Degrees of Punishment

The Incomprehensibility of God's Wrath and the Approach to Hell

0:04 Moses, in the 90th Psalm, said, Who knoweth the power of thine anger and thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee?

0:18 In other words, as Moses contemplated what he discerned of the wrath of God, he recognized in so doing that he understood only a small measure of that wrath. And so he asked the question, Who really knows, as he ought to know, the power of God's anger and his wrath in the degree that that wrath demands fear and reverence according to the fear that is due unto thee? Moses, who was acquainted with the ways of God in a measure to which none of us are, still felt with his intimate acquaintance with the ways of God that as certainly as he could not plumb the depths of the mercy of God, so he could not, he could not plumb the depths of the wrath of God. And this is the text that has been going through my mind dozens of times, both in the preparation and the delivery of these series of studies concerning our Lord's teaching on the subject of hell or the future of impenitent sinners. Though I am seeking to organize the material in the teaching of our Lord, seeking to set it forth clearly with an abundance of scriptural, scriptural support, still having done all of this, we cry out, Who knoweth the power of thine anger and thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee? I remind you that in our previous studies,

1:46 I have emphasized again and again that there is but one way to approach the subject of the future of the impenitent. The only way to approach any subject concerning any facet of life, that approach is of a mind that is utterly subject without reservation. To the plain and obvious sense of the statements of Holy Scripture. As professed disciples of Jesus Christ, our minds are subject to Him, to think His thoughts after Him.

Review of Previous Teachings on Hell

2:15 And in our study, as we have sought to consider the words of Christ in their plain and obvious sense, we have discovered three things about the doctrine of hell. First of all, hell is a place and a condition of unspeakable and unalleviated torment, misery and woe. Our Lord sets forth this concept in the figures of outer darkness and of unquenchable fire, both of which shall produce in all who are in hell, railing the picture of intense agony and gnashing of teeth, the picture of augmented hate and anger and frustration. Secondly, we have seen that hell is a place and a condition where soul and body, shall suffer punishment for sin. Our Lord said, Fear not them which kill the body, and after this have no more that they can do, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. And then last week, we considered together the third principle in the teaching of our Lord on this subject, that hell is a place and a condition of divine retribution. That is, a place where God will mete out deserved punishment for sin.

3:32 This touches on the very issue of the purpose of hell. And we saw in our study that hell is not a sanctified ruse, God just telling us something to scare us into heaven. It is not an extension of the day of opportunity. It is not a means of grace, nor is it primarily a place where God will display His power to obliterate evil.

3:54 This is the error of the annihilationist. He turns the purpose of hell from that which our Lord clearly states that it is, namely a place, to display His anger against sin in punishment of the sin in the sinner. And it's turned into a place where God displays His power to obliterate evil. This is an upsetting of the whole drift of the teaching of Holy Scripture.

4:18 No, the purpose of hell is that of divine retribution. And so, as we saw in our study, the words punishment, wrath, and vengeance are used in connection with this doctrine. These shall go away into everlasting punishment, tribulation, and anger, and wrath upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Now, this morning, we come to the fourth aspect of our Lord's teaching on the doctrine of hell, and it is this.

Biblical Evidence for Degrees of Punishment

4:49 Hell is a place and a condition of degrees of punishment for sin. A place and a condition of degrees of punishment for sin. Now, to think, our way through the subject, I shall first of all set forth briefly the biblical evidence for the concept of degrees of punishment. Secondly, I will attempt to explain what is meant by degrees of punishment.

5:15 Thirdly, the reasons for degrees of punishment, and then what will be the backbone of our message, the fourth point, the basis for the degrees of punishment in hell. First of all, then, what evidence is there in the teaching of our Lord that there will be degrees of punishment? Will you turn to the gospel according to Matthew? Again, this morning, as in our previous studies, almost all of our biblical material is located in the gospel of Matthew, not because this is the only place, but because this is the greatest concentration of our Lord's teaching on the subject, and what is taught in this gospel alone is sufficient to fill us with an accurate concept of the basic doctrine of our Lord. Matthew chapter 10. Our Lord is commissioning the twelve and sending them forth on their first preaching tour. He is giving them instructions as to how they are to conduct themselves, to whom they are to go, only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, not into the Samaritan or Gentile towns.

6:24 He is telling them how they are to react to a favorable reception. On the other hand, how they are to react to an unfavorable reception. And I read now from chapter 10, and verse 13. And if the house be worthy, you come to a house, and they receive you, let your peace come upon it.

