Introduction. Among the six foundation doctrines in Heb. 6:1-2 are “the resurrection of the dead” and “eternal judgment.” What was almost completely absent from the Old Covenant has become part of the foundation of the New. Brought to light through the gospel, they are called foundation doctrines because they became the fundamental reason and basis for faith, repentance and baptism. Even the Sadducees could see that they “preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:2). Paul placed the resurrection as a cornerstone of the gospel he preached (1Cor. 15:1-4). Jesus’ resurrection was used to prove and confirm our own resurrection and judgment (1Cor. 15:12-38). God “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). Faith, repentance and baptism are based on the assurance of the eternal judgment proved by the resurrection of Christ.
Our previous article focused on the resurrection of life and the resurrection of judgment (Jn. 5:28-29). We explored the transition as the souls of the dead come out of Hades and their bodies come out of their tombs through the resurrection. What comes next is “eternal judgment!” This judgment is the final transition before the eternal destiny of each man and woman begins. For some, this eternal judgment will end in “eternal life” and thus become the resurrection of life. For the rest, it will end in “everlasting destruction,” in the resurrection of judgment and condemnation.
Our previous article focused on the resurrection of life and the resurrection of judgment (Jn. 5:28-29). We explored the transition as the souls of the dead come out of Hades and their bodies come out of their tombs through the resurrection. What comes next is “eternal judgment!” This judgment is the final transition before the eternal destiny of each man and woman begins. For some, this eternal judgment will end in “eternal life” and thus become the resurrection of life. For the rest, it will end in “everlasting destruction,” in the resurrection of judgment and condemnation.
What Jesus and the Holy Spirit revealed about this day and hour is both amazing and terrifying. Those who die in their sins will be raised to everlasting shame and contempt. It will begin with the condemnation of “indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek” and it will end in “the lake of fire.” (Dan. 12:2; Rom. 2:8-10; Rev. 20:15). To those who obey the gospel and live faithful till death it will begin with “glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” and end in a “crown of life,” and a “city whose builder and maker is God.” (Rev. 2:10; Heb. 11:10). Thus, while “all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth,” an immediate separation will occur. This is expressed in several different ways. The source of most of this information is in the parables where Jesus revealed things “kept secret since the foundation of the world.” (Mt. 13:44).
Jesus left nothing to man’s interpretation in the parable of the tares. He said, “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.” There can be no doubt Jesus intended to reveal the details of the end of this age at His second coming. “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt. 13:40-43). All the parables in this chapter are about the kingdom of heaven. The “tares” are those who, acting as disciples, have entered in among “the wheat” of His genuine disciples who abide and do His word (Jn. 8:32). Among these are those who say “Lord, Lord,” but are not doing “the will of My Father in heaven.” That they among the tares is clear when Jesus said, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Mt. 7:21-23).
When Jesus sends out His angels, they will gather these out of the kingdom of heaven. All who caused others to stumble (offend) by their false teaching and practices of lawlessness will be removed and told to depart. These are the ones in His kingdom who changed Christ’s laws to suit their own needs (2Jn. 9-11). In a subsequent parable a net cast into the sea is drawn to shore. Its contents are judged, the good is kept and the bad discarded. Jesus again made the application: “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt. 13:49).
After the parable of the talents, Jesus gave a larger view of the eternal judgment. “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left” (Mt. 25:31-34). Jesus will preside over the judgment on a throne of glory. The Holy Spirit gave more details: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2Cor. 5:10). Eternal judgment will center on what each person “has done.” This opens the vista of John’s vision (Rev. 20:12). The dead are judged out of the things written in the books. Everything done in the body is in these books. This includes “every idle word” (Mt. 12:36-37), “the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12), “hidden things of darkness,” and “counsels of the hearts.” (1Cor. 4:4). On that day, “God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel,” (Rom. 2:16), for “nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.” (Lk. 8:17). “Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later.” (1Tim. 5:24).
Added to this is the input God will allow others to have. Those who secretly think they can plead with God using their own ignorance or difficult circumstances will be thwarted. Jesus warned that others in more difficult circumstances will completely undo such sophistry and human wisdom. “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.” (Mt. 12:41-42). If the men of Nineveh and the queen of the south can rise up in judgment and condemn, then God can use anyone He chooses to reveal to each individual what could have been done if they had chosen to take advantage of their opportunities.
One of the more difficult things Jesus revealed about the final judgment is that it will “be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you,” and it will “be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” (Mt. 11:22-24). This fits exactly with the truth that in “the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment, God ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’” (Rom. 2:5-6). Yet it leaves a perplexing dilemma. If everyone is going to be cast into the lake of fire, how can it be more tolerable for some than others? How can God “render to each one according to his deeds,” if everyone, regardless of what they have done, is rendered the exact same punishment?
We know God is just and righteous. We know that under the Law of Moses, the punishments were based on the nature of the crime. Not everything brought death. There were degrees of punishment in the Law because God was just and fair. In any fair and just nation the same truth is understood. The more evil the deeds, the longer the prison sentence or the greater the fine. Only in the worst crimes such as murder or treason is the penalty of death meted out. We know instinctively that this is fair and just, that the punishment must fit the crime. Meting out to each criminal the same punishment would indeed be considered unfair and unjust. Yet these human illustrations don’t shed much light on the final day, when “the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Mt. 16:27).
