The Truth about the Final Judgment

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Good morning Chapel family! I hope you had a really good Thanksgiving celebration. A few years ago there was a TV commercial that Norma Jean and I still quote. I think it was for Target. A family is celebrating Thanksgiving in their home; at the end of the evening everyone leaves; the wife says goodbye to the very last guest; she closes the front door and turns around, and her husband is standing there in a Christmas sweater; the house is suddenly all decorated for Christmas; he’s holding two cups in his hand, and he says to his wife, “Eggnog?” So anytime I surprise Norma Jean with something fancy like that, she’ll say, “Eggnog?”  

So Thanksgiving is over, and just like that, it’s Christmas time! Doesn’t it look great in here? Having said that, we are not starting our Advent sermon series until next Sunday—which, by the way, I’m really excited about. It’s called “Have Yourself a Mentally Healthy Christmas,” because the arrival of Christ has the power to give us the best possible mental health—so it’s going to be a powerful series. But we’re not starting it until next week, because we are committed to finishing our series on our Doctrinal Statement, which we are doing today. And the last item on our Doctrinal Statement is all about final judgment.  

A lot of people assume that if you preach about judgment, you’ll empty out your church. But here’s the reality: churches who only preach God’s love, and leave out the judgment part, have pretty much faded out and lost all influence in culture. On the other hand, evangelical and Pentecostal churches have continued to preach the seriousness of human sin, and the necessity for Christ’s death on the cross, and the need for repentance and faith, AND the reality of God’s judgment…and those churches have exploded in growth around the world. Isn’t that interesting? And the reason for that is the same reason we’re doing this whole series: because people are hungry for truth. And they recognize that the truth is not always easy to hear. Truth can be hard and challenging and even offensive—but if it’s truth it’s ultimately good.  

So here’s the tenth and final item on our Doctrinal Statement: We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost. Let’s break that down into three parts. 

First, The Certainty of Judgment. From the start of the Bible, it’s very clear that there’s a day of judgment coming. Ecclesiastes 12:14 says: 

For God will bring every deed into judgment, 
    including every hidden thing, 
    whether it is good or evil. 

In Acts 7:31, the first martyr of the church, Stephen, says For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.  

Hebrews 9:27 says …people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. 

So the Bible clearly teaches it. But even more specifically, Jesus taught it. You can’t miss this. When you read the Gospels, Jesus relentlessly focused on the last judgment and even hell. He talked about it more than anybody else. So what you cannot say is, “I really like Jesus, and I believe in Jesus, but I don’t buy this concept of judgment.” That’s just making up your own Jesus. Don’t do that.  

Not only did Jesus believe in and teach judgment; the Bible says Jesus himself will be the judge. In 2 Timothy 4:1, Paul refers to Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead. Peter says in Acts 10:42 that Jesus is the one that God appointed to judge the living and the dead. And in John 5, Jesus says God the Father has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. So maybe we need to adjust the way we think of Jesus: he’s not just the gentle lamb who was slain; he’s also the roaring lion who will one day come to bring justice.  

So why does our Doctrinal Statement say, “We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust?” Here’s why. One of the clearest passages about judgment is Revelation 20, starting in verse 11: 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 

So the Bible teaches that when a person dies, their body goes into the ground, but their spirit goes either into the presence of God or away from the presence of God, and that’s a temporary situation, until the day of judgment. Are you with me—body’s in the ground; spirit is either with God or separated from God. And then on judgement day, it says the bodies of everyone who’s ever died will be raised up—even if they’ve been lost at sea, or burned in a fire, or cremated, God is perfectly able to raise them up; their body will be joined with their spirit; and every person will stand before Jesus as a complete person—body and spirit—to be judged.  

For unbelievers—people who do not have a relationship with God—that will be a day of condemnation. It says people will be judged “according to what they have done.” And for every unbeliever, there will be all kinds of evidence that they fell short of God’s commands. The Bible says there will be different degrees of punishment, based on how much of God’s will the person knew. Jesus told a parable about servants who didn’t do what their master told them to do, and then the master comes back unexpectedly to judge them. And Luke 12:47 says 47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48a But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. So God’s justice will look different for different people. But for every unbeliever, since they never put themselves under the covering of Christ’s grace and forgiveness, they will be left to pay for their sins for eternity. That should be a disturbing thought. And we’ll talk more about hell in a minute. 

