Why are Christians afraid of Judgment Day?

[hobie]

Many Christians have been told that God never judges their works, that they go straight to heaven when they die as they are immortal, and thus have no need of Christ or His Second Coming to redeem us. I have also come across Christians who say there is no day of judgment and reject the plain truth of scripture and worse, those who claim that the Commandants were done away with, and that even if not, Grace covers them anyway. But the Bible teaches that truth in the whole of Gods Word matters, and the Law is part of Gods character, and Grace is not a wholesale license to sin. But people just want to hear the easy path without even thinking about it, but there are consequences to that as Jesus made clear..

Matthew 10:14-15
14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Matthew 13:41
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

God cares about everything His children do, and it matters...

Matthew 12:36
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

1 Peter 1:17
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

God knows that Satan will come to temp them and He will protect them who are truly His children, but those who love sin will have to face Gods Judgment Day at the end...

2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

But the Judgment Day also applies to those who accept Christ and follow him...

1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Revelation 3:5
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

So many who think Grace allows them to sin all they want, or the Commandments mean nothing, or pick only the parts of the Bible they want and reject the other, or pick up false ideas of Universalism or in "Once Saved, Always Saved", may be surprised at Judgment Day that their name is not in the Book of Life.

Revelation 20:15
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Now if Christians are willfully ignoring or rejecting what God gives us in scripture and continue in sin and iniquity what will happen on Judgment Day?.

 

[Particular]

US Christians have never suffered persecution. They fear having their manicures ruined. They just want Jesus to come back before God brings judgment so they can escape.
In short, US Christians are self-centered wimps.

 

[Lamb]

Now if Christians are willfully ignoring or rejecting what God gives us in scripture and continue in sin and iniquity what will happen on Judgment Day?.

Christians should not fear Judgment Day because they have a Savior who atoned for their sins.

 

[tango]

Christians should not fear Judgment Day because they have a Savior who atoned for their sins.

True, although the concept of "when you did it not for the least of these, you did it not for me" could be uncomfortable for some.

 

[Lamb]

True, although the concept of "when you did it not for the least of these, you did it not for me" could be uncomfortable for some.

Well that's Law and the Law always accuses. It doesn't only accuse, but it always accuses.

We can't perfectly obey the Law so when Jesus tells us to do or not do something we know we cannot do it but the Old Adam is stubborn and arrogant and thinks it can perform it...not needing the Savior.

The Savior is our comfort. Especially on Judgment Day. Don't ask if you've done enough...ask if you have a Savior.

 

[tango]

Well that's Law and the Law always accuses. It doesn't only accuse, but it always accuses.

We can't perfectly obey the Law so when Jesus tells us to do or not do something we know we cannot do it but the Old Adam is stubborn and arrogant and thinks it can perform it...not needing the Savior.

The Savior is our comfort. Especially on Judgment Day. Don't ask if you've done enough...ask if you have a Savior.

I'm not sure if it's a question of "having done enough", but it was Jesus who talked of people divided into the sheep and the goats, and people being told "I was hungry and you didn't feed me, I was thirsty and you didn't give me a drink". To me that suggests we do need to be doing at least something.

I don't see it as an endless guessing game of hoping we've done enough, with no definition of what counts as "enough", but I'm also not sure that we can simply shrug and ignore the plight of others figuring we have a savior and that's the end of the matter.

 

[Lamb]

I'm not sure if it's a question of "having done enough", but it was Jesus who talked of people divided into the sheep and the goats, and people being told "I was hungry and you didn't feed me, I was thirsty and you didn't give me a drink". To me that suggests we do need to be doing at least something.

I don't see it as an endless guessing game of hoping we've done enough, with no definition of what counts as "enough", but I'm also not sure that we can simply shrug and ignore the plight of others figuring we have a savior and that's the end of the matter.

It's a sin to not do what we're supposed to do...right? Wasn't Jesus the propitiation for those sins? So Christians, having a Savior, should not fear judgment day.

 

[tango]

It's a sin to not do what we're supposed to do...right? Wasn't Jesus the propitiation for those sins? So Christians, having a Savior, should not fear judgment day.

Why do you think Jesus gave us the warning about the sheep and the goats then? It would seem strange for him to deliver such a dire warning, based on people who did or did not to certain actions, if we didn't have to worry about what we do.

