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Appendix
Three
The Judgment at the End of Times
There Are at Least Eight Kinds of Different Judgment in
the Scriptures.
Many sorts of judgment are
mentioned in the Scriptures
at least the following eight ones: 1) the judgment
of God in this age (Gen. 6:13; 19:24-25 etc.); 2) the judgment of God upon
death on Jesus who (Matt. 27:46); 3) the chastening of God’s judgment upon
believers (Heb. 12:10; 1Cor. 11:31-32); 4) the judgment of the church upon
believers who have sinned (1Cor. 5:12-13); 5) the judgment of believers upon the
world and the fallen angels in the future (1Cor. 6:2-3; Matt. 19:28); 6) the
judgment before the judgment-seat of Christ (2Cor. 5:10); 7) the judgment
before the glorious throne of Christ (Matt. 25:31-32); 8) the judgment before
great white throne (Rev. 20:11-12). The last three ones are judgments that God
shall execute step by step at the end of times. And believers shall have clear
knowledge about them.
The Judgment before the Judgment-seat of Christ
Many
believers who parrot others’ words without understanding believe that believers
will immediately enter into the heaven to enjoy eternal rest and joy without
experiencing any judgment of God. Such view goes against the scriptures and the
righteous works of God. Though believers are justified and have obtained the
eternal life
they shall still give account to God concerning their walking
after being saved. This is the reason for the judgment before the judgment-seat
of Christ:
1)
The
timing of this judgment: in the second coming of Christ ---- “until the Lord
come
who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and shall make
manifest the counsels of hearts” (1Cor. 4:5); “the lord of those bondmen comes
and reckons with them” (Matt. 25:19); “in that day” (2Tim. 4:8); “the day”
(1Cor. 3:13); “in the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14; see 1Thess. 4:16);
2)
The
location of this judgment: in the air ---- “be caught up in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air” (1Thess. 4:17);
3)
The
judge: the Lord Jesus Christ ---- “the Lord
the righteous Judge” (2Tim. 4:8;
1Cor. 4:4);
4)
The
object of this judgment: believers ---- “for the time of having the judgment
must being at the house of God” (1Pet. 4:17); “we all” (2Cor. 5:10); “each of
us” (Rom. 14:12).
5)
The
basis of this judgment: the deeds and works of everyone ---- “each may receive
the things done in his body
according to that he has done
whether it be good
or bad” (2Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:12; Matt. 16:27); “the fire shall try every man’s
work of what sort it is” (1Cor. 3:13);
6)
The
result of this judgment: be rewarded or suffer loss ---- “whether good or evil”
(2Cor. 5:10); “reward…render” (Rev. 22:12); “receive a reward…suffer loss” (1Cor.
3:14-15). Though the position of the believers who are chastened ---- they are
saved ---- has not been changed
they have to suffer loss for a period. The
Scriptures has not given the detailed description of the loss
but only
mentions it as through fire (1Cor. 3:15). Definitely
it must be painful and
make men “weep and gnash the teeth” (Matt. 24:51; 25:30).
The Judgment before the Glorious Throne of Christ
The
object of this judgment is all the nations who are alive on the earth when
Christ comes again:
1.
The
timing of this judgment: in the second coming of Christ ---- “when the Son of
man comes in his glory
and all the angels with him” (Matt. 25:31);
2.
The
location of this judgment: the place where Christ comes upon ---- “he shall sit
down upon his throne of his glory” (Matt. 25:31-32; see Jer. 3:17);
3.
The
judge: the Lord Jesus ---- “the Son of man” (Matt. 25:31); “man (Christ) whom
he (God) has appointed” (Acts 17:31); “Jesus Christ who is about to judge…”
(2Tim. 4:1);
4.
The
object of this judgment: the nations who are alive at that time ---- “all the
nations” (Matt. 25:32); “the habitable earth” (Acts 17:31); “living” (2Tim.
4:1; Acts 10:42);
5.
The
basis of this judgment: treat one of the least of brothers (believers and the
elect of God) in the Lord well or evil ---- “whether it is done to one of the
least of the brothers” (Matt. 25:40
45);
6.
The
result of this judgment: separate the sheep from the goats
namely
separate
the righteous from the cursed ---- “the righteous into life eternal” (Matt.
25:46)
namely
“to inherit the kingdom prepared for you (the righteous) from
world’s foundation” (Matt. 25:34); “Go from me
cursed
into eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41)
namely
“go away into
eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46);
The Judgment before the Great White Throne
This is the last judgment of
God:
1.
The
timing of this judgment: after the kingdom of one thousand years before the new
heaven and new earth ---- “till the thousand years had been completed” (Rev.
20:5);
2.
The
location of this judgment: before the throne ---- “a great white throne …. Stand
before the throne” (Rev. 20:11-12); at that time “the earth and the heaven
fled
and place was not found for them” (Rev. 20:11). Therefore
we can not
make sure where the throne is.
3.
The
judge: “he that sat on it (the great white throne)” (Rev. 20:11) ---- if it is
not God Himself
it will be the Lord Jesus Himself (see John 5:22
27);
4.
The
object of this judgment: the dead who did not live again in the first
resurrection ---- “the rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years
had been completed” (Rev. 20:5); “the dead
great and small
standing before
the throne” (Rev. 20:12);
5.
The
basis of this judgment: according to their works ---- “were judged out of the
things written in the books according to their works” (Rev. 20:12); “they were
judged each according to their works” (Rev. 20:13);
6.
The
result of this judgment: perish or not perish ---- “and if any one was not
found written in the book of life
he was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev.
20:15);
What we pay attention to is
the end of our family members who have not chance to hear the gospel before
death and those who die young when they are unable to discern between their
right hand and their left hand (see Jon. 4:11). Since it is not mentioned in the
scriptures
we cannot know it clearly. However
there is one thing that we are
sure ---- since our God is a merciful and righteous God
He will give remedy to
them. e.g. it is written in the First
Epistle of Peter
“in which also going he preached to the spirits in prison”
(1Pet. 3:19). We are ignorant of the real condition. We do also not know
whether the gospel will be preached to the spirits in hell before the great
white throne. Let we commit it to God. All that he has done will never be
wrong.
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou