Earth Is Not Your Final Destination

For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king;  he will save us.

Isaiah 33:22

The time is nearing, will you be ready; are you prepared for the final judgment?

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Matthew 25:31-33

When we think of the world and all that it has to offer, the societal norms of what is considered right and wrong, the universal lack of integrity, the unraveling of our moral fabric, what believer in God would not look instead to a place of eternal peace and joy.  Even considering the so called 'good' things that the world has to offer, we know that these are all temporal and will one day pass away.  The believer should consider our time in this world as a preparation place for things to come.  

The word of God tells us that those of us that have followed His word will have eternal life with Him.  

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  Matthew 25:34

Those that do not follow God's ways will have eternal death in hell.  

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:   Matthew 25:41

One who considers this world either heaven or hell will be in for a rude awakening.  We all will be judged for the life we have lived and our final home determined.  

Eternal judgment is the last of the six foundational principles of the Christian faith. In the Old Testament the word "judgment" is used two ways. One refers to the statutes, testimonies, and laws of God. The other concerns God's judgment on men and nations.  The latter meaning is how the word "judgment" is used in the New Testament.

The words "to judge" means to separate or make a difference between. This includes bringing to trial, examining evidence, determining guilt or innocence, and deciding the penalty for sin. Eternal judgment is the great and final judgment spoken of in the Bible which determines the eternal destiny of all souls.  This judgment comes from God.

~     God Is The Judge:  

For the Lord is our judge. . . Isaiah 32:22

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,  Hebrews 12:23

God judges the sinful behavior of mankind. God's real desire is not eternal damnation but that all men come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ:  

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.  John 3:17

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.   2 Peter 3:9

God's desire is that all men everywhere repent and return to Him. If they do not repent of sin they will experience His judgment: 

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

~     God has given Jesus authority to judge:  

For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.  John 5:22, 27

~     In the final judgment true believers will help judge the world:  

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?   1 Corinthians 6:2-3

The word "saints" in this verse means all true believers. They will help judge the "world" [the unrighteous].

The standard by which we all will be judged is the Word of God:  

And if any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 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.   John 12:47-48

• It is not the standards, creeds, or traditions of man by which we will be judged. 
• It is not on the basis of organizational or denominational rules. 
• Heaven will not be sectioned off by denominational beliefs.  
• All will be judged by the same standard.  

The standard by which we will be judged is the fixed standard of the Word of God:  

Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven.  Psalms 119:89

The Bible reveals judgment is necessary because of sin against God's statutes, ungodliness, unrighteousness, unbelief, trespasses, and evil deeds. Although these are different words, they are all words for sin:

√    Sin Against God's statutes:  

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;  Romans 2:12

√   Ungodliness:  

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.  2 Peter 3:7

To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.   Jude 15

√  Unrighteousness:  

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.    2 Thessalonians 2:12

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.   2 Peter 2:9

√  Unbelief:  

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.  John 3:18

√  Trespass:  

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.  2 Corinthians 5:19

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.   Romans 5:18

√   Evil Deeds:  

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.   John 3:19

Worldly principles of judgment vary from nation to nation. The standards may vary from state to state within a nation and from city to city  within a state. Worldly principles of judgment and punishment vary because people interpret certain acts in different ways. The same act interpreted as wrong in one culture may be acceptable in another. For example, killing of a cow is viewed quite differently in America, where it is used for meat, than in India where the cow is considered sacred by some people. The judgment of man varies because the standards by which they judge vary. But the principles of God's judgment do not change. God judges on the basis of the word He has given us. God's law and the principles of judgment are fixed in His Word:

Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven.   Psalms 119:89

Men and nations will be judged according to the knowledge of God which was given them. Jesus said some would be judged more severely than the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Ninevah, Tyre, and Sidon. These were evil cities mentioned in the Old Testament which God judged and punished.  The reason Jesus pronounced more severe judgment on some New Testament cities was because these cities had more knowledge of God.  Jesus Himself had ministered in these cities and performed mighty works of healing and deliverance. Still, the people of these cities would not repent. Jesus warned:  

Woe unto thee, Chorazin, woe unto thee Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. 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. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for thee.   Matthew 11:21-24

The men of Ninevah shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, a greater than Jonas is here.   Matthew 12:41

A general revelation of God is given to all men through the wonders of creation:  

For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that we are without excuse.   Romans 1:20

This general understanding of God given to all men through creation is the basic standard by which men will be judged. Those who receive additional revelation by hearing God's Word will be judged by a higher standard of knowledge; the knowledge they received through the word of God.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.  Matthew 24:14

(Biblical Studies)

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