 

[Lamb]

Why do you think Jesus gave us the warning about the sheep and the goats then? It would seem strange for him to deliver such a dire warning, based on people who did or did not to certain actions, if we didn't have to worry about what we do.

A good shepherd gives both Law and Gospel because both have their purpose. We shouldn't do bad things, we should be good. That's what's good and holy. The Law not only accuses us, telling us we can't live up to those standards, but is also a curb and guide. When we obey the Law we show love to God and our neighbor which is what God wants for this world.

The good shepherd gives the Gospel to those who have had too much law and are in despair about it. The Gospel never accuses us but gives us comfort and joy. That's why Christians should not be afraid of Judgment Day. Look to the Savior not to the self. The Law looks to self. The Gospel to the Savior.

 

[Lamb]

Here's another take on the topic of Judgment Day and think back to my thread also on "justify": http://www.badaxelutheran.org/site/cpage.asp?sec_id=180014531&cpage_id=180062859

Trials often have two phases: the first phase is to determine the guilt or innocence of someone, and the second phase is the sentencing. There is often an extended period of time in between those two phases. The guilty person is judged to be so in the first phase, and then is incarcerated to await his final sentencing in the last phase. If you keep this picture in mind with our topic at hand, it may make more sense to you.

Judgment Day does not decide the question of eternal life or death, for that is decided in this world by whether one is a believer in Christ or not, as Jesus says in John 3:18: “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” Death seals the believer in his eternal bliss, and the unbeliever in his eternal condemnation.

At the Final Judgment there will be no need of questions of law or evidence, but the Judge (Christ), who knows all things, will proceed at once to publicly pronounce His sentence. Since faith and unbelief are invisible to human eyes, the outward fruits of both will be made to bear witness to the justness of the Judge’s sentence. The believers will not bring forth their good works to prove their righteousness; the Judge will bring them forth to prove His righteousness in judgment. Likewise, no good works of the unbeliever are brought forth at all; only their sins which bear witness to their unbelief and rejection of God’s grace in Christ which leave them justly condemned.

When Christ awards to His believers the Kingdom of heaven which He has prepared for them, it is not in payment for their good deeds while on earth. It is given to them as an inheritance because they belong to Him by faith. They receive what Christ has earned for them. The wicked deeds of unbelievers testify that they are doing the works of their father, the devil, and it is only fitting that they share in his eternal abode. Thus, the condemned shall go away into everlasting punishment, and the righteous in Christ into eternal life (Matt. 25).

So, let’s wrap this up in a nice, neat package: Christ bore the judgment of the whole world’s sins upon Himself when He died on the cross. In one sense, Judgment Day occurred then. His sacrifice was made for everyone, but only those who believe in Him benefit from this sacrifice. Those who reject Christ through unbelief will then bear their sins to their own judgment. There are no second chances after death. The eternal judgment is rendered at death, and the final sentence is passed at Judgment Day.

The good news for all believers in Christ is that we don’t have to fear that Day, for it will be for us a day of joy as, body and soul, we will be with our gracious Savior forever.

[Jesus said:] “Truly, truly, I say to you: Whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me
has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24

 

[Andrew]

That great and terrible day is not something we should look forward to, it implies the great apostasy, the signs are "I told you so" prophesy to reassure us whom the world hated first... I do believe we are living in the final moments and it gives me hope during the final days of this current evil age

 

[Lamb]

That great and terrible day is not something we should look forward to, it implies the great apostasy, the signs are "I told you so" prophesy to reassure us whom the world hated first... I do believe we are living in the final moments and it gives me hope during the final days of this current evil age

Do you not pray in church "Come, Lord Jesus"? That's at the very end of the book of Revelation.

 

[Andrew]

Do you not pray in church "Come, Lord Jesus"? That's at the very end of the book of Revelation.

We are to be aware as Paul was, I mean he really did believe it would happen in his lifetime, of course I welcome Our Lords return
I definitely do not fear it

 

[Jason]

Revelation 20:15

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This always make me worry, but i will continue to pray and do what i can for the Lord in the coming days.

 

[Lamb]

Revelation 20:15

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This always make me worry, but i will continue to pray and do what i can for the Lord in the coming days.

