Today,
I would like to address two crucial issues as regards the Great White Throne
Judgment: 1) Who will be standing before the Great White Throne Judgment, and
2) What documents will be used at the White Throne Judgment?
It
is dead people that will be at the Great White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20:12
reads, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God."
This
Scripture tells us that those appearing before the throne are the “dead”. This proves that there will not
be a single Born Again believer in the group. Why?
“There
is therefore, now no condemnation (judgment) to them which are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the (suggestions of Mr.) Flesh, but after the
(suggestions of) the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:1-2).
“For
God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through Him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but
he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the
name of the only begotten Son of God.19 And this is the condemnation, that
light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that
doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they
are wrought in God”
(Jn. 3:17-21).
This
is true because the Bible tells us that we who have trusted Jesus as our Lord
and Saviour have “passed from death unto life” (Jn. 5:24). We have been given eternal and abundant life through
the blood of the Lamb and can never lose that or be dead again forever.
This
can only mean one thing: this innumerable number of people at the Great White
Throne Judgment will be made up completely of those who are “spiritually dead” (Eph. 2:1).
God
raises their dead bodies from their tombs. He knows where every particle of
human dust is located and He is well able to bring it together and raise it to
life. He calls their bodies from the ground and their souls from Hell. He
reunites them in a pitiful procession of anguish and hopelessness.
There will be billions
who will stand before the Great White Throne, and I believe that they will be
standing individually.
You'll not be standing in
a crowd, you'll not be standing with your community, you'll not be standing
with your drinking mates or your football team pals. You'll be standing on your
own!
Yet billions will come, and I don't know how He's going to do it, but He's
going to do it!
Look at some examples of
the kinds of people that will be standing before the Great White Throne
Judgment:
a) Lot's wife will be there. Why? Lot, Abraham’s nephew, was a righteous man who
lived in Sodom. Things got so bad in Sodom, particularly because of
homosexuality or sodomy as the Bible calls it, that God gave Lot and his family
an escape ticket, and the angels came and delivered them from the city of
Sodom, and got them out. And God told them on their way out: 'Make sure you
don't turn around and look back after it, because if you do you'll be turned
into a pillar of salt'.
Lot's wife loved Sodom,
and God took her out of Sodom, but Sodom was still in her heart, and she
turned around and she was turned into a pillar of salt.
Lot’s wife loved the
world. My friend, if you love the world, you will be standing there on that
dreadful day.
“Ye
adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is
enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy
of God” (Jam. 4:4).
“Love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not
of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 Jn. 2:15-17).
b) Herod the tetrarch will be there.
Why? This man took and married
Herodias, his brother Philip's wife while Phillip was still alive.
The Bible says, “At that time Herod the
tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2 And said unto his servants, This is John the
Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth
themselves in him. 3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound
him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they
counted him as a prophet” (Matt. 14:1-5).
Herod the tetrarch
decided to talk her into leaving Phillip, who was his brother, he compounded
her incest, he violated the Word of God, and all because, to put it very
bluntly, he loved sex.
Herod will be standing
there because he loved sex, and so will you - because you love not the
perfect thing created by God in holiness; because you have perverted it and you
live for nothing else, and you don't want God in your life, you will stand
before God to answer for what you've done.
c)
Judas Iscariot will stand there. He will be standing there not just because he
betrayed Christ, but because he did it for the love of money. He was a thief.
He was
the treasurer among the disciples of Jesus, and yet he was pilfering and lining
his own pocket with whatever came in.
In the end, what did Judas do? He sold Jesus Christ for
the price of a slave, 30 pieces of silver! You see, “the love of money” will
take you to hell.
“For the love of money is the root of all
evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and
pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).
You can't serve two
masters at the same time; you can't serve God and money.
Jesus told a story about
a rich man who went to hell, and a poor man who went to heaven (Lk. 16:19-31). The
rich man didn't go to hell because he was rich, and the poor man didn't go to
heaven because he was poor. The rich man went to hell because he loved his
riches more than God, and lived for them and not for God.
d) The rich young ruler will be there. Why? This man loved his possessions more than God (Matt.