6:42 But if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city. As we have seen in previous studies, the whole context of Scripture indicates that the day of judgment is that point at which the eternal destinies of men will be finally and forever fixed.

7:20 So our Lord is saying, when we come to that hour in history, the day of judgment, when men's eternal destiny shall be fixed for eternal life and bliss or eternal punishment, eternal death, some will find that hour more tolerable than others. It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city which facing the message of these commissioned apostles rejects the message. All we're establishing is that this passage clearly teaches in the plain sense of its meaning that there will be degrees of punishment in the day of judgment. Turn over to Matthew chapter 11 verses 22 and 24.

8:03 Our Lord is upbraiding cities where he performed many miracles because the end of those miracles was not realized. Seeing the miracles, they should have recognized who he was and recognizing who he was, they should have submitted to his claims in repentance and faith, but they did not do so. So we pick up the narrative in verse 20. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not.

8:33 Woe unto thee, Chorazin, woe unto thee, Bethsaida, for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. The same concept, more tolerable for certain cities and their inhabitants in the day of judgment when the destinies of men shall be fixed and they shall be cast into the lake of fire. For ushered into the presence of God, some shall find it more tolerable than others.

9:10 Verse 24, But I say unto you, speaking of several other cities, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. Chapter 12 of Matthew, verses 36 and 37, And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words, thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Condemnation will be in terms of idle words.

9:44 Ten idle words will receive the weight of the condemnation due to ten. Twenty to twenty, thirty to thirty, fifty to fifty. These words lose all meaning unless there is a real sense in which more or fewer idle words will bring a greater or lesser degree of punishment in the day of judgment. And then you have that passage in the twelfth chapter of Luke.

10:10 And all we're seeking to do is to set forth the evidence in the teaching of our Lord that there will be degrees of punishment in that awful day. Our Lord has given a parable beginning with verse 41 of Luke chapter 12. Or I should say, he's giving an interpretation of a parable. And as he interprets that parable, he says, in verse 47, And that servant who knew his Lord's will and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

10:47 But he that knew not and did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required. And they to whom they commit much of him will they ask the more. Now someone says, well, that doesn't say anything about judgment, does it?

11:04 Well, if you look at the context, verse 41, the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not and in an hour when he knoweth not and shall cut him asunder and appoint his portion with the unfaithful. Send him to that awful place called hell, but in terms of degrees of punishment. Some beaten with many stripes, some beaten with few stripes. So the words of our Lord in their plain sense do indeed teach that there will be degrees of punishment.

11:34 I quote just briefly, two supporting texts from the other writings of the New Testament. Romans 2 and verse 5, we have this word, but treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath. Here the apostle uses a vivid picture and he says of certain people that every day they're putting capital in the bank. They are treasuring up something so that Tuesday they have more than they had Monday.

12:00 Wednesday they have more than they had Tuesday. And what are they treasuring up? He says they're treasuring up a storehouse, a storehouse of wrath that shall break upon their heads in the day of judgment. Some will have a bigger bank account than others.

12:12 Degrees of punishment. The same concept is set forth in Hebrews chapter 10 where we read in verses 29 to 31 concerning those who refuse the full blazing light of the gospel contrasted with those who rejected the light that came through Moses of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despot to the Spirit of grace. The little phrase of how much sorer punishment. Now I don't want to be tedious but I did want to set before you these five texts of scripture three from the ministry of our Lord the supportive one in Romans and again in Hebrews that we might be firmly convinced that there will be degrees of punishment in hell. Now, secondly, let me attempt to explain this concept of degrees of punishment negatively and then positively. The Bible in teaching that there will be degrees of punishment does not mean to suggest that there shall be anything less than perfect misery for every soul in hell.

Explaining Degrees of Punishment: Not Less Than Perfect Misery

13:26 Whatever our Lord teaches about degrees of punishment does not cancel out the first three things we've seen in his teaching. All in hell shall be in the place of wailing and gnashing of teeth. The wailing will not be turned to laughter and the gnashing of teeth to the clicking of heels.

13:45 Though some shall find more tolerance or hell more tolerable than others all shall find it a place of perfect misery. Whatever our Lord means it is no negation of the first three things that we have seen nor of the fifth that we shall study next week namely that the duration of the sufferings of hell is eternal. And I say this because the devil would take this truth and blind men in order to lead them to say well since some will be better off in hell than others I'll just sort of trust God will go easy on me. No, no my friend.

