In this sermon, Eric Bechler discusses the third paragraph of Chapter 32 of the Second London Baptist Confession, focusing on the certainty and significance of the last judgment. The speaker emphasizes the purpose of this knowledge: to deter sin and console the godly during adversity. He highlights the necessity of living a life of vigilance and holiness, as the timing of the Lord's return is unknown. The sermon warns against 'carnal security,' where individuals become complacent or overly self-confident in their spiritual journey, and outlines the importance of constant readiness for Christ's return. By examining various Scriptures, including passages from Acts, Corinthians, Ecclesiastes, Matthew, and Revelation, Bechler underscores the reality of the judgment day and its implications for both believers and unbelievers. He concludes by encouraging listeners to self-examine and live in a way that pleases God, anticipating the day when they will be commended by Christ.

Our reading from the second London Baptist confession today comes from chapter 32 of the last judgment paragraph 3 As christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment both to deter all men from sin and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity. So will he have the day unknown to men that they may shake off all carnal security and be always watchful because they know not at what hour the Lord will come and May ever be prepared to say come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen In our study of the last judgment, the first paragraph stressed there will be a day of judgment wherein Jesus Christ will judge the apostate angels in all humankind according to their thoughts, their words, and their deeds. The second paragraph that we cover, which Michael covered last week, discussed or focused on the glorification of God and His mercy and justice, leading to either eternal life or eternal torments. And finally in the paragraph we will discuss today, which is the last paragraph of the confession The emphasis is on our being persuaded That this is true so that we might alter how we live so we might live with a watchful eye and an expectant heart.

Our confession begins as Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment. As with everything our approach should be, what sayeth the Scriptures? Well, Scripture emphasizes this in a number of passages. We read in the Acts of the Apostles that he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, Acts 17.31. Paul also tells us of a day of judgment in his second letter to the Corinthians for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that He hath done whether it be good or bad knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men." 2nd Corinthians 5, 10, and 11.

Even Solomon speaks of a coming judgment, for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil in Ecclesiastes 12 14. These and many other verses show us clearly that a day of judgment is coming, a day of judgment where we will be held accountable for every thought, every word, and every deed. Well what is the purpose of this? What is our response? Why should Christ telling us of a judgment day?

Why should he try to persuade us of such a day? Our confession offers two answers both to deter all men from sin and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity. First, God in his great wisdom made it clear that our having the knowledge that there is a day coming, a day of judgment, that we might act as a means, it might act as a means, to deter us from sin. Furthermore, perhaps this knowledge might console the godly in the midst of their adversity. And what do we mean by console?

Consol means to comfort, to cheer the mind in distress, or to alleviate grief. First, the thought of a day of judgment should deter all men from sin. As there is an appointed day in which we will give an account for our thoughts and actions, we read in Matthew 312, his winnowing fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. The believers will be gathered to the Lord in his glory and the unbelievers will be burned with unquenchable fire. What awaits us if we die in our sins.

He himself shall also drink the wine of the wrath of God. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb. They have no rest day or night who worship the beast in his image and whoever receives the mark of his name. Revelation 14 10 and 11. Peter asks us what manner of persons ought you to be knowing that the day of judgment is coming?

He writes, but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for a hastening, the coming of the day of God, 2 Peter 3, 10 through 12. Dr. Sproul expands on this a little.

It is not just unbelievers who will face the judgment of God, but also believers. Many Christians seem to think that being saved means not having to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It is true that we will not face condemnation, but we will still undergo an evaluation. Christ will examine our lives and determine our degree of obedience and sanctification. The knowledge that examination awaits us at that last judgment should motivate us, should motivate us to be more diligent in our obedience and desire to please him.

So that when we appear before him he will say to us well done good and faithful servant. As Christians we should not fear the day of judgment but should as a consequence of the reality of its coming at any time pursue holiness and godliness in our conduct in our conversation and in our thoughts. Second, the thought of a day of judgment should cause great consolation to the godly and their adversity. This was important to the early church and to any Christian who has suffered or is suffering persecution for Christ's sake. To know that God stands with us, cares for us, watches over us, and will punish our enemies for what they have done to us is a great comfort.

To know that on the day of judgment God will judge the good and the evil. It can help us endure and accept sufferings at the hands of the wicked, knowing that justice will be served. Paul speaks to us on how to respond to persecution, to these attacks. He writes in Romans 12 and verses 14, 17, and 19 through 21, bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not, recompense to no man evil for evil avenge not yourselves but rather give place and unto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay sayeth the Lord Therefore if thy enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him drink.

For in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. It is a comfort to know that justice will be served and our enemies will be judged. Vengeance is mine and recompense For the time when their foot shall slip, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly." Deuteronomy 32, 38. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless." 2 Peter 3, 14.

And be comforted, be found in peace. I pray that each of us would be found by Him when He returns to be filled with the peace of God, with the peace that passes all understanding. Beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall, but grow and get grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever amen. 2nd Peter 3, 17, and 18.

