The Last Great Event of Human History!

It was W. W. Wiersbe who said,

In one sense, the millennial kingdom will sum up" all that God has said about the heart of man during the various periods of history. It will be a reign of law, and yet law will not change man's sinful heart. Man will still revolt against God. The Millennium will be a period of peace and perfect environment, a time when disobedience will be judged swiftly and with justice; and yet in the end the subjects of the King will follow Satan and rebel against the Lord. A perfect environment cannot produce a perfect heart.God is now about to "wrap up" human history One great event remains.”  

 All Sinners are Condemned After the Millennial Age (Rev. 20:11-15).

The time of grace and patience on the behalf of God is over; the time of eternal reckoning has come. God offered salvation, forgiveness, a relationship with Himself, and Heaven to whoever will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for centuries. Too many people simply rejected God's offer and in the final event of human history God will respect their decisions. Every unsaved individual will be examined by God Himself and all will be thoroughly recompensed for their rejection of Jesus Christ and life-long career of sin. Note the words of Dr. H. Willmington,

A test no one will pass. John saw the Judge of the universe seated behind his great white throne, sentencing all the unsaved to the lake of fire forever. Faith in Christ would have placed their names in the "Book of Life," and they would have been saved.— Harold Willmington 

   — After the millennial age, the unsaved are ushered into a gigantic courtroom. Millions of people are there—waiting to see the judgment sessions. All wait in trepidation. Suddenly, off to the right, a huge movie screen lights up and begins to show the entire life works of the wicked. All of the thoughts, motives, and actions of which they are most ashamed shine forth before the assembled crowd.... and a holy God! This is the idea that many have of the final Great White Throne Judgment. But the main question will not be, "What did you do in life?" Rather they will answer for what they did with Jesus. As we have stated in past studies, believers in Jesus share the conviction and joyous hope that Christ will return to earth not only as King, but as Judge, also. This judgment is the climax of them all for all the sinners of all the ages. (MacDonald, W)

   — The final five verses of Revelation 20 introduce the judgment at the end of human history and the beginning of the eternal state.

A.  THE MAJESTIC JUDGE (REV. 20:11).

The sinner, Christ rejecters will have to face the Lord Jesus Christ as Judge and Prosecutor in the Supreme Court of the Universe!

   1. His Court. "A great white throne"

        A. Not Like Modern Courts.

             1. The White Throne Judgment will be nothing like our modem court cases.

             2. At the White Throne, there will be a Judge but no jury, a prosecution but no defense, a sentence but no appeal.

             3. No one will be able to defend himself or accuse God of unrighteousness. What an awesome scene it will be!

        B. It Is a Great Court.

Great because of the issues involved and the sentences issued.

        C. It Is a White Court.

             1. White because of the perfection and purity of the decisions handed down.

             2. This is a judgment throne, elevated, pure, and holy.

         D. It Is a Throne Court.

            1. Nearly 50 times in Revelation there is the mention of a throne. It is not the sight of the previous thrones in heaven nor in the earth.

            2. This court throne is in space beyond the old heaven and the old earth. Like the Judgment Seat of Christ which took place in heaven before the Millennial age, this judgment will also be in a scene other then the earth.

            3. Tills court convenes in space during an indescribable void between the end of the present universe (Rev 20:11) and the creation of the new heaven and earth (Rev 21:1).

   2. His Christ, “an him that sat on it”

       A. The Judge is Jesus Christ.

The Father has committed all judgment to Him (Matt 19:28; Rom. 2:16).

John 5:22-30, For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: [23] That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. [24] 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 [25] Verily, verily, 1 say unto you. The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. [26] For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; [27] And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. [28] Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, [29] And shall come forth; they that have done good. unto the resurrection of life; and thev that have done evil. unto the resurrection of damnation. [30] I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I Judge and my judgment is just: because 1 seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Acts 10:42, And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Acts 17:30-31, And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent [31 ] Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness bv that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

While Christ is now seated on the throne in heaven and will be seated on the Davidic throne on earth in the Millennium (Matt. 25:31), this white throne judgment is a special situation.

       B. These Lost Sinners Rejected Christ in Life.

Now they must be judged by Him and face eternal death.

Matthew 7:21-23, Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but lie that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name0 and in thy name have cast out devils9 and in thy name done many wonderful works';' [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

   3. His Countenance, "from whose face the earth and heaven fled away"

We all must admire the grandeur of this image; no one can think on it without being awed by the majesty and glory of the Christ, Great Judge.

