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turn in your confession to chapter 
32 very closely connected to chapter 31 several of the themes 
are consistent between the two so likely we're going to finish 
a bit early and if there are any questions concerning the 
doctrine of eschatology we can deal with that I do have a book 
to recommend there's a book called the promise of the future by 
Cornelis Venema, it's published by the Banner of Truth. I think 
the first printing was in 2000, and then it was reprinted in 
2009. It's just basically a catalog of the various positions that 
persons hold to in terms of biblical eschatology. He favors amillennialism 
and does argue against some other positions, but it's very peaceful. 
It's a very good treatment. I think, all in all, it gets 
you into the ballpark in terms of the study of eschatology. 
Remember, eschatology simply means the study of last things 
or the doctrine of last things, and that's where the confession 
ends. Not accidentally, but in chapters 31 and 32, we end on 
the doctrine of last things. So I'll read beginning in paragraph 
1 of chapter 32. God hath appointed a day wherein 
he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom all 
power and judgment is given of the Father, in which day not 
only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons 
that have lived upon the earth shall appear before the tribunal 
of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and 
deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the 
body, whether good or evil. The end of God's appointing this 
day is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy, in 
the eternal salvation of the elect, and of His justice in 
the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and 
disobedient. For then shall the righteous 
go into everlasting life and receive that fullness of joy 
and glory with everlasting reward. in the presence of the Lord, 
but the wicked who know not God and obey not the gospel of Jesus 
Christ shall be cast into everlasting torments and punished with everlasting 
destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory 
of his power. As Christ would have us to be 
certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both 
to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of 
the godly in their adversity, so will He have that day unknown 
to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always 
watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come. 
And may ever be prepared to say, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen. Well, just by way of review, 
remember last time we made the distinction between individual 
eschatology and cosmic eschatology. So individual is concerned with 
the particulars involving a person's death, the intermediate state, 
and then the resurrection. And so chapter 31 emphasizes 
that intermediate state. If you or I die today, prior 
to that general judgment of all men, we will enter into the intermediate 
state. The spirit is absent from the 
body and present with the Lord. For the righteous, those who 
are not righteous, are cast away from the presence of the Lord, 
where we await for that final judgment, that final resurrection. 
So individual eschatology involves our death, the intermediate state, 
and then the resurrection to come. And then in terms of cosmic 
eschatology, we see specifically the rule of Christ. And typically, 
the millennial positions, when you hear about eschatology, you 
hear about all mill, and post mill, and pre mill. And typically, 
that's where the debate centers. Well, that refers ultimately 
to the rule and reign of Christ. Christ's rule and reign. relative 
to his coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead. 
So that eschatology is highly charged with that particular 
concern of Christology. In fact, I think that in arguing 
for certain eschatological positions, it is a matter of Christology. 
Psalm 110 verse 1, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand 
till I make your enemies your footstool. Well, that indicates 
that in the current session of our blessed Savior, He is ruling, 
He is reigning, He has absolute authority over all things. It's 
not a premillennial sort of a vision where He must come again to establish 
His kingdom, and then His kingdom will have no end. No, Psalm 110.1, 
the rest of Scripture testifies that at the right hand of the 
Father even now, Jesus Christ rules and reigns over all things. 
So the rule of Christ, the resurrection, the final judgment, and then, 
of course, the eternal state. There is a consummated glory 
awaiting the people of God, and there is everlasting punishment 
and torment awaiting the non-people of God. And then in terms of 
the significance of eschatology, I mentioned, I think, last time, 
that eschatology arrives in the Bible before soteriology. In 
fact, in Genesis chapters 1 and 3, the emphasis is on eschatology, 
last things, and what is embedded there in chapters one to three 
is God's plan and program to bring about this new heavens 
and the new earth through the last Adam, the effort of Christ 
in terms of salvation. So we see that there is a heavy 
emphasis upon eschatology in the scripture, as well there's 
a wealth of data, lots of data in the Bible concerning the coming 
again of Jesus to judge the living and the dead. Also, it produces 
or should promote hope for the believer, especially in a day 
and age where there's a lot of discouraging things to be seen. 
We have the encouragement that Christ is at the right hand of 
the Father, that He will come again in glory to judge the living 
and the dead. And, as well, it should function 
to produce terror for the unbeliever. The Apostle Paul said, knowing 
the terror of the Lord, we persuade man. Well, if we are understanding 
of what the Bible tells us concerning the ultimate destiny of the ungodly, 
hopefully there'll be an impetus on the part of the church and 
the people of God to emphasize the necessity of faith in our 
Lord Jesus Christ. And then as well, I think an 
understanding of eschatology helps us to appreciate the plan 
of God as a whole. It's not just some sort of afterthought, 
it's not just some sort of appendage, but rather it is central throughout 
biblical revelation that God does have a plan. It is comprehensive 
and it does encompass his glory and the blessing of his people, 
and again, the ultimate judgment of those who have rebelled against 
that plan. So lots to consider when it comes 
to eschatology, but in this particular chapter, we notice first the 
concept of the Last Judgment in paragraph one, second, the 
goal of the Day of Judgment in paragraph two, and then it ends 
with the practical relevance of the Day of Judgment in paragraph 
three. So the concept, the goal, and 
the practical relevance of the Day of Judgment. Notice in the 
first place, with reference to the concept, we have this fact 
stated, God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world 
in righteousness by Jesus Christ." This is not open for debate, 
this isn't something that we're just not sure about when we study 
scripture. There are things that we may 
not be sure about when we study scripture, but this one thing 
we know for sure, that God hath appointed a day wherein he will 
judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ. You can turn 
to the Gospel of Matthew where you see several emphases in this 
direction. Matthew chapter 7, at the end 
of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ is in bringing practicality 
to what he has said, and before the two builders he speaks concerning 
two claims in Matthew 7 at verses 21 to 23. He says, Not everyone 
who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven. 
