“…on the day when according to my gospel God will judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ” (Rom. 2:16)
“He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world through a man…” (Acts 17:31)
Jesus Christ is not only man’s savior but is also man’s judge. He will either have taken man’s judgment on the cross or He will deliver God’s judgment at the Great White Throne. Either way Christ will be the one who is the judge of all sin.
“For not even the Father judges anyone, but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father.” (John 5:22-23)
What is the Great White Throne Judgment? It is that judgment of all lost men. When a lost man dies now his soul goes to a place called Hades which is a “holding place” for the souls of lost men. According to Luke 16:23-24 it is indeed not a pleasant place. “Agony”, “flames” and “torment” are terms that describe Hades. But in Revelation 20:11-15 it states that Hades will give up its dead to stand before the throne. It states that their bodies come to life. In other words all men shall be raised indestructible. Some to endure heaven. Others to endure hell. The Bible attributes this resurrection to Christ. In John 5:28-29, “…for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” Christ is man’s final judge.
The bodies of those who have refused the salvation of God through His mercy will be raised. John wrote that “even the sea gave up the dead.” (Rev. 20:13) John wrote also that “heaven and earth fled away and no place was found for them.” (Rev. 20:11) This is what Peter meant when he said, “the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up.” (2 Pet. 3:10) It’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.” (Matt. 24:35) It’s what Paul, Isaiah and Jesus meant when all three said, “the old things passed away.” (2 Cor. 5:17, Rev. 21:4, Is. 65:17) There will be a terminus to history and the universe.
According to Rev. 20:13 men will be judged by what they have done. “The books will be opened.” (Dan. 7:10) Men will see their works and their sins. And then the Lamb’s Book of Life will be opened. It is a book that records no sins, only the names of those who are found in Christ. Those whose names are not there shall be cast into the lake of fire. Evil shall finally be punished. Sin that began in Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden, sin that was judged on Calvary, the sin that God was patient with as it refused God for now 20 plus centuries is finally dealt with. How thick would your Bible be if you were God?
Jesus Christ will eliminate death as man will soon go into the Age of Eternity where he will look upon the Father face to face. He will- as the last Adam- have brought everything under the rule and footstool of God. “All things under His feet.” This Genesis 1 and 2 verse spoken to Adam, lost through Adam’s sin, is now restored in Jesus Christ.
You know what’s wonderful? His victory will be ours also! Paul said, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your(the Christian’s) feet.” (Rom. 16:20) We who are joint-heirs.
Indeed has God “put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as Head over all things unto the church, which is His body…” (Eph. 1:22-23)
“The last enemy shall be death” (1 Cor. 15:26) which shall be no more.
What a wonderful Savior is Jesus, my Jesus
What a wonderful Savior is Jesus, my Lord.
Our Incomparable Christ!
www.dentonbible.org/notes.