In Eric Bechler's sermon on the Last Judgment, derived from the Second London Baptist Confession, he elaborates on the inevitability of God's appointed day for judging the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ. This judgment encompasses everyone who has lived, including apostate angels, and is characterized by a thorough examination of all thoughts, words, and deeds. The sermon highlights six key aspects: the author, occasion, objects, manner, agent, and activities of the Last Judgment. God the Father, as the author, has set a day known only to Him, and Jesus Christ is appointed as the agent of judgment, given all authority by the Father. The sermon emphasizes constant readiness and repentance, as the judgment will be executed in complete righteousness, with all hidden and secret actions revealed. All individuals will be held accountable for their actions, and the significance of pleasing God by living a life that honors Him is underscored, as God is all-seeing and all-knowing.

Our reading from the Second London Baptist Confession comes today from chapter 32 of the Last Judgment, paragraph 1. 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. Amen. We begin a new chapter, the second of two on the end of time's discussions. The previous chapter was on the intermediate state in the last day.

Today the focus is on the last judgment and over an overview perhaps. Jim Dome and Rob Ventura's commentary breaks this paragraph into six things that concern the last judgment. Its author, its occasion, its objects, its manner, its agent, and its activities. First, who is the author of the final or last judgment? It is God the Father.

We can read in Acts 17 31, because he hath appointed a day in 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. Who is it that has appointed a day? It is God the Father. Next when will this take place? We read that the Father is appointed a day, a day in which He will judge the world.

When exactly is this? We don't know. God hasn't told us. Jesus tells us, but of that day and hour knoweth no man. No, not the angels of heaven, but my father only.

Matthew 24, 36. Despite this, we do know that it will be at the end of time, at the last day. From John 12, 48, we read, There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words. The very words I have spoken will condemn them at this last day. That last day is Judgment Day.

We also know that the precise date has been set. It has been ordained from before time began, and it's coming. Are you ready? We should prepare daily for it, and in that preparation, we should be daily repenting of our sins. We are warned in the gospel of Matthew to watch, Matthew 24 42, to be ready to be about your appointed work.

Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." Matthew 24, 46. What are the objects or rather who will be judged? The confession states he will judge The world. This would be Jews and Gentiles, believers, unbelievers, basically all people who have ever lived. Paul tells us, for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ in Romans 1410.

But this is not all. This final judgment will also be of the angels, the fallen or apostate angels. We read from Jude 6, and the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. And from second Peter 2, 4, for if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and deliver them into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment. These fallen angels or angels that have sinned will not escape the day of judgment.

Next, In what manner will this occur? How will it be carried out? The confession states that God will judge the world in righteousness. This judgment is the righteous judgment of God, Romans 2, 5. It will be carried out in righteousness.

We read again from Acts 17, 31, because He hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. But who is the agent who will carry out this last judgment? It is Christ, Jesus Christ, whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. We can start again with Acts 17 31. He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, and that he had raised him from the dead.

Again, who was that man God has ordained? It was Jesus. Who was that man that was raised from the dead? Again, it was Jesus Christ, born of Mary, who lived a sinless life, who was the spotless lamb, who suffered and died on the cross and he rose again on the third day. Jesus was the man whom God hath ordained.

Jesus was he that was raised from the dead. It is Jesus who has been given all power and judgment. We read from the Gospel of John, for the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. John 522. Jesus, in his own words, tells his disciples and us, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth." Matthew 28 18.

The last point made is the activities during the Day of Judgment. These are that all shall appear before the tribunal of Christ. All shall give account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and all shall receive according to what they have done in the body. All shall appear, all shall give account, and all shall receive. These are the actions of the Day of Judgment.

The basis for this part of the confession comes again almost verbatim from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. He writes, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Second Corinthians 5 10. During the judgment, there will be a thorough examination. All the sins of every person shall be made manifest.

They will be laid bare. They'll be made fully known. Every thought that you ever had shall be judged. In that day when God will judge the secrets of men, Romans 2, 16, until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts, 1st Corinthians 4-5. Every word that you have spoken shall be judged.

Scripture tells us, but I say to you that for every idle word men may speak they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned. Matthew 12 36 and 37. To execute judgment on all of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him, Jude 15, and every deed you have done, which includes what we have done with our members, our eyes, our ears, our tongues, our hands, our feet, and so on. How we have obtained our belongings, how we have used our belongings, how we've conducted ourselves in our occupation and in our personal lives in secret and in public, how we've used the means of grace, every sermon, every conviction, the Word of God in our homes.

Basically everything will be considered no matter how small or great, no matter how inconsequential or significant, and no matter how good or evil. God will bring every work into judgment including every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12, 14. There will be nothing hid from God. God is all-knowing.

God is all-seeing. And you cannot hide from God nor do anything apart from His awareness or knowledge. And you will be held accountable for all that you have done, all your thoughts, all your words, and all your deeds. They say a man's true character is revealed by what he does when no one's looking. You may think that no one is looking, but I'm here to tell you, God sees.

Do you behave differently depending on who is watching you? You shouldn't. God is always watching. All that we think, speak, and do should be in a manner that pleases God and brings him honor and glory. Jesus told his disciples, for the Son of Man will come in the glory of his father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works.

Matthew 16, 27. Amen.