This is number 6 and the last article that I’m writing under the title of “Basics to Christian Understanding”. These six doctrines are very important for every Christian to understand and have the true and right understanding of them.
This is the most difficult one to write about, but extremely important. God is Holy, and He must judge with His Holiness. We as sinful people do not really understand how Holy God is. We have never really seen anything that is Holy, Truly Holy. This is why it so difficult to understand the Holiness of God. However, there is no excuse for not believing that God is Truly Holy. He has written it in His word, the Holy Bible. His word is true.
God made the whole world, and He has made everyone in the world. He has given everyone a free will to either choose Him or reject Him, it’s your choice. It is important to note that He has giving us all the capability we need, to see that He is real. He has given to every man the ability to know Him, it’s up to you what you do about it. This verse in John, that I have shown in two different translations, say the same thing. No one has an excuse, everyone has the light they need to be saved.
John 1:9 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
the true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
John 1:9 (KJV) (Please read the whole chapter)
that was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
It is very important for those of us that are saved to reach out to those that are not. When we know the destiny of those that are rejecting God, it makes it easier to witness to them. We may be offending them, but that’s a small price to pay for them to be saved. It shows our love for people when we show them the way of salvation.
We know, according to the Bible, there’s only one of two places that a person will go after they die. Either heaven or hell. Those going to heaven can rejoice and be glad. You can know your saved because 1 John 5:13 says you can…
(1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.)
So if you believe in Jesus, as the son of God, you are saved. Rejoice!
However, those that do not have Jesus as their savior have nothing to rejoice over. It’s hard to understand, why people reject God and are so blind. Especially in the western societies where there’s a church on almost every corner in every town. Are we, as Christians, doing what we’ve been called to do? That is witnessing for Jesus and trying to get people saved.
(Matthew 28:18-20) (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter).
18. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20. teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Judgement of Saved People
We will speak of the righteous people first, God has given us the righteousness of Jesus. His righteousness is perfect. So God trades our unrighteousness for Jesus’ righteousness. Simply because we have faith that God is right, and you can have that also. We cannot earn Gods salvation. It is a free gift through Jesus. You just have to have faith, which is believing.
Christians will be judged, but this will not be according to going to heaven or Hell. Scholars call this the “Bema” seat of Christ. Jesus will be handing out rewards to those that have followed Him. The next two scriptural references show this.
Romans 14:10b-12 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
10b. For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11. for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
2 Corinthians 5:10 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 says this is how we will be judged. Our whole lives work since the day we were saved will be tried by fire. Everything we did for God with a pure motive will bring us a reward. Everything we do for selfish ambition will be burned up, like wood, hay and straw.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
10. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13. each ones work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survived, we will receive a reward. 15. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
Most scholars believe the “Bema seat judgment of Christ” will happened during the seven year tribulation period. We also believe this to be the time that Jesus rewards His faithful followers.
Judgement of Unsaved People
We will now turn our attention to the lost. Eternal judgment of the lost, comes right after the second resurrection of the dead. For as soon as the second and last resurrection occurs, God will take His seat on the “Great White Throne” (Revelation 20:11-15). He will then be judging from the books that have been kept on every person.
Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter).
11. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
This will be a very terrifying day, if your name is not written in the book of life, there’s only one place for you to go. But you have time right now to choose where you will go, heaven or hell, you choose. Excepting Jesus as your savior will place your name in the lambs book of life, and you will go to heaven. If you refuse Gods salvation through Jesus, Revelation 20:15 tells us where you will go, It’s your choice.
There is no way that I can put into words what hell will truly be like, but I can repeat the words of Jesus and only hope that that would be sufficient to help some see the truth. There is nothing in this world to compare it to, and never has been. Jesus said, no one dies there and it is a place of eternal fire. (Mark 9:48 “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched”.)
The Bible says God wants everyone to be saved. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us this is so. (“ the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any parish, but that all should reach repentance.) It is now our responsibility to acknowledge Him.
All of creation bursts out with His glory. He has made it all so that we can marvel at what He has done. But instead of giving Him the glory that He deserves, people try to explain it away as a “big bang”. Their refusal to except Him will be to their own demise. Because they would rather except a lie then acknowledge they must answer to Him. But, answer to Him you will. For it is written…
(Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.)
Hell will not be a party, it will be a place of torment for all of eternity. That’s what Jesus said. It is a very fearful place for a person to go. The lake of fire was created for the devil and his angels not for people. (Matthew 25:41) (“then He will say to those on His left, depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”) And yet people will go there because they will choose to serve the devil rather than serve God.
If you’re not serving God, you are serving the devil. It may not seem like that to you, but that’s what the Bible says. If you believe there is no such thing as the devil, just look around at all the evil in the world. And the evil will just keep getting worse and worse, as time goes on.
Paul gives us a warning in 2 Thessalonians about what will happen in the future. And these verses show how people want to serve the devil or their own pleasures rather than believe in God. This will lead to their eternal torment.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter) 9. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10. and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12. in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Accepting Jesus as your savior will guarantee you will not go to hell. Gods not sending you there, you are actually sending yourself by rejecting the free gift of salvation in Jesus. God is allowing you to have what you want. If you don’t want Him in this life, why would you want to go to heaven to be with Him for eternity? There is only one alternative. God makes the rules since He made everything, and He has made the way of escape. That is through Jesus and the blood that he shed on the cross. This salvation is for every person that has ever lived if they will only accept it. The judgment day is set and it is fast approaching, except Jesus as your savior now before it’s too late.
MARANATHA