Fear not little lamb...

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 

[tango]

Here's another take on the topic of Judgment Day and think back to my thread also on "justify": http://www.badaxelutheran.org/site/cpage.asp?sec_id=180014531&cpage_id=180062859

(article cut for brevity)

The trouble is that this is the same Jesus who said that not everybody who calls him Lord will enter the kingdom. He said how people would be asking "didn't we prophesy in your name?" and "didn't we work miracles in your name?" only to be told "I never knew you".

If we are doing God's will we have nothing to worry about. If we simply go through the motions, refer to Jesus as "Lord" but don't actually do what he tells us to do, things might be more uncomfortable. As John said in one of his letters, if we claim to love God but do not love our brother we are lying because we can't claim to love an unseen God if we cannot love a brother who we can see.

 

[Josiah]

That great and terrible day is not something we should look forward to, it implies the great apostasy, the signs are "I told you so" prophesy to reassure us whom the world hated first... I do believe we are living in the final moments and it gives me hope during the final days of this current evil age

Seriously, I've not heard this from any Christian focused specifically on JUDGEMENT DAY....

It seems to ME that PERSONALLY (in terms of their own person) they tend to focus on NOW and "the moment of my death." I suspect the reason for that is that most Christians assume they will live and die before Judgment Day. They could be wrong about that, of course. But I know that in some circles, there is an enormous fixation on the Return and a firm belief that it is immediate. And they could be right.

In my experience, synergist MUST fear the future, MUST fear whether God loves and forgives them NOW and whether they will enter heaven. Calvinists who hold to TULIP must fear this, too. But I think that those who believe that Jesus is the Savior (not self) have certainty. The Bible says, "These things are written so that you may be CERTAIN...." IF our faith is in Christ - that HE does the saving, then there is no fear, no uncertainty, perfect assurance. IF our faith is in self (even 0.000000001%) then there must be fear.




.

 

[Andrew]

Seriously, I've not heard this from any Christian focused specifically on JUDGEMENT DAY....

It seems to ME that PERSONALLY (in terms of their own person) they tend to focus on NOW and "the moment of my death." I suspect the reason for that is that most Christians assume they will live and die before Judgment Day. They could be wrong about that, of course. But I know that in some circles, there is an enormous fixation on the Return and a firm belief that it is immediate. And they could be right.

In my experience, synergist MUST fear the future, MUST fear whether God loves and forgives them NOW and whether they will enter heaven. Calvinists who hold to TULIP must fear this, too. But I think that those who believe that Jesus is the Savior (not self) have certainty. The Bible says, "These things are written so that you may be CERTAIN...." IF our faith is in Christ - that HE does the saving, then there is no fear, no uncertainty, perfect assurance. IF our faith is in self (even 0.000000001%) then there must be fear.




.

Well of course I fear Judgment, I'm no Saint and God knows I can do better.. I remain in perpetual sin and constant repentance and fervor to learn and mature always in my walk but I'm not surprised these days when the signs are everywhere that the end is nigh.. It confirms what Christ said concerning the end days which I don't take lightly

 

[Lamb]

The trouble is that this is the same Jesus who said that not everybody who calls him Lord will enter the kingdom. He said how people would be asking "didn't we prophesy in your name?" and "didn't we work miracles in your name?" only to be told "I never knew you".

If we are doing God's will we have nothing to worry about. If we simply go through the motions, refer to Jesus as "Lord" but don't actually do what he tells us to do, things might be more uncomfortable. As John said in one of his letters, if we claim to love God but do not love our brother we are lying because we can't claim to love an unseen God if we cannot love a brother who we can see.

Well if you're going to rely on those works of yours to get through Judgment Day then you most certainly should be afraid.

If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and that your sins have been atoned for then you have nothing to fear and can rest in the comfort of knowing that because of Him you will have eternal life.

 

[Lamb]

Well of course I fear Judgment, I'm no Saint and God knows I can do better.. I remain in perpetual sin and constant repentance and fervor to learn and mature always in my walk but I'm not surprised these days when the signs are everywhere that the end is nigh.. It confirms what Christ said concerning the end days which I don't take lightly

You fear Judgment because you're looking at yourself and what you do (Law) instead of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins and resurrection (Gospel).