The Great White Throne

Transcript

GR 437
2/14/1982
The Great White Throne
Select Verses
Gil Rugh

Revelation chapter 20 in your Bibles. Coming to the conclusion of our consideration of what the Bible says about future things. We’ve considered in our last studies together the reign of Christ on the earth. The Bible specifies clearly that there’s coming a time when Jesus Christ will personally reign over the earth. That He will return from glory and set up a kingdom that is characterized by righteousness, holiness and He shall be king over the earth. A time when peace shall reign, when perfection will characterize the creation. And that period of time will be a thousand years in duration. And that’s specifically laid out in Revelation chapter 20 and the opening verses where repeatedly down through the first seven verses, we are told that this period of time is specified to be a thousand years. During this thousand years, Satan is said to be bound in the abyss. And will not be free to roam the earth until the thousand years are completed. It will be a time when the curse is lifted from the creation. So that the desert will blossom as a rose during that time. There will be no violence on the earth either within the animal realm or among human beings.

Turn back in your Bibles just briefly to Isaiah 11. A passage which we read in our last study; but just to refresh your mind about the characteristics of this period. Isaiah chapter 11, verse 5. We’re told that, ’righteousness will be the belt about His loins and faithfulness the belt about His waist." So righteousness and faithfulness will characterize Jesus Christ and His kingdom. And then verse 6; "The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; a little boy will lead them. The cow and the bear will graze; their young will lie down together; the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." So universal knowledge of God. Peace characterizing the world. So that even between humanity and the animals there is not any conflict any longer and the flesh eating animal become vegetarians so that the lion eats straw. And there is no violence in the kingdom. This is going on for a thousand years.

Now, keep in mind that at the beginning of this earthly kingdom, there was a judgment. And all unbelievers were executed. Bodily killed. And so as you begin this kingdom with Christ reigning, there are only believers left alive on the face of the earth. Believers in physical bodies, and also believers who have returned from glory with Christ who have resurrected bodies. Old Testament saints and tribulation saints have also been resurrected. They have glorified bodies. So you have saints in glorified bodies and you have saints in physical bodies. Now those who go into the millennium in their physical bodies will be bearing children and repopulating the earth. Now, these who were saved in the seven-year tribulation and survived to the coming of Christ, they go into the millennium in their physical bodies. They are truly believers but they have not been perfected with glorified bodies. So when they bear children, those children are still born with a sin nature, and these multitudes and multitudes of children during these thousand years that will be born will have to personally decide to believe in Jesus Christ, king of the earth, as their Savior. And many of them will not, so come back to Revelation chapter 20.

It’s clearly laid out in this chapter that there’s a marked break after the thousand years, At the end of verse 2 of chapter 20 we're told that Satan is bound for a thousand years. So not only is the curse lifted from the creation, the world's environment is as God intended it to be, but Satan’s influence is removed as well. So that during the thousand year millennium, there are no external temptations and allurements. The world has been brought to completion or perfection under the rulership of Jesus Christ. Satan is not going about to deceive people and lure followers after himself. The only source of sin remaining is within the human heart of those who have been born during this thousand year reign.

Verse 3 says the same thing, "He was thrown into the abyss.1' And we’ll be talking a little bit about the abyss and some of these other places in our study this evening.
The abyss is the holding point—holding place for fallen demons who are awaiting their sentencing to hell. Satan is cast into the abyss. They "shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed." So you see again this thousand years is a definite marked time. Satan is not free to deceive anyone in the world until the thousand years are over. "After these things he must be released for a short time." So Satan is confined in the abyss for a thousand years, after which he is going to be released for a brief period of time. Then you have the resurrection in verse 4 that brings to completion the first resurrection. Verse 5: "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection, Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection- over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years." So everyone who is going to spend glory in the presence of God has experienced resurrection. All those who have died have experienced resurrection by the beginning of the millennium. Any of the dead who have not been resurrected by that time, are left for the second resurrection which is a resurrection unto death or condemnation. We’re going to be looking at that this morning.

