JUDGMENT APPOINTED, AND HOW TO ESCAPE IT. T is a momentous and solemn fact that all must face-that "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. ix. 27). The former none ever attempts to deny; the fact is too patent. The latter many foolishly deny; but what is the denial but the vain effort of an uneasy conscience to escape the consequences of sin, whilst still indulging in it? But the two stand or fall together. Death is appointed, and judgment is appointed. All are obliged to own the reality of death, and must therefore own the reality of judgment also. Both are found in one verse. If you deny one, you must deny the other. Moreover, not only is judgment appointed, but the Judge is appointed also. "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father," &c. (John v. 22, 23). "And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man" (John v. 27). "And his judgment is just " (John v. 30). Now the judgment is two-fold; that is to say, He shall judge the quick and the dead (2 Tim. iv. 1). The former will be at His coming to establish His kingdom; the latter at its close. Do you ask when the judgment will take place? Let the Word of God reply, "No man knoweth the day nor the hour" (Mark xiii. 32). But this we read, "Behold the Judge standeth before the door" (James v. 9). Again, “He is ready to judge the quick and the dead.” And again, "God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" (Acts xvii. 31). Nothing can be plainer than the Scriptures on this deeply solemn subject, and therefore, sinner, to go on with indifference, is to go on in wilful blindness, forsaking your own mercies, and to deliberately expose yourself to the sure judgment of God. Under judgment you are, as long as you remain unconverted in your sins, and at any moment the door of mercy may be closed, and grace to the guilty cease to flow. Have you a single question left upon your mind as to your solemn condition? read the following: "Now we know," says the apostle, "that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (margin, subject to the judgment of God) (Rom. iii. 19). Hence, my friend, we are face to face with these three momentous facts: The judgment is appointed. And if you pass on without judging yourself, you are appointed for judgment. But how blessed to read that judgment is God's strange work; His strange act (Isa. xxviii. 21). And that He is a "God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness." (Neh. ix. 17). If it were not so, long ago His wrath must have been poured out upon this ungodly world; long ago He must have swept the scene with the besom of judgment, and launched every sinner of Adam's race into endless woe in the lake of fire. But He delighteth not in the death of a sinner. The desire of His heart is that all should be saved (not judged), and come unto the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. ii. 4). He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter iii. 9). Hence it is that He “ now commandeth all men everywhere to repent" (Acts xviii. 30). It is His mercy and grace. But have you repented? To repent is to judge ourselves. Have you judged yourself, dear reader? He commands men to judge themselves now, that He may not judge them in the future. Judge yourself, and you will discover that He is a SaviourGod. Refuse, neglect, and you will surely meet Him in judgment, and who then shall escape ? Ah! sinner, not one. Enter not," said the Psalmist, "into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified" (Psalm cxliii. 2). But judge yourself, and you will find that judgment is behind instead of before you. In His infinite love, God has already given His beloved Son, and judgment has already fallen upon Him upon the cross. Own that you are guilty and deserve judgment. Take your place, self-judged, before Him, and believe on His Son-now seated on the throne of God, whom He hath raised and highly exalted there, as the One in whose death He was infinitely glorified-and your judgment is passed (John iii. 18). For God is just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus (Rom. iii. 26). If you seek to justify yourself, God will judge you, but if you judge yourself, God will justify you. And who shall condemn the one whom God justifies? Who would not sooner pass through this scene with judgment behind him, rather than before? Oh! sinner, think of it, weigh it, look this all-important matter in the face. Meet God you must. Woe, woe, woe to him who meets God in judgment. But have to do with Him now, and surely, as has been said, you will find in Him a Saviour-God. God is light, and in righteousness must deal with sin, but He is also love; and it was love, wondrous love, to this poor condemned world that led Him to give His Son. And He has said that "he that believeth on him is not condemned" (not judged), but "he that believeth not is condemned (or judged) already" (John iii. 18). The believer is not judged, for Christ was judged in his stead. The unbeliever is judged already, for he is part of a world subject to judgment; he is under it. The sentence is already passed, and every one who fails to accept the grace of God, must appear before Him in his sins, when judgment will be executed upon him-eternal woe (Rev. xx. 12-15). But hark again to the precious words of the Saviour! "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (or judgment) but is passed from death unto life" (John v. 24). Do you tremble like Felix, as you hear of judgment? Oh! take warning from him, and procrastinate no longer (Acts xxiv. 24-27). He talked of "a convenient season," but though his opportunities were many, we never read of a convenient season ever having come. Delays are dangerous. Satan is active in lulling souls into carnal security. "Time enough yet" is the will-o'the-wisp with which he infatuates thousands, until he allures them into the judgment of God. Now, now, sinner, is the time to repent and believe the glad tidings of grace. Now, now is the time to hear the Word of the Lord, and live. Now, now is the time to escape the judgment of God. Now, now is the time to pass from death unto life. Listen to the Saviour's voice. "Verily, verily, I say unto you." The Son of God speaks. Will you listen? He speaks with authority, and His word is sure. Hear Him. Believe on Him who sent |