Romans

[0:00] May the Lord be pleased to help me. I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the epistle to the Romans, chapter 14 and the 12th verse.

[0:21] So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

[0:33] Chapter 14, the epistle to the Romans and the 12th verse.

[0:44] As a rule, when a preacher gives out a text to be the subject from which he hopes God will help him to preach, the text is usually applicable to some in the congregation who are the characters referred to in the text.

[1:15] But this text which I have read from which I hope God will help me to say something helpful to you, is one that is applicable to every one of us under Union Chapel route.

[1:32] Whatever our age may be, whether in life's morning, afternoon or evening time, now and again in the word of God you do get subjects like that, where there is an application to every one here in the preacher's voice.

[1:53] And this word, while it was tanned by the Apostle Paul to the Church of Christ in Rome, yes, it brings before us what is called a foundation proof.

[2:09] So then, every one of us should give account of himself to God. And now there could be no more solemn a subject to be found in the word of God than to ponder in our hearts for a little while that every one of us in this assembly, people and people, must give an account to God.

[2:46] When you step out of time into eternity and appear before God, you and I will have to give an account of our life as you and I have lived it.

[3:05] And not only generalise about it, but God will require us to give an account of every detail of it.

[3:17] and now that is a very solemn consideration. While I do not want this to be too much like a sermon, at the same time, my heart's desire is the eternal welfare of you dear young people.

[3:42] And so, I want to look at this subject and to say something that may be instructive and helpful and something that God will own and bless.

[3:58] the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and there we shall have to give an account says the apostle Paul of the deeds that have been done in the body whether they be good or bad.

[4:20] And now, ere I come to open up the subject as my mind is running to do so, do any of you dear young people ever think about it?

[4:32] Oh, I do hope some of you ponder it in your heart. Life is real. Life is earnest. And the grave is not its goal.

[4:45] Just thou art to dust return it was not spoken of the soul. What you do what you say where you go God rules require an account of it.

[5:03] The motive that prompted you You see at least I hope you do I would like you to see that the basis of the judgment seat of Christ God how God will deal with poor sinners that that great day will be that He is their creator and they are His creatures.

[5:33] and while you may apparently as yet be living your life and feeling concerning God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thee or thy ways yet at the same time you are indebted to God as your creator for every breath that you draw whereby whereby your soul is holden in life and then when you think of what you are as a creature when all is said and done the word of God says we are fearfully and wonderfully made and we are you think of your two eyes your two ears your two hands your two feet you think of your heart that keeps beating like an engine as long as you live and never fails until the time comes for you to lie down and die think of your tongue and the wonder of it the words that roll off of it and now you being a creature

[6:50] God being your creator it says remember thy creator in the days of thy youth ere the evil days come not yes and now to help you understand this viewpoint of truth so then every one of us to give account of himself to God I'm going to take the word account and give you something for each letter of it whereby you will have to give an account before God and it will be well if you ponder it in your heart as you are journeying on through life and remember this accountability you and I being accountable to God as to how we are living what we are doing and why we are doing it and to what purpose oh that means responsibility you and I are responsible before God responsible to God as I said he is our creator you and I are his creatures and now so then every one of us should give account of himself to God the letter A stands for aim you will have to give an account of God as to what your aim is in life you are bent of mind your motive that prompts you and remember

[8:45] I the Lord search the heart and the word of God says they that are after the flesh who mind the things of the flesh they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit every one of us should give an account of himself to God regarding our aims as we journeyed on through life whether it was to be something in the world until a niche in it and getting the headline as being such and one or whether our aim was like godly David said for one thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple every one of us should give account of himself to God regarding aims and now when you weigh up the aims whereby you see many people are living if you take a look at the daily paper

[10:06] I have no doubt that you do and you see the useless lives that many folk are living which brings them into the headlines as I said and for a little while they get a measure of popularity because they are this or that in the world at large and they live their life with an aim to be after the flesh the things of the flesh and the world applauds them in doing it yet it is only just bubble blowing and there you can see the pretty colours on the bubble it is burst and there is nothing left to show for it I was very impressed as I was thinking about this subject I lighted on something which was very pleasing to me and which I could enter into going back to my teenage life and now there was a football player who belonged to a very high up club and he says that the biggest thrill of my life was when I first scored the decisive goal in a big match and heard the roar of the cheering crowds but in the quiet of my room that same night a sense of the futility of it swept over me after all what was it worth was there nothing better to live for than to score goals such thoughts were the beginning of my search for satisfaction

