The Final Judgment

Once again I find myself writing about judgment…because once again it is the topic of a chapter in Revelation. In Revelation 20 we have what is referred to as the Great White Throne Judgment. This is what we read: 11 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. 12 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 which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

This is the last judgment of God for unbelievers. Verse 15 says that anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Why? Because of their works. The dead are judged according to their works. No one’s works are worthy of eternal life. I find this so compelling; given the common assumption in our culture that people who are essentially good…or have good works…will go to heaven. That’s not what the Bible says here in chapter 20 of Revelation or any other chapter you want to read. If you want to avoid the final judgment, you need to have received Jesus Christ as Savior. The only way to avoid the final judgment is to belong to Jesus. Only the “work” of Jesus Christ on the cross is good enough.