Judgment Day

Judgment Day

2 Cor. 5:10 & Rev. 20:11 - 15

By: JB Hall

• People find many ways to divide and distinguish themselves: by gender, color, nationality, economic standing, social status, educational level, etc.

• God, though, only recognizes 2 divisions; only 2 designations of people. All people fall into one of these 2 categories: saved, or lost.

• One of the most misunderstood teachings of scripture is that of the judgment.

• There are many types of judgments recorded in the Bible: God’s judgment against cities, nations, individuals, and even the entire world.

• Today, though, we want to talk about God’s final judgment of individuals.

• The most common misconceptions are:

1. that there will only be one judgment;

2. that all people will stand before the same judgment

3. that it will be the time of determining whether one gets into heaven, or is condemned to hell.

• The Bible, though, describes 2 different judgments.

• Neither will be a time of determining whether one goes to heaven or hell.

• That determination will be made by each person in this present life; by the personal choice he/she makes concerning whether or not to receive Jesus Christ into his/her life as personal Savior.

• John 3:36 says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

• Here, the 2 different divisions of individuals are described.

• Please notice the words hath and abideth.

• First, we can see by this verse that everlasting life is a present possession for those who believe on the Son; on Jesus.

• This is not a determination that will be made after he leaves this present world.

• But second, the wrath of God is also a present condemnation abiding on all who do not believe the Son.

• Likewise, this is not a determination that will be made after one dies.

• Therefore, determining whether you go to heaven or hell is a choice that is made by the individual in this present life.

• Thus, we conclude that the time of judgment that everyone must face is not a time of determining his eternal destination.

• Rather, it is a time of evaluating his works and rewarding him accordingly; but his eternal destination has already been settled before he is judged.

• The Bible teaches that there are 2 judgments: the judgment seat of Christ for the Christian; and the great white throne judgment for the lost.

• Let’s examine each and see what is involved, and why we will be judged.

1. The Judgment Seat of Christ

A. Romans 14:10b says, “…for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”

B. This is talking about all Christians as we shall see in a moment.

C. II Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

D. I Corinthians 3:11 – 15 describe in detail this Judgment Seat of Christ that all Christians will stand before.

E. Verse 11 says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

F. This is pretty self-explanatory.

G. This discourse is speaking expressly and exclusively of Christians.

H. Jesus is the foundation that the Christian life is built upon; and there is no other foundation upon which to build. Jesus is the only foundation the Christian can build his life upon.

I. Good works are not the foundation for the Christian life.

J. In other words, we were saved unto or to do good works; but we were not saved by them.

K. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

L. So, here we see that we were created (saved) in Christ Jesus; but that we were created (saved) unto, or to do, good works afterward.

M. I Timothy 6:18; II Timothy 3:17; Titus 2:7; Titus 3:14; I Peter 2:12; also, all inform us that we have been saved to do good works.

N. Titus 3:8 says, “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works…”

O. Notice it says that “…they which have believed in God [past tense]…” “…might be careful to maintain good works [after they have believed in God, or were saved]…”

P. So, good works are not the foundation for your life; not the base upon which your Christianity rests; instead, they are the outgrowth of your Christianity; the result of your salvation.