but he who does the will of my Father in heaven." Now, we don't 
have a lot of time to go into this, but the doing of the will 
of my Father in heaven means to believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ. This is not a condemnation, or this is not a statement that 
you need to work harder and more to find your place in heaven. 
No, you need to believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to find 
your place in heaven. So he says, not everyone who 
says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, 
but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say 
to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your 
name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in 
your name? Notice that Christ does not denounce them. He doesn't 
say, no, you're lying. You're fakes. You're frauds. 
This is not a proper claim. You're deceivers. That's not 
the emphasis in this passage. This passage has been turned 
on its head over and over again and been used as a grounds by 
which to scold the people of God in doing more. Now, there's 
a place for scolding the people of God in doing more, but it's 
not from this particular text. Many will say to me in that day, 
Lord, Lord, these aren't Muslims, these aren't Buddhists, these 
aren't atheists, they're addressing the Christian God with that title 
that is appropriate. Lord, Lord. Have we not prophesied 
in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders 
in your name? And then I will declare to them, 
I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice 
lawlessness." So even going through the motions, if we don't have 
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, if our good works are not done 
for the glory of God and for the benefit of others, if it's 
so that we can boast on the day of judgment and what we've done 
and accomplished and the reason for which we should be accepted, 
then we are workers of lawlessness. The point is that there is this 
day coming when there will be a judgment of the living and 
the dead. Turn over to Matthew 12, specifically at verse 36. 
Matthew chapter 12 at verse 36. He says, I say to you that for 
every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it 
in the day of judgment. And then, of course, Matthew 
25, the very end of the Olivet Discourse, the Lord directs His 
hearers and us as readers to consider the day of judgment, 
that great day. Notice in Matthew chapter 25, 
verse 31, when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the 
holy angels with him, when he will sit on the throne of his 
glory, all the nations, or I'm sorry, then he will sit on the 
throne of his glory, all the nations will be gathered before 
him and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd 
divides his sheep from the goats. And he will set the sheep on 
his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the king will 
say to those on his right hand, come, you blessed of my father, 
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of 
the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, 
and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took 
me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited 
me. I was in prison, and you came to me." Then, of course, 
the righteous say, when, Lord? When did we do this? Well, inasmuch 
as you did it to the least of these, my brethren, you did it 
unto me. And then in terms of the goats, depart from me. Notice 
the language in verse 41. You curse it into the everlasting 
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Same sort of 
rationale as giving. They didn't have saving faith 
in the Lord Jesus, therefore they had no fruit, no evidences 
of that lively faith. And so they are consigned or 
condemned to hell, ultimately. So in our confession, we see 
the fact stated. And as well, we see the author 
of the judgment. Notice it says, God hath appointed 
a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness and in 
the agency by Jesus Christ. You can turn to Acts 17 to see 
that dynamic. Acts chapter 17, specifically 
in verses 30 and 31. This is Paul at Mars Hill, or 
what we call the Areopagus, and he's addressing Stoic and Epicurean 
philosophers, and he preaches to them the true and living God. 
And then again, notice that he doesn't just leave it in the 
realm of the theoretical. He doesn't just leave it in the 
realm of the abstract. He brings it to bear upon his 
hearers. Notice in verse 29. Therefore, 
since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that 
the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, something 
shaped by art and man's devising. He's addressing the particular 
said of these persons in Athens. We see that he's left in Athens 
and that his soul is in a paroxysm. We see that he's perplexed. Why? Because the city is given over 
to idols. We would go to Athens and we'd 
marvel at the architecture and at the beauty. The Apostle Paul 
saw it as a city given over to idols and so he reproves them 
or rebukes them at that particular level. in verse 29. And then 
in verse 30, Now notice, by the man whom he has ordained. He 
has given assurance of this to all by raising him from the dead. So last week we considered that 
text in Romans 4.25. Jesus was delivered up because 
of our offenses and was raised for our justification. He's also 
raised to bring judgment to bear upon those who have rejected 
Him and rejected His word. And so we see His agency in terms 
of the judgment to come. And then notice in the paragraph, 
paragraph 1, it goes on to say, "...to whom all power and judgment 
is given of the Father." So turn to John chapter 5. We've seen 
this. Jesus engages in God-befitting 
works. God-befitting works. And one 
of those befitting works is judgment. And specifically in John chapter 
5 at verse, let's see, we'll begin in verse 24. Most assuredly 
I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who 
sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment 
but is passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to 
you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear 
the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." 
