Justification & Condemnation By Words | Matthew 12:33-37

Scripture

• Matthew 12:33–37

About this sermon

Introduction: Let it register with us that what might be described as the strongest warning in all of Scripture is a warning about words. All by itself, that observation is highly instructive. It speaks to the importance of words. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a sin of speech. As we said this morning, and as we will see again tonight, it is not a sin that is like magic. It is not that you have uttered some magic words that cannot be taken back. Words matter because they have a source. The source is the heart. The danger of blaspheming the Spirit is on display by what the Pharisees ARE SAYING. ESV Mark 3:29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"-- 30 for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit." But what they are saying reveals the EVIL THAT IS IN THEIR HEARTS. WORDS ALSO MATTER BECAUSE THEY HAVE A JUDGE. Some words are more carefully considered than others. Some words more faithfully reflect what you are by character than others (we can speak words that don’t tell the truth about how we feel, or what believe, most of the time). Some sins of speech are sins of weakness — momentary acts of sin — not a settled belief system. BUT ALL WORDS HAVE A SOURCE AND HAVE A JUDGE. We see that in our text. ESV Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." YOUR WORDS ARE EVIDENCE OF WHO YOU ARE. Christ addresses His antagonists in very PERSONAL TERMS. He speaks directly TO THEM. It is a challenge at the personal level. HE CALLS UPON THEM TO DO THREE THINGS. Three messages delivered to a people who will be justified or condemned by their words. • IDENTIFY WHAT IS PLAIN TO SEE (vs.33) The brief parable of the tree communicates a very simple and straightforward message. IF A TREE IS GOOD THE FRUIT IS GOOD IF A TREE IS BAD THE FRUIT IS BAD If you want good fruit do what is necessary to make a tree good. If you do that, you’ll have good fruit. If you don’t do that, you’ll have bad fruit. Because the fruit reflects the condition of the tree. The question, in this context, is how we are to understand the application of the analogy? Some understand the trees to be the Pharisees. John Calvin understood it that way. Declare yourself. That is what our Lord would be saying. Stop with the masquerading. Stop with the attempt to present yourselves as righteous and honest seekers after the truth, when the fact of the matter is that you have reached a conclusion contrary to the evidence. YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT THE EVIDENCE, because the evidence would require your repentance. Can you be honest about the fruit of your life? THE CONDITION OF A TREE IS DECLARED BY THE CONDITION OF ITS FRUIT. Dishonesty with evidence is not good fruit. Good trees produce good fruit. Bad trees produce bad fruit. WILL YOU MAKE YOURSELVES GOOD? Will you repent? Will you change your ways? AND IF YOU DO, YOUR CONFESSION WILL MATCH THE TRUTH. OUT OF YOUR MOUTH WILL COME THE GOOD FRUIT OF FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD. John Calvin — “Wishing to remove this mask, Christ desires them to be either good or bad; or, in other words, declares that nothing is more inconsistent with honesty than hypocrisy, and that it is in vain for men to boast of pretensions to righteousness who are not sincere and upright.” BUT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE APPLICATION OF THE SAYING ABOUT TREES. And it is the one that I prefer. It is to understand the analogy as applying to the Lord Jesus Himself. If it is understood that good trees produce good fruit, and bad trees produce bad fruit, then how can you conclude that Jesus is an emissary of Satan? NO ONE WOULD SAY THAT THE FRUIT IS EVIL. When demoniacs are set free. When lame people are healed. When the blind people receive their sight. When sick children are made well, or dead children raised and restored to their families When people hungry for truth are fed with truth and fed physically with bread miraculously multiplied IS THIS THE FRUIT OF EVIL? And if the fruit is good, then isn’t the conclusion about Jesus inescapable? JESUS WOULD BE SAYING, YOU CANNOT STAND IN THE MIDDLE IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF ME. IS THE TREE GOOD IN YOUR ESTIMATION? IS THE TREE BAD IN YOUR ESTIMATION?

Topics

• Self-Control
• Hell & Judgment