The Great White Throne Judgment Part4
April 2, 2017 | Speaker: Bro Jurem Ramos
What the Bible Says About the Judgment of Saints
Revelation 20:11-15
We are looking at Rev 20:11-15, which may be considered as the most sobering and serious scene in all of the Bible because presents to us the final judgment where are human beings are standing before Him who is seated on the Great White Throne to bring final confirmation on who goes to hell and who enters the eternal kingdom.
Remember that there are four elements that we’re looking at here: scene, summons, standard, sentence. We are going to review some of the things that I shared with you and highlight some of them. And then I will continue the third point which is the standard, but I will focus on it will be applied to the saints.Scene (20:11-12a)
- John saw a great white throne. Look at how John describes it. “Then I saw a great white throne.” This tells us that the final judgment is scheduled to take place after the previous event which is the complete destruction of the rebels at the end of the millennium (Rev 20:7-10).
- John also saw someone seated on the throne. I believe that we will see Jesus on that throne judging for God. Scripture teaches that God through Christ will judge the world.
- Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
- Act 17:31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed..."
- Ro 2:16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
- 2Ti 4:1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
- Mt 25:31-32 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
- 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
- Jn 5:22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
- He saw the uncreation of the universe. “From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.”
- He also saw all humans before the throne. I believe that when John said, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,” he was talking about all of the human beings, both godly and ungodly, saved and unsaved, beofre the throne of God.
- Rev 11:18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, [this could very well refer to the last rebellion and complete defeat of God’s enemies which will take place after the millennium (20:7-10)] and the time for the dead to be judged (20:11-15), and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great (20:12), and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
- 2Ti 4:1,8 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: … 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day [this will have to connect to v.1, when Jesus will judge the living and the dead], and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
- Mt 25:31–34, 41, 46 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the [eternal] kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. … 41 Then he will say to those to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed , into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. … 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
- Mt 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
- 1Co 4:5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
- Ro 14:10,12 … For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; … 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
- 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
- Rev 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. [This does not have any qualification. It does not say that there is going to be a separate judgment for believers and another for unbelievers.]
- John saw a great white throne.
- John saw the one who is seated on the great white throne.
- John saw the uncreation of the universe.
- John also saw all humans before the throne.
- Everybody will be judged by what is written in the “books.”
- Everybody will be judged by what is written in the “book of life.”
Today’s Study
Last time we focused our attention on the sinners. Today we are going to focus on the saints, the godly or the believers. STANDARD I mentioned that believers will also face judgment but we need to understand that their judgment will be different from the judgment of unbelievers. Believers will not face condemnation.- First of all, the saints are going to be judged by what is written in the book of life.
- Romans 4:5-8 says, And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
- 2Co 5:21 [Ampli 2015] He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].
- John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
- Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Ro 8:33-34, 38-39 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. … 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”
- Hebrews 10:17 “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
- Second, saints are going to be judged by what is written in the books.
- The books will determine the rewards of the saints.
- ***To the church in Ephesus - Rev 2:7… To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'
- **To the church in Smyrna - Rev 2:10 … Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- **To the church in Pergamum - Rev 2:17 … To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'
- *To the church in Thyatira - Rev 2:26-28 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star.
- **To the church in Sardis - Rev 3:5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
- ***To the church in Philadelphia - Rev 3:12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
- ** , ***To the church in Laodicea - Rev 3:21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
- * 2Ti 4:1,8 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: … 8 Henceforth 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.
- 1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (This is the reward for faithful Elders.)
- 6:5-8 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.
- Mt 10:41-42 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
- The books will determine the loss of rewards of the saints:
- 1Co 3:12-15 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
- 2Jn 1:8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.
- Heb 10:32-35 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
- The books will determine the chastisement of the saints:
- Col 3:22-25 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 2 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
- Eph 6:9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
- 2Co 5:9-11a: So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. …
- Romans 14:10-12 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? 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 confess to God.” 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
In closing
I will close by making some application of Romans 14:12: “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” But for what will we be held accountable? Here are some suggestions from James Montgomery Boice [Some portions have modernized applications. Point “e” is mine.]”- We are accountable for every word we have spoken.
- We are accountable for the talents that have been given to us.
- We are accountable for how we use our money.
- We are accountable for how we have used our time.
- We are accountable for our relationships.
- Husband and wife, parents and children, employers and employees.
- Believers with other believers (one another list)
- 2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
- Ps 1:1 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
- nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
- 1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”