that we fear the judgment is because we naturally associate the coming judgment to a human courtroom. And this would naturally create fear because if the judgment seat worked the same way as a human court, we would be condemned in seconds.

27. 16:48

    We've already established that we're guilty and undeserving of being saved. It's a fact. Which means that if we look at it through the lens of an earthly system, we don't see any path through like to making it through the process. And this is just one of the big takeaways here. Being judged by our coming king will be absolutely nothing like going through the justice system in any country on earth.

28. 17:10

    So I want to paint a picture now of what it will be like while simultaneously comparing it to a human courtroom today. So first and foremost, big difference. The judge, in our case, at the judgment seat, he knows us and empathizes with us. You're not going to find that anywhere in a human courtroom.

29. 17:31

    Reading from Hebrews 4, 13, and no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. That's scary proposition a little bit, but also that means there's no misconceptions. It will be the truest, fairest, most real judgment of us. And then, but this goes on.

30. 17:52

    There's more characteristics of this judge. Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens. Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our confession, for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin.

31. 18:09

    And then right here, the confidence principle. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So this right off the bat is a huge difference and one that should put us at ease because our judge not only knows us through and through, meaning it will be a very fair process, but he understands everything we've been through.

32. 18:31

    He's gone through it too. Any situation that we're struggling with and anything that we're fighting against, he's at least fought against it. He's never done it, but he sure understands where we're coming from and like the feeling that we have. And we can never forget that. So that's the perspective of this judge that's working with us through this process.

33. 18:54

    Now, the next big difference between the coming judgment and a human courtroom is that our sins are already forgiven through Christ. Ephesians 1 verse 7, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight.

34. 19:18

    Like what trial in a courtroom today are you going to get where your actions have already been covered for? Our coming judgment is, again, one based on love and mercy, not on fear and punishment. The two, the justice system on earth cannot be compared to the judgment seat. It's two very different scenarios.

35. 19:39

    And this, the third, the third main difference that I'm going to highlight tonight, I mean, you can, you can make different comparisons all day, is just that God and Christ, they want us to be accepted. They want us to make it through. Luke 12, 32, one of my favorite verses in the Bible, fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

36. 20:04

    Guys, this is a super biased judicial process, and we thank God for that. That's a good thing. If we've been baptized and are repentant of our sins, it is God's good pleasure to see us serve him in the kingdom for all eternity. To put it simply, here's just a little piece of what the judgment seat will look like.

37. 20:25

    We are being judged by our king who loves us, who empathizes with us, who died for us, who knows every thought, action, and intention of our hearts, who is working in our lives even now, and who wants us to be accepted into the kingdom. That is nothing like an earthly courtroom. In the judgment seat, there are no prosecutors.

38. 20:47

    There are no, there's no one there fighting for you to lose. Everyone's on our side. The hand is extended. We have to reach out and take it if we want to get there. And Paul was just absolutely spot on in 2 Timothy 4, verse 8. Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day.

39. 21:17

    And not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. This is the system that the judgment process is based off of. This is not, this is, I'm just trying to emphasize how much that this process is not something that we need to fear. If we are abiding in God and seeking him, this process is not something that should keep us up at night.

40. 21:45

    Now, I want to consider a little closer probably the most fear-inducing part of the judgment process. The part where we confess all of our life's actions, words, thoughts, intentions, highs, lows, middles, all of it. The Bible makes it very clear, this is a very, very clear thing, that we will have to give account to God of our lives.

41. 22:11

    It's very clear that nothing will be left hidden on judgment day. 1 Corinthians 4, 5, I'm just going to read a list of verses to really emphasize this. Therefore, do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.

42. 22:32

    Then each one will receive his commendation from God. Ecclesiastes 12, 14, for God will bring every deed into judgment with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Matthew 12, 36, I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak. Romans 14, 12, so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

43. 22:56

    Luke 12, verse 2, nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. I think you get the point. Now, that's a very intimidating fact and on the surface, I'm not particularly eager to lay out every action and impulse.

44. 23:22

    It's not going to be pretty and I think everyone can identify with that. That being said, everything we've discussed this far is still true. Jesus Christ lived and died that our sins might be forgiven. we are to have confidence and to love grace and mercy of God that he is ready and willing to forgive us and grant us a place in the kingdom.

