264 - When God Shall Judge a Hidden World
January 5, 1964
Pastor Henry F. Kulp
Romans 2: 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Now when we come to this 16th verse we see God sets forth one more principle when He talks about the judgment of men. This will be a judgment according to the Gospel that God has given to Paul. To understand this verse and this principle, it must be realized that the three proceeding verses are in parenthesis. In order to understand our text, it is necessary to go back and read the whole message, omitting the three explanatory verses and bringing our text into connection with its context. For we read, for as many as have sinned without the law, shall also parish without the law. And as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged in the law. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel.
1/ So this point, this principle, is that men will be judged according to God’s Gospel, committed to Paul. They will not be judged according to law, but according to the grace Gospel. First of all, when we look at this verse to understand it, we find that God is going to judge the secrets of men. Then, secondly that judgment will be by Jesus Christ. Thirdly, it will take place on a certain day, and fourthly, it is in accordance with what God calls the Gospel of Paul.
2/ First, of all, the judgment is going to be according to the secrets of men. When we speak of the secrets of men, we enter into a hidden world, a secret world. This world is hidden to other men, but it is not hidden to God. Reputation is what men think you are. Character is what you are. Men can know you only by your reputation—God knows you by your true character. Man judges you according to your reputation because he judges you by your outward appearance. But God looks upon your heart, and therefore, He is able to know what you really are like by character.
3/ As I have been studying about the techniques of modern psychiatry, I understand they get the patient to talk and talk and talk until finally he brings out the hidden things he has in his heart, that he has not told anyone—many times, he hasn’t even faced them himself, and these hidden things—and they find, of course, fears and complexes, and they have affected the whole life. But what it takes a psychiatrist weeks and months of questioning to find out, you may be sure that God will bring them out in a second’s time. He knows all about them right now. He will not have to question a man to find out his secret world—He will question him, but God knows the secrets of men right now. He will not have to question a man to find out his secret world—He will question him, but God knows the secrets of men right now.
4/ The Bible teaches everywhere that God knows the secrets of men. He knows their hidden world.
Psalms 94: 11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. They are emptiness, they are nothing.
Psalm 44: 20, 21 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Here God knows the secrets of the heart—He knows the things that are hidden from others.
5/ The story of Daniel is an illustration of the fact that God knows the hearts of men. He knows the secrets of men. He is able to enter into the hidden world of men. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that even he could not remember, but Daniel was able to tell the king’s dream and give the meaning of the dream and this he told Nebuchadnezzar had been done so that the king might know that there is a God in Heaven that revealed secrets.
Daniel 2: 28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
Later the Almighty God is called the Lord of kings and the Revealer of Secrets. This is in Daniel 2: 47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your god is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
This is a staggering thought—one that strikes fear into the heart of man, if he is sensible.
6/ Up until about fifty years ago, there might have been some men who could have honestly thought that the secrets of their hearts, their minds could never be unveiled. But with modern man’s inventions we know that this is entirely conceivable even to us with our mortal minds. For example a man can now take his radar and he can see into the distant clouds and into the depths of the sea.
I remember when I was down in Florida and we used to turn the weather on TV every night at about 11:15, they used to bring their TV camera in and pan it in on a radar set, and there it would show up to 250 miles, if it were raining in any part of that area. This is amazing. Man probing into the skies, out into the distance of 250 miles. And they can tell if there is an airplane there, if it is raining there. Think of it, a plane that is invisible to man, can be picked up by radar and its course followed through the sky. Submarines, and even schools of fish in the sea can be followed by radar.
Then take Geiger counters, we have all heard about them, haven’t we? And they can find minerals beneath the surface of the ground. They are hidden to the physical eye. Then powerful rays can penetrate steel beams to detect flaws. I know every year in Indianapolis before the 500 mile race, they use these beams, these rays to see whether the frame of the car and other parts are suffering from metal fatigue.
Then X-rays can find broken bones in the body, reveal tuberculosis and cancer and other diseases. How can one with this knowledge ever doubt that an Almighty God can comprehend your thoughts? Lie detectors, although not perfected yet, are a step in the direction of revealing the hidden thoughts of men to man—also a truth serum which scientists are working on.
7/ Matthew 10: 26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
This tells us there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor hidden that shall not be known. Then God says, one day all these secrets will be brought out. All these secret thoughts will be revealed.
8/ Let us stop to think about the secret things being brought out. Let’s picture a scene down upon this earth. A man goes into court and gets a fine lawyer. Now, the lawyer is an honest lawyer, and he doesn’t want to lie. But the man he is defending lies to him and builds up a beautiful defense for himself. And when his lawyer puts him on the stand, he lies and then when he is cross-examined, he lies, and finally he has a great victory in court. He thinks he has won a great victory. Maybe, no one in this world knows he was lying. His lawyer, who is a very brilliant man does not realize he was lying. The judge doesn’t know he was lying. No one else knows, but God knows he was lying, and God is going to bring that lie out in the day of judgment. Every sin that has been hidden will be brought out to light, and it will be made known.
