Part 5, conclusion 

The Judgment 

     Speaking of himself, but focusing on heaven's schedule, Jesus said, The Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels. He will reward each according to his works. - Matt. 16:27. 

     No one will be saved because: "I am a good person." 

     Muslims are taught, if they do more good than bad, they will enter eternal life. What a horrible error. 

     We are all in the history books. 

     Jesus: Nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light." - Luke 8:17 

     In the gospels (the reports of Jesus' short time on earth) the word "hell" appears three times for every mention of "heaven." 

      Jesus once more: Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life...he has crossed over from death to life.  - John 6:24 

God bless you

Part 4

The Books

 Dr. David Jeremiah: 

The Book of Law

     "By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified... For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Rom. 3:20, 23  He wrote in his book, "Those who claim justification by the law sign their own death warrant ... that is those who fail to obey it perfectly."

The Book of Works 

     The unregenerate dead "are judged, each one according to his works." - Rev. 20:13. "The Son of Man...will reward each according to his works." - Matt. 16:27. 

The Book of Secrets

     Jesus warned, "Nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be come to light." - Luke 8:17  Paul: "God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ." - Rom. 2:16 

The Book of Words

     "For every idle word man may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." - Matt. 12:36-37

The Book of Life

     Those whose names are in the Book of Life will not stand before the throne of final judgment. References include chapters Ex. 32, Ps. 69, Dan. 12, Phil. 4, and Rev. 3, 13, 17, 21 and 22.  

 Friday: heaven or hell?

  

 Part 3   

And he (the Father) has given him (the Son) authority to judge, because he is the Son of Man. - John 5:27

     What? Shouldn't the Father be our judge? What does Son of Man mean? We thought Jesus is the "Son of God?"  

     As the Old Testament forecasted, a time came when the Holy Spirit made it possible for a virgin in Israel (Mary) to bear a child. God was the father. Jesus grew up in a regular home in a regular town. When the weather was cold, he was cold. He got tired. He experienced life like we do. Except, he never sinned.

     At age 30, this "man" left home, spent 40 days alone, except when the devil tempted him, without food, and from then on was led by his heavenly Father. He is qualified to be the Son of Man. 

     Jesus has authority to execute judgment. He will deal with all classes of people...rich or poor...famous or obscure...beautiful or plain...powerful or weak...intelligent or dull...religious or agnostic. 

     All will appear - not in human skin - before his "great white throne." Without hope. He who created the world can do this.

     Jesus died in our place and rose again, so we don't have to attend the white throne judgment. He leaves the decision to us.  

 Tomorrow: the books

 Part 2

It is appointed for men to die once...

but after that, the judgment.

     Never mind the courts of our world. There will be two judgments from on high. The first, at an unknown time: "We (believers) must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him...whether good or bad." - Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:10.

     This will be a solemn experience. But, not condemnation.

     God revealed to the disciple John that after the millennium, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence... And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened... The sea gave up the dead...and death and Hades gave up the dead...and each person was judged according to what he had done." 

     "Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire...the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." - Revelation 20:11-15. (Hades is a holding place for those destined for hell.)

     So, which judgment do we prefer? 

     The white throne judgment will have no jury, no defenders and no appeals. God's truth will be the standard, not our cultural right or wrong.

     Wednesday: What does "Son of Man" mean?

'Many will wish they had never been born' 

     Last we knew, university fraternities hold a "hell week" to initiate new members. We know of at least one freshman who died during his week. 

     Well, real hell is far worse. We encourage you to read our blogs this week, as we summarize a chapter in The Coming Golden Age. If you aren't 100 percent certain of your salvation, please, please take this seriously, and stick with it. It's our most important blog series, now in our 15th year. 

     Think that Jesus the Son of God who endured crucifixion is soft on belief and obedience? We begin with a few of his statements during his visit to Israel two millennia ago.

     Anyone who is angry with his brother is subject to judgment. - Matt. 5:22. Better to lose a part of your body than your whole body thrown into hell. - Matt. - 5:29   ...be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. - Matt. 10:28. 

     How will you escape being condemned to hell? - Matt. 23:33. Better to enter life maimed than with two hands and to go into hell. - Mark 9:43. Fear him who...has power to throw you into hell. - Luke 12:5. 

    James, half-brother of Jesus, who won him over after rising from the dead: The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil. It corrupts the whole person, and sets the whole course of his life on fire and is itself set on fire by hell. - James 3:6.

     And Peter, the extrovert disciple Jesus straightened out before he arose: For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment...    -2 Peter 2:4.  

 Tomorrow: Dr. Jeremiah explains

     

     

 

Good News Is Coming  

     God's rich love we wrote of yesterday was absolutely proven by Jesus's voluntary beating followed by death on a miserable cross. 

     "As a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. His justice was taken away." Acts chapter 8. He suffered not just for the people of Israel and Judah, but for the whole world...then and now.    

     Christ arose, conquering sin and what we fear most...the grave. Jesus is said to be with the Father in heaven...and the Holy Spirit (the third in creation, Genesis 1:1-2), sent to connect us to the Lord. 

     Speaking of creation, God - on the scene - evicted the first couple from their beautiful "garden." Along the way, God appeared in human form to Abraham. Later, He gave Abraham an extreme test. Abraham obeyed, and God made him an example for us, fearing God and concerned chiefly to do God's will.  

     There were other short visits to earth, and God's communications to kings, prophets, David, Solomon and others. But Old Testament prophets wrote of someone yet to come...someone like no other.

     One night, angels surprised lowly shepherds, lighting up their sky to announce the birth of a Savior in Bethlehem. That would be Jesus, called the Son of God. He grew up in a town of no importance. At age 30 he began to interact with people, teaching, healing and speaking what his Father wanted him to reveal. A crowd turned on him when he wouldn't evict the Romans. 

     He is returning to Jerusalem and the world, and this time He will be King for one thousand years. This is the Good News. 

  

Need Some Love?

 From a magazine, the apostle Paul: 

     "The God of creation, who strides the winds of the earth, who sets boundaries for the waves of the sea. The same God who hung the stars, who spins our planet, the God of thunder and lighting, of sunshine and rain...the God who is all powerful, and who knows everything...that God loves you!"

Surety of God's love

     In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12 

Intimacy of God's love

     For this reason, I kneel before the Father from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. vv. 14-15

Generosity of God's love

     I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being... v. 16 

Security of God's love

     so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love... v. 17 

Sufficiency of God's love

     may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. - vv. 18-19 

Glory of God's love 

     Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen   - vv. 20-21