Monday, June 19, 2017

Hell is a Place of Fair Treatment

We have seen that hell is the place people chose, even if unknowingly, when they go their own way instead of listening to God.  We have also noted that hell is a place that will forever tell the truth about the real character of those who have rejected and resisted God's provision for their salvation.

Hell will be a place of fair treatment.  Before anyone goes there, that person will stand at a final judgment to determine the exact degree of punishment he or she will receive.  God will be perfectly fair.

The final judgment is depicted graphically in Revelation 20:11-15.  This is the great white throne judgement.  The Judge is none other than Jesus Christ (John 5:24-30).  All the unsaved will receive new bodies and will stand to be judged.  Then the books containing the life record of every person and the one special Book of Life will be opened.  The opening of these books shows that those who rejected God's gift of salvation will receive perfect justice.

The awesome picture of final judgment in Rev. 20: 11-15 led Thomas Carlyle to exclaim:  "What a magnificant conception is that of a final judgment!  A righting of all the wrongs of the ages."  The Lord Jesus Christ will take into account every circumstance overlooking nothing.  He will be the Supreme Court of the universe.  No one will be able to appeal His decisions.  In fact, no one will feel the need to do so.  Every person will acknowledge Him as Lord and admit that His verdict has been absolutely fair and right.  It is at this time, that everyone will recognize Him to be all He claimed to be, fulfilling the words of Philippians 2:9-11.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.