19:16-24).
My friend, you will stand
before the Great White Throne if you worship things instead of Jesus. If you
worship your job, your family, your spouse, your business, your possessions,
your career, your money, instead of Jesus, then you will surely stand before
the Great White Throne!
e) Pilate will be
there. Why? Pilate will be there because he loved men more than he
loved God - I mean, he loved the opinion and applauds of men.
Pilate was a man-pleaser.
We read in John 19, when the Lord Jesus was brought before him, Pilate had the
power, he said, to crucify Christ.
Of course Jesus told him:
“You would only have power if it was given to you by God the Father.”
But we read in that
passage that: 'From thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him: but the
Jews cried out, saying, If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend:
whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar'.
So, in order to be
Caesar's friend, what did Pilate do? He allowed the Lord Jesus Christ to be put
to death!
Right now, you're
allowing some of your friends to take you to hell. You're willingly allowing it
to happen, all because you're afraid to tell them that you are a Christian, and
you're afraid to stand up for Jesus who bled and died and suffered your shame
on the Cross.
That's what you're afraid
of, and you're willing to go to hell for it. You're willing to stand in this
queue one day before this Great White Throne because you worry about the
opinions of your mates, your colleagues, your family, rather than what God
thinks of you.
f) Governor Felix will
be there. Why? Governor Felix delayed judgment because he did not get any
bribe from Apostle Paul (Acts 25:14; Acts 24:25-27). My friend, if you have
been collecting or giving bribes, get ready to face God at the Great White
Throne Judgment.
g) Those that use
unjust scales will be there. Why? Scales were used for many transactions in
the ancient world, and crooked business people often dishonestly adjusted them
to gain more profit. Here is the truth: God insists that His people be honest
in all their dealings.
Do you adjust your scales
in order to make more profit? Do you adjust your fuel pump in order to make
more profit?
God delights in honesty,
and our actions should reflect his character. As others see our honesty, they
will place greater trust in the One we follow (Prov. 11:1-3).
“It is better to be poor and honest, than to be
dishonest and rich” (Prov. 19:1). This is
because a blameless life is far more valuable than wealth.
People want to get rich
at all cost – embezzling public funds, taking the salaries of ghost workers,
prostitution, ritual killings, 419, OBT, kidnapping, lying, cheating on taxes,
withholding tithes, refusing to give.
h) Who will be there? Those
who do things that contradict the Word of God will be there. Revelation 21:8
says, 'The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their
part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second
death'.
The fearful will be
there. That means people who fear their friends more than God, and that stops
them from getting saved.
That means people who
fear getting cancer, and fear getting heart disease, and fear getting a stroke
more than they fear going to hell.
Jesus said: “Don't
fear anyone', or anything for that matter, 'that can destroy your body, but
fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell'.
The unbelieving will be
there. The unbelieving - maybe you're not fearful, but you're sitting
there saying, 'That's all fantasy, nonsense, you've been brainwashed!'
Who will be there? “Knowing
this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and
disobedient (rebellious), for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and
profane, for those who kill their fathers and those who kill their
mothers, for manslayers (those who kill other people), 10 For whoremongers,
for them that defile themselves with mankind (homosexuals, lesbians), for men
stealers (slave traders), for liars, for perjured persons (promise
breakers), and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound
doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:9-10).
Who will be
there? “For without are dogs, and sorcerers,
and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever
loveth and maketh a lie” (Rev. 22:15).
Who will be there? “This
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those
that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, high-minded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a
form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever
learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:1-7).
Who will be there? “…29 Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;
full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity;
whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient
to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant
breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing THE JUDGMENT OF GOD, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them
that do them” (Rom. 1:20-32).
Who will be there? “Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers
of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit
the Kingdom of God” (1 Cor.
6:9-10).
Who will be there? “Now
the works (characteristics) of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I
tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such
things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).
