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Elementary Principles - Part 7 “Eternal Judgment”
Elementary Principles - Part 7
“Eternal Judgment”
By Derek Long
The final thing listed in Hebrews 6 as part of the “elementary
principles of Christ” is the concept of “eternal judgment” (Hebrews 6:1-2). Judgment can be something someone looks forward to, is afraid of, or doesn’t think about depending upon one’s spiritual condition. Eternal judgment is not something we should ignore or take lightly. Thinking about and preparing for eternal judgment is important. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” After we die, we will all have to face the judgment. Let’s examine some things about the judgment that it is important for us to know.
Judgment is certain. We can be assured there will be a judgment day because God’s word says there will and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). God will not forget His promise to judge the world. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” God will not fail to keep His promise but will one day destroy the world and execute eternal judgment. Acts 17:30-31 urges people to repent, “because He (God - DNL) has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” The promise of God and the resurrection of Jesus should be two things which assure us judgment is certain.
Everyone will be judged. No one will escape from the final judgment on the last day. Romans 14:12 says, “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Revelation 20:12-13 gives a description of who will be judged eternally. It says, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.” Everyone, no matter how great you were in life or how insignificant your life on earth may have seemed, will have to stand before God in judgment. Jesus depicts the final judgment in the following way, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the
goats” (Matthew 25:31-32). It does us good to be reminded no one, including ourselves, will be excluded from the final judgment.
Judgment will be based upon our deeds. God will not judge us on the basis of what we intended to do, what we wanted to do, etc. God will judge us on the basis of what we actually did or did not do while in the body. Ecclesiastes 12:14 says, “For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 gives the reason we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, “that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” Revelation 20:11-15 points out judgement will take place “according to their works.” Matthew 25:33-45 points out judgment will be rendered based upon what we did or did not do.
Judgment will come unexpectedly. Many people want to look for signs that the Lord is about to return. However, Jesus plainly states, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 says, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” There will be no signs the Lord is about to come. Just as a thief comes unexpectedly, the Lord will come in
judgment unexpectedly. We must always be prepared and ready for that day! See also 2 Peter 3:10.
Judgment will result in an eternal sentence. The final judgment will result in us entering one of two places for eternity. Matthew 25:46 says, “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” No one who makes it to heaven after the final judgment will have to worry about not being there eternally (1 Thessalonians 4:17). No one who makes it to hell after the final judgment will ever have a hope of escaping from that place of punishment. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 speaks of the wicked being “punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” Eternal judgment does not result in a sentence for a certain number of years but for the rest of eternity.
Judgment should be a fearful thought to the lost. The Hebrew writer reminds us, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Acts 24:25 shows how Felix responded to Paul’s preaching. It says, “Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’” If one is lost in their sins, they should be fearful of the judgment to come.
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