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1 Peter 4:17-19 KJV – For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Being A Christian Is About Loving And
Knowing The Biblical Jesus

Let’s play a little game for a minute. Everyone of you pretend that you are a Pastor, and that MY relative passed away. Her name is Norah. Norah went by the name of Ned for 18 months disguising herself as a man. Ned was assumed to be gay. She wrote a book about the experience, and later came out as a lesbian. Norah was very likable and friendly. She’s passed away – and you need to do the funeral because I called you up. So, what are you going to say?

Norah went through periods of deep depression, and died by assisted suicide when just 53 years old.

Some will say, “Well, I’m not going to judge. God is good. She’s probably in Heaven”. Why would she be in Heaven? She lived her life without Jesus, and died without Jesus. So why would she be in Heaven? If she had a death bed conversion, and gave her life to Jesus, then why continue with the assisted suicide? Norah never showed any fruit in her life for Jesus. Never prayed to Him, never loved the Christian believers (or at least, didn’t show it). So why would she be in Heaven? So how will you preach the funeral?

But what if we take the same type of person, and say it’s someone’s relative – somebody you know – in our Church. They never had any use for Jesus in this life. As Pastor do you “preach that person into Heaven”? If you say that someone who never knew or were known by Jesus are in Heaven, then can’t others who don’t know or care about Jesus be in Heaven?

If we let everyone go to Heaven because we say so (because, Heaven forbid, we hurt anyone’s feelings), then why did Jesus have to die on the Cross?

Now, let’s go back to me being the Pastor, and you being fellow priests and believers of Christ. When you walk away from Norah’s coffin, would you say “Well, she’s in a better place”? Do you not know that YOU, dear Christians, are ALL AMBASSADORS for Christ? What you say matters. If Norah’s not saved, she’s not in a better place. As Jesus said in Luke 16:22-23, “The rich man died, and was buried, and in HELL he lifted up his eyes, being in torment”. If you die without Jesus, you are not in a better place. And Jesus told us:

Matthew 7:21-23 KJV Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. 22 MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, ye that work iniquity.

The “WILL OF THE FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN” is that “You believe on Him {Jesus} Whom He hath sent” (John 6:29). Jesus said that “IN THAT DAY MANY WILL SAY” haven’t we preached? Haven’t we cast out devils? Haven’t we done wonderful things? And Jesus will say, “You didn’t do the first thing. You didn’t know Me. You didn’t REPENT and come to ME. You didn’t surrender your life to ME, as I did for you on Calvary”. If you’re not in Heaven, you’re in hell.

The Church Must Make Righteous Judgments

1 Peter 4:17 KJV For the time is come that JUDGMENT MUST BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

I’ve heard this lie frequently taught from both pulpit and pew. “Well, God didn’t call us to be judges”. Actually, Jesus did. Jesus said, “Do not judge by appearance, but judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). What is He saying? My judgment is not to be based on my opinion or what I think, but based on what God has written. Jesus tells us to judge – but to judge ourselves first. That’s what we’re told in today’s text:

JUDGMENT MUST BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD

Jesus told us to judge – but ourselves first.

Matthew 7:5-6 LSB You HYPOCRITE, FIRST TAKE THE LOG OUT OF YOUR OWN EYE, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6 DO NOT GIVE WHAT IS HOLY TO DOGS, and DO NOT THROW YOUR PEARLS BEFORE THE SWINE, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

The problem with judging is, too often we justify our poor performance by judging another. “Judgment must begin at the HOUSE OF GOD” (Hebrews 3:6 says the Christian is of the House of God).

We should examine our lives first – then challenge others around us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:17-18).

I want to say this very carefully. It is possible to go to Church (which you should), to post Bible verses online, to wear a Cross around your neck, and profess you are a Christian – and still not know Jesus. Examine yourselves. Are you bearing fruit for Jesus? If you are, then help others to do the same. Jesus expects His people to bear fruit – good fruit – if you are saved. Is there any fruit in YOUR life? This is where judgment begins, with me, with you. If you are saved, you are attached to Jesus. And you should bear fruit. Jesus said …

Matthew 7:18-20 NKJV – A GOOD TREE CANNOT BEAR BAD FRUIT, NOR CAN A BAD TREE BEAR GOOD FRUIT. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM.

Fruit has to do with your character, how you live your life. If you are in Christ, connected to Christ by salvation, your life will produce fruit that glorifies Christ. And if you are fruit bearing, you want others to be fruit bearing for Jesus. That’s love.

