The Lord, The Righteous Judge His Exacting Standard His Gracious Promise Royce P. Bell MV Church, SB

2 Timothy 4:1-8 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction...

... 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry...

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. ~ 2 Timothy 4:1-8

Three Immutable Realities n He will act in future judgment, lit. “the one going about to judge” (Robertson), of both the living and the dead... Two compelling possibilities for each: l Living, either those who yet remain (1 Thessalonians 4:16)... l Dead, those who now inhabit the Hadean realm, whether in Paradise or in tartarus (2 Peter 2:4, “hell”=tartarus)...OR

1 Peter 4:3-6 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;...

... 5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. ~ 1 Peter 4:3-6

n His appearing “...so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him” (Hebrews 9:28) n His kingdom, that is, His eternal rule, royalty, the dominion of His authority l He has said He is judge l He has promised to act in judgment “And the heavens declare His righteous- ness, For God Himself is judge. Selah” (Psalm 50:6)

The Exacting Standard n The Word: l Preached, it is God’s means of instruction n Reproving, rebuking, exhorting, teaching l His standard of judgment "He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.” ~ John 12:48

n More than an exacting standard of judgment...it is redemptive truth... “...the word of His grace” (Acts 20:28) “...the word of the gospel” (Acts 15:7) “...the word of truth, the gospel” (Colossians 1:5) l Sound doctrine n Patient instruction l The truth l “Will” teaching n Ear tickling l Myths n A contrast of standards

His Gracious Promise n That His Word will be faithfully preached so that all may hear and obey, cf. 2 Timothy 4:2 Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;...

11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. ~ Isaiah 55:10-11 l Compare Isaiah 35:4ff 4 Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you."

n That your sacrifice of life will bring an eternal reward in glory... Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. ~ Romans 12:1-2...

l But, what good is the promise? 2 Corinthians 4: But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus...present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God...

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:13-18

n That the reward will be a shared glory and righteousness for all who have anxiously awaited His appearing Peter 3: Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!...

“ But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation... ~ 2 Peter 3:11-15 l It is His promise... l It is His sovereign right to judge... l It is His glory to redeem the faithful!

The Lord, The Righteous Judge n 2 Timothy 4:1-8 n Three immutable realities n The exacting standard n His gracious promise l His word will be preached effectively l Our sacrifices will bring eternal glory l Our reward will be shared by the faithful