I think this is a reference to the preaching of the Gospel. You see in the book of Revelation, 
in chapter 20, this is the second death. There is a first death 
and a second death, a first life and a second life. And I think 
this is what's corresponding to that. So he's got this power 
over the proclamation of the truth by the Spirit. The hour 
is coming and now is when the dead in sin will hear the voice 
of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father 
has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life 
in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment 
also, because He is the Son of Man." So in this particular age, 
the Lord Christ has this authority. In terms of judgment, it is a 
judgment when sinners pass from death into life. There is a judgment 
made, and obviously when sinners pass from death unto death. But 
then He points to the future in terms of His role or agent 
as the judge. Verse 28, do not marvel at this, 
for the hour is coming. So he speaks in terms of the 
future. In verse 25, it's coming and now is. But in terms of verse 
29, I'm sorry, verse 28, for the hour is coming in which all 
who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth, those 
who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done 
evil to the resurrection of condemnation. So Christ is the agent in terms 
of the judgment to come. And we see that as the confession 
goes on, it tells us the targets of this judgment. So it says, 
Kind of interesting language. and a doctrine that I don't think 
gets a lot of attention, but in terms of the reality that 
angels will be judged. There are certainly fallen angels 
and there are elect angels. And we don't typically think 
about them standing for judgment or in the judgment to come, but 
that's what the confession underscores. 1 Corinthians 6.3, when the apostle 
is discouraging the people of God from taking one another to 
court. He says in verse 3, do you not 
know that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain 
to this life. And then as well, 2 Peter chapter 
2. refers to this judgment of reprobate 
angels. 2 Peter chapter 2, specifically 
at verse 4. For God did not spare the angels 
who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into 
chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment. And then Jude 6, 
Jude and 2 Peter are very similar, so not a shock that we see a 
similar statement in Jude 6. Jude 6 specifically, and the 
angels who did not keep their proper domain but left their 
own abode, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness 
for the judgment of the great day. Indicates that angels will 
stand in this judgment. So with reference to the scope 
of the Lord's judgment, it's all creature. So angels are creature, 
they will stand before Christ and give an account, and then 
in terms of man. Notice, not only the apostate 
angel shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon 
the earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ. So every 
single human being that has ever lived and died is going to stand 
before the Lord Jesus Christ. I know we don't live like this, 
we don't think like this, we don't consider this, but Mao 
will stand before Jesus. Pol Pot will stand before Jesus. Stalin and Hitler will stand. Everybody will stand before Jesus 
to give an account of deeds done in the body, whether good or 
ill. And notice, it's not only a comprehensive judgment in terms 
of Christ over creature, but it's a comprehensive judgment 
in terms of everything affecting the creature. Notice, to give 
an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds. Now, for governments 
to judge the thoughts of men is a great violation. It is a 
horrific thing. I mean, there's been stories 
recently of persons praying privately in front of abortion clinics 
and getting arrested. That should never happen. The 
government should never intrude upon a person's thought life. 
We have freedom of conscience. We can even think bad things. And as long as we don't commit 
a crime, the government has no say whatsoever concerning the 
bad things we may even think. But God does judge the thoughts 
of men. And that's the emphasis in Matthew 
12. And I think we need to make a distinction between crime and 
sin. The government should not be 
charged with punishing sin. They should be charged with punishing 
crime. God will deal with sin, He will 
deal with crime, and He does so in a perfect way. But in Matthew 
12, 36, it's already been read, but I say to you, that for every 
idle word men may speak, they will give an account in the day 
of judgment. So there's the idle word, that's 
the next section, but even from verse 35, a good man out of the 
good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil 
man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. So 
from that point of origin, what we think in our heart, what we 
consider, what we determine, what we decree, is ultimately 
going to fall prey to this judgment of God. So thoughts and words 
and obviously deeds. So the comprehensive judgment 
of our blessed Savior. 2 Corinthians 5.10 is another 
one that emphasizes the good or ill that we do. 2 Corinthians 
chapter 5, specifically at verse 10. And it's on that basis, the 
text I alluded to earlier, Knowing, therefore, the terror 
of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are well known to God, 
and I trust are well known in your consciences." So, thoughts 
and words and deeds, Revelation 20. Another passage that looks 
forward to the Day of Judgment, Revelation 20, specifically at 
verses 11 to 18. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat 
on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And 
there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small 
and great, standing before God. And books were opened, and another 
book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were 
judged according to their works by the things which were written 
in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and 
death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And 
they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and 
Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Anyone not found written in the 
book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The second death. In other words, eternal punishment, 
banishment away from the presence of the Lord. What's the first 
death? It's when you stop breathing. It's when you enter into the 
grave. There is this first death, second death. There's a first 
life, second life. The first life is regeneration 
through the power of the Holy Spirit, such that we have eternal 
life. What's that second life? It's entering into that consummated 
glory. The point here is we have a comprehensive 
judgment over all creatures, and we have a comprehensive structure 
in terms of judgment. It's upon thoughts, words, and 
deeds. And then notice the confession 
in chapter 1, or paragraph 1, ends on this note. And to receive 
according to what they have done in the body, excuse me, whether 
good or evil. Another passage is in the book 
of Romans. Romans chapter 2 points us forward to that. Romans chapter 
2, specifically at verse... well, let's pick up at verse 
3. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing 
such things and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment 
of God? Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, 
and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads 
you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness 
and your impenitent art, you are treasuring up for yourself 
wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment 
of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds eternal 
life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek 
for glory, honor, and immortality, but to those who are self-seeking 
and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, indignation, 
and wrath, tribulation, and anguish, on every soul a man who does 
evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek. But glory, honor, 
and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first 
and also to the Greek, for there is no partiality with God." And 
then notice, dropping down to verse 16, "...and the day when 
God will judge the secrets of man by Jesus Christ according 
to my gospel." So again, it's not one spot here or there in 
scripture that we kind of think that there's gonna be something 
in the future. There's an abundance of data that does tell us there 
is this judgment of the living and the dead that will come on 
that day of judgment. Any questions or comments at 
this point on any of paragraph one? Just need to get some water 
here. Done? Clear? Good. All right, then paragraph two 
goes on into the goal of the judgment. So if we read the Bible 
correctly, we ought to appreciate that God does have goals. God 
has a purpose. Excuse me, God has a telos. And 
when we come to the Day of Judgment, we see that sort of an emphasis. Notice with reference to God. 