[11:48] I knew in my heart that no one could meet my needs but God himself and soon after I was helped to find in Christ what I never could find in the world he was enabled by grace to pursue his life from that time on with a different aim that I might win Christ and be found in him and do remember this whatever your aims may be in life whatever little G gods you may at the present time as it were worship when you come down to your dying bed what will they do for you then and then when you have stepped out of time into eternity how sad how solemn it will be to give an account of yourself to God in having lived such a life that was useless aimless worthless and futile no good to you or to those amongst whom you lived and moved so then every one of us should give account of himself to

[13:12] God regarding the aims in life for which one has been living and now the first seed in this word account stands for conversation every one of us to give account of himself to God regarding our conversation and now that is a tremendous consideration and I might just say to make it plainer that in the word of God the word conversation embraces conduct not only what you say but what you do because actions speak louder than words and sometimes people can see by what you do what your real character is if you were in the world and of it if you were just after the flesh the things of the flesh or if you were after the spirit the things of the spirit the apostle

[14:22] Paul when he wrote to the Philippians long ago he said to them only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ and now the margin reading is behave as citizens only behave as citizens but citizens of the city of God only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one mind one spirit striving together for the faith of the gospel and now think of giving an account of conversation all the words that have dropped from your lips all the evil deeds that you have done all the foolish thoughts that have welled up in your breath the word of God says the thought of foolishness is sin for every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment and says the word of God by him actions are waved and now what a very solemn consideration that is so then every one of us should give account of himself to God and do you know

[16:04] Job said to one of his so called friends the words of thy mouth are like wind how forcible are right words yes they are words give pleasure words give pain words are wise words are vain words are false and words are true words weigh most when they are few of the apostles and being let go they went to their own company and that is just what people do when they're let go from what their everyday avocation is they go to their own company and those who were sinners born again following on to know the Lord they ever want to live like Moses choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and they have it in their hearts

[18:14] I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness and now Solomon says in the Proverbs he that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed and now this word company I'm not fitting any caps on but I'm bound to tell you that it not only means keeping company with your fellow creatures with whom you are hail fellow well met it may be it reaches much farther than that every one of us should give account of himself to God and now what books do you read and to what purpose is it that your mind may be informed that you may be fitted to fill a useful niche in life and do you look into the word of God if so be you might find with the Selmist thy word is a lamp unto my feet a light unto my path what books do you read?

[19:39] you let your consciences tell you dear young people because what books you read you will have to give an account of to God because because that comes in the category of the company that you keep if you waste your eyesight and your time in reading any books that only feed your carnal mind with that which is ill and evil be not deceived God is not mocked whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap he that soweth through the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption he that soweth through the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting there is a great word my son if sinners entice thee consent thou not much might be said under that head in so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God the letter O is for occupation so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God regarding what his occupation has been in journeying through life whether it was like you read about the Selmas what a lovely epitaph it is

[21:21] David having served his generation according to the will of God fell on sleep oh the word of God says whatsoever thy hand findeth thee to do do it with thy might and many of you dear young people I believe you want to fill a useful niche in life and your occupation to be that where you shall not only gain good for yourself but it will be good for those amongst whom you live and move but when you look at what is the occupation of many in the world at large nowadays what bubble blowing it really is and now England is supposed to be a welfare state and all you dear young people nowadays are living in very different times to what those of us who were old and grey headed had to live in 50, 60 years ago but in those far back times when there were first people politicians who were known as socialists there was one of their leaders who was very urgent and earnest and his name was Pierre

[22:47] Harvey and he might have been a very well intentioned man regarding his political views but when he came on to his deathbed what did he say oh if I could but live my life over again I should not be propagating the politics which I have done but I should ask God if I might be a preacher of the gospel for it is the gospel alone that will set the ills and evils of this world right not any viewpoint of politics whatever will do it and now that man was one of the founders of what is now called the Labour Party and that was his view when he came into eternity's life when he had to give an account of himself that he had spent all his days simply propagating his view of politics but in eternity's life he saw it was a gospel alone which could be good tidings of great joy to poor sinners who by the grace of

[24:11] God were given ears to hear it do think about that dear young people and let politics alone perish policy or cunning perish all that fear to like whether losing whether winning trust in God and do the right and there is another thought every one of us should give account of himself to God regarding the times in which you and I are living there is a word here which is being fulfilled before our eyes ye have so much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye claw you but there is none warm this is the word I want you to ponder in your heart and thee that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes thus saith the

[25:22] Lord of hosts consider your ways and now what a miserable occupation that is to earn wages and then having earned the same to store them in a bag with holes where when the time comes that you need help alas the wages have gone through the hole in the bag and you are less desolate do think about your occupation what is the purpose for which you are living so then every one of us give account of himself to God much might be said about the occupation but I can only give you a few hints because the word is longer than usual the letter you stands for unthankfulness so then every one of us should give account of himself to God concerning his or her unthankfulness and now let us get right down to bedrock when did you last try to say thank you to God for all his mercies bestowed upon you night and day here you are before God with whom you have to do and from baby days onward the goodness of God has clothed you fed you sheltered you provided you with those who love you and many of you blessed be