The Christian Judges Self, Then Practices
A Lifestyle Of Repentance

1 Peter 4:17 KJV – For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it FIRST BEGIN AT US, WHAT SHALL BE THE END OF THEM THAT OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL OF GOD?

Word Study: The words translated “THAT OBEY NOT” is the Greek apeitheō, which means “those who refuse to be persuaded, who withhold belief”. What happens to those who refuse to hear the Gospel of Christ? The Bible is very clear:

John 3:36 KJV – He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that BELIEVETH NOT [apeitheō] the Son shall not see life; but THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM.

What happens to those who reject the Gospel? “THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM”. There’s no second chance beyond this life. There are some who refuse Christ, refuse to repent and give their lives to Him. The Apostle said:

Romans 2:8-9 KJV – But unto them that are contentious, and DO NOT OBEY [apeitheō] the truth, but OBEY [peithō] unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

Saving faith is always shown in what you DO. If you DO evil, you are most likely an unbeliever. If you DO right, you most likely are a believer. The Christian can drift into the works of the flesh, but this is not the normal state of the believer. If you are saved by grace, it will show in your character and in how you treat others. Your life will be fruitful – not with darkness, but with light giving properties. The Bible says:

Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV – But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF CONTROL. Against such there is no law. 24 And THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST’S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

What does Paul mean by “THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST’S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH”? He’s talking about REPENTANCE. The Christian is not sinless, but we live a lifestyle of REPENTANCE. We REPENT when we are saved, and REPENT daily.

Illustrate Saul vs David: Someone who will not repent of sin, who can do evil and make excuses for it, that person is NOT saved. Compare the first two Kings of Israel. King Saul never REPENTED when he sinned. Saul disobeyed the Word of God, and performed an unlawful sacrifice (1 Samuel 13). When ordered by God to do something, he ignored the orders, and justified what he did before God (1 Samuel 15). Saul tried to murder David (1 Samuel 18-19) because he was jealous of him. And he turned to witchcraft (1 Samuel 28) when God forbade such things. Each time Saul was caught he made excuses, but never repented to God.

“I sinned because I feared the people” (1 Samuel 15:24)
“I sinned. Help me cover it up” (1 Samuel 15:30)

Saul repeatedly rejected the commandment of God, so God removed him from the throne. He wanted to run the Kingdom of Israel – but he wanted nothing to do with King Jesus. He hid his sins. Compare that to King David. Whereas Saul blamed others, David blamed himself.

2 Samuel 12:13 … I have sinned against the Lord

David repented every time he sinned. He took accountability for what he did. David even wrote Psalm 51, exposing his sin to all of Israel. David prayed:

Psalm 51:2-4, 7, 9-11 LSB – Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I KNOW MY TRANSGRESSIONS, And MY SIN IS EVER BEFORE ME. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And pure when You judge. … 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. … 9 Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. 10 CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD, And RENEW A STEADFAST SPIRIT WITHIN ME. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

David didn’t want to hide his sin. He crucified himself, laying his life down before God. David feared losing God’s presence, not God’s blessing. He asked God to restore him – and then tried to follow God as his Savior bid.

The Church Must Not Be Like The World
Because Jesus Is Not Like The World

1 Peter 4:18 KJV – And if the righteous SCARCELY be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Word Study: When I asked God what to preach this Sunday morning, this verse kept running through my mind. What in the world does this mean? The word rendered “SCARCELY” is the Greek molis, which means “with great difficulty, with much work”. Peter is quoting the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible which reads exactly the same (Proverbs 11:31). The full quote is:

Proverbs 11:30-31 BES – Out of the fruit of righteousness grows a tree of life; but the souls of transgressors are cut off before their time. 31 If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

God is NOT saying:

Maybe the righteous will get to Heaven, or,
Salvation is easily lost, or,
God is very reluctant to save.

What God is saying is that salvation is not a path that many people really want to go. Noah preached the Grace of God for 120 years, and only 8 souls got on the Ark! Most people would rather take the W I D E path than the narrow road of salvation. Once more in Matthew we read:

Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV – ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because NARROW IS THE GATE, AND DIFFICULT THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE, and there are FEW WHO FIND IT.

The hardest substance known to man is the human heart. Consider the case of the woman who strangled her three children. Only one juror went against the tide, calling her “guilty” – when she confessed to the murders.