It says in paragraph two, the end of God's appointing this 
day is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy in 
the eternal salvation of the elect and of his justice in the 
eternal damnation of the reprobate who are wicked and disobedient. 
The confession starts where it ought. Whenever we consider God 
and His purposes, we ought to speak first of God and His purpose. There's a man-word referent, 
and that's going to come in the rest of the paragraph, but it 
begins with God. What's the Bible about? The Bible 
is about God's purpose and God's plan. Secondarily, it's about 
our happiness and our joy and our blessing or our damnation. 
The primary emphasis in the Word of God is on God. It's a theocentric 
document. It's about the Father, Son, and 
the Holy Spirit. The old authors used to speak 
of the scope of Scripture, and the scope of Scripture is our 
Lord Jesus Christ and the means by which he brings glory to God 
in the salvation of his people. And so the end of God's appointing 
this day is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy in 
the eternal salvation of the elect, and of His justice in 
the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and 
disobedient. Now the proof text there, and 
one that I hope suggests itself already to your mind, is in Romans 
chapter 9. Remember Romans chapter 9 is Paul's argument in terms 
of ethnic Israel. What's the place of ethnic Israel 
relative to the grace or the covenant of grace? We see these 
Gentiles coming into the church. We see these Gentiles coming 
to the Savior. We see these Gentiles coming to know Jesus as Lord 
and Savior. What about the Jews? What about 
the people of God? What about the old covenant people 
of God? Well, obviously in chapters 9 to 11, there's a heavy emphasis 
on God's sovereignty. There's a heavy emphasis on predestination. There's a heavy emphasis on election. 
There's a heavy emphasis on God's purpose and plan. In fact, look, 
before we look at chapter 9, look at how this section, 9 to 
11, ends. Specifically at 9.33. O the depth 
of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable 
are his judgments and his ways past finding out. For who has 
known the mind of the Lord, or who has become his counselor, 
or who is first given to him, and it shall be repaid to him. 
For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to 
whom be glory forever. Amen. Now in terms of the revelation 
of scripture, about the 31,000 propositions that we find from 
Genesis to Revelation, there's a lot of data about God. Lots 
of information about God. Lots of things that we know certainly 
about God. There should always be a degree 
of mystery. The creature can't exhaust the 
creator. The finite cannot exhaust the 
infinite. And notice that Paul ends on 
that high note. Verse 33, O the depth of the 
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable 
are his judgments and his ways past finding out! After he has 
just emphasized the place of ethnic Israel, relative to the 
covenant promises of God, Paul admits, Paul acknowledges, Paul 
even says and ascribes this as a means to bring glory to God, 
that his ways are unsearchable. They're past finding out. There's 
no way that the creature can sufficiently and efficiently 
know everything that is in the mind of God. Any religion that 
says, oh, we know everything there is to know about God, That's 
arrogant. That's a bad God, actually. If 
you can explain your God in every jot and tittle, then your God 
is domestic. Your God is domesticated. Your 
God is tame. Your God is not the scriptural 
God, the true and living God. The best theologians, the sharpest 
men that Christ has ever given in terms of gifts to the church 
have that humility. They don't think for a moment 
that they have everything all figured out about God. The apostle 
Paul underscores that. The citations from the prophet 
Isaiah and from the book of Job. Who has known the mind of the 
Lord? Or who has become his counselor? Who is first given to him and 
it shall be repaid to him? I think in a study on the Last 
Judgment, on eschatology as a whole, this is good discipline for the 
soul. This is a good place to remember, or to recall ourselves, 
to that humility under God where we don't have it all figured 
out. When I look at the various eschatological positions, you've 
got apri and post. To me, it's kind of like everybody 
took apart an engine. They each had a car, and they 
took apart an engine, and then they had to put the engine back 
together again. Now, I'm supposing they're not good at this. I'm 
just supposing that they were able to. I think I could take 
apart an engine. I really do. I know enough to do that. I could 
put a lot of it back together. I'd probably take a picture of 
it with my phone. to make sure I saw what went 
where and all that sort of thing. But each of these eschatologies 
end up with a bucket of parts. Each of these positions end up 
with a bucket of parts. We don't know where that goes. 
