THE DOCTRINE OF JUDGEMENTS EXPLAINED TO A NON-BELIEVER

THE DOCTRINE OF JUDGEMENTS EXPLAINED TO A NON-BELIEVER

I want to lay out for you, my dear friend, a treatise on the matter brought up at the feast last night. The topic was brushed over due to the multifaceted and sensitive nature of the subject. But I am eager to see you have an understanding of these truths presented in a systematic way, and with biblical substantiation. We have been friends since 1833, O Trometheus, and I would be remiss if I did provide this document to you in a timely fashion.

At the end of out life, what becomes of us? This is one of the most important questions any thinking person can ask! I am thankful that we are not left to fend for ourselves on this query. The Book of Books has shed light on this matter. Although all the details are not known, the inspired writers of the Holy Scripture have provided sufficient light so that believers need not dread the unknown.

What Happens at death? Death is the separation of the spirit and the body.

“For as the body without the spirit is dead…”(James 2:26 a). Death is also the wage of sin and everyone dies because everyone sins. “For the wages of sin is death…”

(Romans 6:23a). Death is the also the ultimate manifestation of sin, but we have Divine promise of its defeat. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

(1 Corinthians 15:26).

However, O Trometheus, until the final disposition of all things everyone – believer and unbeliever – is subject to death. “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”(Hebrews 9:27 KJV).

Now I will proceed to explain the divers types of judgments spoken of in the Holy Writ. The Psalmist tell us “And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.”(9:8) The Hebrew word for judge is “shaphat” and it means, “ to pronounce a sentence for or against, to vindicate or punish.” As you know, judgment does not always mean punishment. God’s judgment can either have a positive or negatives result, as we will see.

✜ The Judgment of sin at Calvary

All have sinned and deserve condemnation, but Jesus took sin away when He paid the penalty for it through His death on the cross. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” (Romans 5:6–11) This judgment of sin reconciled man to God and opened the way of restoration with God. A positive side my friend.

✜ The Believer’s Self Judgment

After one accepts Gods offer of salvation through Christ, believers are exhorted to judge themselves. 1 Corinthians 11:31-32 tells us “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” God’s chastisement can be strong and disciplinary, so it behooves us to repent daily and judge ourselves in all things beforehand. This takes place in the current live span.

✜ Judgment For The Believer after Death

“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.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) The Bema Seat of Christ is where the Child of God will stand judgment, not for sin, but to determine rewards for the deeds done in the body. Will the believer’s work stand up to scrutiny? Will they please God- or were they done to appease our fellow man? Fire will distinguish. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

(1 Corinthians 3:11–15)

✜ The Great White Throne Judgment

God has done all that He can do to save mankind, even at the cost of His only Son. God has made a way for all to be saved, but the choice is up to man to accept or reject it. Please read the Scripture: “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 were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were 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 20:11–15) This judgment is for those who have died from the time of Adam through the end of time itself, and have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior.

There are quite a few more judgments we can talk about from the Book, but The Judgment of Nations will end our discussion today. “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 him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:”(Matthew 25:31–32) This has special reference to the treatment of the Jewish people.

I hope this treatise has been enlightening and will cause you to bow your heart before the Lord Jesus Christ, O Trometheus.

God Speed,

James Hart