Eternal judgement
In the previous series, the Resurrection of the Dead, we learned about the types of the second coming of Christ. The second coming of Christ is in two folds: the private second coming and the public second coming. The private second coming is when Christ comes for His church whereas the public second coming is when Christ will come with His church. Let’s move on the see what the judgments entail.
Four kinds of Judgement
There are four kinds of judgment:
- the judgment of sin
- The Bema seat judgment
- The judgment of the nations/judgment of the sheep and goat.
- White Throne Judgement
The judgment of sin
This one has already taken place. Sin was judged in Jesus when he died on the cross. Because of his sacrifice, salvation came to all men.
2 Corinthians 5:21 and John 16:7, John 3:16-18 explain how Christ was made the very definition of sin on our behalf so that we in exchange can become the righteousness of God in him.
Anyone who accepts Jesus as their Lord will not experience the judgment of the sheep and the goat and then final punishment, which is the lake of fire.
The Bema seat judgment.
It means a foot space. It has reference to an Olympic bench to reward them for the things we did in the body of Christ.
Here, the overcomes are separated from the normal children of God. People will rejoice on that day for the good things they did for the Lord. The other will weep for all the opportunities they had to do what the Holy Spirit was leading them to do and they ignored. 2 Corinthians 5:10 Romans 14:10 1 Corinthians 9:24
People who did very little or nothing for the Lord will be found naked. Because they will have no righteous acts to clothe them. There are two kinds of righteousness:
- Dikaiosune is the righteousness that is by grace. Romans 5:17
- Dikaioma – The righteous acts/deeds of the saints Rev 19:8
So even though we are all righteous, we need to be conscious of our deeds. Life on earth is like a probation period in a job. We will be judged to ascertain of we as ready for new level of responsibilities in the world to come.
We will be judged based on:
- Motives: The sort of (motives) building materials we used for God’s work. 1 Corinthians 4:5 1 Corinthians 3:11 Did you do things from your heart or you did do them to impress people and gain fame?
As an expert builder using the grace that God gave me, I laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. (1 Corinthians 3:10)
We are building in Christ.
Our building is symbolic of spring our wedding garment (Revelations 19:8). In sowing your garment, six materials may be used: gold, silver, precious stones, hay, wood, and stubble. (1 Corinthians 3:12).
Gold
Gold represents Divine life. the proper character of meekness, and of kindness and allowing the divine life of Christ to show forth in you.
Silver
Silver represents redemption. It has to do with working in the house of God, soul winning, and helping others grow in the Lord. God expects everyone to be born again and to mature. So whatever you do to aid someone in the body of Christ to achieve this will add silver to your building/wedding gown.
Precious stones
Precious stones represent the transformational work of the Holy Spirit in us. Surviving the pressures of life and coming out victorious. This involves staying where God has told you to do despite all the offenses, embarrassment, and not being recognized. All the challenges, temptations, and sufferings we go through because of the body of Christ will produce precious stones for us.
Every man’s work will be tried rough fire. The opposite of gold, silver, and precious stone is hay, wool, and stubble respectively. God will basically check if you loved him as much as you were supposed to. (1 Corinthians 3:13)
Wood, hay, and stable
On the other hand, wood represents humanity. We must avoid doing God’s work out of emotions or complaints and criticisms so that we don’t sew wood into our garments. We must become kinder, more patient, and gentler. Hay is like grass and therefore represents the flesh. Stable means reserved for fire.
2. Talents: We will be judged on how we used our talents. Talents here refer to the graces that were given to us to accomplish various things in the body of Christ – for the purpose of saving souls and building up the body of Christ. Matthew 25:14–30. What you rule over in the new Jerusalem, depends on what you do for the Lord now.
3. Money: How we use our money on earth will be tested. How we tithed and managed the money he gave us – our generosity and stewardship. We can, by the virtue of our giving, buy for ourselves true riches in heaven. If you are not faithful with the little money he gives you here, He cannot commit more to us there. Luke 16:1-12
4. Our Love: Romans 14:10-15 We must love each other to the extent that we help each other grow. We must to be a stumbling block for another believer. Don’t let your actions take someone out of God’s house.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
Hebrews 10:24 NIV
Our Rewards
Unlike earthly medals and awards, all the rewards we will receive in heaven are incorruptible. 1 Corinthians 9:25. There are various categories according to our new birth and then our servanthood.