I think in some sense that's by design. Again, the finite 
can't exhaust the infinite. The creature can't exhaust the 
creator. And as well, it's probably by design, someone will get arrogant 
and proud and start, you know, calling out for days and dates 
when our Lord Jesus has come. No man knows the day or the hour. But that hasn't stopped a bunch 
of morons from trying to predict the year or the century or whenever. We're not supposed to engage 
in that. That is simply not biblical. 
So when it comes to this whole idea, we need to be disciplined 
and humble in terms of what we can explain. It is revealed to 
us, and there's a lot insufficient data, but there's always a problem 
in everybody's eschatology. Now, back to the main text. Notice 
in Romans 9. Romans 9, verse 14. Let's go way back here. Notice 
in verse 14, what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness 
with God? Certainly not. This is a teaching 
method that the apostle employs in this epistle. If you go back 
to Romans chapter 6, we see it. What shall we say then? Shall 
we continue in sin that grace may abound? And if you go back 
to chapter 3, specifically at verse 7, For if the truth of 
God is increased through my lie to his glory, why am I also still 
judged as a sinner? And why not say, Let us do evil 
that good may come, as we are slanderously reported, and as 
some affirm that we say? Their condemnation is just. I 
don't think Paul is dealing in abstractions in Romans. I don't 
think he's dealing with simple theory. He's dealing with absolute 
objections to his gospel and to the emphasis on justification 
by faith alone. He would go to the synagogues. 
Remember, we went through the book of Acts. We see in his missionary 
endeavors, he'd go to the synagogues. There he'd have a big, ready 
audience of people that wanted to hear about religion. He'd 
get Jews, and he'd get God-fearing Gentiles. So he had a good target 
audience. Well, do you think when he preaches, 
say, for instance, in Acts 13 in Pisidian Antioch, that it's 
by grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ alone, people 
in the back of the synagogue don't hit him up? They don't 
say things like, well, Paul, if what you're saying is true, 
then people are going to go out and sin. They're going to live 
like the devil. He's combating genuine arguments 
and objections against what he has preached. So Romans 6, he 
does that. What shall we say then? Shall 
we continue in sin that grace may abound? When we get to chapter 
9, what do you think is going to be called into question by 
Jews and Gentiles and anybody that has a problem with the Godhood 
of God? Well, that's not righteous. That's not just. That's not fair. When God decrees that Jacob goes 
to heaven and Esau goes to hell. That just doesn't seem right 
to us. That seems unrighteous with God. So notice 9.14. What shall we say then? Is there 
unrighteousness with God? Certainly not. For he says to 
Moses, he goes back to the book of Exodus, and he invokes what 
God says concerning the Pharaoh at that time. I will have mercy 
on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on 
whomever I will have compassion. So then it is not of him who 
wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. Scripture 
says to the Pharaoh, for this very purpose I have raised you 
up, that I may show my power in you, and that my name may 
be declared in all the earth. You know how persons typically 
respond to this? Well, if they're Christians, 
they may stumble a little bit, but by the grace of God, they 
fall into line. But non-Christians hate this. 
Christians that have a problem with the sovereignty of God are 
not in good company. Because notice what he says, 
what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with 
God? If ever there was a time. You would be tempted not to enforce. It doesn't depend upon him who 
wills or upon him who runs, but on God who shows mercy. I would 
suggest it would be then. You've probably evangelized. 
You've probably engaged in apologetics. And you probably don't want to 
go down that street where you've got to maintain something that 
you know the person you're talking to can't stand. They hate it. They loathe it. Paul presses. 
Paul pushes. And Paul keeps going. And then 
notice in verse 19, you will say to me that, why does he still 
find fault for who has resisted his will? Again, you see the 
objection in the back of the synagogue. You see it here in 
the book of Romans. God is absolutely sovereign. 
God predestines, God elects, God is sovereign over all things. 
So what's the inevitable response? So why does he find fault in 
me? If He's purposed me, like Esau, to go off to hell, then 
why is there this axe to grind with me? Right? Seems to make 
sense, at least at a surface level. Why does He still find 
fault? For who has resisted His will? 
Notice how Paul deals with that. Well, we need to engage in an 
elaborate defense of God. No. He basically says, shut your 
mouth. You're questioning the God of 
absolute glory and sovereignty and power. He says, but indeed, 
O man, who are you to reply against God? You can't even balance your 
checkbook. You can't even get out of bed 
on time. You can't even do what you're paid for for eight to 
ten hours in the day. And you're going to call into 
question the infinite wisdom of God? You actually think you 
have that vantage point? I love it in the prophet Ezekiel, 
when God, through Ezekiel, condemns the children of Israel. Your 
people say the way of the Lord is not fair. It's their way that's 
not fair. Throwing your children into the 
arms of Molech, causing them to pass through the fire into 
hell, that's not fair, that's not godly. So he does that here. Indeed, O man, who are you to 
reply against God? Will the thing formed say to 
him who formed it, why have you made me like this? Oh, we will 
and we do, but it's wrong. You're not supposed to. The pot's 
not supposed to question the potter. We're supposed to submit. 
