It is appointed to us once to die and after that the Judgment. Knowing that God will judge the world sets us free in a world where injustice often wins to live without anger or despair. At a day appointed, God will do complete justice. Our judge will be God in Christ, the Mediatorial King through whom God rules the world. Christ at his Coming will destroy his enemies and reward those who love him. At the general resurrection of the dead, all will stand before Christ's judgment seat, angels as well as men. Christ will judge us according to the law that we have known, Gentiles by the law written on their hearts, Jews by the Mosaic law, Christians by the Gospel revelation. All whose names are written in the Book of Life will be acquitted, their good deeds cited as evidence of their union with Christ, through which they are justified. The saints will then enter into the presence of God eternally. The reprobate will be taken to the place prepared for the devil and his angels, where they will be eternally punished. The thought of hell is so fearful that even the saints quail at its thought, but the Bible gives no support to those who would urge the idea of either annihilation or final universal salvation. Judgment Day will come at a day God has appointed, but has not told us. Christian history is full of people claiming to have discovered the Day, but they cannot be right because Jesus has told us that no one knows the day or the hour. We should therefore live as though the Day were imminent so that we will be ready when it arrives. We pray for that Day to come every time we pray the Lord's Prayer, “Thy kingdom come.” |
