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Answer
The first thing to understand about the final judgment is that it cannot be avoided. Regardless of how we may choose to interpret prophecy on the end times, we are told that “it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment” «And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: », (Hebrews 9:27). We all have a divine appointment with our Creator. The apostle John recorded some details of the final judgment:
“And I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And a place was not found for them. And I saw the dead, the small and the great, stand before God. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead in them. And each one of them was judged according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire” (Revelation 20:11-15).
This remarkable passage introduces to us the final judgment—the end of human history and the beginning of the eternal state. We can be sure of this: no mistakes will be made in our hearings because we will be judged by a perfect God (Matthew 5:48;1 John 1:5). This will manifest itself.
Belief in God is supported by many undeniable proofs. Firstly, God will be perfectly just and fair (Acts 10:34;Galatians 3:28). Secondly, God cannot be deceived: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”, (Galatians 6:7). Thirdly, God cannot be swayed by any prejudices, excuses, or lies (Luke 14:16-24).
As God the Son, Jesus Christ will be the judge: “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:”, (John 5:22). All unbelievers will face judgment by Christ at the “great white throne,” and they will receive punishment according to their deeds. The Bible is explicit that unbelievers are storing up wrath against themselves: “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;”, (Romans 2:5), and that God will “give to each person according to what he has done”: “Who will render to every man according to his deeds:”, (Romans 2:6). (Believers will also face judgment, at a different judgment known as the “judgment seat of Christ”: “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”, (Romans 14:10), but since Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to us and our names are written in the Book of Life, we will be rewarded, not punished, according to our deeds.) At the final judgme
At the end, the destiny of the unsaved will be determined by the omniscient God, who will judge each individual based on the condition of their soul.
Currently, our destiny lies within our own control. The conclusion of our soul’s journey will lead us to either an eternal heaven or an eternal hell «And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.», (Matthew 25:46). We must decide our destination by either accepting or rejecting the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, and this decision must be made before our earthly lives come to a close. Beyond death, there is no room for choice, and we are destined to appear before the throne of God, where everything will be exposed and laid bare before Him «Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.», (Hebrews 4:13). Romans 2:6 affirms that God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”
