God Shows No Partiality
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
Sermon text: Romans 2:11-16
1.) CONSIDER that you will be judged according to your works.
- To desire otherwise is to ask Jesus to show you partiality.
- Your works are the evidence in the courtroom of judgment, not the basis of your
justification.
- Some of us would prefer not to think of our final judgment. It can
feel scary. Many of us have come to grips with the reality that we are conceived in
iniquity and brought forth in sin… that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of
God. When we think of judgment, many of us might think, “Well, I have put my faith in
Jesus so I won’t face judgment.” But that is not what God says. God says that Jesus will
judge you according to your works. Do you genuinely believe that will sit before Jesus
and he could say to you, “You have confessed your sins and professed your faith in me.
But there aren’t any good works. You live for yourself. You didn’t love others. You
loved yourself. You didn’t look out for other’s interests. You looked out for your own
interests. You didn’t put others first. You put yourself first. But, I’ll just assume that
you meant well and that your intentions were true. Enter into the joy of your
Master.”???? I think that person would more likely hear the words, “Depart from me
for I never knew you.”
- Live with the end in mind and lean into Christ. He promises that the good works will
flow from Him.
2.) Don’t be too easy on yourself.
- Though you are dependent on the finished work of Christ, your works REALLY
matter!
- Never will you hear Paul minimize the works that faithful Christians put their
hands to. Though they are not the basis of your justification, they are the evidence
of your faith.
- We are to stir one another up to love and good works.
- We have works prepared for us ahead of time so that we may DO them.
3.) Don’t be too hard on yourself.
- “Oh no… not the secret things”… this refers to your heart…
- Many of us are far more aware of our own shortcomings than we are aware of the
faithful daily work of Christ in our lives.
- Many of us are far more aware of those moments or days when we were in charge of
our lives because we weren’t faithfully submitting to God.
- Some of us are still carrying guilt and shame over sins that have been forgiven by
God and covered by the blood of Christ.
Jesus separates our sins as far as the east is from the west. The judgment will be
based on the good works that our lives produced because of our faith in God. For
those who have place their faith in the finished work of Christ, good works are a
guarantee! Perseverance to the end is a guarantee. So that moment with Christ may
not be filled with the guilt and shame that you fearfully anticipate.
Discipleship Questions:
1.) Why is it so important to see God as impartial?
2.) What happens if God is not impartial?
3.) Why do you think that God calls church leaders to remain impartial?
4.) What are some implications of the law of God written on the hearts of every human being?
5.) Are you uncomfortable with the thought of being judged according to your works? Why or why not?
6.) How does it help us NOW to know that we will be judged according to our works?
7.) In what ways are we too easy on ourselves when it comes to good works?
8.) In what ways are we too hard on ourselves when it comes to good works?
9.) Is it possible that judgment won’t be a moment of guilt and shame? Maybe even enjoyable? Worshipful?