For believers there will also be judgment. In Romans 14, Paul says, we will all stand before God’s judgment seat…each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. But for believers, it’s a very different kind of judgment. Romans 8:1 says there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So it’s not a judgment of condemnation; it’s a judgment of commendation. Which means believers will be commended and rewarded for how they have faithfully obeyed and walked with Jesus in this life. Listen to what Paul wrote about rewards—this is 1 Corinthians 3, starting in verse 11: 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. Now, some people believe that this rewarding of believers will be a separate event from the judging of unbelievers. But either way, Jesus will evaluate our lives and reward us accordingly. So if you’re a believer, knowing that day is coming should motivate you. More than you desire for comfort or wealth or success, you should feel a strong drive to receive the approval and the rewards of God. But also remember—no matter how many rewards you receive, this is going to be a day of joy. And we’ll talk more about heaven in a minute. 

So let me be crystal clear: judgment is certain. And there are so many implications of that. Let me give you one implication: if you really believe that God will judge, you will be a more forgiving person. Does that sound counterintuitive? It almost seems like it would be the opposite, right? But it’s true: when you believe that there’s ultimate justice, you will be a less angry, less violent, more forgiving, more peace-making person. Here’s why: Romans 12:19—Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. In other words, when you’re hurt by someone, and everything in you wants to hurt them back, you realize that’s not your job. You don’t have to take justice into your own hands. If there’s any vengeance to be done, God will take care of it. So instead of hating and resenting that person who hurt you, you can focus on loving them and praying for their salvation. At the end of the day, believing in God’s judgment frees you from the misery of hatred. 

Now: based on the results of God’s judgment, every human will spend eternity in one of two places. So let’s go to point number 2: The Reality of Hell. In that Revelation 20 passage we read earlier, about the dead being raised to stand before God’s throne, the scene ends like this—Revelation 20:15—Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.  

In Matthew 25, Jesus says that when he returns, he’ll separate people from one another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And those who don’t know him will hear these words: Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 

Now: is this lake of fire possibly symbolic, rather than literal? Maybe, but even if it’s symbolic, it doesn’t really make it any better. Because either way, hell is a place of anguish and regret, and worst of all—look at those first words of Jesus: “Depart from me.” In its essence, hell is the place of utter separation from the presence of God.  

Why would God do that? Why would he put anyone out of his presence? Well, if you think about it, it’s a logical consequence of living a life where you constantly push God away. C.S. Lewis explained it like this—he said when a person sins, it’s like they’re saying to God, “Go away and leave me alone.” And if a person spends their entire life with that attitude, God finally says, “You can have your wish. I will leave you alone.” G.K. Chesterton said it like this: “Hell is God’s great compliment to the reality of human freedom and the dignity of human choice.” So it’s not so much God throwing people into hell; it’s more people getting their desire of a life without God.  

So there’s some logic to the idea of hell. But can I be honest with you? This is so hard for me to think about. And here’s the hardest part of it all—look at Matthew 25:46. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. If you really want to be disturbed, think about the fact that hell is eternal. That’ll keep you up at night. I believe deeply in the truth of this book, so I believe in final judgment and hell. But I struggle with it more than I struggle with any other part of our faith. I have lost loved ones, and I’ve stood over their coffins, and sometimes I’ve spoken at their funerals, not knowing where they went. You talk about emotional agony?  

C.S. Lewis wrote this about hell: “There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, especially, of our Lord’s own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason.” He’s completely right. 

So this is one of those places we need to remind ourselves of Isaiah 55:8-9… 

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
    neither are your ways my ways,” 
declares the Lord. 
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
    so are my ways higher than your ways 
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.  

We also need to remember that God is a God of perfect justice. Like it says in Genesis 18, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” And he will. We can trust his judgment. So even if I don’t fully understand this, I have to realize I’m not God, and let God be God. 

Because of the reality of hell, we should be so motivated to pray for people who don’t know Christ. Colossians 4:5 says Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Because you don’t know if you’ll have another opportunity. So when you’re with people who are outside of Christ, take the risk and point them to the one who can save them. Not because you’re better than them, or you’re judging them; but because you care about where they’re going to spend eternity. 

On the day of judgment, every human being will be assigned one of two eternal destinies; tragically one of those destinies is hell. But thank God there’s another option. Final point—let’s talk about The Joy of Heaven. So back to Revelation 20, where everyone who’s ever lived is raised to life and stands before the throne of God. It says there are two kinds of books that are opened. In some of the books, there’s a record of everything every person has ever done. Which is scary, right? And twice in the passage, it says everyone “will be judged according to what they have done.” Wow! So in one sense, that’s just going to prove we’re all guilty! Because all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. But in some of those books there will be evidence of something different. See, the Bible says we are saved by faith alone, but that faith always shows up in the way we live. And in some of those books, there will be unmistakable evidence of faith: kindness, compassion, generosity, forgiveness, willingness to suffer for Christ.  