          A. John Saw the Contaminated Universe Vanish out of Existence.

1.      Peter described this moment when the universe is "uncreated," going into non-existence.

2 Peter 3:10-13. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. [11] Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, [12] Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? [13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

2.      The Lord Jesus Also Stated This Very tiling. Matthew 24:35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (See also Mk. 13:3 1; Lk21:33).

3.      Like the stars, during the rising of the sun, seem to flee to more remote regions, and vanish from view, so also when the Son of God shall appear in his glory to judge lost humanity, the earth and all other worlds shall indeed vanish. "The earth and the heaven fled away" An un-creation shall ensue as the natural world shrinks back with awe at the presence of God the Son! (Compare Ps 18:7-15; 77:16-19; 114:3-5; Hab. 3:6, 10-11). The image expresses, in the most emphatic manner, the idea that they entirely disappeared, and no language could more sublimely represent the majesty of the Judge.

B. Will the Heavens and Earth be Cleansed or Destroyed? The question has been raised as to whether the earth and the starry heavens as they are today will be destroyed at this point in the future or will be simply restored to a new state of purity.

1.      Many Bible passage suggest that the earth and the heavens, as now known, will be destroyed (Matt 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17; 21:33; 2 Peter 3:10-13).

2.      This is confirmed by the opening statement of Revelation 21, "the first heaven and the first earth were passed away."

3.      QUOTE: "The present universe was created like a gigantic clock which is running down, and if left to itself, would ultimately come to a state of complete inactivity. Inasmuch as God created the universe and set it in motion for the purpose of enacting the drama of sin and redemption, it would seem proper to begin anew with a new heaven and a new earth suitable for His eternal purpose and built on a different principle. The new heaven and new earth described in chapter 21 has no similarity to the present earth and heaven." —John Walvoord

4.      His Cause. "And there was no place found for them"

A. This Is Preparation for the Eternal Kingdom of God. There is no place for a contaminated earth, heaven, nor people.

B. The Physical World Is Thus Judged and Eliminated Because They Are Utterly Unfit for a Perfect Universe.

B. THE MASSIVE MULTITUDES JUDGED (REV. 20:12A-13)

1. The Final Judgment of All “the dead”—Unbelievers of All Ages (Matt 10:15; 11:22,24; 12:36,41,42; Luke 10:14; John 12:48; Acts 17:31; 24:25; Rom. 2:5,l6; Heb. 9:27:2 Pet. 2:9; 3:7; Jude 6).

A. The Purpose of Establishing the Great White Throne Is to Judge the Dead.

1. John tells us that the dead, great and small, stood before the throne. Hebrews 9:27, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

2. From other Scriptures it seems that all the righteous dead have been raised, including Old Testament saints, the dead of the Great Tribulation, and the church saints, the body of Christ (Rev 20:4-5).

B. Thus it May Be Assumed That Verses Rev. 20:11-15 Refer to the Judgment of the Wicked Dead, who according to verse 5 would not be resurrected until after the thousand years and will have no part in what is called "the first resurrection. "

C. Those People Who Are Judged at the Great White Throne Judgment Have Rejected God Throughout History, from Adam's son Cain, who killed his brother, to those who rebelled during the end of the Millennium and are killed at the second coming of Christ. In Revelation 20:12-13 and the previous passages, we see that all who reject God, from the first unbeliever to the last, will stand before Jesus at the Great White Throne.

2. Christ Referred to this Event as the "Resurrection of Damnation" (John 5 29)

A. From Where Do These "Dead" Come? (Rev 20:13)

1. Death will give up the bodies, and

2. Hell-hades (the realm of the spirits of the dead) will give up the spirits.

3. The Seas— There will even be a resurrection of bodies from the sea.

4. No sinner will escape.

B. There Shall Be a Second Resurrection!

1. Do not confuse this judgment at the White Throne with the Judgment Seat of Christ where believers will have their works judged and rewarded.

2. At this judgment, there will be only unbelievers; and there will be no rewards.

3. John described here an awesome scene. Heaven and earth will flee away and no place will be left for sinners to hide! All must face the Judge!

