TIME OF JUDGMENT

If you knew that God was judging you right now, the way you live, and eternal consequences were at stake, how would you react? Would you be happy with the way you are living? Is it in accordance with God's Word and the principles that Christ Jesus and the Apostles laid out? Would you be happy to be judged right now? Well, WE ARE living in that time of judgment right now.

Cases are being decided right now as to who will be worthy to enter into the heavenly kingdom. God is judging the world with Christ Jesus as our only Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), pleading our cases for us. And just as the High Priest in the Old Testament cleansed the sanctuary on the day of atonement with the blood of an animal, to cover the sins of the people, Jesus our Heavenly High Priest has moved into the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary to "spiritually" cleanse it with His own blood and to blot out the sins of those who truly follow Him.

See the 2300 day Bible prophecy for more great information on this issue.

So who will be judged? .... Ecclesiastes 3:17 ....'I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.' .... So both the righteous and the wicked will be judged, but with whom will God begin judgment? .... 1 Peter 4:17 ....'For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?'

So judgment begins with the "house of God". In other words, it begins with those who profess to follow Christ. Can you confidently say that you are living up to the faith you proclaim? Are you living for Jesus every day? Is He your love, your life, your ALL? Do you have any secret cherished sin that nobody else knows about? Then repent of it and let it go now, because God will bring EVERYTHING you do into judgment .... Ecclesiastes 12:14 ....'For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.' .... There is NOTHING that can be hidden from God. Please bring every sin to the foot of the cross, repent and turn away from it, as we are living in the end times. This judgment will come to an end soon and every case will be decided with no second chances!

In Revelation 22:12 Jesus says that when He returns at the second coming, His REWARD will be with Him to give to everyone according to their works. Now for Jesus to be able to give His reward to everyone at the second coming, whether it be life eternal or the lake of fire, everyone will had to have been judged BEFORE He returns, and this is the judgment that is taking place now. It's an "investigative" judgment to see who His true people are and who are not. Then when He returns, He will issue the "executive" judgment, that is, we will either be rewarded with eternal life, or sentenced to death in the lake of fire.

Daniel 7:10 .....'A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.'

Please understand this important issue. Many professing Christians believe that judgment is not taking place now, and they think they have time to continue living worldly lives, and then get ready nearer the end. Many even believe they will get second chances! ... NO! ... Please don't believe this. The teaching of "second chances" is nothing but a deception from satan, so that people won't be ready! Jesus is telling us we MUST be ready everyday .... Matthew 24:44 .... 'Therefore be ye READY, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.' .... Just take a look at the Bible verse above in Daniel 7. This is a judgment scene with the record books of every person that has ever lived opened to find out who will be saved and who will be lost. Remember, at the second coming of Jesus, He will HAVE the reward WITH HIM, which means judgment HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.

John 5:28-29 ....'Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.'

Do you see this? For people to be rewarded with eternal life and others to be sentenced to damnation at the resurrection, the judgment must have already taken place. At the resurrection every case will have been decided, NEVER to be reversed.

Please see our important page on Christ and HIS Righteousness with regards to preparation.

So how should we be living in the time of judgment? Well, think forward to the time when Jesus returns after the judgment is complete. Will you have regrets that you spent more time watching TV, playing games, socializing, reading novels, building your career, making your house nice, than you did with your Lord and Saviour? ALL these things will be burnt up when Christ returns. Let them go now while you still have chance to get right with the Lord.

2 Peter 3:11,14 ....'Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness ..... Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.'

Knowing that we are in the time of judgment, and knowing that this world and everything in it will be laid waste, we need now to start living godly lives, putting aside worldly things and truly living for Christ.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 .....'Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.'

Luke 21:36 .....'Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.'

Luke 13:24 ....'Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.'

"If there ever was a time when serious reflection becomes every one who fears God, it is now, when personal piety is essential. The inquiry should be made, "What am I, and what is my work and mission in this time? On which side am I working--Christ's side or the enemy's side?" Let every soul now humble himself or herself before God, for now we are surely living in the great Day of Atonement. The cases even now of many are passing in review before God, for they are to sleep in their graves a little season. Your profession of faith is not your guarantee in that day, but the state of your affections. Is the soul-temple cleansed of its defilement? Are my sins confessed and am I repenting of them before God, that they may be blotted out? Do I esteem myself too lightly? Am I willing to make any and every sacrifice for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ? Do I feel every moment I am not my own, but Christ's property, that my service belongs to God, whose I am?" (Ms 87, 1886)

When did the great day of atonement (judgment) begin in heaven? See 2300 Day Prophecy for the truth.

Please don't think that you can be saved by your works, because that is impossible. This is NOT the message we are giving here. We can ONLY be saved by the grace of God, which is a free gift to all. BUT, the message we are giving here is that faith ALONE cannot save you as the book of James confirms. A true faith WILL produce works and the evidence of your faith is the works that you do. Do you have a true faith? Then you will be striving to keep God's ten commandments, you will be turning away from worldly things, you will be giving more time to Jesus than anything else, you will be sharing the gospel with others, you will be helping those in need, you will be using the money and possessions that God gave you to further His kingdom, rather than use them as pleasure for yourself. Your life will be consumed with Christ Jesus.

Take a look at this awesome judgment scene pictured by the prophet Daniel .... Daniel 7:9-10,13 .....'I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.'

What an amazing scene! God sits on His fiery throne, millions of angels minister to Him, the record books are opened and Christ Jesus is brought to God to be the intercessor for man. The court is in session! What a scene to behold! Now if you still have doubt as to the validity of this message you are reading, that judgment takes place BEFORE Christ returns at the second coming, then read the above Bible verse again, and then take a look at the following verse.

Revelation 3:5 .....'He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.'

Do you see what Jesus just said above? In a few words He has described the judgment scene of Daniel 7. He says that He will stand before God and the angels and confess the names of TRUE Christians, those who "follow Christ wheresoever He goeth". Now this scene HAS to happen before Jesus returns, because as Jesus said in Revelation 22:12, His reward would be with Him when He returns, to give to the "overcomers".

Did you notice something else important? Did you notice that it is ONLY those who "overcome" that remain in the book of life? Think about it, if your name is IN the book of life, are you in a saved position? Yes! But if you don't overcome this world through your relationship with Christ and you don't live up to the faith you proclaim, what will happen? Your name will be BLOTTED OUT from the book of life, and you will be lost. This shows the teaching of "once saved always saved" to be a false teaching.

Will you be an overcomer? Will you turn away from your sins and give your WHOLE heart, soul, mind and strength in following your Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus? We have been living in the time of judgment for some time now and it will soon come to an end. Soon every case will be decided for good or evil, for saved or for lost .... Revelation 22:11 ....'He that is unjust let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous let him be righteous still; and he that is holy let him be holy still.' .... There will be NO second chances! Let the righteousness of Christ fill your heart now and give your all for Him.

"When the work of the investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death. Probation is ended a short time before the appearing of the Lord in the clouds of heaven. Before the Flood, after Noah entered the ark, God shut him in, and shut the ungodly out; but for seven days the people, knowing not that their doom was fixed, continued their careless, pleasure-loving life, and mocked the warnings of impending judgment. So, says the Saviour, "shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt. 24:39). Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man's destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy's offer to guilty men. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure lover is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments - it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence: "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting." (E.G.White, Last Day Events, p.230)

Revelation 14:6-7 ....'And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.'