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No-one who reads the Bible and takes it seriously can fail to believe in the certainty of the Last Judgment. Paul's concluding words in his famous sermon to the Athenians were, "For he(God) has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." Jesus himself speaks clearly about the Last Judgment in: John5v24to30. A time is coming when the dead will be raised to be judged by Jesus. He will judge all men - the living and the dead. 1Pet4v5. Paul affirms this writing to the Corinthians and the Romans: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due to him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 1Cor5v10. Each of us will give an account of himself to God. Rom14v12. The judgment is as certain as death itself: Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. Heb10v27.

The Last Judgment takes place at the end of this present age when Christ returns. In the Parable of the Net Jesus says, "This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In the equally severe and terrible parable of the Sheep and Goats Jesus warns: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him; he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Mt25v31to33.

Jesus will conduct the Last Judgment. He says, "Moreover, the Father judges no-one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. John5v22. Peter during his message to Cornelius and his household says, "He(Jesus) commanded us preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. Acts10v42. This is also what Paul writes to the Thessalonians. See 2Thes1v6to10.

The purpose of judgment is to discriminate. Not everyone will be treated the same. There is absolutely no Biblical foundation for believing in universal salvation. Jesus states in John5v24to30 that those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. v29. In the parable of the Sheep and Goats there is a stark contrast in the way the two different groups of people are treated. See Mt25v34to36 and v41to43. The sheep on the Son of Man's right hand will take their inheritance, the kingdom prepared for them before the creation of the world. The goats on his left hand will depart for the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Peter highlights the fate of the ungodly in his second epistle: By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 2Pet3v7. Paul tells Timothy, as he faces death: For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge, will award me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2Tim4v6to8. Paul looks forward to the judgment at Christ's return because then he will enter into his reward. He writes something very similar to the Corinthians: Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. 1Cor9v25.

I will deal in more detail with the fate of the godly and the ungodly in the sections of this article on Hell and Heaven. It is time to examine the criteria used to distinguish between the righteous and unrighteous, the godly and the ungodly. This is obviously of crucial importance and it is a pity that the matter cannot be simply resolved from Scripture.

It is best to start about what we can be certain about. In John's gospel we read: The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. John3v34. The genuine believer in Jesus can be sure of being numbered among the righteous and rewarded with eternal life at the judgment. There are many, many, passages in the Bible that confirm this truth: See Scriptures on the believer's reward.

In the passage quoted above from 2Tim4v8 Paul writes about the crown of righteousness that will be awarded to all those who long for the appearing of Jesus. This theme is also found in Hebrews 9v28: He(Christ) will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Jesus said on many occasions that the true believer will be looking forward to his return, prepared for it and ready to welcome him. Jesus warned, "It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no-one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no-one in the field should go back for anything." Lk17v30to31. The Christian who loves Jesus will be so pleased to see him when he returns. He will have no thought for anything else. Those who do not love him will want to carry on with their lives as before. They will want to finish a job, lock the garage door and watch their favourite programme on TV. Their hearts will not go out to Jesus. They will be very annoyed that he has come back. This reaction will condemn them.

It is interesting to see what Paul stresses in his first reported sermon; a sermon preached at Pisidian Antioch. These are his key points: God has brought to Israel the Saviour Jesus, as he promised. Acts13v23. Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. v38. Through him everyone who believes is justified. v39. The result of Paul's preaching was that all who were appointed for eternal life believed. v48. I take this to mean that God had ordained or decided to give eternal life to all who believed - both Gentile and Jew.

When the earthquake shook the foundations of the Philippi prison in which Paul and Silas were held and the trembling jailer asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household." Acts16v30and31.

What does belief or faith in Jesus consist of? There is a tendency for some evangelists to say, "All you have to do is to believe that Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sin and you will go to heaven." I don't think so! To believe in Jesus is to believe in his saving work but also to live by his teaching and to follow his example. Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Lk9v23. There is a cost involved in believing in Jesus. See Luke 14v25to33.

James is very blunt about the nature of faith. See James2v14to26. It is worth refreshing your memory of what James wrote in his uncompromising style! Faith is active by its very nature. A person who has faith in Jesus will not try to earn salvation but will try to practice his teaching and follow his example. Good works are important criteria for deciding who is rewarded with eternal life because they are evidence of belief. The sheep were those who had fed the hungry, clothed the naked and visited the sick and imprisoned. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" Mt7v21. In the same chapter he also says: "Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus by their fruit you will recognise them." Mt7v18. "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock". v24and25.