3. They Stand Condemned Before God. “stand before God”

A. The unsaved will be raised and will stand before God's judgment. In a judicial sense as guilty condemned prisoners before the bar of divine justice.                                           

B. There are no living sinners left in the destroyed universe since all sinners were killed and all believers glorified.

C. THE MANNER OF THEIR JUDGMENT (REV. 20:12B-13).

1.      They Will Be Judged By Records. Jesus Christ will judge these unsaved people on the basis of what is written "in the books." What books?

A. The Books of Record. Daniel 7:10, A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened

1. These books record every thought, word, and deed of sinful men—all recorded by divine omniscience (see Dan. 7:10, the verse that is the source of this text).

2. They will provide the evidence for eternal condemnation Rev 18:6,7

3. QUOTE: "The fact that these dead have not been raised before is evidence in itself that they do not have eternal life and that their judgment is a judgment of their works. All final judgments deal with works, whether the works of Christians rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ or the works of the unsaved which are in view here. The question of who is saved is determined not in heaven but in life on earth. What is revealed here is the confirmation of one's destiny by means of God's written records." — John Walvoord

B. "The Book of Life" Will Be There.

1. It will be present containing the names of God's redeemed people (Dan. 12:1; Rev 21:27; note also 13:8; 17:8). Philip. 4:3, And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

2. No unsaved person will have his or her name in the Lamb's Book of Life; only true believers are recorded there. Luke 10:20, Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

3. Perhaps the Lord Jesus will check this record as a last and final act of mercy.

2.      They Will Be Judged By the Word. John 12:48, He that rejecteth me. and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. God's Word will be there. The Word that Christ has spoken, will judge sinners in the last day. Every sinner will be held accountable for the truth he or she has heard h this life.

3.      They Will Be Judge By Their Works, "judged everyman according to their works. "

John 3:17-20, 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 hatetli the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

A.     Their thoughts (Luke 8:17, Rom. 2:16), words (Matt. 12:37), and actions (Matt. 16 27) will be compared to God's perfect, holy standard (Matt 5:48, 1 Pet 1 15, 16) and will be found wanting (Rom 3:23).

B.     This Also Implies That There Are Degrees of Punishment in Hell (Mark 12:38-40; Luke 12:47, 48; Heb. 10:29). Matthew 10:14-15, And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

C.     Matthew 11:22, But I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

D.  THE MISERY OF JUDGMENT (REV. 20:14-15).                 

When the judgment is finished, all of the lost will be cast into hell, the lake of fire, the second death. Many people reject the biblical doctrine of hell as being "unchristian," and yet Jesus clearly taught its reality (Matt 18:8; 23:15, 33; 25:46; Mark 9:46). A sentimental kind of humanistic religion will not face the reality of judgment, but they teach a God who loves everyone into heaven and sends no one to hell. This is really one of the biggest lies the devil has ever introduced! Sadly, too many people have believed it.

Hell is a witness to the righteous character of God. He must judge sin. Hell is also a witness to man's responsibility, the fact that he is not a robot or a helpless victim, but a creature able to make choices. God does not merely "send people to hell"; they send themselves by rejecting the Savior God provided (Matt 25:41; John 3:16-21). Hell is also a witness to the awfulness of sin. If we once saw sin as God sees it, we would understand why a place such as hell exists.

In light of Calvary, no lost sinner can condemn God for casting him into hell. God has provided a way of escape, and He has patiently waiting for sinners to repent while believing the Gospel. He will not lower His standards or alter His requirements as they are entirely just. He has ordained that faith in His Son is the only way of salvation. Wisdom is demonstrated when we admit our sinfulness and trust the Savior, Jesus Christ

Conclusion:

Before God can usher in His new heavens and earth, He must finally deal with sin; and this He will do at the Great White Throne. Anyone,...you can escape this terrible judgment by trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. By so doing, you never will be a part of the second resurrection or experience the terrors of the second death, the lake of fire.

"He that heareth My Word," said Jesus, "and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [judgment], but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

Have you trusted Him in order to pass from death unto life?

The Great White Throne Judgment II

The Great White Throne Judgment II

In the first post of this series, we established from Revelation 20 and other biblical passages that the Judge before which all lost humanity must stand is the Lord Jesus Christ. As the supreme and ultimate Judge, He will correctly administer justice most judiciously. No unrepentant sinners will receive less than pure justice. Christ will not be influenced by the whimsical notions of a fickle society, nor will He legislate from the bench to circumvent bad laws. He will prosecute each case with the utmost integrity in full accordance with His absolutely righteous nature and the eternal Word of God.

