Eternal judgment

There are two ways the word "judgment" is used in the Old Testament. One refers to the statutes, testimonies, and laws of God. The other way concerns God's judgment on men and nations. The latter meaning is how the word "judgment" is used in the New Testament. To "judge" means to separate or make a difference between.

Judgment is necessary because of sin against God's law, ungodliness, unrighteousness, unbelief, trespasses, and evil deeds. Although these are different words, they are all words for sin. When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it (Romans 2:12 NLT). Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him" (Jude 14-15 NLT). So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment (2 Peter 2:9 NLT). There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son (John 3:18 NLT). Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone (Romans 5:18 NLT). And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil (John 3:19 NLT).

Jesus will be doing the judging at the time of eternal judgment. Believers will be judged for their works and rewarded accordingly. Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God (Romans 14:12 NLT). For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT). Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames (1 Corinthians 3:12-15 NLT).

Unbelievers will be judged according to their sin. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15 NLT). But the Lord replied to Moses, “No, I will erase the name of everyone who has sinned against me" (Exodus 32:33 NLT). All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine (Revelation 3:5 NLT).

Divine judgment will occur on the basis of God's word. Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven (Psalm 119:89 NLT). The judgment will be done according to knowledge. Jesus said, “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you" (Matthew 11:21-24 NLT). "The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent" (Matthew 12:41 NLT). There will be no excuse on that day. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God (Romans 1:20 NLT). It will be an individual judgment. The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness (Ezekiel 18:20 NLT). It will be according to truth. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things (Romans 2:2 NLT). Judgment will be on the basis of personal conduct. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT). He will judge everyone according to what they have done (Romans 2:6 NLT). God will judge without partiality. And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents" (1 Peter 1:17 NLT). But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT). Jesus will judge according to the law. When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it (Romans 2:12 NLT). It will also be according to righteousness. He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness (Psalm 9:8 NLT). He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth (Psalm 96:13 NLT). For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:31 NLT). But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed (Romans 2:5 NLT). And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8 NLT). The judgment will include our motives and thoughts along with our actions. So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due (1 Corinthians 4:5 NLT). And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life (Romans 2:16 NLT).

For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us (Isaiah 33:22 NLT). There are judgements reserved for special times in the future and the Bible tells us where those future judgments will occur. Are you ready?