14:23 If the devil would use the truth preached this morning in that way I want to expose him before he gets to his miserable work. What does this concept convey? The best I know to describe it in the light of the materials of the Bible is this. It means either that some will have a greater capacity for suffering or will actually bear a more fierce measure of the positive infliction of the wrath of God upon them.

14:53 Some of you who work with electricity know that certain wires in terms of their thickness and in terms of the materials of which they are made are able to carry more electrical current than others. You may have one strand of wire a certain thickness of a certain material that is as it were perfectly charged with electricity. It's flowing through the entirety of that wire. But another wire of greater thickness and of a different material may be carrying ten times as much electricity in terms of voltage in terms of other measurements and yet we may say of both wires that they are perfectly charged with electricity.

15:34 One has a greater capacity to bear a greater measure of electrical current. I know it's a human illustration but in some way it's this concept. You have the parallel with the saints in heaven. It's obvious that if we will be judged as God's people there are going to be differences of reward.

15:51 This is taught in many of the parables of our Lord. Some received two talents. Some received five talents. And in terms of what they did with the talents reward was given commensurate with their faithfulness and their productivity.

16:04 What will it be in heaven? Perfect bliss for every soul that is in heaven. Perfect bliss. For it says of all in that city of the redeemed no sorrow, no crying, no tears.

16:15 The former things are passed away. But in some way there will be degrees of blessedness. Therefore we conclude that the degrees of blessedness will either be in terms of some having a greater capacity to enjoy the glory of God or perhaps in some way God will actually confer upon them a heightened measure of the delights of that place. How he'll do this?

16:42 I don't know. The Bible doesn't tell me. How some shall find hell more tolerable than others I do not know. But it is revealed that some shall find it so.

16:53 And there we must let it rest so that the degrees of punishment does not mean that some will be less than perfectly miserable. No, all shall wail and gnash the teeth. But some shall have a greater capacity for suffering and there will be more positive infliction in men of the anger and wrath of God. Now thirdly, what is the reason for this concept of degrees of punishment in hell?

The Reason for Degrees of Punishment: The Justice of God

17:21 Isn't hell hell enough? Must we turn God into a fiend to say that he must meticulously weigh the measure of guilt and mete out different degrees of punishment? Isn't hell hell enough?

17:36 Why should there be degrees of punishment? What is the reason for the degrees of punishment in hell? And in answer to that question, may I say it is all resolved on one basic issue. The justice of God.

17:51 The justice of God. Just as God has decreed that justice demands punishment for law, and I'm not using an extra word in there. I want you to follow closely. There's no such thing as just plain blind justice to which God must conform as though justice was something sitting out here and God looks at justice and says, now justice, I'm your servant, what shall I do?

18:14 No, no. Whatever justice is, it's a created thing. God has said, here are the standards of justice. Reflective of His own character, yes, but not a master over Him.

18:27 Justice did not create God in its image. I say it reverently, God created justice in His image. God has decreed then that justice as it works out in His government says, break the law and you'll be punished. In the same way, God has decreed that the justice of God demands that the degree of punishment shall be measured by the nature of the offense.

18:59 You say, you left me on that. All right, forget my little flight into description, just put it in the concrete. In the Old Testament, when God set up the civil laws amongst His people, what did He do? Well, He made a distinction in many areas.

19:13 Premeditated murder was to be punished in a different way than what? Unpremeditated murder. If you're out in the field and just through a little bit of carelessness, your buddy loses a leg, you're not treated in the same way as if you're jealous and angry with him and you plot a way to get his leg taken off. What is this?

19:29 But degrees of punishment, the same crime, murder, or the taking of a life, but because the motive was different, the measure of the punishment is commensurate with the nature of the crime. There was a difference in careless possession of your neighbor's good. It is cowed. It's cowed straight over into your backyard and you just got too busy to return it.

19:50 When your neighbor found out, there was a certain way you were to make it right. But if you looked at his big, fat, old Bessie over there, that is his cow, and you got all covetous for that cow and said, I'd like to have that in my backyard and she gives a lot of milk, and you actually plotted to steal his Bessie, then when your neighbor found out, you had to restore it with a greater measure of restitution. There were degrees of punishment, degrees of restitution. Why?

20:16 Because the nature of the crime, considering motivation and circumstances, determines the measure of the crime's punishment.

20:26 Now, this is not just a concept found, woven into the fabric of the Old Testament. Our Lord, in what we might call the manifesto of the kingdom of God, the Sermon on the Mount, enforces this very principle in the government of God. For he says in the fifth chapter of Matthew, beginning with verse 21, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment.

