By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi

Many people conceive of God only as being so loving He cannot demand accountability from anyone, much less judge them sternly, and watch them serve their jail term in all eternity. Yet, sinners in every generation will not escape judgment if they fail to repent. A time is coming when judgment will be set at the Great White Throne, when all sinners will appear before God to be judged for their conducts while on earth.

Those who died without repentance prior to the judgment will go to hell, a place of punishment while their bodies remain in the grave. However, at the time of judgment, their bodies will resurrect to unite with their spirits and souls. Then, they will be “judged… according to their works.” Eventually, they will be “cast into the lake of fire” forever. But for the believer, on the day of resurrection, the spirit and soul, which had been with God will be joined with the resurrected body and the complete man will live in heaven forever. If a beloved child of God dies, believers should not sorrow as those who have no hope. Instead, they should be comforted by the fact that such person is resting in the presence of God.

“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.” God is a great and incorruptible Judge who will try all sinners that ever lived on earth. And He will do so on His impeccable Judgment Seat of God.

“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.” The judgment seat of Christ is without blemish. It is pure, righteous and without any miscarriage of justice. Sinners will appear before the impeccable, righteous judgment seat of the Lord. Hence, our duty, as believers, is to warn all men of the impending judgment of those who die without salvation. As we perform this responsibility, we should also be conscious of the judgment because God is the silent Listener to every conversation, the quiet Observer and Recorder of every action. No doubt, “He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth.”

Once delivered, God’s sentence on the guilty is irreversible just like the Scripture says in Romans 3:10-19. Except a person repents before he dies, there shall be an irreversible judgment upon him. God is a righteous and holy Judge; He weighs our actions, behaviours and thoughts, whether they are good or evil. He is not just the Judge of a section of the society, group of people or nation; He is the Judge of all the earth who “shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.” Therefore, believers must proclaim nothing else but His revealed judgment. He wants “all men everywhere to repent,” because He has “appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained…”, namely, Jesus Christ.

It is Jesus, the innocent One that became the substitute for all mankind, justifying those who repent, with grace. Christ is full of grace and truth. He grants us His grace, which transforms us and takes away our punishment. Although He sacrificed His on the cross, it was not for His sins; but for our sake He suffered for the sins we committed and bore our judgment. Repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way of escape from God’s impending judgment. All who are cleansed by His blood should abide in Him, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of theirfaith.

• Further Reading (King James Version): Revelation 20:11-15; Daniel 7:9,10; Revelation 20:11,13; Daniel 7:9,10; 2 Corinthians 5:10,11; Psalm 96:10-13; Genesis 18:25; Psalm 9:8,17; Amos 3:2-4,8; Acts 17:30,31; Matthew 27:4,19,24,46; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:5-10.