Now verse 7, "When the thousand years are completed." Jesus Christ has been ruling in perfection for a thousand years. That’s a long time, You think back to a thousand years from today--from where we are, and you’re back to about a thousand years after Christ. So the millennium will be as though Christ had been reigning from 1000 A.D, down through to 2000 A.D, That entire duration. And during that time I think that people will live for that extended period of time. That physical death will not be a dominant element. People born in the millennium have lived their entire lives under the perfect rule of Jesus Christ. They don’t know what it is to be exposed to a creation that has been contaminated and defiled by sin. They have never experienced the world where there was hostility and war and open displays of sin, because one of the characteristics of this time is Christ is ruling with a rod of iron and overt acts of sin are not tolerated. So even those who are born during this time who have not believed personally in Jesus Christ, are enforced to submit. There is the pressure upon them because of the fear of judgment to give external obedience to the king.

"Now, after the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison." Now this is part of the plan of God—the millennium is the final demonstration by God of the absolute totality of the depravity of the human heart. So Satan is released after a thousand years. "He will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth. Gog and Magog. To gather them together for the war. The number of them is like the sand of the sea shore." Now that is a mind- boggling statement. The number of them is like the sand of the seashore, Remember multiplied millions have died during the seven years tribulation, so there is a relative small handful of human beings to go into the millennium in their physical bodies. But during this thousand years, they've been bearing children without suffering and pain. Death has not been limiting the population growth. So you have millions and millions who have been born during the millennium—billions. Now, Satan comes out to deceive them. To lure them to follow him as their king rather than Jesus Christ. And after a thousand years living under the perfectly righteous rule of Jesus Christ when given their choice, a number like the sand of the seashore would rather have Satan as their king than Jesus Christ. And what that demonstrates beyond any shadow of a doubt is that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things. That the real crucial burning issue is the personal sin of mankind. My real problem is not with the devil. My real problem is not with the social conditions and my environment. My real problem is with my own sinful heart. Because during the thousand year reign of Christ there will be perfect social conditions. There will be a perfect environment. The devil won't be deceiving and motivating to sin. And yet that has not changed the inner character of sinful man. Because these who have been born in the millennium, who have not believed in Jesus Christ—they have been submitting externally. But as soon as they’re given a choice, they would rather have Satan, the devil, as their king than Jesus Christ. Now that’s mind boggling. I’ll have to admit that even as a believer, I read that and I say, "Can we really be that terribly sinful?" But the Scripture lays it out clearly. That's the problem. The millennium is God’s evidence that sin, personal sin, is the basic problem. That's why programs today to deal with social conditions—they’re fine, but they don’t deal with the real problem. Because a well-fed upper-class sinner is just as much a sinner as a poorly- fed low-^-class sinner. We're just talking about kinds of sinners and the millennium demonstrates that clearly.

Now why is Satan let out? You say, "Is this fair?" Well, keep in mind, all he does is go out and deceive those who have already refused to believe in Jesus Christ. This is just an opportunity for them to finally vent their true attitude toward Jesus Christ. Obviously people who have simply been withholding their sinfulness but on the inside have animosity and hatred toward Jesus Christ and an unwillingness to believe in Him are not fit for eternity in His presence. What else could He be called upon to do for them? He has privileged them to live their entire lives in a perfect environment under a rule that is righteous and faithful in every way, when all is said and done, if I ever have my choice, I'll take Satan. They finally had their choice. He gathers them, verse 9: "They came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city," Now again, I cannot explain to you the irrationality of sin. That Satan, after being bound in the abyss for a thousand years, as soon as he is let free, resumes his program of opposition to Jesus Christ, Does he really believe there is any hope of any kind to dethrone Jesus Christ? But sin is irrational. Is it rational that sinners sit and listen to the word of God week after week after week and are told that there is a real hell—they will spend eternity there, and yet they don't believe it? There’s no rationality to it. It's stupid, they have nothing to lose and everything to gain and yet they do not believe. Satan, at the first opportunity, he goes out and gathers around himself a following. All these who have been born in the millennium who have not believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior, respond to his enticement to move to Jerusalem, the beloved city, the camp of the saints, the capitol of the world, the throne of Christ. They're moving there for an attempt to dethrone Christ. People don’t really want a righteous ruler. They don't want a faithful ruler. They don't want a ruler who is true and holy because that's totally out of character with their own character. Now they want to dethrone Christ, There is no real battle here because as they surround the city of Jerusalem fire came down from heaven and devoured them. So you have every unbeliever on the earth having moved to Jerusalem and as they surround this city, fire comes down from heaven and they are consumed. They suffer physical death on the spot.

