I'm a bit confused.
Why are the dead coming back to life to be judged? Haven't they already been judged after they died? Are some souls in Heaven coming back to be re-judged and may have a chance ending up in Hell?
THE TWO JUDGEMENTS
THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (FOR CHRISTIANS ONLY)
AND
THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT ( FOR UNBELIEVERS ONLY)
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Question: "What is the Judgment Seat of Christ "
Answer: Romans 14:10-12 says, “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat…
so then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”
Second Corinthians 5:10 tells us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each
one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
In the context, it is clear that both scriptures are referring to Christians, not unbelievers.
The judgment seat of Christ, therefore, involves believers giving an account of their lives to Christ.
The judgment seat of Christ does not determine salvation;
that was determined by Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf
(1 John 2:2)
and our faith in Him
(John 3:16).
All of our sins are forgiven, and we will never be condemned for them
(Romans 8:1).
We should not look at the judgment seat of Christ as God judging our sins, but rather as God rewarding
us for our lives.
Yes, as the Bible says, we will have to give an account of ourselves. Part of this is surely answering for the
sins we committed. However, that is not going to be the primary focus of the judgment seat of Christ.
At the judgment seat of Christ, believers are rewarded based on how faithfully they served Christ
(1 Corinthians 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5).
Some of the things we might be judged on are how well we obeyed the Great Commission (Matthew
28:18-20),
how victorious we were over sin
(Romans 6:1-4),
and how well we controlled our tongues
(James 3:1-9).
The Bible speaks of believers receiving crowns for different things based on how faithfully they served
Christ
(1 Corinthians 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5).
The various crowns are described in
2 Timothy 2:5, 2 Timothy 4:8, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4, and Revelation 2:10.
James 1:12 is a good summary of how we should think about the judgment seat of Christ:
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the
crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
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The Great White Throne Judgment
before we get the New Heaven and New Earth,
there is one more big event that must take place – the Great White Throne Judgment.
What happens to the rest of unsaved humanity?
They will all come before God in what is called the Great White Throne Judgment. This event has to be
the most disturbing and most bothersome event in all of Scripture.
Before this event happens, the Bible tells us that all of the unsaved people are kept in a place called
Hades (Hell) until the Millennium Kingdom is over. Hades (Hell) is a temporary place of torment that these
souls are kept in until they have to appear before God in this final judgment, which will then determine
their eternal fate once and for all.
The New King James Version calls this place Hades. However, the Original King James Version calls this
place Hell. Either way, Hell or Hades is a temporary place of torment where all unbelievers go to before
this final judgment comes to pass.
Here is the verse giving us the details on what will be happening to all of the unsaved in this final
judgment.
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,
and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were
judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.
And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake
of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake
of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-14)
Remarks
1. The above verse refers to a second death. The first death is when the unsaved are thrown into Hades
(Hell) after they physically die and are kept there until the Millennium Kingdom is over. The second death
refers to when the unsaved are cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone where they will then remain for
all of eternity.
Notice that the above verse definitely establishes that these unsaved people are kept in Hades until this
judgment comes forth. The verse says that “Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.”
2. After this final judgment is pronounced, not only are the unsaved cast into the Lake of Fire and
Brimstone, but Hades (Hell) itself is also cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. This would thus be a
merger of Hades and the Lake of Fire and Brimstone.
Not only is God going to merge His heaven with our earth when we get the new heaven and new earth,
but God is also going to merge Hades (Hell) with the Lake of Fire and Brimstone when everything all is
said and done. This will be God’s final and ultimate end for the saved and the unsaved.
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Final Note On The Subject
Christians will be judged according to their works,
and so will unbelievers be judged according to their works also,
Revelation 20:12
which is why i personally believe there will be different degrees of punishment in hell.
