THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
When the second and final coming of Christ occurs, there will be a final judgment, one wherein everyone who has ever lived upon the planet, and all that are living on that day, will give account for the way that they have lived their earthly lives. “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).
This great day of reckoning will occur on the last day (2 Pet. 3:10), the day in which the Lord returns. He is the one who will do the judging (2 Cor. 5:10; John 5:22; 2 Tim. 4:1). The Judgment Day scene is described in the Scriptures as “the last day” when God will ultimately separate both good and evil for all eternity. It is a day that has been appointed by God, the precise time of which is unknown by any man (Acts 17:31; Matt. 24:36).
Paul admonishes the Thessalonians to “watch and be sober” because the Day of the Lord is going to come “as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:1-6). The Lord had already warned that his coming at the last day would be akin to the flood overtaking those in the days of Noah who were not expecting it (Matt. 24:36-39). As Paul would exhort later to the Thessalonians, Jesus warned, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” (Matt. 24:42).
When Jesus does return, the dead will be raised for the final judgment. The Lord Jesus Christ himself will judge everyone, for “the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). Jesus went on to say, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29).
Jesus described the final judgment scene as a day when everyone who has ever lived will be gathered around him and he will separate the “sheep” from the “goats” (Matt. 25:31-33). To the saved, he will pronounce victory, and to the lost he will pronounce condemnation (vv. 34-46). Paul reveals that the return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment will all take place on the same day (1 Cor. 15:51-52). The righteous will be changed from a mortal body to an immortal one, and then will be taken away to forever be with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:4; 1 Thess. 4:17).
The Scriptures provide great comfort and strength to those who are in Christ in regard to the final day. “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim. 6:8). “And you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:11).
We do not know who is going to heaven and who is going to hell. Our job is to preach the truth as best we understand it, but all judgment must be left to Christ. If the Father is going to leave all judgment to Jesus, then certainly he would have us to do the same. “So then each of us shall give account of ourselves to God” (Rom. 14:12).
You don’t know the whole story, so worry about your own salvation. There will be secrets revealed on that day. “So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due” (1 Cor. 4:5).