Our confession suggests that God has a purpose for making the timing, the specific day of the last judgment, unknown to men. It presents a couple of reasons for this. That men may shake off all carnal security, that men may be always watchful, and that they may ever be prepared to say, come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 36, but of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels in heaven, but my father only. Why would God hide the timing of this day of judgment.

Not knowing what the hour the Lord will return can help us be vigilant and constantly prepared for His coming. Not knowing at what hour the Lord will return can also prevent the wicked from being prepared as well. Let's look at our at first at carnal security. What does that mean? Carnal security.

Charles Spurgeon gave a sermon on the danger of carnal security from Judges 18 verses 7 and 27 and 28. In this sermon, he describes the conditions of carnal security for Christians and for the unsaved. I won't go into all the details, but I wanted to present some of his illustrations of being carnally secure for the Christian. Here's a man, a man who is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. In times long gone by, he struggled hard to get to his feet upon the rock of ages, but at last he obtained a firm footing and there he stood in blessed security.

For some time, perhaps even for years, he has been free from all doubts and fears and also free from internal struggles and conflicts. He almost thinks that the devil is dead or if not that the devil in him is dead. That sin has become so broken and bruised in his nature that will never rise again or cause him trouble. He rejoices and continues to rejoice but it may be that in course of time the dry rot of self-satisfaction begins to show itself. The man would not say with the Pharisee that he thanks God that he is not his other men, but there is something of that sort of feeling within his heart.

He entered into full assurance of faith at the first, but that full assurance has begun to rust into confidence in self. And now no longer emptied from vessel to vessel, his sin remaineth in him. No longer tossed upon the waves, he makes little or no progress towards the heavenly haven. His ship's keel upon the ocean is still amidst a calm, and the fear is that the calm will grow into stagnation and the stagnation into corruption. For the saved, he lists a number of qualities for carnal security, excuse me, for the unsaved.

That is the way with the carnal he's secure. They are careless. As long as they can enjoy the present, they are quite indifferent to all thoughts of the future. They are quite secure as to the future. A funeral perhaps startles them for a moment.

The passing bell has a strange tone to their ears, but for the most part they they put away all thoughts of death. They're young, they're robust, they will not soon die. Wherefore should they even think of it? And they experience a great quietness from all trial. It is not so with many of you, for you are sore vexed with troubles, sickness, poverty, and bereavement.

You seem to be always afflicted, and you may always thank God if you are, it is evident that He has not given you up and left you to sleep yourselves to destruction. They are free from all restraint, they are self-contained, they had no business with any man, There are some persons who are all the more hard to get at because they do not want to be interfered with and they have no want of anything. They had all that their hearts could wish. All of these qualities lead one to trust only in oneself. This can only lead to a terrible eternal outcome.

Thus knowing that there is an appointed day of judgment at some point in the future, unknown to us, might shake off all carnal security, that we cannot trust in ourselves, but must turn our eyes to Jesus and trust in the Lord that we cannot trust in ourselves excuse me trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into thine own understanding Proverbs 3 5 what about be always watchful Jesus tells us in his parable of the faithful and evil servants, blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching And if he shall come in the second or third watch, he find him so. Blessed are those servants. And this know that if the goodman or master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not suffered his house to be broken through. But ye therefore be ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when you think not." Luke 12, 37 through 40. God wants us to focus our energies on being ready, watching, not spending all our time trying to calculate or predict when Christ will return.

Jesus even tells us, take ye heed, watch and pray for you know not when the time is. Mark 13 33. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, watch. Mark 1337. But what does this really mean to be watchful?

It means that we must be ready. We must be anticipating Christ's return and living each day, each moment in obedience to His will and His commands. Are we loving God with all our heart and all our mind and all our strength? Are we loving our neighbors as ourselves? Are we loving one another as Christ loved us?

Are we diligent in our obedience and desire to please God? An unbeliever really doesn't care about when Christ returns but we should. We should be looking forward to his return. As Christians we must live our lives being fully persuaded that the day of judgment is scheduled. The day is set in stone.

It is on God's calendar and our reservation is certain and immutable. We don't know when, but again, we know that it is certain. And from this we should be incited to perform our duties as Christians. We should strive for holiness and be comforted in sorrows. We should love.

We should watch, wait for, and hasten into the coming of our Lord. John in his revelation of Jesus Christ writes, He which testifies these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus in Revelation 22 20. Yes, I say come Lord Jesus.

I would encourage each of you to take some time this week to examine yourself, examine your thoughts and your actions. Are you living a life of carnal security? Can some of those qualities Charles Spurgeon described be found in you? Are you watching? Are you expectant?

Robert Shaw and his commentary offers some advice to us. Let every reader study to improve the talents with which he is entrusted and be solicitous to obtain the approval of his master in heaven. How highly he will commend all those who have been diligent and faithful in his service. He will bestow upon them that best of words, well done, good and faithful servant, and will introduce them into the joy of their Lord. Well may the genuine believer love the appearing of Christ, for when Christ shall appear, He also shall appear with Him in glory.

And since Christ proclaims in His word, surely I come quickly, Let every Christian joyfully respond. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen.