Eternal Judgment is an essential building block of our faith in Christ. It is so important that the writer of Hebrews included it in the fundamental teachings about the Christ (Hebrews 6:1-2). Eternal Judgment is the climax of our blessed hope. The King will come and put all His enemies under His feet. All unrighteousness will be exposed, and each person will be given their proper due according to each one’s deeds in this body.
The Lord will expose every thought and intention of the heart. Think about that for a second…every thought and intention of the heart. WHOA! I don’t know about you, but when I think about the precision the Lord will have when He judges the whole earth, I can’t help but think that even if it were possible, no one would have any accusation against the Lord of being biased or partial. He will go as far as to search the intentions of the heart! He is a just God.
Scripture tells us that "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." This highlights the accountability that comes with Eternal Judgment. It’s not just our actions that are judged but our thoughts and intentions as well.
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
This understanding should drive us to live a life of reverence and awe before God, knowing that nothing escapes His notice. "For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14. This should encourage us to pursue righteousness and flee from sin, as we recognize that our lives are lived before an all-seeing God.
The Day of Judgment
The Bible speaks frequently about Judgment Day, a time when God will recompense the righteous and punish the wicked. For instance, in Isaiah, it is written: "Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it." (Isaiah 13:9) This depicts a day of intense judgment and divine retribution.
In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of this day as well: "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left." (Matthew 25:31)
The Apostle Paul also emphasizes this day: "Because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)
Follow Him. He will not let your enemies get away with injustice. He will watch over you until the end of this age, but He will also search your heart. Therefore, stay alert, lest you fall when you think you are standing firm.
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
1 Corinthians 10:12-13
In Closing
In light of Eternal Judgment, it is crucial to remain vigilant in our walk with Christ. "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up." We are called to live holy and godly lives, "looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat." (2 Peter 3:10)
The reality of Eternal Judgment should not only bring a sobering reminder of accountability but also a profound comfort. Knowing that God is just and that He will ultimately right every wrong gives us hope amidst the injustices we face in this world. It assures us that no evil will go unpunished and that righteousness will ultimately prevail. As we await that day, let us be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) Let us, therefore, strive to live lives worthy of our calling, ever mindful of the Eternal Judgment that awaits us all.
Check out the episode "Eternal Judgment And Eternal Rewards" on Spotify.
Maranatha
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