Updated:- Tuesday, November 7th, 2023
The Final Judgement
Amongst Christians, there is no consensus about who God will judge, the nature and timing of the great white throne judgement.
Nevertheless, there is a meeting of the mind that it is the Final Judgment.
This Bible study serves to dispel these doubts and opinions and simultaneously postulates the true Word of God regarding the Great White Throne Judgment.
No Consensus On The Great White Throne Judgement?
However, many Christians don’t agree on, what exactly is the Great White Throne Judgement.
As a matter of fact, they don’t entirely agree on eternal judgment at all. Many still maintain that there will not be any judgment much less a final one.
But, Paul reminds us that it is one of the seven pillars of our beliefs in Jesus Christ as the Only Begotten Son of God, (Hebrews 6:1-3).
Some claim that it is only for Believers and it shall be a joyous day.
Nevertheless, many more assert that it’s a sad day, but only for the unbelievers.
Of course, there is another group, whose opinions on the subject borrow from both extremes above.
But, what does the Holy Bible say about it?
Is It Different From The Judgment Seat of Christ?
The Holy Bible mentions the judgment seats of a number of leaders including Pilate, Caesar, and Jesus Christ.
“Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest,” (Acts 25:10).
And,
“When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha,” (John 19:13).
Finally,
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Consequently, we shall understand that the judgment seat of Christ is similar in nature to theirs.
It’s merely a description of the place of authority these leaders sit as they apportion judgment.
Therefore, is the judgment seat of Christ identical to the Great White Throne Judgment?
Three Different Judgments?
Specifically, as it concerns Christ, the judgment seat of Christ is not different in nature or function from the Great White Throne Judgment.
However, it’s different because of who Christ shall judge.
Theirs refer to the seat of authority from which they dispensed judgment to living people.
On the other hand, Christ shall judge all transformed Christians, who made the First Resurrection, from the Judgment Seat of Christ.
But, the Great White Throne is a different matter entirely.
Continue reading for I shall expound on this in a later section of this Bible study.
Is The Judgment of Christians Different From Unbelievers?
Apostle Paul assists us to come to a biblical determination of whether Christ shall judge Christians or not.
First, he asks,
“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).
Who was he addressing in the quotation above?
Regardless of whom he was addressing, he included himself and all of us with his pronouncement that “… we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10).
He wasn’t addressing the entire world.
He was directly speaking to the Roman Christians. But they weren’t the only ones he was informing.
This tells us that all Christians shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Christ will judge us but when and where?
Will Christians Experience The Wrath of God?
Second, he informs us,
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that [everyone] may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad,”( 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Above, when he mentions “we” and “everyone”, again he was specifically talking to the Corinthians Christians and not to the entire world.
In both instances, Paul says, “we … [and] all…” by these words, he makes a remarkable distinction.
He’s effectively separating the world from all Believers with “we” and “all”.
In both of these instances, he was addressing saved people; however, the “judgment” that Christians face will be different from that of sinners.
Read more about that in a previous Bible study.
We shall not face the wrath of God but they will.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
Recall, the Epistle to the Romans is a letter, Apostle Paul writes to the saved Believers who were in Rome.
He wasn’t speaking to the whole world!
Instead, we shall merely give an account to God of how we build on His foundation, which is Christ.
Now, that we see and agree that the Judgment Seat of Christ is disparate from the Great White Throne Judgement and have established who will be judged, then the time becomes crucial.
Why Is It Called the Great White Throne Judgement?
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them” (Revelation 20:11).
John had a vision of a white throne in heaven that the Lord shall sit on.
Hence, the name, White Throne Judgment. It’s white to symbolize the righteousness of the Holy One who will sit on it.
“And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints,” (Revelation 19:8).
The People at The Great White Throne Judgement?
One of the areas of sore disagreement amongst Christians, Christian scholars, pastors, and Bible students concerns, who will God judge?
Is the Great White Throne Judgment for sinners, saints, or both?
Or none of the above?
The Lord will not judge the following at the Great White Throne Judgment:
- Satan
- The Fallen Angels and
- Millennial Believers
The Lord shall cast Satan into the lake of fire before the Great White Throne Judgment.
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night [forever] and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
All this will transpire before the final judgment. Read Revelation 20:11-15.
However, note that Christ Jesus will not judge people. So, who will Jesus judge? Continue reading, as I unfold this for you!
Who Will Christ Judge at the Final Judgment?
At the Great White Throne Judgment, the Lord will judge neither Christians nor people; instead, from it, He shall administer justice to all unbelieving dead.
Those who didn’t make the First Resurrection!
So, with that explanation, and with that out of the way, let’s agree on the nature of the Great White Throne Judgment!
It’s only for the ungodly dead!
When Will The Great White Throne Judgment Transpire?
Generally, the Bible tells us that it shall happen after the millennium, Revelation 20:7-12.
However, I have written on this topic before, and have discussed the exact day that the Bible informs us that this event shall happen.
The only group that will experience it is the unsaved dead, see Revelation 20:11-15.
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the 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” (Revelation 20:12).
These didn’t make it in the First Resurrection. Thus, the Second Death has power over them!
I have written of the judgment of the Saints here!
Conclusion
In conclusion, from the events in the preceding Scriptures, we should understand that the ultimate purpose of the Great White Throne Judgment, is to reveal the names of the dead that do not appear in the Lamb’s Book of Life!
Thus, Christ shall condemn them with Satan and the False Prophet for eternity in the Lake of Fire.
The Great White Throne Judgment will not involve people but all unbelieving dead since the resurrection of Jesus.
Then, Christ shall judge all their deeds done while they were alive.
This does not include believing dead. Christ had already judged all our actions one thousand years before.
But we shall be with Jesus as he judges them.
In closing, ensure that you are ready for the Second Advent of Christ before you die for there is no repentance after you are dead Revelation 20:11-15.
