EVEN THE BEST MORALIST CANNOT ESCAPE GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT
1. (:1-4) Apart from Repentance, We stand Condemned by God and By Ourselves with no Escape and no Exemption
Illust: 2 Saamuel 12 when Nathan confronts David
a. We stand condemned by our own standards (:1)
b. We stand condemned by God who judges us based on the facts (:2)
c. God's condemnation leaves no room for escape (:3)
Why do people think they will escape from being judged by God?
d. God's kind providence should not be interpreted as an exemption from condemnation but as an invitation to repentance (:4)
2. (:5-16) We Can Count on God's Final Judgment -- It is Certain and Righteous
a. There will be a final universal evaluation by God of each of us that will punish the unrepentant
Illust: one piccolo player stops playing and conductor notices (:5,16)
b. (:6-11) We will get what we deserve because God's judgment is righteous -- based on what we have done with what God has shown us
Illust: we laugh at ridiculous answers to religious survey given to high school students; with laughter is accountability
c. (:12-15) God's final judgment requires obedience to moral standards that are obvious (not just agreement with those standards)
Key = what have we done with what we know?
