Lesson #3
Judgment Day Is Coming
Christ is coming to judge the world. "And as it is appointed for men once
to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). We have two
appointments, which we will definitely keep: physical death and the judgment. Judgment
Day
is certain. There is no way to escape it. All of us will be there for this
final appointment. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to
what he has done in the body, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the
terror of the Lord, we persuade men" (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).
No one will
be excluded from the Judgment. Every person, who has ever lived,
currently living, and will live, will stand before the Lord and be judged.
We
will not know when Judgment Day is coming. "For we shall all stand before
the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written ‘As I live says the Lord,
every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God’. So then
each of us shall give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:10-12).
What will the judgment be like? "Then I saw a great white throne, and Him
who 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, standing
before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the
Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things
written in the books…And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was
cast into the lake of fire…The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the
lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. And they
shall be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:11-12,
15, 10). Being cast into the lake of fire with the devil is not very good
company to be with forever and ever. Is your name in the Book of Life?
Are you
sure? Your eternal life in Heaven depends on it being there.
The Lord is omniscient. He knows all things. There is nothing hidden from Him.
"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked
and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account" (Hebrews
4:13). The Lord will make no mistakes in the Judgment. "For God will
bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or
evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:14). We can have no secrets from God.
He knows
everything about each of us.
Concerning Judgment Day Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father
in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your
name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you
who practice lawlessness" (Matthew 7:21-23). Many will be
shocked and terrified to learn that their sincerity, good works, and prayers
will be to no avail if they have left out the essential component of faithful
obedience to God’s will. How wise it is to obey the will of God
today. No human creed written by men or convention of men will do us any
good. God will not accept any of our excuses. Being religious is not
enough, doing good works is not enough, preaching is not enough. We must
submit to the faithful obedience of God’s will, and not our will, or else we will
hear the Lord say, "I never knew you, depart from
Me" (Matthew 7:23). The Lord’s judgment will be final.
There will be no appeal if we are found guilty and are lost.
There will only be two verdicts: 1) "I never knew you, depart from
Me" (Matthew 7:23) or 2) "Well done, good and faithful servant…enter
into the joy of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21). Our number one priority in
this life is that we must be prepared to meet the Lord in judgment. If we miss
Heaven and end up in Hell we can only blame ourselves. There will not be a
second chance. We have got to get it right the first time. "Prepare to
meet your God" (Amos 4:12). We must be prepared for Judgment Day.
When our Lord does come, this earth and everything in it is going to be
completely destroyed. This world will no longer have a use in God’s plan.
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the
heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness" (2 Peter 3:10-11).
We don’t
know when the Day of Judgment will come, so what manner of people should we
be? If we knew that Judgment Day would be tomorrow, what would we do
differently today? Are there some things in our life we would have to change?
How would our dress, speech, and general conduct be? If today were Sunday or
Wednesday would we assemble with the church? Or would we forsake "the
assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some" (Hebrews
10:25), because we had something better to do? One day this earth and all of
its possessions will be burned up. No one knows when this will be.
Let’s get
ready now and stay ready. Are you ready?
If Judgment Day was going to be tomorrow, would we have to start doing differently today? Why would we have to start doing differently today? Would it be because we are not ready? Being ready to stand before the Lord in judgment should be our number one priority in this life. Jesus tells us to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). We know the Lord is coming some "tomorrow", but we don’t know which tomorrow. "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44). When we die, our fate is sealed and next will be the Judgment. We should live our lives as though today was the day before Judgment Day, because one day it will be.
Questions Lesson #3
Judgment Day Is Coming
(Click on the button of the answer of your choice)
1) (2 Corinthians 5:10-11) Who will appear before the judgment seat of Christ?
Only those who are lost.
Only those who are still living when Christ comes.
All people, both living and dead.
2) There will be no terror of the Lord on Judgment Day.
3) (Romans 14:10-12) As we stand before the judgment seat of Christ
Some will make fun of God.
Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God.
Atheists will continue to deny God.
4) Each one of us shall give an account of himself to God.
5) (Revelation 20:11-12, 15, 10) At the Judgment, anyone whose name is not in the Book of Life
Will be cast into the lake of fire.
Will get a second chance to have his name to be written in the Book of Life.
Even though one's name is not in the Book of Life, he will still go to Heaven.
6) The torment of the lost will not last very long.
7) (Hebrews 4:13) What does God know about us?
Only some things.
Only what we tell Him.
There is nothing hidden from His sight.
8) There are some things that God does not know.
9) (Matthew 7:13-14) What must one do to go to Heaven?
Just say Lord, Lord.
Do many wonders in the name of the Lord.
Do the will of the Father in Heaven.
10) God will also save those who have not done His will.
11) (2 Peter 3:10-11) What will happen to this earth when the Lord comes?
It will be burned up.
The Lord will have a 1000 year reign here on the earth.
The Lord will not come.
12) The Lord's coming will be like a thief in the night.