20:57 Whosoever shall say to his brother, Rekha, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire. Well, why should there be different degrees of intensity of punishment for the crime? Because there is something worthy of more judgment, of heavier judgment, in the actual speaking of derisive, abusive words, than the mere attitude of despite or whatever else is in the heart towards your brother.

21:36 So we see, this principle of the justice of God not only demands punishment for sin, but punishment must be in terms of the nature of the offense. Now, follow closely. This is why the issue in the day of judgment is not just a public roll call to determine who is in the book of life and who is not. No, no.

22:01 What is the issue in the day of judgment according to scriptures? Men shall be judged according to their position in the roll call? No. They shall be judged according to their...

22:16 Revelation 20 has this very clear. The book of life is opened. But then it says, the books are opened. And the people are judged not out of the book of life, but it says they are judged out of the books according to their work and whoever was not found written in the book of life shall be cast into the lake of fire.

22:35 What's the purpose of this? May I suggest there is no answer to that except the one we're dealing with this morning. The answer is that the accumulated guilt of some people is greater than the accumulated guilt of others. And the opening up of the books will be the sum total of God's case against every sinner.

22:58 And as a righteous judge committed to the standards of righteousness which he himself has set forth, some will receive a heavier weight of judgment than others. And there is no revealed reason why God should have a judgment according to works, according to the thoughts of men. Romans 2.16.

23:21 According to the words of men. Matthew 12.37. If it's not for the fact that certain kinds of thoughts are worthy of more judgment than other kinds of thoughts.

23:31 Certain kinds of words are worthy of heavier judgment than other kinds of words. And so the issue in the day of judgment will not be merely a public roll call, a judgment according to people's state in Christ or out of Christ, but a judgment according to deeds. Do you see that? Have I made that clear?

Basis 1: The Extent of Abandonment to Sin

23:50 I don't want to labor the point, but do you see the distinction? I trust you do. Tell me afterward if you've captured it. Now, and this is the heart of the message this morning, having considered the fact that there will be degrees of punishment, trying to explain the concept briefly, setting forth the reasons in the justice of God, what will be the basis by which degrees of punishment will be determined?

24:16 What will be the basis by which degrees of punishment will be determined? What will be the basis by which degrees of punishment will be determined? What will be the basis that will be determined? And may I suggest that Scripture sets forth three.

24:27 And this has been a new revelation to me. I haven't read this in any of the books that I've read on the subject, the theologies that I've examined. But as I've sought to scour the Scriptures on our Lord's teaching, I believe He sets forth very clearly at least three things that will comprise the basis by which degrees of punishment will be determined. A, or number one, the extent to which men have abandoned themselves for the sake of God.

24:53 to their sin.

24:56 Will you go back to the Matthew 5, 21 passage? The extent to which men have abandoned themselves to sin will determine the degree of their punishment.

25:10 Is there anything worthy of more punishment in foul language than in mere foul thoughts? Yes. Yes, there is. Our Lord sets forth the principle here.

25:22 I read the words again. Verse 22 of Matthew 5. Everyone who is angry with his brother, anger is sin. It will bring a certain form of judgment.

25:31 Absolutely. Whosoever will say to his brother, Rekha, shall be in danger of the council. Saying something that is a term of abuse, oh yes, that will bring judgment. But whosoever shall say, thou fool, that's the highest expression of contempt, he will be in danger of the hell of fire.

25:52 You see what our Lord is saying? If a man has the attitude of anger in his heart,

25:59 that's sin. And he'll be judged for it. But if he abandons himself to that disposition of anger and he speaks a derisive word, that will even bring heavier judgment. But if he only gives himself over to that spirit and just spews out these words, I, oh fool, he'll even have a heavier judgment.

26:19 The judgment will be based upon the extent to which the sinner abandons himself to the sin of his heart. Now, in every, in every case, the sin deserves judgment. In every case, our Lord says, sin will be met with punishment. But the degrees, the intensity of punishment will be determined by the measure to which abandonment to sin has been marked.

26:45 I've heard people say, well, it's just as bad to think a mean thought as it is to say a mean word. No, it isn't. It's just as bad to think an adulterous thought as it is to commit adultery. Don't be foolish.

26:54 Of course it isn't.

26:57 A man lost in his heart, he's guilty of adultery before the law of God. He's guilty of adultery before the law of God. But he hasn't taken a woman's purity and wrecked a home.

27:05 I believe the devil's done great disservice by that kind of teaching so that some people say, well, if it's just as bad in the eyes of God, I might as well go ahead and do it and get a little enjoyment out of it. That isn't true. Is it just the same to covet a man's car as it is to steal it? Of course not.

