THE JUDGMENT DAY

The "Judgment Day" will not be a time when people can argue their case before God so that He will consider all the extenuating circumstances and overlook their sin - as though God did not know and they must explain why they did not obey Him. Nor will it be a time when folks can speak up for someone else and give God detailed information that might change His mind - after all, there may be things that might sway God's judgment, if He only knew the person as they did. "The Judgment Day" is actually a time for receiving a final sentence based on how man has lived on earth, for, once we have lived and died, there will be no second chance (Hebrews 9:27; Luke 16:19-31; Matthew 25:31-46). Purgatory, a place where men are supposed to be purified from their earthly sins by fire, is a figment of man's imagination - there is no such place. There are generally three, different kinds of responses to man's contemplation of "The Judgment."

Some deny "The Judgment Day," because they don't believe there is anyone to whom there is any accountability. And, logically, if there is no God, there is no judgment! That is exactly why some atheists are atheists - they want to live their lives without any restraints that come from accountability to a higher power. The Athenians listened to Paul until he affirmed that they were responsible to a God that required them to repent. The assurance of their standing before the God-appointed judge, Jesus Christ, was his resurrection. The resurrection statement caused many to mock (Acts 17:32)

Then there are others who are terrified at the thought that there will be a final accounting of their lives. Their expectation of what will occur at the judgment is to hear the final words of doom. Felix might have been offended by Paul's very pointed reasoning about temperance and righteousness but Paul's statements about "judgment" caused him to tremble - without "judgment" self control and fairness are inconsequential (Acts 24:25).

The third response is one of expectation of joyful tidings, because there is great anticipation of a life far better than this one. That confident expectation might be inaccurate, because it is based on ignorance or self-deception (Matthew 7:21-23; Galatians 6:7-8). Or, it might be based on awareness of acquittal from the knowledge of forgiveness made possible by a savior who paid a redemptive price for us (1 Peter 1:18-19). David had said, "Blessed is the man whom the Lord has forgiven" (Romans 4:5-8). But the prospect is not based on never having done anything wrong; therefore, being innocent of any charge by The Adversary, for all have sinned (Romans 3:23).

REPENTANCE AND JUDGMENT

The universal call for repentance is based on the reality of the Day of Judgment (Acts 17:30-31). "Repentance" requires the concept of accountability, for you cannot require one to feel remorseful about his deeds nor change his mind about "wrong deeds" if there is no authority to whom he is accountable. Put very simply, if there is no judgment, there is no need for repentance. The prodigal son of Luke 15:15-31 recognized the ultimate accounting for the responsibility of sin - "I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight&" (vv. 18, 21). That is exactly what Paul preached -- "Repentance toward God&" Acts 20:21). Whether or not we believe it, there will be a day of reckoning and that ought to say to man that he needs to repent of sins (cf. Hebrews 9:27; John 5:27-29; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE JUDGMENT IS BASED ON THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTON OF CHRIST

"He hath given assurance unto all men, in that he raised him from the dead," (Acts 17:31). That means that there must be some evidence of this event. If it is the basis upon which God has given assurance, it is one of the most significant events in the history of the world, so it certainly was "not done in a corner" (Acts 26:26).

Jesus referred to his resurrection as the supreme, undeniable sign (Matthew 12:39-40). Because of its importance, "the resurrection" was the foundation of almost every sermon recorded in the NT (Acts 2:22-ff;10:34-48;13:14-37;17:31-32; Acts 23:6-8; Acts 26:1-23).

If Jesus had not been raised, where was his body? Remember that the Jews paid the soldiers to say the disciples stole the body (Matthew 28:11-15). The possibility for that happening is absurd - these were Roman soldiers; responsible to do duty at loss of life; skilled at being soldiers. And how would they know what happened if they were asleep? Furthermore, even if the disciples had been able to steal the body when the soldiers were asleep, why would they want the body when they didn't believe Jesus' prediction that he would be killed and raised again? (cf. Matthew 16:21; Luke 18:31-34; 24:7).

Remember also that the tomb was empty and the body of Jesus was gone - where was it? All the sermons recorded shortly after his resurrection that contained claims of his resurrection were in the vicinity of Jerusalem. The disciples could not have stolen the body. If the Jews had it, they would have produced it to disprove the claims being made by the apostles' preaching and, by presenting Jesus' dead body, exposed and destroyed the whole system of faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

Jesus was raised. He will judge the world in absolute fairness. God assures us of the final, universal judgment by the resurrection of Jesus; therefore, there is a legitimate call for universal repentance. We will give an ANSWER for the way we have lived (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Written by: Jim R. Everett
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