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 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.
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 some 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.