Elementary Principles of Christ | Eternal Judgement

In this post, I want to continue talking about what the Bible calls the - Elementary Principles of Christ. This post is a continuation of an earlier post, so I urge you to read the earlier posts before you read this one. (Read | Repentance from dead Works) (Read | Water Baptism) (Read | Baptism of the Holy Spirit) (Read | Laying on of Hands) (Read | The Resurrection of the Dead)

I believe it is important for every Christian to get a hold of these elementary truths of Christ (Hebrews 6:1-2): 

• Repentance from dead works and of faith towards God 
• Doctrines of Baptisms 
• Laying on of Hands 
• The Resurrection of the Dead 
• Eternal Judgement 

In this post we will talk about what the Bible has to say about Eternal Judgement. When a person dies he goes on to spend eternity in one of two places. The righteous or those who believe on Jesus will go on to spend eternity in heaven while the unrighteous or ungodly who rejected the truth and the sacrifice of Jesus will go on to spend some time in Sheol or the pit and then eternity in Hell.

Sheol is the place where the ungodly are held until the day of judgement spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15. After the white throne judgement the ungodly will be throw into Gehenna or lake of fire where they will be tormented for eternity. 

In the book of Luke, Jesus speaks of Sheol and gives us an idea about what it is like there. When a soul goes to Sheol that soul is very much alive. He/she is able to see, feel and even have memories of their family. A study of the following verses reveals this...

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. (Luke 16:19-25)

The rich man could really feel the flames of Hell. It tormented him.

Verse 26 is also interesting for it states that no one can pass from Hell to Abraham's bosom (Heaven). (Luke 16:26) So much for the teachings of purgatory, right? You can very well stop offering those masses for the souls in purgatory based on this verse. The truth is, no one can pass from Hell to Heaven.

Having said that let us move on to what the Bible has to say about Gehenna or the lake of fire. In the book of Revelation we read about the white throne judgement that no unbeliever can escape. (Romans 2:3) 

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelations 20:11-15)

All those who are judged at the White throne judgement are those who did not believe Jesus. The scripture says: their names were not found in the book of Life. They were judged according to their works because they trusted in their own works and not in the completed work of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary to attain righteousness or right standing with God. (Romans 9:30-33)

The too good to be true News is that when we believe on Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are saved from the eternal judgement of God and God does not deal with us according to our sins, nor punish us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:10)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath (eternal judgment) through Him. (Romans 5:8-9)