CHRIST THE JUDGE

Though today God is longsuffering with men and is giving the fallen sons of Adam space for repentance THERE IS A DAY OF JUDGMENT AND RIGHTEOUS RETRIBUTIONCOMING (Rev. 20:11-14). God does not delay his judgment because he lacks the will or the power to judge men, but because he has an elect people whom he has determined to save. As soon as he has saved the last of his elect, judgment will come (II Pet. 3:8-15).

According to the revelation of Holy Scripture, THE JUDGE OF ALL MEN IN THAT GREAT DAY WILL BE THE MAN, CHRIST JESUS (Matt. 13:41-43; 25:31-32; John 5:22-29: Acts 10:42; 17:30-31; Rom. 14:9-12; II Cor. 5: 10)· The judge of the world in that last great day sha11 be the Son of Man who is the Son of God. This judgment of men by Christ will be both righteous and impartial. All men will receive the exact penalty or reward of strict justice. The wicked shall be judged in strict righteousness according to their works, and receive in a body the just reward of their evil deeds. There will be degrees of punishment in hell, because there are degrees of wickedness. Those who sin against greater light shall receive greater condemnation (Matt. 11:20-24). The righteous shall also be judged in strict righteousness according to their works, and receive in a body the just reward of their righteous deeds. There will be no degrees of reward for the righteous, because there are no degrees of righteousness. All righteous men are perfect men. These are God's elect, redeemed, justified, and sanctified by Christ. There is no evil recorded against them, because the righteous obedience of Christ to the law is imputed to them (Rom. 5:19). That same law and justice that demands the eternal punishment of every unbeliever, also demands the eternal bliss and glory of every believer, whose names are written in the book of life, because IN CHRIST, BY HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SHED BLOOD, EVERY BELIEVER IS WORTHY OF HEAVEN'S ETERNAL INHERITANCE.