And we move immediately to the final sentencing. Beginning with Satan. Verse 10: "The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." The devil who deceived them. Now, you note the devil deceived them that does not excuse them from personal responsibility. Because they were susceptible to the deception by the devil because of their unbelief in Jesus Christ. So the devil is responsible for his action but so the sinners are responsible for theirs because if they had chosen to believe in Jesus Christ, they would not have been allured by the deceptiveness of Satan. Satan is immediately taken and thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone. I take it what will happen here is the final casting into hell of Satan and also the fallen angels with him. His demonic host are not mentioned here, but Matthew chapter 25 and verse 41 says that the lake of fire has been prepared for the devil and his angels. So Satan and his demonic host, the angels who followed him in his initial rebellion against God, are destined for hell. That tells you something about hell. Where we come into the judgment of the unbeliever. Hell was originally prepared as a place of torment and suffering for spirit beings. Now that is important. So the question comes, "How can a spirit being suffer?" "I mean does fire hurt spirits?" Well, hell has been specially prepared to be a place of torment for spirit beings. That’s no problem for God. He could make a place of torment for a physical body, He could make a place of torment for a spirit body,
Hell was prepared for Satan and his angels. Now all of those who are followers of Satan and his angels will be there as well. You'll note in verse 10, the beast and the false prophet are there also. Remember at the beginning of the millennium, the beast, the antichrist, and the false prophet were cast into the lake of fire. In verse 20 of chapter 19, "The beast was seized, with him the false prophet who performed signs in his presence by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, worshipped his image." These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. The rest of humanity were killed with the sword. The beast and the false prophet a thousand years earlier were cast into hell. And now as Satan is cast in a thousand years later, the beast and the false prophet are still there. They have been not consumed to ashes. They are there and together they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. That is the strongest way to express eternity in the Greek language. Into the ages of the ages. And that is how long the torment of hell goes on. Endlessly. There are some who try to take some consolation in saying, "Well, there cast into the lake of fire. The result is the fire will burn them up. They are annihilated, they cease to exist." That's not what it says,

Turn back to Matthew 25, Note verse 46. Matthew 25 46: "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." The significant part about this verse I want to draw to your attention is the same word is used. The wicked go into "eternal” punishment, the righteous go into "eternal" life. Now if eternal punishment does not mean "eternal" punishment, you're hard pressed to say eternal life means "eternal" life. And so if eternal punishment maybe just means that you don’t exist for eternity, eternal life/means you just don't have any more problems for eternity. But no one exists, which becomes nonsense. So just as it is possible for people to exist for eternity.in the presence of God in joy and bliss, so it is possible for people to exist for eternity in suffering and torment. And the Scripture says both are true and both will happen.

All right. Back to Revelation chapter 20. After a thousand years, they’re there to be tormented day and night forever and ever and here today it's just as much a reality. Hell is there. It's not populated by the devil. The devil’s not the king of hell. He’s not even in hell. He won't be sentenced to hell until the end of the thousand years. But it’s there, it's been prepared and will be their final destiny.