27:21 If I covet, that's idolatry. God will judge it. But if my coveting leads to stealing, that's thievery. God will judge that too.

27:29 And so I suggest to you on the basis of this passage of Scripture, in the teaching of our Lord, and again it is confirmed by the Romans 2.5 passage, speaking of these people who abandon themselves to a course of sin, a course of insensitivity to the goodness of God, Paul says they're building up a stock of judgment, treasuring up wrath, so that they would have had more wrath on Friday if they died in their sins than had they died on Monday in their sins. They've abandoned themselves to their sin, and the extent of that abandonment will be the extent will be the measure of their judgment.

28:07 May I say by way of application, beware of the reasoning that says, oh, since I'm going to hell, I might as well go in fun, have a good time while I'm going. Listen, my friend.

28:18 Every day you spend in giving vent to the lust and passions of your own heart and your corrupt flesh,

28:27 you're putting stock in the bank of judgment.

28:32 Putting stock in the bank of judgment. If there were no other reason to put a bridle upon the neck and a bit into the mouth of your lust, if there's no higher motive than this, I don't want hell to be as bad for me as it could be.

28:49 If there is no higher motive than that, I plead with you, don't abandon yourself to sin. If every idle word shall bring a just measure of judgment, then, my friend, you better be careful about the amount of idle words that you speak. One servant of God has said, and this statement has caused me deep agitation of mine, but I believe it's warranted. I believe it's an extraction of the principle of Scripture.

29:18 Listen. The differing degrees of punishment in the world to come will be so terrible that the sinner, were he able, would give the whole world that the number of his sins would be one less.

29:39 You got that? The sinner in hell, the sinner in hell, the sinner in hell, the sinner in hell, the sinner in hell, the sinner in hell, the difference of the differing degrees of punishment in that world to come would give the whole world, if he could, to have the measure of his sins one less.

29:53 For he knows then, as he cannot know now, that his judgment would have been less.

Basis 2: Leading Others to Sin by Example and Influence

30:00 The second basis upon which the degrees of punishment will be determined is this. The extent to which men have led others to sin by their example and influence.

30:13 Now I ask you to turn to the 18th chapter of Matthew. The degrees of punishment in hell will be measured by 1. The extent to which men abandon themselves to sin. 2. The extent to which men have led others to sin by their example and influence. Our Lord in the 18th chapter of Matthew setting a child in the midst and saying that you must become childlike in your disposition before you'll enter the kingdom of heaven then says in verse 5 and whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me but whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck and he should be sunk in the sea. Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling. In other words, those who are an occasion

31:11 of stumbling to others a woe is pronounced upon them. It must needs be that occasions come in a world full of sin there will be enough to provoke men to sin but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh and if thy hand causes thee to stumble cut it off and cast it from thee it's good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. The whole context of this warning against my being led to sin by my own hands hand or eye is my influence upon others in terms of my own darling sins. So that our Lord says it's bad enough that sin shall come and it will but woe upon the man who is the occasion of sin unto others. This thought is repeated in Mark 9, 38-47. I won't take time to read the passage. It's a parallel passage though it has some distinct differences.

32:19 I have been reading this passage and I'm reading John Bunyan's works. The section in which he expounds Luke 16 and he calls it Sighs from Hell. And in commenting upon the words you remember the prayer of the man in hell was this. Father Abraham send someone to my brothers lest they also come to this place of torment.

32:42 And Bunyan asked the question could the man in hell be activated and motivated by genuine love for his brothers? He said no. This is contrary to the whole teaching of scripture. It's contrary to the whole teaching of that man.

32:53 He wasn't moved when he passed a beggar day after day at the gate of his own place. He said there's one reason why he prays that his brothers won't come. It's because he knows that if they come they will come in great measure because of the influence and effect of his own life. And the thought of their presence in hell because of his influence will intensify his own suffering and his own agony.

33:20 And out of pure self-love that the flames of hell be a little less intense for him he says send somebody to them lest they also come.

33:31 I rather believe Mr. Bunyan is right. But whether we adopt his interpretation of that passage or not the teaching of our Lord in Matthew 18 and in Mark 9 is abundantly clear that the extent to which you have led others to sin by your example and influence will enter in to the degree of your punishment. This is why there must be a day of judgment at the end of time.

33:57 Have you ever wondered why God didn't fix men's eternal destiny when they died?