[27:17] God with godly fathers and mothers and those around you who wish you the blessing of the Lord for time and eternity too and are you not going to say thank you to God for such a great mercy I think sometimes regarding unthankfulness it is like the river Jordan which is a swift flowing river but as you all know that it flows into the dead sea and the dead sea remains the dead sea the living waters of the Jordan have no effect whatever when they reach the dead sea and so the mercies of God flow down to mankind the Lord is good to all in him we live and move and have our being like the

[28:19] Jordan ever flowing on swiftly mercies by day mercies by night but into man's heart as he is born it is like the Jordan waters rolling into the dead sea there is nothing but unthankfulness and it says one of the signs of the last times will be neither were they thankful unthankfulness a sign of the last times you might think about that dear young people and try to say thank you to God for all that he has done for you hitherto along life's way in his all wise providence think how thankful you should be that you were born where you are and that you should be what you are

[29:21] I have told you it needs repeating there are two thirds in the world at the present time that go to bed hungry do you none of you go to bed hungry unless some of you young people might be sent to bed hungry for a punishment but that is only an exception to the rule do think about this unthankfulness so then every one of us should give account of himself to God and now we come to the letter N and that stands for neglect neglect neglect and there is a word which says this how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation you dear young people I appeal to you especially as it is a young people's service but it can be for all of you but think how many times you have heard the gospel preach men ordained of God to preach and I hope

[30:41] I am one of those men too and the Lord has sustained me all the years he has in Union Chapel forfeit and how much you have heard since you were born that if you would heed it would be for your good in this life and that which is to come and yet some of you alas you have neglected your privileges you have just waited for the amen that would conclude the service and set you free but some of you blessed be God God has granted you ears to hear and you were like Mary and she pondered all these things in her heart but now every one of us should give account of himself to God regarding neglect and that is neglect of the word of

[31:43] God itself what is the holy bible to you dear young people he that rejecteth me and my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken it should judge him at the last day and then it means not only neglect of the word of God but what the word of God proclaims remember the sabbath day and keep it holy Nehemiah said long ago why is the house of the Lord forsaken neglected and when you read the word of God it is very striking that every now and again you find there was a falling away regarding the worship of God Israel of old you read in the book of

[32:45] Judges I think it is seven times so the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord and he dealt with them and they reaped the harvest according to the seed that they had sown it was just neglect neglect of the Sabbath day and the worship of God yes neglect of the house of prayer and whatever people may think about sitting at home and hearing the worship of God conducted over the radio by television be sure of this you will have to give an account of that kind of worship seeing you may have neglected real opportunities to worship God wherein you could gather in his earthly courts and be a witness in doing so verily my Sabbath ye shall keep ye shall reverence my sanctuary do remember that and whatever you do do not waste your life over the radio or with television because you will have to give an account of what you do from that viewpoint of your life and the seed that is sown then you may reap an evil harvest from it neglect and now there is a wonderful description in the gospel of

[34:33] Luke of the rich man and Lazarus and regarding this question of neglect I just read a little of it to you and then show you one or two things it will be well to keep in mind there was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table more over the dog's cane and licked his sores and it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom the rich man also died and was buried and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment and seest

[35:36] Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom and he cried and said father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame but Abraham said son remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented and beside all this between us and you there is a great gulf fish so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from them trink to me ere the rich man reacted to it then he said I pray thee therefore father that thou wouldest send him to my father's house for I have five brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment

[36:51] Abraham said unto them unto him they have Moses and the prophets let them hear them and he said nay father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent and he said unto him if they hear not Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead and now you might think just taking a cursory view of this record which dropped from the lips of the Lord Jesus that this rich man desired his brethren's good that Lazarus might be sent and a message be given to them lest they also come into the same place of torment where he was no no no there are no good thoughts no kind thoughts no brotherly thoughts in hell the rich man knew and his conscience told him maybe he was the oldest in the family and he it was his responsibility to set a good example but he knew that if his five brethren later on arrived where he was that his misery in hell would be five times more than it was already and that is the viewpoint of that and I want you dear young people to remember that beyond the grave there is not one who can say my memory is bad in heaven all those who have the mercy to be there have a perfect memory of the goodness of God the way he has led them every detail of it and they can dwell on it with sweetness and love and their hearts flow out to God who so dealt with them by his grace to bring them to be in that holy happy place if they remember the way that he has led them along in life's journey to bring them to be there forever with the Lord and now in hell everyone who is there has got a perfect memory every idle word will be remembered every evil deed every foolish thought all that comes in the category sins of omission sins of commission sins in thought word and deed all will be remembered and it will be in eternity those who were in hell have got all that vast time to live their lives over again in every jot and tittle every detail of it and to see the opportunities they may have had to be better and do better but had no concern to be better and do better therefore their condemnation is just that they should be where they are the onus of it is upon their own heads what did I tell you we must all appear before the judgment feet of Christ to receive according to the deeds that we have done in the body whether it be good or bad oh this question of neglect dear young people do think about it neglect not your soul's eternal good any longer but do seek divine aid that God will in his mercy bless you indeed and grant you the privilege to be numbered with his people and that henceforth you will follow on to know him and serve him and love him and believe him and live your life in the hope that you will be one day where he is with all the redeemed in glory so then every one of us should give account of himself to God the letter T stands for time every one of us should give account of himself to God how his time has been spent and when all is said and done when you were born you came into the world a little babe with all your faculties and you have grown up through childhood and you and now you're in manhood and some of us are in age and that is time so many years