Verse 11. We come to what is the last judgment. We've seen several judgments in Scripture. Going all the way back to the judgment of sin at the cross of Christ, but then the church was judged after the rapture the bema seat of Christ. Then Israel is resurrected and the tribulation saints—there will be a judgment for them. Rewards evidently bestowed at that point. As Revelation 20, verse 4 says, "They'll rule and reign with Christ." We come to what is now the last judgment of Scripture.
And at this point we come to the place where all unbelievers from all time now experience bodily resurrection to be judged in the presence of Jesus Christ. "I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne."As we talk about the throne here, The one sitting on the throne, that can be none other than Jesus Christ. He is the one who will do the judging. Back in John's gospel, chapter 5. John's gospel in the fifth chapter, verse 22: "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and does not come in to judgment, but has passed out of death into life." Remember the judgment of believers after the rapture is the bema seat. That is a different kind and quality of judgment because the believer never comes in to judgment for sin and with the fear of condemnation. All judgment has been given to the Son. So all judgments are exercised by Jesus Christ. So in Revelation chapter 20, we see Jesus Christ on the throne. "The dead, the small and the great are standing before the throne." Awesome scene that with our finite minds again it's hard to grasp. But that ought not to cause us to lose sight of the significance and reality of what is happening. Every unbeliever who ever lived now receives a resurrected body. His body is called back to life and here all the unbelievers stand in the presence of Jesus Christ for judgment. The dead, the great and the small standing before the throne "and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds." All the wicked are here. They are to be judged according to what is written in the books. There is the book of life here and there is the book of deeds. The book of life which contains the names of all those who believed in Jesus Christ. The book of deeds contains the works of all who are at this judgment. And they’re judged on the basis of their works written in the book. But note here, it’s not that you’re going to heaven on the basis of your deeds because in verse 15 we'll be told, "Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." So the determining factor of whether you are going to spend eternity in heaven or hell is whether your name is in the book of life. But for those names not in the book of life, they're judged according to their works; not to see if they can get to heaven, but to determine their sentencing to hell—where in hell they will suffer. The Scripture indicates there will be degrees of punishment even in hell. And that is what is going on here.

"The books according to their deeds," at the end of verse 13 "The sea gave up the dead which were in it, death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. You note the dead wherever they are. "The sea gave up the dead which were in it." We usually think of physical death resulting in burial, but Biblical times especially, many who would die in the storms at sea. The dead are called back from wherever they have died. "Death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them." Now Hades—Hades is the place of departed spirits. A place where the wicked go to await their sentencing to hell. It is a place of torment, a place of suffering. For an unbeliever who dies today, he immediately goes to Hades.

Something of a description of Hades in Luke chapter 16 where the rich man died and being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and cried out for someone to come and touch his tongue with water because he was tormented in that place. In Hades he lifted up his eyes being in torment, cried out have mercy upon me. "Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame," You note he died and he is immediately in a place of suffering. There’s no such thing as sole sleep either for the believer or for the unbeliever. So, when it says Hades gave up the dead which were in it, all the wicked who have died who have been awaiting final sentencing in Hades are now called before Jesus Christ. "And they were judged, every one of them, according to their deeds." Again, according to their works. What they have done. Look back in Luke chapter 12. God is fair in all His judgments. And all are judged according to our opportunity and our response to our opportunities. Luke chapter 12 An explanation of an account given and we won't read the whole account, but picking up in verse 47. A picture here of a master who puts a slave in charge of other slaves.
And this slave is unfaithful when the master comes and requires an accounting, judgment is meted out. And in verse 47, "The slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes. The one who did not know and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. Everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much of him they will ask all the more." Now the slaves here are unbelievers. The end of verse 46. This slave is assigned a place with the unbelievers. They are talking about judgment on unbelievers particularly in this account, we're talking about Israel. The principle is applicable to all—unbelieving slaves. Those who knew the will of the master and did not do it are judged more severely. Those who did not know his will, but still were disobedient note are still judged. It’s not a matter, "Well, you didn't know, you're excused." Every unbeliever is going to hell. I take it those who have sat at Indian Hills and heard the gospel are going to come under a more severe punishment than those who live in parts of the world who have never heard of Jesus Christ. But all unbelievers must go to hell. They deserve hell. I want to be clear. When we talk about hell we're talking about a suffering that is of a far greater degree than you and I can image or fathom. So it's not that there are going to be any fringe areas in hell where it's not too bad. Now we're talking about bad, badder and baddest. That's all there is. So when you talk about less punishment in hell, you're talking about a punishment that is a far greater intensity than you and I would be able to fathom at this point.