34:03 Since death doesn't change anything why should God have a public judgment anyway? Why didn't he just take the saints up to heaven and somehow give them a new body or something else and send the saints into the lake of fire? Why does he bring the souls of the lost out of that interim state Hades, Sheol? Why does he bring them out of that join them to a body and bring them to a public judgment at the end of time?

34:25 I'll tell you why. Because it's not until the end of time that the full effect of the influence of any one life can be fully measured.

34:37 And an infinite God will be able to take every individual life and assess every aspect of its influence sometimes an influence which extends for millenniums. And on the basis of the accumulated influence for evil God God will mete out punishment upon the wicked. I tell you friends that's enough to strike horror to the heart of any unconverted person sitting in this place today. And it's enough to fill the heart of a Christian with wonder that when Jesus Christ blotted out my sins he blotted out all of my wicked influence upon others.

35:18 The accountability of it. He may not have cancelled the influence. He leaves some of it to humble us. But when I think of my companions in sin as a lad and the stories I told that to this day someone may be passing on to defile the ears of others.

35:35 When I think of the lack of a positive influence upon some of my own loved ones because of my own impenitence I say oh God oh God forgive. And I have assurance that Jesus Christ blots out even that sin.

35:51 But my friend you go to that judgment unwashed in the blood of Christ and the degree of your punishment will be determined by the accumulated influence of your sinful life upon others as known by an infinite God.

36:08 May I say by way of application a word to you parents who are unconverted. Some of you trifling with Christ and his salvation by your example and influence you are like those of Matthew 23 13. Jesus said woe unto you scribes, pharisees for you do not enter the kingdom and you hinder an unconverted father.

36:35 What does a son of God want more in life than to be like his dad? If his dad's half a man a son is born with every ambition as it were has cultivated I want to be like my dad. And he sees a dad who may be nice who may be kind who may be more who may be upright but he's impenitent. He doesn't put Christ in his salvation central.

36:57 And that son comes under the influence of the gospel and in the overtures of the gospel his heart is drawn to Christ and his salvation. But he wants to be like that and he's torn he's torn he's twisted.

37:12 Woe unto those who do not enter and hinder those from entering the world. Oh you say but I wouldn't do my kids from Christ. No. By your very example you're keeping them away from him.

37:24 That's to say nothing of the one who positively hinders and positively seeks to discourage. Oh dear parent be you father or mother who has trifled too long with Christ in his claims may I soberly exhort you to flee to the Savior before you come to judgment and have God hold you accountable for that influence of your life upon your own children. Let me say a word to you who have come first or second in your families. You're the big brother or the big sister in that family.

37:56 And if there's any kind of family cohesion whether you know it or not you're the pace setter in that family.

38:03 That's an awful responsibility.

38:06 You don't need to stand up before the rest of the kids every morning and say look I'm the standard bearer I'm the pace setter around here you all be like no no.

38:14 When you try that they act like they don't want you as big brother big sister. But just the influence of your life in your attitude to mom and dad and their discipline in your attitude to the church and to the truth of God and to Christ you are exerting a powerful influence in that home.

38:34 And listen to me older brother older sister if that influence is an occasion of stumbling to your younger brothers and sisters Jesus says woe be unto you it were better that a great millstone were hanged around your neck and you were drowned in the sea.

38:53 Serious isn't it? And then may I say a word to myself I've preached this to my own heart until I've trembled inwardly. I say to every elder every deacon every aspirant to the Christian ministry in this place this morning this is the dread of the place of leadership.

39:15 If I fall into sin I don't fall alone I drag a congregation with me.

39:26 You in a place of leadership you fall into sin you drag a congregation with you.

39:37 I'd rather be accused of being a little bit too strict and a little bit too straight laced and a little bit too serious and a little bit too aloof and a little bit too austere and open the door to feed the flesh the world and the devil and end up giving the enemies of God occasion to blaspheme.

40:06 Any of you aspire to Christian leadership never forget this. Never forget it.

Basis 3: The Extent of Light and Privilege Abused

40:12 Never forget it. Then the third thing which will determine the degree of punishment in hell is this the extent to which light and privilege were abused.

40:28 The extent to which light and privilege were abused. And now you turn to the Luke 12 passage which is the pivotal passage in scripture on this subject.

40:46 Will you notice in the first place what was similar about these two servants? Verse 47. And that servant who knew his Lord's will and made not ready nor did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not and did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes.

41:11 Now what did these two individuals have in common? Well first of all they were both servants accountable to their master. Secondly they both did things worthy of stripes. Notice the term is used in both cases.