Notice, does not the potter have power over the clay? Notice as 
well this next phrase, from the same lump. It's not like there's 
a lump of good and a lump of bad. And so obviously God blesses 
the good and he curses the bad. It's the same lump. Who distinguishes 
from the lump? It's God. It's Jacob I have loved 
and Esau I have hated. If you ever want to stop the 
mouth of an Arminian, brethren, or Jehovah's Witness, bring them 
to Romans 9. This is carpet bombing. This is napalm. We're going to just stop this 
convo at this point right now. Does not the potter have power 
over the clay from the same lump to make one vessel for honor 
and another for dishonor? Of course, we'd all say, yeah. 
The potter's not beholden by the lump of clay to build one 
thing one way and the other thing the other way. The clay does 
not have the wherewithal to say to the potter, I want you to 
make me a clean, decent, wonderful vessel. And the other hunk of 
clay says, yeah, just make me a hell-deserving reprobate. That 
doesn't happen. And Paul is using this language. 
Now notice, what if God, wanting to show His wrath and make His 
power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of 
wrath, look at the next clause, prepared for destruction, and 
that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels 
of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us 
whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. Now, when we read that, we ought 
to be humbled. If we, out of that lump of clay, 
have been intended by the Creator to be a vessel of honor, we ought 
to praise and glorify and adore Him. And we should also appreciate 
that if He's able to do that with clay like us, He's able 
to do that with clay like others. We don't know the same lump. 
We don't know the mind of God in terms of who the elect are 
and who are not. We simply, knowing the terror 
of the Lord, persuade men. We tell them the truth as it 
is in Jesus. We tell them there's hope for 
sinners. It's not a lie. That's a promise. There's great 
hope for sinners. It's a wonderful gospel. There 
is abundant life to be had in our Lord Jesus Christ. If you 
believe in Him, you will have everlasting life. Well, how do 
I know I'm elect? How do I know I've got... You're 
not supposed to get into that. You're supposed to look unto 
the Lord Jesus Christ and believe on Him. But the point in terms 
of our study is that God demonstrates His wrath and His power relative 
to the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. But He also 
demonstrates the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, 
which He had prepared beforehand for glory. And this is, you know, 
in the argument or in this section of polemics, even us whom He 
called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? So 
whatever your issue is concerning Jews in the covenant of grace, 
know this, that God's including Gentiles in mass. And this isn't 
a new development, this is prophesied. As he says also in Hosea, I will 
call them my people who were not my people, and her beloved 
who was not beloved. And it shall come to pass in 
the place where it was said to them, you are not my people. 
There they shall be called sons of the living God. And Isaiah 
also cries out concerning Israel, though the number of the children 
of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved, 
for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, 
because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth. And as Isaiah 
said before, unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, 
we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made like 
Gomorrah. So in terms of the teaching methodology, he uses 
the arguments that he's heard in objections to his preaching 
in synagogues, but he goes right back to the Old Testament to 
say, this isn't a new development. This is always prophesied, just 
like Jesus in John 10, 16. Other sheep I have that are not 
of this fold, I need to go collect them as well. Who's he talking 
about? He's talking about Gentiles. So Gentile inclusion in the covenant 
promises of God should not have shocked anybody in the first 
century. But of course they did shock a whole lot of people in 
the first century. And so that's one of the reasons 
why Paul takes pen to paper in Romans 9-11 to try to assuage 
any of the concerns that the people of God would have. So 
in terms of this goal with reference to God, we see the manifestation 
of his mercy, the manifestation of his justice. And this is a 
great answer to just about any question in the Bible. Why did 
God make Adam and Eve? for his own glory. Why did Adam 
and Eve sin? For his own glory. Why did whatever 
happened, happen for his own glory, right? It is to manifest 
the perfections and the glory of God. Had there been no sin 
under the first Adam, there'd be no redemption under the last 
Adam. And if there had been no fall, 
there would be no recovery or redemption. It was ordered in 
such a way that the father sent the son on this mission of mercy 
to save his people from their sins, to demonstrate his mercy, 
to demonstrate his grace, to demonstrate his love, and to 
demonstrate his justice and his righteousness in terms of the 
unbeliever. So for the purpose of God is 
how that section begins, but then notice about midway through 
we see the, excuse me, the goal with reference to man. For then 
shall the righteous go into everlasting life and receive that fullness 
of joy and glory with everlasting reward in the presence of the 
Lord. So it's a beautiful thing, that's what we have in our future. 
Those are the blessings associated with everlasting life. Remember 
John 10, 10b, I came that they may have life and may have it 
abundantly, right? We have abundant life here and 
now to be sure in terms of our blessing from God, we're justified, 
we've been forgiven of our sins, we've received this righteousness. 
But this is not all there is. You know, there's a momentary 
period of suffering that gives way to an eternal weight of glory. 
