Articles
Should I Be Concerned?
When it comes to the matter of the final Judgment, man has quite a wide variety of views on the topic, ranging from belief that there is no such thing to believing all are ultimately going to be saved. Who is right? As with anything related to spiritual matters, we must consider these views in light of the Scriptures, where we find the only reliable source of what will actually happen and what it will be like. Let's take a look at some concepts of the final Judgment and notice man's perception and a progression of factors that should make us take notice and make a serious self-examination.
Concept 1: There Is No Judgment. Mary Baker Eddy wrote in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "No final judgment awaits mortals." (p. 291) In the Humanist Manifesto II, it states, "Promises of immortal salvation or fear of eternal damnation are both illusory and harmful." Of course, the atheist does not believe in God, so he, too denies a final Judgment.
The writer of Hebrews tells us, “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27), The apostle Paul tells us, “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” (2 Cor. 5:10), and, “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ…So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:10, 12). So, if you were thinking you shouldn't be concerned about a final Judgment at all, please reconsider. Your Judge has warned you, and it would be eternally unwise to ignore that warning.
Concept 2: God Will Not Use One Standard of Judgment. In an article in the Huffington Post, a man who calls himself 'Reverend' William E. Flippin, Jr. wrote, "God will not judge pagans by Scripture’s standards of right and wrong. He will judge all of humanity by their own standards." ('The Blog,' www.huffpost.com, 07/02/2012) In other words, no one will be condemned because everyone lives by their own standards and no one is going to self-condemn.
This directly contradicts what Jesus said, as recorded in Scripture. Jesus said plainly, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). I don't know what Mr. Flippin has read, but it is obviously wasn't the Bible. It says not my standard or your standard, but the words of Jesus will be the standard — for everyone.
Concept 3: All 'Good' People Will Go To Heaven. It must be said at the outset that this claim always has the implication that the one stating it is identified as 'good.' Most people today believe themselves to be 'good' people and when the matter of Judgment arises, someone will inevitable ask, "Don't you think all 'good' people will be saved?" Of course, the definition of 'good' will widely vary, depending on whom you ask, but the main point of the question is to imply anyone can be saved — believer or unbeliever.
I could point to the example of Cornelius, who was described as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). Would you call him a 'good' man? I would! But regardless of our agreement on that designation, Cornelius was not saved, for it was in that condition that he was told, “Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved” (Acts 11:13, 14). Though he was a 'good' man, he was not saved.
You see, the problem is, none of us is really 'good' in the sight of God, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23); that is, all of us have committed acts of transgression of God's will, and every individual has forfeited the right to be called 'good' in the sight of God. It was only by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that we might be called righteous (2 Cor. 5:21) — truly 'good' according to God's designation
Concept 4: Anything I Do Is Acceptable To God. Of course, this is usually followed up with "…as long as you're sincere." Others will tell you it doesn't matter what you do as long as you say it is done "in the name of Jesus." If I were to take that to its ridiculous extreme, that would mean I could do some rather ungodly things and still claim to be acceptable to God!
The problem with this concept is, of course, it is not based on anything revealed in Scripture, but has become a popular statement among many professing 'believers' here in the United States. If anything, Jesus has made it clear that such attitudes and actions will not bring eternal life in heaven, but rather condemnation. In fact, He tells us, “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?” (Matt. 7:22). His answer to them? —“I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:23). Though they called Him 'Lord,' they had not lived as if He truly was Lord, for they did not do His will!
Concept 5: Doing The Right Thing Will Bring the Eternal Reward. Please don't misunderstand what I am saying here, for Jesus had said in that previous context, “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” (Matt. 7:21); but doing the will of the Father for the wrong reason or with the wrong motives is also not acceptable.
Paul spoke to the importance of motive when he wrote, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:1-3). We might do some of the greatest deeds on earth, but if it wasn't done out of love, then it was, as Paul said, useless.
Paul reminds us that earthly judgments really are unimportant, actually. He said to the brethren in Corinth, “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God” (1 Cor. 4:3-5: NASB).
Far too often, man considers himself as compared to others and, of course, he always seems to be 'better' than the next fellow, and he judges himself acceptable to God. As Paul noted, that judgment doesn't matter; what matters is what God will say — and He will look even to our motives when He judges us.
So, should I be concerned? Well, that depends! Am I prepared for that Judgment? Am I striving to live up to God's standard, rather than my own? Am I actually doing what He said? Are my motives right? All of these things matter!
Paul could approach the end of his life with full confidence in the reward because he had “fought the good fight,…finished the race, [and]…kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7, 8). It was not beyond his reach, and it isn't beyond our reach, either. —— Steven Harper
