Is God Unfair?
The Great White Throne
Judgment
.
When Terrified Multitudes Stand Before God Unprepared
By Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer
There
is no topic as terrifying as the Great White Throne Judgment … but what do we
really know about it?
Let’s
look at Revelation 20:11-15 together.
Who is on this
majestic throne?
We can be
sure that Jesus is sitting on this throne, for God has “committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22).
Jesus
is now the Judge of all the unredeemed. His throne is great, majestic, and
being white, signifies His holy justice and impartiality.
Who are the defendants
standing in line?
John
continues, “I saw the dead, small and
great stand before God.”
They
were summoned from all parts of the world, raised from the dead to give an
account to God. John explains, “and the
sea gave up the dead who were in it …”
The
ancients believed that if you died at sea or were cremated and your ashes
thrown into the sea, the gods could never find you so you need not fear an
afterlife. But God knows every particle of matter in the universe and thus
summons all bodies, regardless of circumstances, to appear before Him.
John
writes, “Death and Hades gave up the dead
who were in them…” Hades is the abode of the souls of all unbelievers who
have died and who will die in the future.
The
souls in Hades are joined with their resurrected bodies that are fitted for
eternity—bodies, I might say, fitted for the lake of fire.
The
small and the great are there: the king stands among slaves; rich with poor;
religious zealots with atheists. No doubt all religions are represented:
Protestants, Catholics, Hindus, Muslims, etc.
On what basis are
they judged?
.
A book is opened that details all their works.
.
The basic principle: they will be judged for what they did with what they knew.
.
A book is opened that details all their works.
.
The basic principle: they will be judged for what they did with what they knew.
To
the pagan who has never heard of Christ, God will never say, “you will be thrown into the lake of fire
because you did not believe in Jesus.”
As M.R. DeHann
wrote, “Hell for the pagan headhunter who
has never heard the word of God is going to be heaven compared to what it will
be for those who have heard the pleading of the gospel and rejected it.”
But
all who are at this judgment will fall short, for all lack the one requirement
needed to enter heaven. Since their names are not found in the Book of Life (that is, the Book of the Redeemed), they are cast
into the lake of fire.
Is
God’s Judgment Really Fair?
God’s
judgment of unbelievers—especially those who have never heard the Gospel—is one
of the most controversial doctrines in Christianity today.
In
fact, even many Christians have rejected the idea, choosing to believe that “everyone finds their own way to God.”
So can a loving God condemn people to hell?
Pastor Lutzer explains.
Q:
You said that all the people at the Great White Throne Judgment lack the one
requirement needed for entry in to heaven. I assume you mean belief in
the Gospel?
A:
Yes, and more specifically, they lack not only the forgiveness of God, but the
gift of righteousness whereby we are declared to be as perfect/holy as God. The
only person qualified to give us this gift is Christ; therefore only those who
trust Him come under the shelter of His protection and are welcomed
into heaven.
Q:
Could you clarify what standard is used in this judgment?
A:
Paul taught that those who do not know the Gospel will be judged by their own
conscience and the light gleaned from nature. This judgment will show that no
one has lived up to what they intuitively and rationally knew to be right.
Now,
as for those who have heard the Gospel, that is a different story. Jesus said
that it will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom and Gomorrah
than for those cities that rejected Him when He was on Earth.
Clearly,
those who heard the Gospel and rejected it—or those who had access to the
Gospel as we do in America—will be more strictly judged.
Also,
those who did evil will be given a lesser punishment than those who not only
did evil but also influenced others to do the same. For example, Jesus said of
the person who causes a little child to stumble, it would be better for him if
he had a stone tied around his neck and drowned.
It
is one thing for a man to be immoral; it is quite another when he publishes a
pornographic magazine read by millions that entices people to be immoral.
Judgment for such people will be immeasurably severe.
Q:
Is the lake of fine the same as hell?
A: Yes.
Q:
Do you believe in a literal fire in hell?
A:
We can’t be sure because hell is both spoken of as a lake of fire and also a
place of “outer darkness.” Perhaps those two ideas seem incompatible to us. The
point is that even if these are figures of speech, what they represent is
frightful and terrifying.
Q:
It seems that eternal punishment is profoundly unjust. Okay, so these people
knowingly did wrong, but after all, they were born sinners along with the rest
of us. Temporary punishment yes, but eternal punishment sounds like overkill.
Doesn’t eternal punishment fly in the face of common human compassion
and fairness?
A:
You have stated the dilemma exactly! I’m not sure I have an entirely satisfying
answer to this question, but let me give some perspective. What if, as Jonathan
Edwards said, the greatness of a sin is determined by the greatness of the being
against whom it is committed? To throw a snowball at a mailman is one thing; to
throw one at a policeman is another. And if you throw a snowball at the
President of the United States, you will be arrested. Using that analogy, think
of the infinite crime of sinning against an infinite God. Sin is much more
serious to God than it is to us.
Also,
because we are eternal beings, those who are in the lake of fire bear the
consequences of their personal guilt forever.
Q:
What do you say to the person who has a spouse or a son or daughter who has
died as an unbeliever?
A:
It comes down to this: God is repeatedly described in the Scriptures as
meticulously just. We honor Him by believing and trusting in His justice,
knowing that someday we will agree with all of His decisions and forever sing, “Just and true are thy ways, thou King of
Saints!”
I
have no doubt that those who are in the lake of fire will agree that they are
being justly punished.
After
all, the sin they committed on Earth will be present to their mind and
consciences. This in itself would be a form of hell.
Difficult
doctrine to be sure, but God is more incomprehensible than we generally
believe Him to be.
Are
you struggling with a big decision or wondering how your eternal future will
play out?
Why
not talk to the God of the universe and let Him work in your behalf?
He
says, “I will instruct you and teach you
the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8).
Ask
God to show you what to do. Pray the following prayer:
“Heavenly
Father,
I
admit that I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from You. I now want to
turn away from my past sinful life and begin a new life with You.
Please
forgive me. I now receive your Son, Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my
Lord. I believe and confess that Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and
rose from the dead.
I
want to receive all that Jesus Christ has provided for me as my Savior. Your
Word says, ‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved’
(Romans 10:13).
I
believe and confess that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and
no man comes unto the Father, but by Him.
Lord
Jesus, I pray and ask You, to come into my heart and be Lord of my life. I
thank You that you have given me eternal life, and according to Your Word, I am
born again.
Heavenly
Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit Who is in me now. I surrender
my life to You. I promise to study Your Word – the Bible.
Use
me for Your glory.
In
Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
RELATED POSTS:
Is There A Hell? .
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If there is a
hell where is it located?
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http://puricarefiles.blogspot.com/2016/11/hell-if-there-is-hell-where-is-it.html
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Worms don’t die in
hell but never stops causing torment.
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“Oh Lord, You're Beautiful”
lyrics
Oh Lord, You're beautiful
Your face is all I seek
For when Your eyes are on this child
Your grace abounds to me
Oh Lord, please light the fire
That once burned bright and clean
Replace the lamp of my first love
That burns with holy fear
I wanna take Your Word and shine it all around
But first help me just to live it, Lord
And when I'm doing well, help me to never seek a crown
For my reward is giving glory to You
Your face is all I seek
For when Your eyes are on this child
Your grace abounds to me
Oh Lord, please light the fire
That once burned bright and clean
Replace the lamp of my first love
That burns with holy fear
I wanna take Your Word and shine it all around
But first help me just to live it, Lord
And when I'm doing well, help me to never seek a crown
For my reward is giving glory to You
https://www.moodymedia.org/articles/god-unfair/
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