And so the confession highlights that. They shall go into everlasting 
life. They shall receive the fullness 
of joy. They shall be in the presence 
of the Lord. We enjoy the Lord's presence 
on the Lord's day in the Lord's house. And that's imperfect. I mean, even then, we got wandering 
thoughts, even then we're wondering about, you know, Wednesday, you 
know, what are we going to have for lunch? Is the soup burning? Whatever it may be, we enjoy 
Christ in the midst of the lampstand, but we're still in some sense 
a bit divided. We've got that, not just, you 
know, creatureliness that distinguishes us from the creature, are the 
Creator, but we've got that sinfulness, we've got that remaining corruption, 
there is that proneness to wander even our thoughts when we're 
hearing the Word of God. And yet in the age to come, we 
have only Christ, we have the fullness of God, the fullness 
of joy and blessing. This is a great encouragement 
for the people of God. And then notice the wicked. They're 
promised or they're told what's going to happen with reference 
to them. But the wicked who know not God and obey not the gospel 
of Jesus Christ shall be cast into everlasting torment and 
punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 
and from the glory of his power. Again, not from the presence 
of the Lord in the sense that God is absent from hell, but 
away from the presence of the Lord in any terms of goodness. 
What makes hell, hell? What makes judgment, judgment? 
What makes punishment, punishment? It's God the Lord. The infinite 
God, who has been offended by the creature, punishes that creature 
in hell. And notice that the confession 
does not shrink back from affirming the doctrine of hell. Told us 
in the previous chapter, in chapter 31, That there's no purgatory, 
there's no limbo, there's no sort of in-between. There's either 
heaven or hell. And in this particular section 
of the confession, the confession affirms the doctrine in the eternal 
damnation of the reprobate. It says, they shall be cast into 
everlasting torment and punished with everlasting destruction. 
And then it attributes this to the justice of God in the eternal 
damnation of the reprobate. This is a doctrine that periodically, 
well, it gets denied by a lot of people in the world, but it 
gets denied by pseudo-Christian cults. It also gets denied by 
people in the church from time to time. We're not supposed to 
deny it. And again, psychologically, it's tough. Emotionally, it's 
difficult. But theologically, biblically, 
philosophically, there's no problem with the doctrine of hell. It 
makes perfect sense. You sin against an infinite God, 
there is an infinite payment or retribution as a result of 
that. Doesn't matter whether you like that or not, doesn't 
matter whether you can resolve that in your head or not, it 
matters what the scripture says, and it matters what the theology 
of God's word yields as a whole. And when we make the comparison, 
it was very helpful last time, Roger had pointed out the same 
language used with reference to everlasting death or everlasting 
destruction is the same language we use in terms of everlasting 
life. It seems odd that you get one but not the other. It seems 
odd that you got eternal blessing. but there's no eternal woe, there's 
no eternal destruction. It's an odd approach to hermeneutics 
that I think is governed more by emotion and governed more 
by psychology than the facts of scripture. Well, any questions 
or comments on the goal of the Day of Judgment? No? All right, yes. Sure. I bet they love that. What's that? Yeah, they were like, okay, let's 
see it though. Yeah, they're not big fans of that. I remember 
Walter Martin in his book, The Kingdom of the Cults, he says, 
the two doctrines Jehovah's Witnesses fight most against are the deity 
of Jesus and the doctrine of hell. And he argued or he thought 
that deep down inside they knew that if Jesus was in fact God, 
they were going to go to hell. And so those would be the two 
things you'd want to reject or want to resist in terms of those 
realities. So yeah, there's a lot out there 
in terms of compromising biblical teaching. There's nothing biblical 
demanding that we compromise. We uphold what Christ has said 
in the scripture. And it's not just the New Testament 
as well. The Old Testament, the Jews saw 
a resurrection to come. They knew this was coming, but 
in the New Testament we see that it's conditional or conditioned 
upon the coming of the Son of Man, who's been entrusted with 
these God-befitting tasks, and he will execute that judgment. 
But there was that knowledge of life beyond the grave in the 
Old Covenant as well, and they knew that there was something 
beyond the ground. One would be that natural revelation 
is sufficient to condemn even if a person hasn't heard the 
special revelation of the gospel. And two, I think in that case 
at the end of John 8, where Abraham was, I am, the point would be 
that those Pharisees did not object to the notion that Abraham 
was still alive. Right. Yeah, that's a good point. With the Sadducees, he assumes 
that they do not believe Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob continued. So, 
yeah, Pharisees were different. They affirmed the supernatural, 
where the Sadducees would not. All right, and then the practical 
relevance of the Day of Judgment in paragraph three, as Christ 
would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be 
a Day of Judgment. So we've got that, we've seen 
that in, you know, several passages in Holy Scripture that there 
is this Day of Judgment. And notice what this should do. 
Notice how this should affect the people. Not just people of 
God, it should affect all men everywhere. But again, We live 
in a materialistic age, we live in a naturalistic age, we live 
in a day and age where persons don't accept the afterlife, or 
the soul, or, you know, the fact that we will stand before God 
and give an account of deeds done in the body, whether good 
or ill. I think that, you know, what 
Paul affirms in Romans 9, I'm sorry, Romans 11, in verse 36, 
describes what many have called linear history. So in verse 36 
of chapter 11, for of him and through him and to him are all 
things to whom be glory forever, forever, amen. So you've got 
this of him, God at the beginning, you've got this through him, 
God in the midst, and you've got this to him, God at the end. So it shouldn't surprise us that 
evolution, for instance, wants to get rid of the for of God. 