Salvation is both a gift and a prize. It is a reward for following Jesus. Paul who taught so eloquently about being saved by grace also writes this to the Corinthians. See 1Cor9v24to27 If we are genuine believers we endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, we run the race set before us and we keep the faith. We say with Paul: But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus. Phil3v13and14

It is evident from what I have written so far that two categories of people will be condemned at the Last Judgement. First there are those who deliberately reject Jesus. We read in John3: Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. v18. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." v36. There are other Scriptures that corroborate the record of John: See 2Thes1v6to10 and Mat11v20to24. One of the most awful warnings of what happens to those who sin against the light and deny their Christian profession is found in Hebrews: If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb10v26to31. See Sermon on Heb10v26to39.

The second group are those who apparently believe in Jesus but have no real faith. Their lack of faith is revealed by their lack of works. It is no good jibbing at this. Most Biblical accounts of the Last Judgment indicate that the criteria for deciding the fate of the godly and ungodly will be works. The parable of the weeds told in Mt13v24to29 and 36to43 is a classic example. This is what Jesus said, "The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil." v41. In the parable of the talents it is the so called servant who did not use his limited opportunities to serve his master who was condemned: "And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Mt25v30. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount the foolish man is the one who: "Hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice." Mt7v26. Such a man is like the idiot who built his house upon the sand. "The rain came down, the streams rose, and winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." v27. Jesus said to his disciples before his Transfiguration, "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done." Mt16v28. I realise that this emphasis on works is anathema to some but it is not my emphasis - it is the emphasis of the New Testament and especially Jesus himself. Paul stresses over and over again in his epistles how important it is to live worthy of the Gospel. He wouldn't spend so much time on Christian conduct if it was immaterial to our eternal well being. See Sermon on Phil2v12to18, for example.

Finally I come to the hardest question. How will those who have never heard of Jesus be judged? They cannot all be condemned, as this would include Abraham, Joshua, Ruth, David and Daniel to name but a few. The writer to the Hebrews lists many heroes of faith in chapter twelve of his epistle. The faith of all the heroes was shown by how they acted. James argues that the faith of Abraham and Rahab, for example, was made complete by what they did. See James2v14to26. Both James and Paul (Gal3v6) quote Gen15v6: Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. James quoted it to show the importance of works and Paul to establish the primacy of faith!

I think by far the most helpful Scripture on this subject is found at the end of Hebrews11: These (the heroes of faith) were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. v39. The heroes of faith may be judged by their works - evidence of their faith in God - but they will only be made perfect by the finished work of Jesus. Paul is correct when he writes, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans3v23. Men and women who lived before Christ and never had the opportunity to believe in him or reject him will be judged on the basis of their works insofar as they reveal faith or lack of faith in God. However it will not be their works or their faith that saves them but the righteous work of Jesus in making sacrifice for sin. They will be credited his righteousness.

I believe that what is true for men and women before Christ who never heard the Gospel will be true for men and women after Christ who never hear about the Saviour. Works will be the criteria used to discriminate between those who will be given eternal life and those who will experience God's wrath and anger. However none could receive eternal life without the redeeming work of Jesus. It is only through his sacrificial death that any can be forgiven. Paul did not only write in his epistle to the Romans about being justified by faith. He also wrote Romans2v1to16 that includes: ....when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew then for the Gentile. For God does not show favouritism. Rom2v5to11. It is important to harmonise the glorious truth for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus with the emphasis placed on the importance of works at the Last Judgment. I have tried to do this!

I can almost hear someone say, "If those who never hear the Gospel can be credited Christ's righteousness by exhibiting what faith they have in God by doing good works - why preach the Gospel at all?" I would answer, "Because all have sinned. No one can feel happy about their relationship with God. It is good news that Jesus is the Saviour sent from God. It is through him that we are reconciled to God. It is through him that we can have eternal life. Furthermore the believer in Jesus is changed - indwelt by the Spirit - and helped to live a life that is pleasing to God." It is highly significant that Peter was sent to Cornelius. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. Acts10v2 An angel said to Cornelius, "God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor." Who can doubt that Cornelius was credited righteousness. God was pleased with him. Peter says, "I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." So what did Peter say to Cornelius? He said, "(Jesus) commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. v42 and 43. That is what Cornelius wanted to hear. He had put his faith in Jesus and received God's Spirit before the sermon was over! Men need to hear that their sins will be forgiven if they believe on Jesus. The writer to the Hebrews is right - God has planned something better for us - a way to be made perfect. Everyone should be told about that way. However, at the Last Judgement faith and works will be used to discriminate between the sheep and the goats.

Rev20v11to13: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.