The White Throne Judgement
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| The White Throne Judgement |
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. [Rev 20:11-15]
Following closely from the previous teaching on the resurrection of the dead and what we have learnt above from the teaching on the ‘bema’ we have seen that when Christ is coming back he will gather all those who have believed in Him. The unbelievers both the dead and the living will not be part of the group that Christ will gather.
The rest of these who will not be part of the group that Christ will return for, which is a group of those who did not believe in the finished work of Christ are those who will be gathered on the White Throne for judgement in its true dreadful sense. The verse quoted above shows who these people are, the dead.
They are referred to as the dead because they were not raised together with Christ mainly through his resurrection and ultimately in the physical sense on His return. This removes the believers out of this group yet many believers read this verse and include themselves on this group. The Word as seen earlier shows us that the believers have passed from death to life.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. [John 5:24]
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. [Eph 2:4-5 NIV]
The word says that as they stood before the throne, books were opened and another book was opened. The book which is in singular is the one which the word calls the book of life. It is the book of Heavenly Citizenship having a record of all who have believed in the Lord’s cause from the beginning of the world. Only these who are of Christ have their names registered in heaven.
And to the church (assembly) of the Firstborn who are registered [as citizens] in heaven, [Heb 12:23]
The bible calls this book of registration, the book of life.
And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life. [Phil 4:3, Rev 3: 5; 13: 8; 17: 8]
From our main opening scripture above all those whose names were not found in the book of life are those who will stand on the white throne for judgement. The white throne is not a judgement for believers. The reason why there is need of another judgement after the judgement of the world on the cross is this.
They are referred to as the dead because they were not raised together with Christ mainly through his resurrection and ultimately in the physical sense on His return. This removes the believers out of this group yet many believers read this verse and include themselves on this group. The Word as seen earlier shows us that the believers have passed from death to life.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. [John 5:24]
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. [Eph 2:4-5 NIV]
The word says that as they stood before the throne, books were opened and another book was opened. The book which is in singular is the one which the word calls the book of life. It is the book of Heavenly Citizenship having a record of all who have believed in the Lord’s cause from the beginning of the world. Only these who are of Christ have their names registered in heaven.
And to the church (assembly) of the Firstborn who are registered [as citizens] in heaven, [Heb 12:23]
The bible calls this book of registration, the book of life.
And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life. [Phil 4:3, Rev 3: 5; 13: 8; 17: 8]
From our main opening scripture above all those whose names were not found in the book of life are those who will stand on the white throne for judgement. The white throne is not a judgement for believers. The reason why there is need of another judgement after the judgement of the world on the cross is this.
All who did not believe in what Christ did on their behalf by his death and resurrection will not have all that he did credited to them. He died for the whole world, the whole Adamic race but only those who believe in him are beneficiaries.
If one did not believe in the Gospel or will not believe it, they have regarded the suffering and Glory of Christ as unnecessary. To divine justice this attitude and position of failing to believe in Christ is a declaration of confidence in one’s own ability. Faith in Christ is an appeal for help after realising one’s inability to save themselves. Faith says, “God don’t judge me according to what I have done and will try to do by my own effort but by what Christ did on my behalf. It says you cannot judge me twice because I have received what Christ did on my behalf.”
Anyone who has not and will not believe in Jesus will now face the judgement that Jesus faced for them on their own and in their own capacity. Since their names are not in the book of Life our main text above shows that the books will be opened. The books written in plural is the record that God has for all that the unbelievers, having written in them all the good deeds and bad deeds of the unbelievers.
If one did not believe in the Gospel or will not believe it, they have regarded the suffering and Glory of Christ as unnecessary. To divine justice this attitude and position of failing to believe in Christ is a declaration of confidence in one’s own ability. Faith in Christ is an appeal for help after realising one’s inability to save themselves. Faith says, “God don’t judge me according to what I have done and will try to do by my own effort but by what Christ did on my behalf. It says you cannot judge me twice because I have received what Christ did on my behalf.”
Anyone who has not and will not believe in Jesus will now face the judgement that Jesus faced for them on their own and in their own capacity. Since their names are not in the book of Life our main text above shows that the books will be opened. The books written in plural is the record that God has for all that the unbelievers, having written in them all the good deeds and bad deeds of the unbelievers.
Those who will be on the wrong side of faith will be judged according to their good and bad deeds. To them, their eternal destiny is determined by their own righteousness and no one will be found sinless according to this standard. These books were being written for everyone including the believers but for the Children of God the books were blotted out on the cross.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [Col 2:13-14]
When the books will be opened the people on the white throne will be judged by their works written in the books and will in no means be found on the safe side. Everyone who will stand on the white throne whose name will not be in the registration book of heavenly citizenship will be thrown in the lack of fire.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [Col 2:13-14]
When the books will be opened the people on the white throne will be judged by their works written in the books and will in no means be found on the safe side. Everyone who will stand on the white throne whose name will not be in the registration book of heavenly citizenship will be thrown in the lack of fire.
The Lake of fire is also the place that the bible calls HELL. It was never originally made for mankind but the Devil and he does not want to go alone so he seeks as many to go there with. This is ETERNAL JUDGEMENT. It is called in other words, SECOND DEATH or ETERNAL DESTRUCTION.
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the Majesty of His power. [2 Thess 1:8-9 NIV]
This is what Christ temporarily tasted on the cross. This is the meaning of being forsaken by God. The word tells us that,
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. [James 1:17]
Eternal Judgement then is being shut out from God and hence no hope of experiencing any good, for good cannot be found in any place other than God.
There is still hope however for the living who have not been born again, of escaping this eternal Judgement and it is only when you and I take it upon ourselves to take the Gospel to as many as have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have received enlightenment and this means responsibility. Let’s take the message,
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come....” [Rev 22:17]
More Scriptures on Eternal Judgement.
[Matthew 25: 46; Rev 20: 14; 21: 8; Dan 12: 1-4,;John 5: 28-29; Matt 10: 15; 1: 22-24; 12: 36; Heb 10: 29; Mark 3: 29.]
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the Majesty of His power. [2 Thess 1:8-9 NIV]
This is what Christ temporarily tasted on the cross. This is the meaning of being forsaken by God. The word tells us that,
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. [James 1:17]
Eternal Judgement then is being shut out from God and hence no hope of experiencing any good, for good cannot be found in any place other than God.
There is still hope however for the living who have not been born again, of escaping this eternal Judgement and it is only when you and I take it upon ourselves to take the Gospel to as many as have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have received enlightenment and this means responsibility. Let’s take the message,
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come....” [Rev 22:17]
More Scriptures on Eternal Judgement.
[Matthew 25: 46; Rev 20: 14; 21: 8; Dan 12: 1-4,;John 5: 28-29; Matt 10: 15; 1: 22-24; 12: 36; Heb 10: 29; Mark 3: 29.]
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