Your Future Life (Part2)
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1. Death is a state of {separation} .
2. Both believers and non-believers will be {raised} from the dead.
3. Believers Rewarded
3. Believers Rewarded
A. Immediate Reward
A. Immediate Reward
a. This judgment will occur in heaven immediately {after} the rapture of the Church.
4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.
5 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.
{judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes (NIV); NOTE: our conscience is not a sufficient guide to judge ourselves!}
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
{Rev. 4:4,10 “the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,” 24 Elders, the Church, w/crowns – already have been judged}
B. Thorough Reward
B. Thorough Reward
b. All believers must give {account} for their works during their earthly life.
i. Romans 14:10–12 {v10, bh/ma, judicial bench, place of judgment, court; cf Acts 18:12; Only Christians come before the Bema Seat (only unsaved appear before the Great White Throne); context Rom 14, the strong w/selfish motives gives account to God}
10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
ii. 2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
{All Christians must give account to Christ; The Father has delegated all judgment of humans to Jesus (Jn 5:22). The Bema Judgment will be retributive but not vindictive. God will give us what we deserve according to our works as believers}
C. Fair Reward
C. Fair Reward
c. All believers will either be rewarded for their good works, or suffer {loss} of reward for their misdeeds: 1 Corinthians 3:10–15
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.
14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
{there is no condemnation to fear (v15b; Rom 8:1), but we can suffer loss = be punished (v15). ILLUS: feeling loss due to a house fire.}
i. What actions would be considered wood, hay, straw (v12)? {all “works of the flesh”; imparting to another a sinful attitude, or a shameful practice, or a false doctrine (the imagery here is building upon a foundation picturing discipleship)}
ii. What actions would be considered gold, silver, precious stones (v12)? {all “works of the Spirit”; imparting to another a godly attitude, a holy practice, a true doctrine}
iii. What is the role of the fire (v13-15)? {it tests, purges and purifies. The purpose of this judgment is to prepare the Church fully for her presentation as Christ’s Bride; cf Rev. 19-7-8; clothed in white = righteous acts; all unrighteous acts have been burned up!} Conclusion: We believe in the judgment and reward of believers.
4. Non-Believers Judged
4. Non-Believers Judged
1. Death is a state of {separation} .
2. Both believers and non-believers will be {raised} from the dead.
3. Believers will be judged and {rewarded} by Christ.
4. Nonbelievers will be judged and {condemned} by Christ.
Revelation 20:11–15
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
A. Time of Judgment
A. Time of Judgment
a. The time of this judgment is {after} the Millennial Kingdom (v5, v11).
5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
B. Place of Judgment
B. Place of Judgment
b. The place of this judgment is {before} the Great White Throne (v11).
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
{This is not the Bema; only believers appear before the Bema, only the wicked before GWT.}
C. Basis for Judgment
C. Basis for Judgment
c. The basis of this judgment is the {record} of deeds recorded in the books (v12).
12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
{All these are unsaved & already condemned; this is their final accounting & judgment.}
D. Result of Judgment
D. Result of Judgment
d. The verdict of this judgment is the {Second} {Death} , which is the Lake of Fire (v14). {This is the final dwelling place of the wicked dead and all fallen angels (cf. v10); it is the place of eternal guilt, torment, and separation from God.}
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
e. Those condemned by this judgment are those who are {not} {found} in the Book of Life (v15). {The Book of Life contains the names of the Elect of all the ages}
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Conclusion: We believe in the judgment and condemnation of unbelievers.
5. Eternal Existence
5. Eternal Existence
1. Death is a state of {separation} .
2. Both believers and non-believers will be {raised} from the dead.
3. Believers will be judged and {rewarded} by Christ.
4. Nonbelievers will be judged and {condemned} by Christ.
5. Both believers and nonbelievers will exist {eternally} . Matthew 25:46
46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
A. Nature of Existence
A. Nature of Existence
a. S. Lewis Johnson: “It is doubtful that there is a doctrine in the Bible easier to prove than that of eternal punishment. In Matt. 25:46 , the twofold use of the adjective aivw,nion (aionion, “eternal”) with ko,lasin (kolasin, “punishment”) and zwh.n (zoen, “life”) indicates that the punishment for sin is just as long as the life that God gives the faithful. Both are eternal.”
46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
1. Believers
1. Believers
i. Believers will spend eternity with God enjoying {life} . John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
(1) John 10:10
10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
(2) Revelation 21:1–4
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
Revelation 22:3–5
3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;
4 they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
5 And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
2. Non-Believers
2. Non-Believers
ii. Nonbelievers will experience eternal {punishment} . 2 Thessalonians 1:9
9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
(1) Sin against an infinite God requires an infinite payment. Christ, being God, paid an infinite price for sin on the cross. Therefore, all who are in Christ shall live forever. But all who are not in Christ must pay for their own sin, which will take infinity. Eternal punishment is the just penalty (Psa. 24:3-5 ).
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
(2) God will not force the unsaved to spend eternity with Him or the Saints when they wanted nothing to do with God or His people during their earthly life. The unconverted and unrepentant will not be allowed to take part in the eternal kingdom of God (Rev. 21:7-8, 27; 22:14-15). {1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5}
(3) The {nature} of eternal punishment is described in three ways:
(a) “outer {darkness} ” (Matt. 25:30 ; 2 Pet. 2:17 ) {total exclusion from the immediate presence of God, who is light.}
30 “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved.
(b) “undying {worm} ” (Mk. 9:47-48 ) {Gnawing of remorse in the conscience; an eternal dying; cf Isa. 66:24 “24 “Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.”” }
47 “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,
48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
(c) “unquenchable {fire} ” (Mk. 9:46-48 ) {never ending pain and suffering}
46 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
47 “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,
48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
(4) The will be {degrees} of punishment:
(a) Rom. 2:5-6 {‘you are storing up wrath for yourself...’; the amount stored up varies with each individual, for God is absolutely just.}
5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who will render to each person according to his deeds:
(b) Matt. 11:20-24 {‘more tolerable for... than for...’}
20 Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 “Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.
23 “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.
24 “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”
(c) Luke 12:47-48 {‘many lashes’ vs ‘few lashes’ – all are being lashed, but some more than others}
47 “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,
48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
B. Continuance of Existence
B. Continuance of Existence
b. Therefore, the Bible does {not} {teach} annihilation. Revelation 14:11 (NASB95) 11 “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
11 “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
i. There will be a {conscience} existence of evil men and angels: Rev. 19:3 ; 20:10 {both Antichrist and the false prophet are human beings who will dwell eternally in the lake of fire that was created for Satan & his angels (Mt. 25:41 ).}
3 And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever.”
10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
ii. There will be no complaint of {injustice} : Romans 3:19 (NASB95) 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;
Conclusion: We believe in the eternal life of the saved, and the eternal punishment of the lost. And we understand eternal punishment to be a conscious state.
6. What joys are you looking forward to in heaven? Who do you know who needs to be saved?