[42:20] God has allotted to us to live not all live to the same length but this is the great thing to be pondering in your heart every one of us should give account of himself to God regarding his time and it says redeeming the time because the days are leaving how your time is spent whether it is idle the way whether it is wasted time it is a great thing to think about what you are doing with your time because you are hastening on to that hour when heart and flesh shall fail and time shall be no more with you time is transient it is ever passing and it is important whatever your age may be when you come down to die you filled a niche in life while you were living you will have to give an account of what you did while you lived and time is measured so that even if you should live to be as old as Methuselah and he lived to be 969 years and he died his time was measured to that length but then there is just another thought we speak of time but strictly speaking when the last day shall dawn and time shall be no more as regards clocks being needed to tell you the passing of it it will still be time in one sense of the word even in eternity only it will be endless eternity is time that is endless it will never pass away no came there a bird each thousand year the sand grain from the hills to bear when all had vanished grain by grain eternity would still remain mark well oh man eternity so then every one of us should give account of himself to God and now I just run through these words again and then I want to sum up and come to the amen

[45:06] A stands for aim C for conversation C for company O for occupation U for unthankfulness N for neglect T for time and now look how this is worded every one of us preacher and people alike young and old whatever age should give an account of himself or herself to God and now you need to carefully think about that and what you need is what I hope God has been pleased to do for quite a few of us under Union Chapel and he has been pleased to do it for some of you dear young people and what I desire is that those of you who as yet do not know the mercy of it may desire to be the subject of it what you and I need is for this account to be transferred to one who will be able to deal with it and now you read in Isaiah in a beautiful word where it speaks about iniquity is pardoned speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the

[46:46] Lord's hand double for all her sins and now this word double so Jewish history tells us as a reference to a cancelled bond so that sometimes when a Jew fell on evil times in Old Testament times those who wished him well and could do it would befriend him and they would gather up all his debts and pay them and then the receipted accounts were driven were passed through the door by a nail being driven through and that was called a double and now there is a reference to that which shows that it is really an historical fact for you read in the epistle to the

[47:49] Colossians a word which is very suggestive of it speaking of Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross it says blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross and it says in the context he have quickened you together with him having forgiven you all trespasses and now one in writer says and he knew what it was to see by living faith his sins like a cancelled bond nailed to Calvary's cross so that he knew that when at length he had to give an account of himself to God beyond the grave that he who was his judge would also be his saviour and what did he say bold shall I stand in that great day for who ought to my charge shall lay since by

[49:07] Christ's blood absorbed I am from sin's tremendous curse and shame and you find the Selmist in the 119th Selm he had somewhat of the same feeling about it and he speaks to God be surety for thy servant for good that when he come to be before the judgment seat of Christ he would realize that the account had been transferred to another with a capital A and that he would see that scene of matchless grace is Jesus in the sinner's place and I want you dear young people to think on these things and Martin Luther in his day he wrote a very striking hymn and one verse of it does refer to the judgment when mankind will appear before God great God what do I see and hear the end of things created the judge of mankind doth appear on clouds of glory seated beneath his cross

[50:39] I hail the day when heaven and earth shall pass away and thus prepare to meet him and now that is our great concern our desire that you dear young people shall likewise prepare to meet him and the word of God is wonderfully encouraging if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness or that you might lay these things to heart and another hymn writer has a very beautiful view of it as to how people who are indeed numbered with the people of God will be on that great day which will surely come the judgment day see the judge our nature wearing clothed in majesty divine you who love the

[51:52] Lord's appearing then shall say this God is mine gracious saviour own me in that day for thine the Lord grant to you dear young people that great mercy all that it might be a mercy known and realised by every one of you under Union Chapel roof if it could be the will of God Amen