Category 1: Crowns
Crown of Righteousness – For those who finished their course and all those who love the Lord’s appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Crown of Life – Comes after we endure temptations James 1:12. Revelations 2:10
Crown of Glory – For those who did faithful shepherdorial work. Raising prole in the Lord. 1 Peter 5:4
Crown of Rejoicing – The people you raised in the Lord will be your crown of rejoicing on that day. We will present the people we raised to the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Colossians 1:28, Ephesians 5:25
We can get any of them or all of them depending on our work.
Category 2: Medals
Medals for giving – Matthew 6:1-4
Medals for praying (Praying for others mainly) – Matthew 6:5-15
Medals for fasting – Matthew 6:16-18
Medals for serving – Matthew 10:40-42
Medals for things you did that you forgot about
Medals for your words that encouraged someone.
Medals for things you heard. Rev 2:7
Category 3: Rewards for overcomers
- The Hidden Manna will be given to overcomers
- A white stone with a new name written on it will also be given to overcomers.
- A marriage supper is also a form of reward that God will be giving to his mature sons.
- Power over nations and cities will also be given to overcomes during the Kingdom reign, in the new Jerusalem, and finally, in eternity.
The judgment of the nations
The Great Tribulation
This judgment is also known as the judgment of the sheep and goat. During the 7-year tribulation, the Israelites will be tormented by the antichrist. This period is known as the wrath of the lamb. The tribulation will help a lot of Christians to mature as the antichrist persecuted them. During the first 3.5 years of this period, the Antichrist will be at peace with Israel. After that period, the antichrist will offer a sacrifice of a pig on the altar of God (This is called the Abomination of desolation). This will send a signal to the Jews that he is not of God. (This is called the mystery of Israel’s blindness) They will then begin to rebel against him.
The second coming of Christ
There are two second comings of Christ. The private coming (The rapture that happened before the tribulation) and the public coming. During the public coming, he will come with the saints (The cloud of witnesses mentioned in Acts 1:9 and Hebrews 12:1) just the same way he left. We (the saints) will come with the Lord to fight at the Battle of Armageddon, where the people of the East are about to fight the antichrist and his army.
I saw heaven standing open and there before I was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice, he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: the king of kings and Lord of Lords. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs, he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Revelation 19:11-21 NIV
This is how the great tribulation ends and this is when Babylon will be destroyed. (Revelations 17:1-18)
The judgment of the sheep and the goat
After the Battle, the Antichrist and the beast will be thrown into the lake of fire, and the Devil will be arrested and thrown into the bottomless pit for 1000 years.
The antichrist will kill far more Jews than Hitler killed during the first world war. Those who accepted the Everlasting Gospel (Preached by angels Revelations 14:6-7) and helped the Israelites and the saints that were left behind and saved them from the torments will be rewarded during this judgment. Those who didn’t offer any help to them will be thrown into the lake of fire.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before he shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Matthew 25:31-46 KJV
The kingdom reign
This will mark the beginning of the 1000-year reign of Christ (The kingdom’s reign). Isaiah 65:17 give details on it. However, this period is also a form of practice for the Saints. The actual reign will be in the new Jerusalem which will come later. Satan will be released after the kingdom’s reign and go out to deceive human beings again. The Battle of Gog and Magog happens because of Satan’s deception. Fire will come to heaven to devour them and Satan is finally cast into the lake of fire. Revelations 20: 1-10
White Throne judgment
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which was in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which was in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11-12 KJV
This will be the final judgment and only those who did not believe in Jesus will be judged alongside the angels. We shall sit with Christ and judge angels. Heaven and earth will be destroyed
They will be judged first of all according to their works. Their punishments will be in degrees.
Luke 10:12-16 explains the fact that there are different degrees of punishment in the lake of fire.
Conclusion
Knowledge of this should make you want to win as many souls as possible. The people you know who will end up in the lake of fire will be there forever and ever. Don’t ignore this. It’s no joke. It’s more real than you can imagine. Tell everyone you know about Jesus. Do your part, even if it embarrasses you or makes you look less important. Always think of others.
If you are reading this and you are not born again, we would like to give you the opportunity. Say this prayer and be saved. It’s as simple as that.
SALVATION PRAYER – say this prayer out loud.
“Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to die for me. Thank you for taking me out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. I accept you now as my Lord and personal savior. Come and live in my heart and help me live for you forever. In Jesus’ name! Amen”
NOW THAT YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, WHAT NEXT?
