Revelation 20:11-15

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 which were written in the books.  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.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Romans 14:9-12 – For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.  But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? 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 account of himself to God.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – 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, whether good or bad.

Hebrews 9:27 – And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.

1 Corinthians 4:5 – Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

• Several judgments are mentioned in the Bible – judgment of believers, nations, general, great white throne.

• Great White Throne Judgment – This judgment is universal and final.  Every member of Adam’s race will be present.  There will be no exceptions, certainly no place to hide.  This judgment will signal the end of the human trial which we call history.  The books will be opened, then forever closed.  The abuse of free will, both by angels and by men, will be so completely conquered as to be hereafter impossible.  Active hostility against God will cease, and moral choice so confirmed as to be irreversible.  Never again will an act of sin mar God’s universe.  From the verdict of this general judgment there will be no appeal, because the “great white throne judgment” is the ultimate authority.  It is the final court of appeal.

• Christ’s relation to the church is different from His relation to the world.  There is a corrective judgment now in progress.  If the purpose of discipline is that “we may not be condemned along with the world,” it is clear that if the discipline fails, we will be condemned along with the world. 

Revelation 3:19 – As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

1 Corinthians 11:28-32 – But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.  For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.  For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

Hebrews 12:10-11 – For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.  Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

1 Peter 4:17-19 – For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?  Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved,

Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”  Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

Books of Revelation 20:12

• The books – “the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”

• The other book – “book of life” – record of one’s repentance and forgiveness – not humanly good people, but redeemed people.

Luke 10:20 – Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

• Our sins have been judged once at Calvary our faith during the probationary period appropriates this judgment, so the book of life reports “Judged Already.”  “Covered by the blood.”

• The believer’s judgment

• “Deeds done in the body”

• Attitudes

• Thoughts and intentions of the heart

• Total stewardship of one’s life

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 – According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,  each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.  If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.