Subject Fifty-eight

THOU ART WEIGHED IN THE BALANCES,
AND ART FOUND WANTING

Scripture: Dan. 5:27

1. It is not man’s responsibility to evaluate himself
   1. Everyone has his own evaluation of himself. King Belshazzar had his own evaluation of himself; likewise, we each have such an evaluation of ourselves.
   2. Man’s own evaluations are too high. King Belshazzar evaluated himself as a high and honorable king. Many people consider themselves better than others. Everyone considers himself a fine gentleman. There is not one who is not self-righteous and self-justifying.
   3. Man’s evaluation of himself is inaccurate. King Belshazzar rated himself as an honorable king, but God said, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” He was short of something. You may consider yourself a fine gentleman, but you may actually be quite poor.
   4. Man is not qualified to evaluate himself, because man is not Lord of the universe. The Lord of the universe is God. When a citizen who is accused of some wrongdoing claims that he is innocent, it means nothing unless he is acquitted by the court. Likewise, it is not up to man to evaluate himself.
2. Man’s evaluation is up to God
   1. God is the Lord of the universe. God is the ruler of the universe.
   2. God rules the universe according to His laws, not allowing things to happen in a random way in the universe. Give examples to prove this point.
   3. God evaluates man according to His laws, which are the balances.
   4. The balances are made up of the ten commandments.
      There is no need to talk about all of the ten commandments. Just choose three or four to weigh them, and that will be sufficient. If you are put on the balances, you are immediately exposed. Some examples are: (1) dishonoring your parents, (2) committing fornication, (3) stealing, and (4) lying. “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
   5. Man’s conscience is also a balance. You may claim that you are a certain kind of person, but you are only pretending; your conscience protests within you.
   6. Furthermore, the coming judgment will be a real balance. In the gospel today we are putting forth the balance. If you do not take heed, even if you ignore the condemnation of your conscience, there will be no escape for you when the final balance, the judgment, comes.
3. The result of God’s evaluation
   1. The result of God’s evaluation is that all men are condemned. There is not one weighed in God’s balance who is not found guilty.
   2. Following the condemnation will be perishing, which includes death and hell.
4. How to meet God’s evaluation
   1. By his own conduct no one can be justified by God. This is to say that no one’s conduct can measure up to God’s standard. Once you have been evaluated by God, you are through. Once you have been weighed in His balances, you are completely finished.
   2. This is why God sent the Lord Jesus to accomplish redemption and to bear our sins.
   3. To meet God’s evaluation, we must confess our shortages before God. Do not be self-righteous any more.
   4. Receive the Lord Jesus and His redemption so that you may obtain God’s justification.