Over in Romans chapter 1. I take it this is touched on regarding those who have not heard. I just draw this to your attention because the question comes up often. "What about those who have never heard the gospel?" Romans chapter 1, verse 18: "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." You see that all the world is without excuse so that when Christ calls them for an accounting, there may be slaves who do not know the master's will. They have not had the clarity of the revelation of the Word of God, but they've had the revelation of creation. And yet they have taken it and corrupted it and worshipped the creation. That's adequate to condemn them even though it's not adequate to save them. Now those who did not have the benefit of greater knowledge will not be judged as severely as those who have had much more information. Those who have sat and been told, "This is the will of God that you believe in His Son Jesus Christ," and have chosen not to believe it will come under the most severe punishment. Those who have not heard but have not believed will too go to hell but will not be sentenced the same as the others who have heard. So that's the importance of the books here. According to their deeds—what is written. I take it every time you’ve sat at Indian Hills and heard the gospel, that's recorded in the book of your deeds in heaven. Every time you've been to a place where you've heard over the television, over the radio, from someone personally, the message of Jesus Christ, that has been recorded in the books. That will all be there. "Oh, Lord, I didn't know. No one told me." 'Yes, but on April 9, 1976 in this particular service, you were told that Christ died for your sins, but you weren't interested. You were thinking about your business when that sermon was being preached. You were thinking about your meal cooking on the stove while that sermon was being preached. Over here on May 2, 1982, this was told you by a friend. "I don't remember that." No, because you wanted to talk about the football game and he was telling you about Christ. It's all written there. All of it will be there. Now how it all works, I don't know. You say, "Well boy, this is going to take a long time." You take every unbeliever, go through all his deeds. But that's not a problem really. I've been reading while I was on the plane this week, reading about these little mini-chips. I don't know why on the plane I like to read about things I don't have the foggiest idea what they're talking about. But I’m reading about these little chips—micro chips, and silicone chips and all of that they do for computers, and they're talking about on these little square chips so small how many thousands of pieces of information can be stored. And I sit there and I see in the magazine that little chip that size and I just think, "That's not possible. I don't care what they say, you could not put all that information on that little chip." But they do it anyway. In spite of the fact that I don't understand. In spite of the fact I say they can't do it. Well, no problem here with God. I take it it will all be there. Perhaps at that point in time, the unbeliever will be given an instant recall. That every time he heard the gospel it will become clear to him. He will remember all those occasions. That there will be no response. There will be no question. Because it will be clear to all. However, I don't know but it does happen.

Verse 14: "And death and Hades were thrown" Back in Revelation 20, verse 14. "Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire." When it says "death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire," it means all those who had been dead and were now resurrected. All those who had been called back from Hades are now finally sentenced to hell. Because everyone in Hades is going to hell. Everyone at this judgment is going to hell. The book of life is simply here to show their names are not there. That they never did believe in Jesus Christ. Because no one is going to heaven on the basis of their works. Because you cannot be saved by works of righteousness which you do. Salvation is not by works. By the works of the law, no flesh will be justified before God. All our righteousness’s are like filthy rags. That will all be revealed here. People think, "I’m all right, I'm not bad enough to deserve hell."

Interesting, I was reading about some surveys that were taken. How many people believe in hell? And you know it’s always interesting that there are a lot more people who believe in hell than believe they’re going there. Also interesting that there are a lot more people who think they know someone who’s going to hell than really believe in hell. Interesting. Most people surveyed don’t believe they’re going to hell, but they believe they know somebody who is. You know why? We don’t see ourselves as bad as we are. We see somebody else. Interesting, one of the surveys, "Who will be in hell?" Well, drunk drivers, murderers, You know there is a sense even among us that some deserve punishment. And what you have to do is step back and take God’s perspective. He says, "All deserve punishment. Because all are in rebellion against Me." And keep in mind He must judge in righteousness and holiness. So I must see it from God’s perspective.

