The Final Judgement (Part 4)

Jonathan Edwards

SECTION 7
The application of this doctrine.

Third, to those who work to make legal things that are condemned by God’s people.

By your carnal reasoning, you are deceiving your own heart. Yet you will not deceive your Judge. He will not hear your excuses, but will try your ways by the rule.
When you plead for legalization of these liberties that you take, think of this. How likely will they be allowed by the Judge at the last day? Will they bear to be tried y His eyes, which are too pure to behold evil, and which cannot look at inquity?
Fourth, to those who do not believe and live unrepentant lives. Will the excuses you make be accepted at the Day of Judgement? Which excuses do you use? My temptation is too great! My corrupt nature got the best of me! I simply could not resist! I would have been worse if I had not done it! It was too difficult! I would have been made fun of! Everyone else was doing it! Other godly people have done worse than I!
If any of these are your excuses for the sins that you commit or the duties you neglect, let me ask you, how will they do when they are examined on the Day of Judgment?
Fifth, to those who do not believe and live unrepentant lives. There are many people who live outwardly moral lives, and even avoid secret immorality, yet do not believe the gospel. Yet they are called upon to repent and believe the gospel, to forsake their evil ways and thoughts, and to return to God, that He may have mercy on them. They are called to come to Christ, laboring and heavy-laden with sin, that they may obtain rest from Him. They are assured that if they believe, they shall be saved; and that if they believe not, they shall be damned!
All the most powerful motives are set before them to induce them to comply with these exhortations, including promises and warnings from teh Word of God. Yet they persist in sin; they remain unrepentant and proud. They will not come to Christ that they may have life.
Now these unrepentant people will be brought into judgment for their conduct, the same as very wicked people. They will not be able to stand the judgment any more than the others. For they have resisted the most powerful means of grace. They have continued to sin against the gospel, and have refused to listen to the kind calls and invitations. They reject the most loving Savior, the Judge Himself, and despise His free offers of eternal life. How will they be able to answer for these things at the tribunal of Christ?

4. If there truly is a Day of Judgment, then we all need to make sure we are sincere. God on that day will uncover the secrets of all our hearts. The judgment of that day will be like the fire which burns up whatsoever is not true gold. Wood, hay, stubble, and dross will all be consumed by the scorching fire of that day. The Judge will be like a refiner’s fire and fuller’s soap, which will cleanse away all filthiness. Malachi 3:2 tells us, “Who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.” And Malachi 4:1 says, “For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts.”
There are multitudes of men that outwardly appear to be believers. They have fooled other and perhaps have even fooled themselves. They have sheep’s clothing. But no disguise can hide them from the eyes of the Judge of the world. His eyes are as flames of fire. They search the hearts and try the intents of men. God knows our hearts! He will judge our motives! A good act will not stand in that day. The hypocrite will say, “LORD, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence; and in thy name have we cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works.”
Therefore let everyone of us take heed that we are not deceived. Do not take comfort that you have been already judged by godly Christians, ministers, pastors or others. They will not be your judges at that last day. I implore you to frequently compare your hearts with the Word of God. That is the rule by which you are to be finally tried and judged. Try your own works, by which also you must be tried at last.
Ask yourself if you are leading a holy Christian life. Do you do your best to perform obedience to all God’s commands, and do it from a truly gracious and repentant heart?
Also frequently beg of God, the Judge that He would search you and try you to discover where you have been insincere in your faith. Ask Him to lead you in the way everlasting. Beg of God, that if you are not upon a good foundation, that He would unsettle you and fix you upon the sure one.
The example of the psalmist in this is worthy of imitation. Psalms 26:1, 2: “Judge me, O LORD, examine me, and prove me; try my reins and mine heart.” And Psalms 139:23-24 states, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting.”
Let us pray that He would search us, and discover our hearts now. We need divine help with this, for the heart is deceitful above all things.

5. If God has appoionted a day to judge the world, let us judge and condemn ourselves for our sins. This we have to do, if we would not be judged and condemned for them on that day.
If we wish to escape condemnation, we must see that we are justly condemned. We must be so sensible of our vileness and guilt, that we know that we deserve all the condemnation and punishment of the wicked. We must recognize that we are in the hands of God. It is He who is our Sovereign. He will do with us as is only right. We should therefore often reflect on our own sins, and confess them before God. In this way we condemn and abhor ourselves, are truly humbled, and repent in dust and ashes.

6. If these things were true, how can we judge others? Some are quick to judge others, to judge their hearts both in general and particular ways. We are quick to determine the motives of others’ actions. By doing this we set up ourselves as lords and judges. Romans 14:4 reads, “Who art thou, that thou judgest another man’s servant?” James 4:11 says, “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law.”
When we do this, we are simply judging ourselves. Matthew 7:1-2 states, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

7. This doctrine is great comfort to the godly. The Day of Judgement, which is so terrible to ungodly men, is grounds for joy and satisfaction of believers. Even though you face more affliction and trouble than most wicked men, yet on that day you shall be delivered from all of your afflictions.
If you are unjustly treated and abused by wicked men, what a comfort it is to know that God will judge righteously. The psalmist often comforts himself with this.
Because of this the saints have reason to love the appearing of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 4:8 reads, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all those that love his appearing.”
This is blessed hope to the saints. Titus 2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
This day should be a day of eager desire, for when they hear of Christ’s coming to judgment, they may well say, “Even so come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20).
It will be a glorious day that the saints will ever see. It will be so both to those who shall die, and whose souls shall go to heaven, and to those who shall then be found alive on earth. It will be the wedding day of the Church.
Surely, when thinking about that great day approaching, there are grounds for great comfort to the saints.