But the ultimate test—the ultimate criterion for judgment—is found in that other book: the Lamb’s Book of Life. It says anyone whose name is not found in that book will be thrown into the lake of fire. Which means anyone whose name is found in that book will be welcomed into heaven. So why is that one book so decisive? Well, back in Revelation 13:8, it gives a fuller title for the book. You know what it’s called? The Book of Life of the Lamb who was Slain. The Book of Life of the Lamb who was Slain. See, I don’t care who you are—those other books with everything you’ve ever done—they’re going to have some bad stuff! I know mine will! So if God is truly fair, why won’t he make me pay for all those things I’ve done? Because of the Lamb who was Slain. Because my Savior suffered in my place. So I can approach the day of judgment with confidence—not because I’m good enough—I’m so not! But simply because I’m trusting in the Lamb who was slain. I hope you are too.  

Because if you are, you’ll get to experience this: Revelation 21:1…Then I saw “a new heaven and new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Remember how the Bible starts? In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And when it says “the heavens” it’s talking about the sky—space above us. So way back in time, in the beginning, God created the sky and the earth, and it was good…before it got messed up. Before sin entered in and infected the system. So now, it says in Romans 8 that all of creation is groaning, under the bondage of decay. Don’t you see that decay when you look around? Don’t you see it in pollution and natural disasters and disease, just to name a few? But there’s a day coming, says Romans 8, when all creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay. And that’s the moment Revelation is talking about. It says one day, there’s going to be a new heaven and a new earth. New sky and earth. In other words, God’s original creation will be redeemed and restored to the way it was always meant to be. And that should take your breath away! Because that is where we get to spend eternity—not on a cloud playing a harp, thank God.  

Look at the next verse—Revelation 21:2…I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming…where? down out of heaven from God… See, ultimately—in eternity—we don’t go “up to heaven”; heaven comes down to earth! And at the end of Revelation, it talks about what life will be like on this redeemed, restored earth. And I want to invite you to dream a little bit. Allow your mind to enter into this reality for a minute… 

Revelation 21:4 says there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. Can you imagine? No funerals…no tumors…no car accidents…no overdoses…no more teenage kids committing suicide…no more need for Saint Jude Children’s hospital, because there won’t be any more kids getting cancer. Can you even imagine that world? Whatever it is that causes you pain right now—whether it’s broken relationships or depression or disappointment or loneliness or being hurt by other people, those things will be swept away. A distant memory. 

But none of that is the best part. Are you ready for the best part? Revelation 21:3… God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. For me, there are certain moments in life when I feel the presence of God in a really tangible way. Like when I stand on the top of a mountain or when I’m singing certain worship songs in this congregation, or when I saw my children being born. It feels like God is breaking through and he’s just right there! You know that feeling? Heaven is going to feel like that all the time. All the time! And you say, “I don’t think my brain could handle that! I don’t think my heart could handle that!” But you’re thinking too small. Because in that redeemed earth, you will have a glorified, permanent body (which, by the way, I’m really hoping it will be my 18-year-old body), but the point is, you’ll have a resurrected body, with a resurrected brain and heart, so you’ll actually be able to take it all in! You’ll have the capacity to experience and enjoy the presence of God in a million different ways as you serve him and worship him and explore the wonders of his creation in community with his people for all of eternity. Whew. Like it says in Psalm 16, “In your presence is fullness of joy.” None of us has ever experienced “fullness of joy.” We’ve had glimpses of joy. But in heaven our joy will overflow in ways we’ve never even dared to dream. 

When my kids were young, I read them The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis. In case you’re not familiar, it’s a series of children’s books that teach about Jesus. And at the very end of the last book, the main characters die, and they realize they’re in heaven. And I want to read you the last paragraph:  

…the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. 

If you’ve been feeling the pain of life, which most of us have, you need to know this life is not the end of the story. It’s just the first couple of pages. And when we see God face to face, that’s when the real story begins. Amen? So in this world that’s so confused and so lost, keep trusting in Christ. Because with him, this ends really, really well. 

Look, I’m just giving it to you straight: 

Judgment is certain—it’s going to happen. 

Hell is a real place—and people will go there. 

But heaven is also real—and because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, the gates of heaven are wide open. You just have to believe. 

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