People are predisposed to want the darkness. They would rather roll in sin than follow Jesus. Those who are righteous – saved by Grace – are fewer than we’ll ever know until we get to Heaven. The path of salvation is narrow – not worldly. The Apostle wrote:

1 John 2:15-17 LSB – DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD nor the things in the world. IF ANYONE LOVES THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER.

There are a large number of those who profess to be “Christian”, who have a Sunday only faith. They are like the Pharisees, whom Jesus said:

Mark 7:6 LSB – Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

Those with a Sunday only faith are fooling themselves. There is no salvation in a Sunday only faith. Salvation is difficult. Salvation puts you at odds with your old friends, with your employer, with the sin loving lost world. The Apostle writes:

1 Peter 4:14-16 KJV – If ye be REPROACHED FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST, HAPPY ARE YE; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 16 Yet IF ANY MAN SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN, LET HIM NOT BE ASHAMED; but let him GLORIFY GOD ON THIS BEHALF.

Light will always be at war with darkness. If you are living for Jesus, expect the same trials, persecution, and refining fire that Jesus went through. The world, the flesh, and the devil will fight against the Christ follower. But if you are genuinely saved, you will overcome, for God dwells in you.

1 John 4:4 KJV – Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, than HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.

If you are genuinely saved, God the Holy Spirit lives inside you. He will take you through the trials of life. But if you are not saved, if the Spirit of God is not in you – your walk with God will not last. One of those who Paul trusted and served on the mission field with was called Demas. His name is mentioned three places in the Scripture. In Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24. But the saddest mention is when Paul wrote Timothy, saying …

2 Timothy 4:9-10 NKJV – Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for DEMAS HAS FORSAKEN ME, HAVING LOVED THIS PRESENT WORLD, and has departed for Thessalonica …

As Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). You either serve the world and yourself, or you serve God in Christ. Demas, along with Judas Iscariot, and others through the years have started strong, but never finished. Why? Because like the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22) who wanted to inherit eternal life, many choose the things of this world over Jesus.

No genuine Christian would long do that. If a believer walked away from the Lord, they would soon feel the discipline of God’s hand:

Proverbs 3:12 KJV – For whom the LORD loveth HE CORRECTETH; even as a Father the son in whom he delighteth.

Paul quotes this in Hebrews 12:6 to show the believer that, once you enter the family of God, God as your Father will punish you if you get too far afield. If you can sin without guilt and without punishment, then, dear one, you ain’t saved!

The Christian Loves Jesus, Loves Others,
And Loves The Word of God

1 Peter 4:19 KJV – Wherefore let them that SUFFER ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD commit the keeping of their souls to Him IN WELL DOING, as unto a faithful Creator.

There are a number of people who come and give their lives to Jesus because of suffering – and then walk away when they find out something.

Christians suffer.
The Way of Truth leads to suffering.

How many people came to Jesus while He walked this earth, and how many did He heal? He healed all of them. But how many of these people followed Jesus afterward? How many sat at His feet? How many wanted to be near Him? When the Pharisees stirred up the people against Him, how many of these whom Jesus healed stood up for Him, prayed for Him, loved Him as He died on that Cross? None that we can tell. Jesus died alone, except for one thief who believed on Him, and the Apostle John and Mary His mother.

Christianity is not about avoiding suffering, or alleviating suffering. It is about loving Jesus, and loving God’s Word.

When Jesus was hungry, rather than satisfy His hunger He told Satan:

Matthew 4:4 NKJV – … Man shall not live by bread alone, but BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.

The Christian should love God’s Word. If you are born again by faith in Christ, then you should desire God’s Word more than a belly full of food. The Scripture says:

1 Peter 2:2-3 KJV – As newborn babes, DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD, that YE MAY GROW THEREBY: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Christians should love Jesus. They should love the Word of God more than running from discomfort. And Christians should love people.

Several years ago there was a couple who came to a Church I pastored named Robert and Kathi. They were a handful. As a Church we bailed them out several times financially, because Kathi would go on buying sprees and spend all of Robert’s salary. They were professing believers, but Robert rarely came to Church.

He didn’t like to be around people.
Claimed he was xenophobic.

Beloved, if you don’t love people, you’re probably not saved. Jesus said “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). It’s not a chore to come to Church. It’s an act of love. Are you saved? Are you ready to meet Jesus if He calls you home? Don’t harden you heart. Heed Him – and love Him – and let Him save you.