45. 23:47

    However, let's be truthful and honest about this. The moment of discussing our lives with Jesus and laying everything out in the open will be the most emotional, challenging, upsetting, even encouraging and just overall raw moment of our life. There will be tears, many tears. There will be sadness and frustration. we will probably definitely just feel a ton of guilt.

46. 24:18

    I imagine there's also going to be tremendous relief and peace that comes from unloading the burden of sin after so long. My point here is that this part of the judgment is not separated from the love that Christ feels and from the magnitude of his sacrifice for our sins. Now, I think there also may be another piece to this puzzle.

47. 24:45

    You see, I think there may be another purpose to our giving an account of our lives because if you think about it, is this portion of the judgment process absolutely necessary?

48. 25:02

    Do we really need to do this? Do we really need to give account why is it even there? God and Jesus already know everything about us better than we do. There's nothing that we can say that will be a surprise. They are not going to pull open a file bin, pull out a folder and see, hmm, what do we got here?

49. 25:23

    Let's take a look at this for the first time. There's nothing like that. Again, Christ is working with us now and interceding in our life. Psalm 139, O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up. You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

50. 25:47

    This is the kicker. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. We're not saying, we're not laying everything out so he can weigh the evidence. God and Jesus our King clearly know us through and through. The decision is going to be made at that point I think is fair to say.

51. 26:10

    I would argue that this account-giving phase of the judgment process is not simply judicial but more so refining. Every day God works in our life to change us, to refine us, and better us to be more prepared for the kingdom through trials and circumstances. This is what we're doing now as baptized brothers and sisters in Christ.

52. 26:34

    It's our job to be working and training and preparing our minds and selves to be immortal servants in the kingdom. Who here is expecting that process to be finished and complete by the time either Christ returns or you fall asleep waiting for Christ's return? I don't think any of us are going to be completed works by the time that happens.

53. 26:56

    Well, I would argue to you that this process is the process by which our minds are finally purified. In Paul's letter to the Philippians 1 verse 6 he says, And I am sure of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

54. 27:15

    And with this idea in mind this changes everything. No longer is this a phase or a process that we are fearful or apprehensive of but it's something that we long for. David writes at the end of Psalm 139 Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any grievous way in me.

55. 27:41

    Why? Not so he's going to be condemned but that he may be changed. He says and lead me in the way everlasting. What better time for our minds to be transformed than this when every intention action word and thought is just laid bare before our king.

56. 28:04

    This I believe is the moment when our minds will be forever changed and purified and the burden of sin that we struggle with every day will be finally lifted from us.

57. 28:16

    This is something that I find myself now after coming to terms with this concept. It's something we should long for. I want that day to come sooner. I want to give account of my life to Jesus as soon as possible because then the burden of sin that we struggle against every day is actually finally going to be gone.

58. 28:40

    That's what that means. And I want to end by reading from one of my favorite psalms and if everyone could please turn to Psalm 103 if you have a Bible in front of you and we'll read it together because I think that this psalm ties together everything that we've talked about tonight. So everyone please open to Psalm 103 and I'm going to read a good portion of it but let's all read it together now.

59. 29:15

    I'm going to start at verse 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.

60. 29:46

    As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame he remembers that we are dust. As for man his days are like grass he flourishes Like a flower of the field for the wind passes over it and it is gone and its place knows it no more but the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him and his righteousness to children's children to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments the Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all bless the Lord oh you his angels you mighty ones who do his word obeying the voice of his word bless the Lord all his hosts his ministers who do his will bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion bless the Lord oh my soul even so come Lord Jesus may that day come so soon thank you all for listening thank you for listening to the good Christodovian talks podcast please subscribe for new episodes and leave a review on Apple podcasts or whichever service you are listening from to help people find the show when they search for it if you enjoyed this talk share it on social media so other people can find it too for show notes and links to the talk that you just listened to visit our show page at anchor.fm slash gct we want to encourage everyone to share their

61. 31:36

    thoughts from the talk this week on Facebook or Instagram where we are at good Christodelphian talks or on Twitter where we are at gct underscore podcast if you know of a great talk we want to know about it too send a suggestion to good christened philadelphiaantalks at gmail.com or message us on any of our social media platforms thank you for listening god bless and talk to you next week and be you