None will be left out! The king, the pauper, the general,
the foot soldier, the master, the slave, the borrower and the lender will all
stand before God. None will escape and none will hide, but all will face the
Righteous Judge in judgment that day!
Preachers, deacons, church members,
popes, priests, nuns, choir members, drunks, whores, drug addicts, drug pushers,
grandmothers, grandfathers, teenagers, moms and dads, will all stand together
with Cain, Judas, Hitler, and every other person who chose wickedness over
righteousness, before the throne to face their judgment! There will be no
escape and there will be no exceptions.
Every
person who has ever died without Jesus Christ will face Him in this Judgment on
that day! Revelation 20:13
reminds us that all who died, regardless of where they died will appear before
Jesus in judgment. Even those who are in Hell will be brought out for this
judgment. Every lost sinner from Cain to the last sinner slain in the
Millennium will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ!
This
horrible assembly will stand trembling before the Lamb of God. They will be
forced to look on the face of the One they spat upon. They can see the nail
prints in His hands. They can see where the thorns pierced His brow. They can
see the awful things He suffered to atone for sin. They will see Him as He is
and they will be filled with fear!
2. What Are The Documents That Will Be
Used At This Throne?
Present at each hearing is the "Book of Life" and "Books"
which contain the record of our works. Those who stand before this tribunal are
not found in the "Book of Life," and the record of their works or
deeds give evidence of that unbelief.
The
Bible tells us that the “books” will
be opened. Only one of these books is named and it is called the “Book of Life.” I don’t know all the
books that will be used that day, but I am sure of a few that will be opened,
and these include:
a) The Bible. Jesus Himself reminded us that we would be judged out of
His Word (Jn. 12:48). This Bible
that sinners mock and refuse to heed will be used to render judgment upon their
lives that day. Better to believe it now and go to Heaven than reject it and
then face it in judgment and go to Hell!
b) The Book of Deeds. In Heaven, a record is being
maintained of the deeds of all men. One day, every lost person will stand before the
Lord and hear the record of the things he did in his life time read from the
throne.
Every
deed, both good and evil will be mentioned. Every sin will be read aloud: Sins
of commission, sins of omission, flagrant sins, secret sins, sins of the heart
and sins of the mind. All will be brought out into the open on that day. Revelation
20:12 makes it clear that the lost will be judged according to their works.
A
man can either choose to stand on his own record and face God in his sins, or
he can come to Jesus and have his ungodly record cleaned up by the blood of
Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ wipes our record clean. It replaces the record of
our sins with the record of His righteousness. When our book is opened all it
says is, “See Calvary and an empty tomb - This man’s record is clear!”
c)
The Book of Life. Every name of every person who would ever be born was
in this book (Rev. 3:5; Rev. 17:8).
When a sinner dies without trusting Christ as his Savior, their name is removed
from this book. While your name remains in the book, there is hope for you, but
when you die, or you reject Jesus for the last time, you are numbered with the eternally
dead and there is no more opportunity for you to be saved.
d)
The Lamb’s Book of Life. This book contains the names of those who are
redeemed by the blood of Jesus. When a sinner repents, his name is written in
this book. This is the reason Jesus told His disciples to rejoice (Lk. 10:20). This book records who has
and who has not accepted Jesus as their Savior. When the Great White Throne
Judgment comes, both this book and the book of life will match perfectly! You
need to be sure that your name is written in the Lamb’s book of Life.
3.
What will be the Sentence? Revelation
20:15 says, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire."
The sentence will thunder
from the throne of God, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that
work iniquity."
In Proverbs 1:24-29 God
said, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out My
hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at naught all My counsel, and would
none of My reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your
fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh
as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call
upon Me, but I will not answer; they shall seek Me early, but they shall not
find Me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:"
Those
who have rejected the love of God through the person of Jesus Christ will be
cast into everlasting fire with Satan and His demons of Hell! How tragic, how
sad, it will be to be a part of this judgment! If
you are saved, your sins have already been judged on the Cross of Jesus Christ,
once and for all. They are covered by the blood of Jesus.
Watch
out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!
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