Principles of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ – Eternal Judgment – Determining Your Eternal Destiny

When I was young I liked to drive fast. I ran everywhere. I had a major problem. Highway patrolmen do not encourage people to drive over the speed limit. In fact, they disapprove of people who drive over the speed limit. I was issued warnings the first few times I was detained. The patrolmen were polite but very firm in their insistence that he stop speeding.

The fourth time I was pulled over I got a speeding ticket. The ticket cost me $90, which was pretty expensive in the 1960s. The ticket didn’t stop me. I kept speeding up. Over the next sixty days I received seven tickets, all for speeding.

I got a letter from the State of Kansas saying I had to appear in court. It appears that the state of Kansas does not allow violating drivers to continue their illegal driving activities indefinitely. He had already paid more than $700 in speeding tickets, but they thought further action was warranted. I appeared before a judge and he asked me if he thought he was above the law.

“No, I said. ‘Yes, you do,’ he replied, ‘or you wouldn’t break the law with such impunity.’ The judge fined me a hefty $500 and revoked my driver’s license for six months. If I showed up to him for speeding, I would lose my license for three years and could spend up to a year in jail. The judge was not smiling or friendly. I believed him. I repent of my sin and stop speeding. No I have had another speeding ticket to this day.

Most of us treat the laws of God as I treated the speeding laws of Kansas. God sends people to warn us of the imminent danger caused by our sin. Many of us ignore the consequences of our actions until something forces us to take a hard look at them.

The Bible is very clear that the only way to eternal life is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. No man can obtain eternal life without repenting of his sin and accepting Jesus Christ as his savior. No matter what others say, only Jesus can give eternal life.

The Bible is also very clear that anyone who does not repent of their sin and accept Jesus as their savior will spend eternity in the lake of fire. There will be no consolation, there will be no good. There will only be anguish and eternal damnation.

Each person is going to be judged according to their actions and inactions in this life. There is no one exempt. The Bible is very clear in stating that those who reject Christ will not be written in the book of life. They will be thrown forever into a lake of fire with the devil, the beast, and the false prophet. (See Revelation 20:10-15).

Why is everyone going to be judged?

All men have sinned against Holy God. God, who is holy, must punish sin. None of us can claim that we are holy enough to please God by our own righteousness. We are not even worthy to open the book of life. (See Revelation 5:4) It is evident from the Scriptures that all people are under God’s condemnation, and rightly so, because we have sinned against Holy God.

If man’s condition stopped here there would be no hope, but praise God there is hope! God has provided a way for mankind to avoid his wrath and obtain eternal life! Jesus Christ has secured eternal life for all who come to him. Millions of believers who accept Christ’s great deliverance through the gospel will live to praise him in heaven. (See Revelation 5:5-14)

Jesus Christ, the Son of God came to reconcile us with God by offering his body as a sacrifice for the sin of all men. John 3: 16-21, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.”

It breaks my heart to say that many people will reject God’s grace and choose God’s wrath because of their love for sin. They will be tormented forever in the lake of fire without hope. Because those of us who accept the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead will be forever blessed by God. Romans 4:6-8, “…Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

One last word.

Let us who have accepted Christ as our Lord redouble our efforts to spread the saving message of Jesus Christ. Let’s not sit back and watch others perish without sharing God’s love. II Corinthians 5:10-11, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…”

No other options. There is eternal salvation through Christ or eternal damnation for rejecting his great salvation. Those who reject God’s goodness through Christ will have called God a liar and will reject Christ’s sacrifice for them. It is my prayer that the Christians who read these words will share the love of Christ with a lost world. It is also my prayer that those who do not know Christ will repent of their sin and accept Christ’s sacrifice for their sin so that they will not have to pay the consequences of their sins before the judge of all the earth.

Copyright 2010 J-me