41:28 The one who knew not nor did according to his will shall be beaten. He that knew did not did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten. Both are accountable to their master. Both have done things worthy of stripes.

41:44 Thirdly both will receive judgment. Ah but the question is what's different about them? Two things.

41:54 One had more light than did the other. One knew his Lord's will. That's light. Understanding.

42:01 One knew not his Lord's will. They were different in the measure of their light and secondly as a consequence of that they were different in the measure of their judgment. One had few stripes. One had many stripes.

42:15 Both had stripes. One many. One few. What does this tell us?

42:19 Our Lord says it tells us something that is operative in human society constantly. He takes this and moves to a general principle and to whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required and to whom they commit much of him they will ask the more. What is the measure of God's judgment in that day? It is this the extent of light and of privilege that was abused.

42:46 You have an exact parallel of this in Romans 2 and verse 12 where Paul speaks of the heathen who don't have the written word law of God. It says they that are perish let me get the exact phrasing Romans 2 and verse 12 for as many as have sinned without the law shall perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law. What do they have in common?

43:13 They both should be judged because they both have sinned. But the thing that is different is the measure by which they are judged and consequently the extent of punishment incurred upon them. People ask the question will God send the heathen to hell? Well the answer of scripture is clear.

43:35 All men sinned in Adam including the heathen. All men violate the law of God whether that law has come in its written form or whether it's there upon the conscience as this passage teaches and therefore since the wages of sin is death and death is separation from God all men out of Jesus Christ shall perish. But here's the issue. Will God deal with the heathen whose light has been the light of conscience and nature alone?

44:04 Will he deal with him in the same way he deals with someone from the Trinity Church who has the light of conscience the light of nature the light of the Bible the light of example the light of preaching the light of earnest entreaty the light of the tears of God's servant? Never.

44:20 There shall be a much intenser measure of judgment and a greater measure of wrath. This principle is illustrated in the two passages I won't take time to read them. I read them earlier Matthew 10, 15 and Matthew 11, 22 and 24. Why did the Lord say to these cities woe unto you Chorazin woe unto you Bethsaida it'll be better off in the day of judgment for Sodom than for you.

44:46 Wait a minute what was Sodom? Remember why God sent fire out of heaven on Sodom?

44:52 Things got so bad there that not only could not a decent woman walk through the streets no man dared walk through the streets. He'd be a by other men so given over to perversion so that in our very law courts today that very perversion is named Sodomy. Imagine a city so wicked so perverse so given up to uncleanness that God says the only way to deal with that city is burn it up and he opens up the heavens and sends down fire and brimstone. God says look comparatively speaking they'll have it easy in the day of judgment compared to one of these Jewish cities synagogue worship going on people living many of them externally in the light of God's holy law a people bound up with a revealed religious light a people who carry on commerce things have not descended to that depth of wickedness no idol temples in any of those Jewish cities they got the lesson of the Babylonian captivity a people who for the most part are moral and upright as far as the world judges it you mean it'll be worse off in the judgment for them than for those wicked Sodomites exactly and what's the difference because greater light and opportunity the son of man has come the kingdom of God is at hand and because of greater light and greater privilege abused judgment will be heavier may I say by way of application this is true in our own day there are some societies and cultures living in total pagan darkness

46:21 did some of you see that Lowell Thomas production of about a week and a half ago Lowell Thomas was able to get into a section of New Guinea by the auspices of the Australian government to track down a tribe to which no outsider has ever come in all the history the millenniums if possible hundreds of years of the existence of that tribe can't go into the details of the thing it would be interesting to do so but it wouldn't serve the point of the message but here's a tribe utterly given over to those characteristics of paganism demon worship demon possession the witch doctor there with his breathings trying to get in tune with the spirit world absolute cruelty they showed the head of a woman whose skull had been bashed in without warning absolute cruelty no sensitivity women are treated like some kind of common property as far as any dignity and any worth and we look at all of that and we say my the judgment of God must be terrible upon a people like that listen you take that nice cultured American who has behind him generations of opportunity Bibles in his store twist the dial and he can get the gospel and yet still unconverted listen he'd wish in that day he could be one of those stone age New Guinea people in the day of judgment he'd give anything to trade places anything anything because all that light and opportunity