9/ But, praise God, this is not true of a believer. A believer’s sin will never be brought up, and you ask me—how can this be pastor, why is this true? Let me read for you
Colossians 1: 20 - 22 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
…and here we have what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us when He died. Notice, the phrase, “having made peace through the blood of His cross.” That is a very remarkable statement—the blood of His cross. Not the blood of Gethsemane, for in Gethsemane, He was not bearing our sins. Not even the blood that trickled down from the crown of thorns when He was in the hands of His enemies being persecuted, for He was not bearing our sins. On the cross He became the sin-bearer, He became the Sacrifice, and it is the blood of His cross.
Now let us go back to Colossians 1 again. In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.
To present you, how? Holy. Christ isn’t going to present you as a sinner, He is going to present you as holy, because your sin is gone—then, unblameable.
Now, let’s look at the Book of Jude 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and present you how? Faultless in the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. You don’t have to be afraid of anything. If you are saved there is nothing but joy before you—absolutely nothing to fear. That is the work of the cross.
10/ Then notice, the secrets of men are to be tried by Christ and judged by Him.
John 5: 21 - 23 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto his Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the father which hath sent him.
When He was on earth, He announced this great fact that He was to be the Judge. He is either your Saviour, your Redeemer, or else your Judge.
11/ The third point of our text is that the judgment of the secrets of men shall be by Christ on a certain day. A day is fixed in the plans of God. It is sure to come. These two facts are brought out by the Apostle Paul elsewhere.
Acts 17: 31 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.
God hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness, by that man—by Jesus Christ.
We just finished the season called Christmas, and everyone is talking about the Christ-Child. They talk about the birth of Jesus Christ, but I wonder how many of them realize that this One Who was born in a stable will one day sit on a Throne and judge all who have rejected Him and His death. He will no longer be that meek and lowly One, but now He will be the Judge of all who have rejected Him.
12/ This is a fearful thing to think about—Christ judging men. But then we come to the last point, in our text, and that men are to be judged by the Gospel that Paul preached. He calls it “my gospel.” Why does Paul call it his gospel—“my gospel?”
For just a second let us go to Romans 16: 25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Now to Him who has power to stablish you according to my gospel. You cannot be established, unless you are building upon the Gospel that Paul has. And then He says, the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, and this was given to Paul. You cannot be established unless it is according to Paul’s Gospel. And you must recognize that the world is going to be judged according to Paul’s Gospel. Now, please notice, they are not going to be judged by the law, but according to my Gospel, because the Gentiles have never had the law.
13/ Where did Paul get this Gospel? And this is important.
Galatians 1: 11, 12 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul tells us here that the Gospel which is preached of me is not after man, neither did I receive it of man, neither was I taught it by man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now mark well, He did not receive his message by a revelation from Christ merely, but by the revelation of Christ to him, and this is important. Let us understand what it means when it says a revelation of Christ to him.
Acts. 26: 16 But rise, and stand upon they feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou has seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Here he gives an account of his conversion before Agrippa, and he tells how he heard a voice speaking to him, and how the Lord said unto him, I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things which I will appear unto them. In other words, Christ was going to appear unto him and teach him. The Lord appeared to Paul again and again and spoke to him face to face, and mouth to mouth and taught him.
14/ It would seem, it would be natural for him to consult with Peter, James and John up at Jerusalem, but notice what he did.
Galatians 1: 16, 17 To reveal his son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again into Damascus.
But he said, I conferred not with flesh and blood, neither went I to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me, notice what he did instead. He went into Arabia. What part of Arabia? It was there in the desert in Mount Sinai where the law was given. This is where Israel was and where Moses received the law from God, when God spoke to him face to face and mouth to mouth.
Exodus 19: 1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
Then did you know who else was there?
Luke 1: 80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
It was John the Baptist. The story of John the Baptist’s early life—the whole story is given in one verse. “And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit and was in the deserts until the day of his showing unto Israel.”
Only a little less than four lines in my Bible, but they cover perhaps 25 or 28 years of life. He was prepared for his ministry in the same spot.
15/ Matthew 4: 1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Here we have Jesus Christ, led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. This was the same spot. This spot on God’s earth was used by God over and over again. For the giving of the law—for the raising of John the Baptist to be the forerunner. For Jesus Christ to be tested of the devil, and then for Paul to receive his gospel.
16/ How long did Paul stay there?
Galatians 1: 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
He spent three years in Arabia. And then the next thing we need to see—were the other apostles able to teach Paul after his seminary course with God in Arabia? Of course not.
Galatians 2: 6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
So remember, everything that Paul preached and wrote in his epistles, he received directly from the Lord. Not through any human channels whatsoever.
17/ God says men are to be judged by this Gospel, so you better know this gospel and be sure you are in accord with it.
I Corinthians 15: 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Paul says, his gospel he received, he received from the Lord. Even the Lord’s Supper.
I Corinthians 11: 23 For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
He received by special revelation from the Lord. Yes, this is the Gospel right here that you will be judged by. What have you done with this Gospel? Have you believed it? Have you received Christ as your Saviour.
Romans 3: 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: …says, justified freely.
Oh, that you might recognize that Paul says, everything is free from God. It is not something that you pay for. Except for Paul you would never know this. This is the Gospel. Everything is free, but if you spurn God’s gracious Gift, you must pay a price, and you will be judged by it and found wanting and condemned to hell.
AMEN
Ref: 01/05/1964 / WHEN GOD SHALL JUDGE A HIDDEN WORLD / 01/31/2021
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