Your Sunday Thought…
The White Throne Judgment
Sometimes in trying to witness to an unbeliever, you’ll get this question: “What’s the big deal about Jesus? It’s my right to choose. Why can’t I worship Mohammed or Buddha, or just go out in the forest and hug a big tree and commune with the Creator?”
The answer is complicated, much more complicated than simply declaring Jesus the Son of God, Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Unbelievers need to understand the process of everlasting life or everlasting condemnation before they can appreciate Jesus’ exclusive position and stature in all of creation. That’s where the White Throne Judgment comes in.
Let’s start with this Scripture:
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
The Bible is telling us ahead of time there are no perfect people found in humanity; all have sinned. Our human righteousness is as filthy rags. I say this because some people still believe they can work their way into heaven by doing good deeds. They work hard every day, mow their lawns, take their wife and kids on vacation every year, vote in every election, give to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, and from time to time, help an old lady across the street.
The problem is, in the midst of doing all of these good deeds, we still sin … curse someone out on the highway, cheat on our taxes, covet our neighbor’s husband or wife, conspire against coworkers and so on. We are sinners, and our sins pile up. Our good deeds are not enough to compensate for our daily sins. No matter how we try, we come up short.
The old preachers said it this way: “The first step toward salvation is realizing you need to savior.”
Let me stop here to correct a convenient truth.
In Genesis 6:9 it states that Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Sometimes theologians take this Scripture to mean God chose Noah to build the Ark and survive the great flood because he was perfect. But perfect in his generations is really a code word for bloodline or lineage. The Bible is confirming that Noah had not been contaminated by the blood of fallen Angels. This was extremely important since Jesus could not come through a contaminated bloodline.
The Bible is not implying that Noah was perfect, nor were the other seven people that boarded the Ark before the Flood: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons. We all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, remember? A few chapters later, you will find Noah drunk and naked (and perhaps) defiled. Noah’s degenerate state is another article altogether.
This incredible act of salvation is a precursor or forerunner to the White Throne Judgment. It’s an act of mercy that saves sinful, imperfect humans headed for total destruction.
The White Throne Judgment is described in Revelation 20:7-15 as the final judgment taking place after the millennium and after Satan, the Beast, and the False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire. The sacred records containing everyone’s deeds, good or evil, will be opened. God will reward or punish each person accordingly. Also, the Book of Life will be opened which determines whether a person will inherit eternal life or eternal condemnation. Although Christians are held accountable for their actions, they are FORGIVEN IN CHRIST and their names are in the “Book of Life anyway.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Although all of our deeds and sins are there, our belief in Christ and acceptance of Him as our Lord and Savior overrides our sins. Neither Mohammed or Buddha nor the tree in the forest have the power to get us in the Book. Only Jesus, Lamb of God, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings can do this. Only he can render an act of mercy that saves sinful, imperfect humans headed for total destruction.
And so we come full circle, from the Flood to the Cross to the White Throne Judgment. When they ask you what’s the big deal about Jesus, you tell them this is a big deal. No one can save them from total, everlasting destruction but Jesus.
Other articles of interest:
Jesus and Multiple Dimensions
Giants Walked the Earth