47:50 will rise up to condemn him now let's even narrow it down further take in our own society picture that man who stayed up all hours of the night last night watching the late late late late show no thought that tomorrow was the Lord's day no preparation of his heart and mind he's still sound asleep about another half an hour he's going to come out and shake himself loose from his partial hibernation go to the door and get his Sunday paper light up his pell-mells kick his feet up and half asleep look at his paper during the commercials and watch his TV all afternoon have a few beers watch his favorite Sunday night programs go to sleep get up the next morning curse and grumble under his breath but he's got to go back into the sleep slave shop and he'll put in another week until next weekend when he can go through the same routine all right there he is you got the picture of him that's the description of many American male this very hour but you're not like that you got to bed at a decent hour last night as you woke this morning you said well got to go to church you got yourself all showered and shaved are you ladies hair all teased and sprayed or whatever else you had to do and you're all here and you're listening to the word and you're singing hymns and you put your money on the plate but listen you're not a true Christian you haven't gotten down the bedrock of repentance and true turning from sin and laying hold of Christ listen you've heard preaching this morning

49:17 you've heard it for weeks and months and years some of you that pagan who's there just now coming out of the land of Nod and waking up to the abuse of this the Lord's day maybe he's never once had a preacher look him in the eye and tell him about heaven and hell maybe never once has he ever seen anyone whose eyes have been wet with tears of concern he's never heard a bible preached and expounded listen my friend you go to the day of judgment and stand alongside that fellow you'll wish for anything you could trade places with him you'd give anything to trade places with him beer breath and cigarette breath and all you'd give anything to trade places with him why? because the measure of your judgment will be the degree of light and privilege abused and though he abused the privilege of getting himself out of bed and coming to hear the word you've abused the privilege of actually hearing it and God will hold you accountable how about you young people you take some of those kids at school giving themselves over to dope some of those girls then they'll do anything to get a fix their body becomes common property if anybody will stick ten dollars in their pocketbook and there are girls in fourteen fifteen years of age who are doing this probably some of them in your own high schools no moral standards they've got the morals of alley cats their mouths

50:47 full of cursing and bitterness they despise their parents no submission to authority no sense of respect for constituted order they call the cops pigs and they do it with a venom I wouldn't use the language in church that they use of mom and dad and the principal and the teacher anything that symbolizes authority you've got the picture in my mind the perfect embodiment of all the rebellion and moral looseness and lack of objective standards in our day perhaps some of you know such kids maybe you know them maybe you've rubbed shoulders with them listen may I say if you sit here with the privilege of a mom and dad who pray for you and open the word of God to you and bring you out to church the privilege of a preacher who tries to remember you in his sermons and have applications for you and use language that's down where you can get it listen you go to the day of judgment unconverted you'd give the world to trade places with that girl that fellow you'd give the world to trade places because you had greater light and greater privilege and you're beautiful you abused it you abused it one of the greatest horrors of the thought of the ministry and I have literally this week in my study cried out verbally oh God can it be the thought is this that all my ministry has done for some of you is increase the measure

52:15 of your judgment in hell that's all that's all it's done not a thing more now listen I didn't minister with that intention I didn't minister I have ministered with the intention of beseeching you to be reconciled to God I have preached plainly in order to secure a hearing for the gospel I've pled that you might be saved that wasn't my intention in preaching to increase the measure of your judgment in hell but that'll be the fruit of it may I say it wasn't God's intention in sending the gospel to you the scripture tells us that God's revealed intention in bringing the gospel is this I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked turn and live turn ye turn ye why will you die my friend you abused that privilege and that revealed intention and all the ministry of this place is done and all the prayers of a wife or husband mother and father and all those influences have just built up the stock of wrath in the judgment vault of God we're warranted in saying that to come under the sphere of the message and influence of the gospel of Christ of his word of prayer of real Christians is to come into the circle follow closely now which marks men out for the greatest possible blessing or the greatest possible curse

53:43 can people be saved unless they hear the gospel no will people be saved generally unless they see some real Christians no so to come into contact with real Christians with pure preaching with the message of Christ that's to come into the circle that holds the greatest blessing ah but it's also to come into the circle that holds the possibility of the greatest curse now like it or not you're all in that circle because in a number of ways that would take a hundred years to describe if we all gave our own testimony of it some of it goes back for generations God's brought us into that sphere we're here this morning where the word is believed where Christ is honored where salvation is proclaimed through the blood of the son of God you're in that circle every one of you fellas girls men women I care not who you are you're in that circle will it be in your case unto blessing or will it be unto cursing may God grant that you'll not be cursed with the curse which will come in that degree of highest intensity because of light and privilege abused may the Lord help you if you're not biblically sure of an interest in Jesus Christ to seek the Lord while he may be found to call upon him while he is near

55:12 let us pray