The Final Judgment – Some Great News for Those Who Fear.

For most of us, testing and the thought of judgment brings anxiety and concern. We dislike the idea of being judged—especially since each of us has unique circumstances that make us different from others.

But what about the judgment that will come after the return of Jesus Christ? What exactly will He judge us on? Will it be the bad things we’ve done? What if we’ve repented of those things—will they still show up in our judgment? Will this judgment compare us to others who are just like us, or will we be judged entirely by ourselves?

What has your church taught you about the final judgment? Are there boxes they’ve told you must be checked in order to prepare? Have they instructed you on specific things you’ll be judged for?

Religions often have differing views on the final judgment. That being said, some of what we hear in churches may not be true. Perhaps their teachings fit neatly into their own religious narrative to ensure compliance. But what does the Bible actually say about the final judgment? I think you’ll find this eye-opening.

🔹 First, Understand This: We Are Saved by Grace—Not by Works

If you believe you’re earning your way into heaven, you’re entirely mistaken. Salvation is a gift from Jesus Christ, but it requires our faith to receive it.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV)

🔹 What Does Receiving Salvation by Grace Actually Mean?

• Grace is God’s undeserved favor. We didn’t earn salvation—God gave it freely.
• Faith is the means by which we receive that grace—not works, not religion, not by being “good enough.”
• Salvation is a gift, and gifts are not earned. If you could earn it, it would be a wage—not a gift.
• This prevents boasting. No one will stand in heaven and say, “I got here because I was righteous.” All glory goes to Jesus.

📖 Salvation: A Biblical Definition

• Salvation is being delivered from sin and its consequences, and being given eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
• In the Bible, “salvation” often means rescue, deliverance, or preservation from harm, especially eternal separation from God.

🔹 Salvation Is Not Earned by Law or Works

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ…”
— Galatians 2:16 (KJV)

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
— Romans 3:28 (KJV)

The law shows us our sin—it doesn’t save us. Only faith in Jesus justifies us in God’s eyes.

🔥 Why Grace Matters

If salvation could be earned, then Jesus wouldn’t have needed to die. But He did—because there was no other way. Grace is God stepping in to do what we never could.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8 (KJV)

Are you with me so far? We are saved because of Jesus Christ, and not by anything we have done ourselves.

🔹 So Where Do Works Come In?

Think of it this way:
Works are the fruit of salvation, not the root. Once we are saved by grace, we are called to live for God.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
— Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)

We’re not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works.

The Final Judgment – What It’s Really About

The Bible describes the final judgment in terms of two distinct groups:

• Those who have accepted Jesus Christ
• Those who have rejected Jesus Christ

1. The Judgment for the Righteous (Believers in Christ)

This judgment takes place after the “Rapture” event when the “Church” will be caught up to meet the Savior in the air. (Most likely Mid-Tribulation).

This is often called the Judgment Seat of Christ (or the Bema Seat Judgment). It’s not a judgment for condemnation, but rather a time of reward.

Did you catch that? The judgment is a time for reward!

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:10 (KJV)

🔹 What This Means:

• This judgment is for believers only—those who have accepted Jesus and are born again.
• It’s not about salvation (which is already secured), but about rewards.
• Jesus will evaluate each believer’s works, motives, and service to determine eternal rewards.

“If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
— 1 Corinthians 3:14–15 (KJV)

Even if a believer’s works were selfish or meaningless, he is still saved—but rewards may be lost.

2. The Judgment for the Unsaved (Those Who Rejected Christ)

This judgment will take place after the 1,000-year millennial reign of Christ.

This is called the Great White Throne Judgment—a judgment of condemnation for those who died without putting their faith in Jesus Christ.

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it… and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
— Revelation 20:11–12 (KJV)

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
— Revelation 20:15 (KJV)

🔹 What This Means:

• This is the final judgment for all unbelievers.
• They are judged by their works, but because they rejected Jesus, their names are not in the Book of Life.
• The result is eternal separation from God in the lake of fire (hell).

🔥 Main Difference Between the Two Judgments:

Topic	Believers (Righteous)	Unbelievers (Rejected Christ)
Judgment Name	Judgment Seat of Christ	Great White Throne Judgment
Basis	Faith in Christ	Rejection of Christ
Result	Eternal life + rewards	Eternal death (lake of fire)
Salvation	Already secured	Not received
Focus	Rewards for service	Judgment for sin

💡 Why This Matters

The Bible is clear: there are only two eternal destinies—heaven with God, or hell separated from Him. The deciding factor is not how good someone was, but whether they accepted Jesus Christ.

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
— John 3:18 (KJV)

🔹 Final Thoughts

The atonement of Jesus Christ is miraculous. It allows us to be forgiven of our sins through repentance, but it goes far beyond that. Through His atonement, salvation is offered to all, and eternal life is assured. We will all live forever—but with whom we spend eternity depends on the judgment.

The final judgment determines whether we live forever with Jesus Christ or without Him. It’s not based on sin—but on whether we accepted Christ. And for those who have, the judgment will be about reward, not punishment.

If you’re still wrestling with this concept, remember:
We are saved by grace—not by works.
Any teaching that says otherwise denies the incredible gift Jesus gave us.

As with any gospel topic, I invite you to seek the truth directly from God. Pray. Ask. Seek. The Holy Ghost will confirm it.

Let’s give thanks to the Savior for the marvelous gift He has offered to all mankind: salvation and eternal life. Our part is to place our faith in Jesus Christ and accept Him into our lives.

And when we do good works, they will serve as the basis for eternal rewards at the final judgment.

There is great peace in knowing this truth. God hears your prayers—and He will give you comfort.

Thank you for joining me as we continue learning the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you’d like more “End-Times” writings, I invite you to subscribe to my blog at:
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