You get rid of God at the beginning, you handily get rid of him at 
the end. You get rid of God in Providence. You don't have to 
worry about meeting God in the age to come. So there is a linear 
history that the Bible presents, whereas today it seems to be 
more common to accept a pagan or heathen view of cyclical history. It's just cycles. We just keep 
going through these endless cycles. And, you know, it's the big circle 
of life, you know, propagated by Disney and by all the pagans 
out there that want to worship the earth and think they can 
change genders and all that sort of thing. No, of Him, through 
Him, to Him are all things. So again, don't be surprised 
when evolutionists want to get rid of God in the beginning and 
non-faithful Christian theists want to get rid of God in the 
middle in terms of a good sovereign providence. It's to get rid of 
God at the end. We don't want to face this God 
because this God, if it is of Him and it is through Him, we 
have come up short and He is going to cast us off into judgment. So there is going to be this. 
It should deter all men from sin. It should deter all men 
from sin. Again, it doesn't do that, but 
it should. And for the greater consolation 
of the godly in their adversity. I'm sure it does that. I know 
it does that. I have seen the godly in their 
adversity looking forward to the day when Jesus comes again 
in glory to judge the living and the dead. So whether there's 
this deterrent effect upon all men, well no man sins against 
God and he doesn't receive that deterrent effect the way he should. 
But in terms of the consolation of the godly in their adversity, 
what are we looking forward to? When we have trials, and when 
we have afflictions, and when we have hardships, and when we 
have difficulties, what do we typically look forward to? We 
look forward to the new Jerusalem. We look forward to that place 
where there's no more sorrow, there's no more pain, there's 
no more hunger, there's no more thirst, there's no more death, 
there's no separation between us and loved ones. This is a 
blessed reality for the people of God that is supposed to help 
and assist them in the day of adversity. And then notice, so 
will he have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off 
all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not 
at what hour the Lord will come. I think that's very important. Now, you know, there's the people 
that I think have always been saying, well, these are the last 
days and, you know, Jesus is going to come back at any time. 
You do know that's been said for 2,000 years, right? You know that everybody had that 
view, right? And the 999 people were, you 
know, for sure, Jesus is coming back. This is not a new thing. Date setting didn't just arrive 
with, you know, the wackos in the 20th century. They just carried 
on a long tradition of trying to predict the return of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. We're not supposed to do that. 
You know, we could still have a long, long time on earth. We 
could still have, you know, well, I think we like the escape hatch 
theology. That was, you know, definitely 
how Lindsay got that going, the whole escape hatch, you know. 
There's going to be this rapture. It's going to take me out of 
this wicked world. That's not necessarily the case, brethren. 
We may see a whole lot More wicked and a lot more worse and a whole 
lot bad things. I'm not saying we might, you 
know, Jesus could come today. That'd be great too. It'd be 
great if he came during public worship. I always thought that'd 
be great. When we're singing a great psalm or a hymn, Jesus 
comes and consummates it. That would be awesome. That'd 
be great. Especially a second coming hymn. That would be really 
good. But we don't know. And for the 
people that try to predict that, it's an unfortunate thing. I 
can say with 100% certainty that every single one of those guys 
was a fake. It's easy to quantify that because we're still here. 
I mean, Herald Campaign, what was it, 1994 first? And this 
wasn't even a dispensational approach. This was an amillennial 
mathematical approach. 1994 is when Jesus will come 
again. And then that became, I think, later, and then it was 
2012, and he was wrong. The dispensationalists of the, 
you know, in the 1980s, they were sure that it would be the 
1980s. In fact, the book by, I think it's Salem Kerban, the 
88 reasons why you should believe that the rapture will happen 
in 1988. I mean, they weren't holding back. These books are 
littered throughout the Bible's permission. You rarely find John 
Owen in Bible's permission, but you find a lot of Hal Lindsey. 
You find a lot of, you know, John Wolvard. You see a lot of 
these books that took a shot, a kick at the can, and were wrong. 
We're not supposed to do this. This is the mandate of scripture, 
to live in light of the reality that Christ can come at any moment, 
but we don't know. So will he have that day unknown 
to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, be always 
watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, 
and may ever be prepared to say, come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Certainly we all imitate John 
in that sort of an expression. relative to the state of affairs 
that we see going on in the world today. Well, in conclusion, I 
just wanted to highlight the usefulness of this doctrine from 
this section, to deter all men from sin, to provide consolation 
for the godly in their adversity, to shake off all carnal security, 
and to look forward to that day with expectation and joy. There 
ought to be that expectation and joy in the hearts of God's 
people. This is one of the concerns I have with the book of Revelation. 
People read it like it's just this gloomy, foreboding, terrible 
book that only brings depressing thoughts. That's to misread the 
book of Revelation. Christ is King. Christ has got 
the throne. Christ is at the right hand of 
the Father, where He rules and reigns over all things. So it's 
a very encouraging doctrine to be sure. I'll pray, and then 
if there's any questions, we can think through those. Father, 
thank You for the doctrine of eschatology, that the Bible is 
not silent here. We thank You for the promise 
of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ again in glory to judge 
the living and the dead. Help us to have that expectation 
and that joy And may these things comfort and encourage us in our 
times of adversity and trial. And we ask through Jesus Christ 
our Lord.