While these observations for many are rightly anticipated, still we might ask at this point, “What is the judgment criterion for the lost?” They all are obviously unsaved, who appear at this trial of the millennia, so what is the reason for such a trial and what is the standard by which sinners will be examined? The Scriptures demonstrate that their failure to accept God’s provision for salvation and the content of their lives will decide the degree of their punishment in the Lake of Fire. The following thoughts from Revelation 20 will answer these concerns and unveil what will happen in the future.

What Is The Basis of Judgment? (Rev. 20:12-13)

As unsaved individuals, they will be tried at the Great White Throne judgment on the basis of their unbelief, and the quality of their lives. While it is implied, the first of these is not explained in great detail in this text. However this truth is clearly taught elsewhere with regards to this specific event. The second criterion, the works of sinners, set forth in the Word does appear here and demands our utmost considerations. Once again the Bible is the standard by which individual’s behavior will be scrutinized; God will not employ a standard that people are oblivious of, He will not make it up as He goes, and to some degree God’s moral law is written in the heart and conscience of people (Rom. 2:14-16). Therefore, no one can claim they did not know what God expects or requires—it is written in the human soul. Once again, these trials are designed to determine the degree of guilt to ensure an appropriate sentence is given. So, then what is the biblical criteria?

I.                  Their Failure to Trust the Savior!

This is NOT a Judgment of Guilt or Innocence! When the unbelieving stand before Jesus at the Great White Throne, it will not be a trial to determine guilt or innocence. Though this may be shocking for some, guilt has already been determined. Unrepentant people appear at this trial because they are guilty. But what are they guilty of?

John 3:18, tells us, “He that believeth on him [Jesus] 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.” Accordingly all sinners are condemned before God even before they die because they have failed to repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith is Christ clearly cancels all condemnation for sins because it is Jesus Christ who made the payment for all sin. The righteous sentence was executed upon Him at Calvary two thousand years ago. God’s method for delivering people from the condemnation of sin is through the full payment of sin through a Substitute. Our great and gracious Substitute is the Lord Jesus Christ! At the Great White Throne judgment, people will face Him not as the gracious Savior but as their holy Judge. There is absolutely zero chance of Him showing any mercy or grace on this occasion to anyone.

John 3:36, adds additional insight to this matter stating, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” Here John rightly indicates that the wrath of God is presently upon and remains upon the person who refuses to believe on the Son, Jesus Christ. This means that unsaved people live each day under the condemnation of their sin and are in peril of Hell every single moment of every day! Each new day that God gives them life is another gracious opportunity to repent and trust Christ the Savior. It is not wise to take this for granted, because there is no guarantee that anyone will complete a day of life and no one is certain of tomorrow. The people who will stand before our Lord Jesus will receive their sentence because they have already been found guilty of unbelief.

Many people think that the unsaved are judged on the basis of their good works outweighing their bad works. Actually nothing could be further from the truth. This dangerous assumption is a mistake of colossal proportions! If we were judged as “saved” or “unsaved” based on our works, all of us would be lost (Romans 3:23; 6:23). This much can be guaranteed! There is zero hope of us performing well enough to impress a holy and perfect God. Any honest person will confess that we are not free of sinful thoughts, deeds, and aspirations. All of us must admit that we are not perfect within ourselves or with regard to our activities. It is not that we do not do good things with wholesome desires, it is more that we cannot do ONLY good thing with ONLY wholesome motives. This fact points to the reality of sin in us; so any good we do is still tainted with our sinfulness. Obviously, our bad actions are fully corrupted with sin! So can we ever hope to amass enough good works to outweigh our bad ones? This is a hopelessly gross misconception and it is only fit for rejection as a diabolical ploy of the devil to condemn souls for all eternity.

Instead, people are lost because they rejected what they knew about God, either from creation or from the Bible (Romans 1:18–21). The reality of God is demonstrated and preached by all natural creation itself. Truly the “heavens declare” the glory and righteousness of God (see Psalm 19:1; 97:6). Furthermore, God was brilliantly revealed in Jesus Christ, and is still communicated through the pages of the Word of God. God can be known and His grace reaches out to us all to this very end, but if we fail to respond in repentance and faith…all that we know and have been afforded becomes evidence indicting our sinful hearts and minds! Once again, people appear before the Great White Throne judgment because they are guilty and they need to be sentenced for their unbelief.