Even more difficult are Jesus’ words regarding how the judgment will be conducted. “That servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.” (Lk. 12:47-48). Once again, we are faced with the same quandary. If everyone has the same end in the lake of fire, what is the meaning of many stripes and few stripes? How can it be more tolerable, and how can each one receive back according to his works? How can God be righteous and render to each one according to His deeds if the punishment is exactly the same for all? What does it mean when it is said, “each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad?” (2Cor 5:10). If the end is the same for everyone, how can each receive the things done in the body? If regardless of what they did in the body they receive exactly the same penalty, how can it be more tolerable for some?
Conclusion. Since “the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us,” (Deut. 29:29), we can’t go any further. We have two different truths that we can’t reconcile. We know that everyone whose name is not in the Lamb’s book of life will be cast into the lake of fire. There is nowhere else for any of the wicked to go. The devil, his angels, and all those who practiced evil regardless of degree will also be there. Yet Jesus also revealed that it will more tolerable for some and there will be some beaten with many stripes and others with few? They are both true. Although we can’t understand how this can be done, the Lord does.
Yet regardless of such perplexing questions, one thing remains clear: “since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,” “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2Th. 1:6-10)
Jesus left nothing to man’s interpretation in the parable of the tares. He said, “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.” There can be no doubt Jesus intended to reveal the details of the end of this age at His second coming. “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt. 13:40-43). All the parables in this chapter are about the kingdom of heaven. The “tares” are those who, acting as disciples, have entered in among “the wheat” of His genuine disciples who abide and do His word (Jn. 8:32). Among these are those who say “Lord, Lord,” but are not doing “the will of My Father in heaven.” That they among the tares is clear when Jesus said, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Mt. 7:21-23).
When Jesus sends out His angels, they will gather these out of the kingdom of heaven. All who caused others to stumble (offend) by their false teaching and practices of lawlessness will be removed and told to depart. These are the ones in His kingdom who changed Christ’s laws to suit their own needs (2Jn. 9-11). In a subsequent parable a net cast into the sea is drawn to shore. Its contents are judged, the good is kept and the bad discarded. Jesus again made the application: “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt. 13:49).
After the parable of the talents, Jesus gave a larger view of the eternal judgment. “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left” (Mt. 25:31-34). Jesus will preside over the judgment on a throne of glory. The Holy Spirit gave more details: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2Cor. 5:10). Eternal judgment will center on what each person “has done.” This opens the vista of John’s vision (Rev. 20:12). The dead are judged out of the things written in the books. Everything done in the body is in these books. This includes “every idle word” (Mt. 12:36-37), “the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12), “hidden things of darkness,” and “counsels of the hearts.” (1Cor. 4:4). On that day, “God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel,” (Rom. 2:16), for “nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.” (Lk. 8:17). “Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later.” (1Tim. 5:24).
Added to this is the input God will allow others to have. Those who secretly think they can plead with God using their own ignorance or difficult circumstances will be thwarted. Jesus warned that others in more difficult circumstances will completely undo such sophistry and human wisdom. “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.” (Mt. 12:41-42). If the men of Nineveh and the queen of the south can rise up in judgment and condemn, then God can use anyone He chooses to reveal to each individual what could have been done if they had chosen to take advantage of their opportunities.
One of the more difficult things Jesus revealed about the final judgment is that it will “be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you,” and it will “be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” (Mt. 11:22-24). This fits exactly with the truth that in “the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment, God ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’” (Rom. 2:5-6). Yet it leaves a perplexing dilemma. If everyone is going to be cast into the lake of fire, how can it be more tolerable for some than others? How can God “render to each one according to his deeds,” if everyone, regardless of what they have done, is rendered the exact same punishment?
We know God is just and righteous. We know that under the Law of Moses, the punishments were based on the nature of the crime. Not everything brought death. There were degrees of punishment in the Law because God was just and fair. In any fair and just nation the same truth is understood. The more evil the deeds, the longer the prison sentence or the greater the fine. Only in the worst crimes such as murder or treason is the penalty of death meted out. We know instinctively that this is fair and just, that the punishment must fit the crime. Meting out to each criminal the same punishment would indeed be considered unfair and unjust. Yet these human illustrations don’t shed much light on the final day, when “the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Mt. 16:27).
Even more difficult are Jesus’ words regarding how the judgment will be conducted. “That servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.” (Lk. 12:47-48). Once again, we are faced with the same quandary. If everyone has the same end in the lake of fire, what is the meaning of many stripes and few stripes? How can it be more tolerable, and how can each one receive back according to his works? How can God be righteous and render to each one according to His deeds if the punishment is exactly the same for all? What does it mean when it is said, “each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad?” (2Cor 5:10). If the end is the same for everyone, how can each receive the things done in the body? If regardless of what they did in the body they receive exactly the same penalty, how can it be more tolerable for some?
Conclusion. Since “the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us,” (Deut. 29:29), we can’t go any further. We have two different truths that we can’t reconcile. We know that everyone whose name is not in the Lamb’s book of life will be cast into the lake of fire. There is nowhere else for any of the wicked to go. The devil, his angels, and all those who practiced evil regardless of degree will also be there. Yet Jesus also revealed that it will more tolerable for some and there will be some beaten with many stripes and others with few? They are both true. Although we can’t understand how this can be done, the Lord does.
Yet regardless of such perplexing questions, one thing remains clear: “since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,” “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2Th. 1:6-10)