Lesson 13 Review: The Judging Process

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10, NIV).

Nothing is hidden from God, this means that God’s judgements are, indeed, a divine accommodation, carried on for the sake of His creatures, both in heaven and on earth. The Judgement is in three main phases: the pre-Advent Judgement, the millennial judgement, and the executive judgement. These judgements end up in the vindication of the righteous and the second death of the wicked.

How are we judged?

We are judged by our works. In judgement, God does not decide to accept or reject us but He finalizes our choice as to whether or not we have accepted Him – a choice made manifest by our works.

What two groups of people are in Judgement?

The righteous and the wicked. The righteous accept God through their actions, they love God and keep His commandments, the wicked go astray from God’s commandments.

What are the three basic biblical teachings the pre-Advent investigative judgement of God’s people is grounded in?

1.       The notion that all the dead – both righteous and unrighteous are in their graves unconscious until the final resurrection (John 5:25-29)

2.       The existence of a universal judgement for all human beings (2 Cor. 5:10, Rev. 20:11-13)

3.       The fact that the first resurrection will be to reward the righteous and the second resurrection will be to destroy the wicked forever.

At what period those the judgement of both righteous and wicked take place?

It happens before the resurrection of course. Daniel 7:22 helps us to know that the investigative judgement begins after the 2300 symbolic days. Matthew 22:1-14 tells us of an investigation at the wedding prior to the wedding feast. Revelation helps us to know this time in the portion that says, “ ‘those who worship’ ” in the temple of God (Rev. 11:1, NKJV) and “ ‘the hour of His judgement has come’ ” (Rev. 14:6, 7, NKJV; compare with Rev. 14:14-16).

What three notable things will happen at the Second Coming?

1.       Both the living saints and the resurrected saints will “meet with the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:16, 17);

2.       All saints will be taken to heaven to abide with God in the place He has prepared for them (John 14:1-3, NRSV).

3.       Only after the millennium will the New Jerusalem come down to this earth and become the everlasting home of the saints (Rev. 21:1-3, 9-11).

Where will the saints be during the millennium?

‘During the millennium, while this earth remains desolate, the saints will reign with Christ in heaven (Jer. 4:23, Rev. 20:4).

What are the goals of the whole judgement process?

‘

1.       To vindicate God’s character against the accusations of Satan that God is unfair in the way He treats His creatures;

2.       To confirm the impartiality of the rewards of the righteous;

3.       To demonstrate the justice of the punishments of the wicked; and

4.       To dissipate all doubts that could lead to another rebellion in the universe.’

What would take place during the Millennial Judgement?

The millennial judgement will start after Saints have been taken to heaven, and sit on thrones and the judgement is committed to them. The dead are “judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Rev. 20:4, 12, NKJV). There will be the opportunity in the millennium for books to be opened again and the Saints will evaluate the heavenly records and see God’s fair treatment in all cases.

What is the executive judgement?

‘The executive judgement is God’s final and irreversible punitive intervention in human history’.

What is the nature of the executive judgement?

God did all that could have been done to save humanity, those lost ultimately made choices that led to that end. There will be judgement on the lost, and the annihilation of the lost (as opposed to eternal torment), but these do not go against the character of a loving God. ‘It is God’s love, and God’s love alone, that also demands justice.

What is the effect of the final destruction of Satan and his angels and all the wicked dead?

‘The final destruction of Satan and his angels and all the wicked dead will cleanse the universe from sin and its consequences’.

How is the final destruction of the wicked even an act of God’s love?

It is an act of God’s love both for the saints and the wicked, ‘ they would rather die than live in the presence of God who is a “consuming fire” for sin (Heb. 12:29).

What does the final annihilation of sin and sinners help us understand?

1.       It provides a just and proportional punishment for whatever evil people have committed.

2.       It confirms that sin had a beginning and will have an end.

3.       The whole universe will return to its original perfection before sin, evil, and disobedience arose mysteriously and without justification.

What can we praise God for in the second death?

‘Praise the Lord that He, as our “righteous Judge” (2 Time. 4:8, NKJV), will make the fair decision of granting immortality to the righteous and eternal destruction to the wicked’.

In Conclusion,

Both mercy and justice play out in God’s judging process, He in no way shows partiality to anyone. God’s love is seen not only in the vindication of the saints but also in the destruction of the wicked and sin. I pray that we choose righteousness through our actions so we partake of the blessings kept for the righteous in Jesus’ name.