Guilt does not Necessarily mean the Condemned were not Religious People.

I am personally convinced that pastors, popes, missionaries, Bible translators, priests, Christian college presidents, bishops, Christian university professors, deacons, Christian authors, Church workers, and faithful followers of religion from all times and places will be at the Great White Throne judgment. Buddhists, atheist, Hindus, secularists, Muslims, Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptist, Presbyterians, Methodist, Confucianists, scientists and on the lists of religionist go. Unfortunately, they all will be there! This is a painful reality….

Though many religious people will be judged on this occasion, they will be finally condemned because the Lord did not know them as His people. In their hearts they did not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. No matter how sincere and committed they were in the observance of their religion, they are sincerely wrong!

The same is true of people who are associated with Christianity! Consider the crystal clear words of our Lord Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23,

Not every one that saith unto me [Jesus Christ], Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Lord did not know these religious people as His own. Look at His words carefully, “I never knew you” (v. 23). Not ‘I once knew you,’ or ‘I had forgotten you,’ but “I never knew you”! They had NO faith-relationship with the Savior! Jesus did not say these people were not religious! Evidently they were extremely religious people. They had preached, prophesied, taught, and written Bible lesson, messages, sermons, and books! They had performed miracles, cast out devils, healed the sick, and held great deliverance revivals! In fact they had performed works that caused people to marvel, they wild millions with their amazing antics, and enthusiasts flocked to their meetings by the thousands. They enjoyed popularity, fame, riches, grand audacious homes, luxurious cars, private jets, and on the list goes. This they all did in the Name of a penniless itinerant Preacher who came not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for us sinners (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45)! It is painfully obvious…Jesus did not know them and they did not actually know Him. Do not be fooled by someone pretending to be Christian. Jesus said we can discern false teachers by their fruit (Matt. 7:13-20). This is a sobering reality unfolding before us. Think deeply and honestly about this…eternal souls are in the balance. Though these people were religious, they failed to trust the Savior for the forgiveness of their sin. They thought they could merely present their religious resumes, their good works, and amazing productions to demonstrate how worthy they are of salvation. They actually believed their positive contributions to society would impress God so much that He certainly would accept them. According to Jesus, they were wrong…eternally wrong.

II.               The Content of Their Lives! (Rev. 20:11-13)

Not only did the unsaved fail to trust the Savior, the only means of genuine salvation, but they also conducted themselves in a manner that is worthy of condemnation. Just one singular sin is a monumental violation of the holy law of God! It is His righteous majesty, which is reflected in his perfect moral law that demands such a conviction. The greater the offended authority the greater the condemnation! It is one thing to offend a bum on skid row, it is quite another to offend the president or prime minister of your country! God Almighty is the supreme authority, and all creation is answerable to Him. A supreme court is set to try high crimes against His Holy Majesty. Justice for supreme crimes like the sinful works of fallen humanity demand an official verdict.

Now carefully consider precisely what the Apostle John wrote regarding this ominous occasion,

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. 12 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. 13 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. (Rev. 20:11-13)

John foresees how all the unsaved dead will be summoned to the Great White Throne judgment. The old heaven and earth are no more, the unredeemed dead or raised-resurrected to appear before the Judge, the Book of Life and the other chronicles of Heaven are brought forth. Unsaved individuals will give an account for their “works” of sin and be condemned accordingly. William MacDonald summarizes this scene with brilliant clarity,

These are the unbelievers of all ages. Two sets of books are opened. The Book of Life contains the names of all who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. The other books contain a detailed record of the works of the unsaved. No one who appears at this judgment is registered in the Book of Life. The fact that his name is missing condemns him, but the record of his evil works determines the degree of his punishment (Believer’s Bible Commentary, 1995).

Two realities should be noted: degrees of punishment will be based on people’s works, and condemnation is certain without a singular exception!

Yes, there will be degrees of punishment for the unbelievers. Even though everyone who is lost is lost because they did not respond fully to the true light that is available to everyone ever born (John 1:9), there appears to be degrees of punishment of unbelievers based on the quality of their lives.

Those who were kind and good will be judged less severely than those who were cruel and evil. We see this idea established in Revelation 20:12, 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.

