Judgey

People want judgment! They just are uneasy about it. They want evil to be punished. They want murderers and rapists to be punished severely. Furthermore, they don’t think that they themselves are bad and in need of punishment. That’s deception. If God is to punish others that means all sinners.

A lot of people believe in a “judgement day,” but don’t know anything about it. Most people believe that everything they did will be put on a scale and to see if the good outweighs the bad, and if they’ll make it to heaven or if they won’t. That’s not a biblical belief.

The Great White Throne Judgement is in Revelation chapter 20.

11Then 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20

Notice there is only one criterion for judgement: name written in the book of life or not. There is nothing about works. There is nothing about a third option for purgatory.

So how do you get your name written in the Lamb’s book of life?

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

John 3:7

Birth is violent and painful. There are contractions that expel a baby out of the mother with pain. The baby experiences discomfort too and they end up crying. New birth is also painful. You have great sorrow when you realize you are a sinner and in need of mercy from God. When you are reborn you become a new creature and some behaviors die off. You may lose friends. You may be at odds with family members. You may feel led to do a purge of your belongings.

The result of new birth of is your name will be found in this book. You will not be judged fairly but will receive mercy instead.

In Matthew 25, the sheep versus the goat judgment is where true believers are invited into the millennial kingdom.

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,f you did it to me.’

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. 42For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 25

Then there is the bema seat judgement for believers to give rewards.

A bema was an elevated platform used as an orator’s podium in ancient Athens. The term can refer to the raised area in a sanctuary. In Jewish synagogues, where it is used for Torah reading during services, the term used is bima or bimah.

Source: Wikipedia

There are various opinions when this could occur: upon death, upon rapture, before great white throne judgement, after the second coming or during the kingdom. Let’s look at what the scripture says.

10For 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.

2 Corinthians 5:10

And

For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God

Romans 14:10b

And

12So then each of us will give an account of himself to God

Romans 14:12

And

12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.

1 Corinthians 3

So that’s how it’s going to be. Make plans and live accordingly.