This is the second death—the lake of fire. "And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.’’ You note the criteria here. Even though they’re judged out of the books according to their deeds, if their name was not in the book of life, they’re thrown into the lake of fire. So that there’s no misunderstanding. No one here is going to put their works on the scale and, "Now, I hope they're going to balance and I think my good works will tilt it in my favor." No. Now people who believe that, believe that out of their own willful ignorance. Because it's clearly set down by God Himself. Here is the ultimate destiny and foundation for judgment. Now people say, "I don’t believe it." But when they stand there sentenced to hell, who will they have to blame. Now it always amazes me the people who are concerned about the heathen who never heard. And I usually, when it's an unbeliever, just say, "I really am willing to trust God to do what is right with the heathen who never heard. But what’s He going to do with you? That's the question." You know you may—I hope you didn't get hung up in Romans chapter 1, because folks you aren't in Romans chapter 1. We’re right here. We heard. The penalty for sin is death. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died to pay that penalty for your sin. If you do not believe in Him as your Savior-—the One who died for you personally, you are going to stand at the judgment we are reading about in Revelation 20 and be sentenced by Jesus Christ to eternity in suffering and hell. Now, if you are there, that won't be my fault. My hands are clean, I've told you. I’ve presented the truth to you. You are there because you've chosen to defy God and say, "I refuse to believe." What do you deserve but the lake of fire? An interesting thing is written on the lake of fire. Especially with scientist today. I don’t know where hell is. We are going to talk about hell tonight a little more in detail. I know it’s a gloomy subject, no one comes, but you ought to come. You ought to know about hell. Hopefully you're not going there but it’s still important to know about, interesting what they write on hell with things like the white dwarf stars which because of the tremendous heat have gone beyond the consistency of a gas to the consistency of a liquid. In past days where we didn't have the information we do, people used to say, "Impossible to have a lake of fire." But they say, and again I'm in an area I don’t know anything about so just what I remembered that I read and I don’t understand it, but these are so hot because of the atomic reaction, they say that they could burn endlessly because of the atomic reaction going on within them. And if you add water to that, it increases the heat because it increases the reaction of the atoms there and so water doesn’t even cool it, it intensifies it. Now some of you know more about that than I do but interesting. Even the concept of a lake of fire is not out of the realm.

Now what you have here are people you remember who have been raised with resurrection bodies. The resurrection body is not capable of destruction. But they are resurrection bodies that are capable of suffering forever. It's a mind boggling concept. We’ll talk about forever tonight. I don't grasp it all, don't know what it all means, what it all entails. But I believe it's true, because God says. What do I have? What alternative do I have? He's told me how it is. He told me this is the end for sinful men. It tells us how sinful sin really is doesn't it? God doesn't delight to send people to hell, but His holiness requires it. You say, "Isn’t He a God of love," The thought of hell, of loved ones going to hell is too awful. If I loved them and didn't want them to go, would God want them? No. That’s why God demonstrates His love toward us in the while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. But to those who were unwilling to have any part of the love of God must then stand before His justice, be condemned by His righteousness, So all creation moving toward a climax.

The earthly reign of Christ. Time of glory on the earth. But a time which demonstrates how totally depraved the sinful heart is. Even under perfect conditions under a perfect king for a thousand years doesn't change the sinful heart. You know what changes the sinful heart? Personal faith in Jesus Christ. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. A new creature. The old things pass away. New things come. Question, where are you in light of this? Have you come to believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Not good enough to be at Indian Hills, If anything, that puts you in a worse position because you have heard, you are accountable, you will be judged because of your greater light. Have you believed in Jesus Christ? Why not? Why will you not submit to Him? Why are you unwilling to have Him be your Savior? Why would you be unwilling to have One who loved you enough to die for you cleanse you from your sins and bring you into a personal relationship with Himself? If you're unwilling to believe in Him, there can only be one explanation—the stubborn sinfulness of your human heart is set in opposition and defiance against God and for that God must sentence men and women to hell.

Let's pray together...