In addition, The Lord Jesus strongly indicated the same idea, regarding some cities that had rejected Him. Read carefully His words in Matthew 11:22-24,

But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. [23] And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. [24] But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

This is another reference to a grand and final day of judgment and clearly Jesus teaches various degrees of guilt and liability based on our behavior.

The concept of varying levels of liability and culpability is also expressed in Luke 12:47-48, we read:

And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. [48] But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

While this passage does not relate to the Great White Throne judgment event, it conveys the Lord’s concept of justice, fairness, responsibility, accountability, and justice. This same Lord will preside over the trial of the ages and here we have a sense of how He views justice respecting degrees of punishment and culpability.

Their entire lives will be scrutinized carefully to determine the degree of guilt. It seems evident, then, that different degrees of punishment await those who are unsaved, punishment based on their thoughts, motives, words, and deeds here on earth. John shows us with transparent clarity how lost humanity will be judged on the basis of their works (v. 12, 13). Really this accounts for all facets of the human experience; all will be brought under the scrutiny of an all-wise and all-knowing Judge. Many other passages agree with this basic conclusion.

Concerning thoughts and motives, we find in Hebrews 4:12–13 that the word of God is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart, and that all things, without exception, are uncovered and open to the examining eyes of a holy God. Hebrews 4:12-13, says, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. [13] Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him [God Whom we must give an account to] with whom we have to do. Not only what we did or did not do, but why we did or did not satisfy divine requirements. All of this will also be given serious consideration. While the deception of gullible people is often obtainable for many deceivers, God knows the intentions, motivations, and desires of our hearts. We cannot deceive Him. Many have done right deeds for the wrong reasons and the Lord routinely discerns the difference. There is no possibility of a mistrial, the submission of tainted evidence, a hung jury, a miscarriage of justice or getting off by beating the system!

Concerning our words, Matthew 12:36–37 reads, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. [37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” That is every idle word will be brought into judgment by God. The very words of the sinner will condemn him. Every time our Lord’s Name is used in blasphemous ways, each occasion when His holy character is abused in profane utterances, and all times when careless and meaningless references are made of Him will be accounted for. In addition the words that hurt needlessly, criticize unjustly, spread lies mercilessly, gossip vengefully, or kill brutally will not go unchallenged! In additional, this Judge will not bargain with criminals, cut a plea deal, nor pervert justice to secure justice!

Concerning our actions, Revelation 20:13, states that “they [unrepentant sinners] were judged every man according to their works.” Who would fall into this category? Everyone actually, but we can be more specific. The promoters of false religions, God-haters, God-deniers, lawless, rapists, adulterers, counterfeiters, extortioners, money mongers, thieves, idolaters, addicts, prideful achievers, workaholics, liars, those who neglected their families, and those who made children, but were too lazy to raise them. These condemned 'workers' of sin include those who sleep around from weekend to weekend, homosexuals, those who cohabitate, corrupt police, judges, mayors, presidents, senators, lawyers, doctors, murderers, anarchist, dictators, and witches will all be found guilty of sinful 'works.' Even sweet little grand mothers who refused to repent and believe on Christ will be found guilty of sin on that day. For all of them, the principle reason for guilt is the rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This action and decision can never be forgiven!

Therefore, we see justice is satisfied, in that all sinners will receive fair judgment when they stand before God with nothing but their own merits. Condemnation is the only possible outcome! Listen to me carefully; no one in their right mind wants to appear before God to be judged for their sin!

Will you be judged and condemned at the Great White Throne Judgment? Beloved, if you have not yet acknowledged to God you are a sinner living in rebellion against Him then the time is upon you to do so now. If you have failed to recognize and accept the full payment for your sin then now is the time to place your trust in Jesus’ complete payment for sin. Turn away from any notions of saving yourself, or earning your own way to God—these approaches are absolutely useless. Religion is not the answer; it only exacerbates the problem making things worse. Turn now to Jesus Christ the Son of God and Savior; ask Him to save you and become the Master of your future. Believe the truth that He died in our place, was buried to prove He really did die, and He rose again the third day exactly as the Scriptures predicted He would (1 Cor. 15:1-8). As a living Savior, He can rescue all who turn to Him for the forgiveness of sins and a new beginning in God. While you are not guaranteed tomorrow, you do have now. Trust Jesus Christ as Savior today.