Final judgment
Final judgment
Judgment Seat
The Judgment Seat of Christ (or bema seat) is one of several judgments described in the Bible, specific to individual believers standing before God in the last day to receive their reward. Some believe it is distinct from the event described in Revelation where unbelievers are cast into the Lake of Fire.The word bema is used in the Bible to describe the place where defendant and accuser stand in front of a magistrate in a court (Matthew 27:19, John 19:13), but also in classical Greek usage as the evaluation stand for athletes. Although it is used metaphorically in both ways in Paul's writings, it is more commonly believed to be associated with reward than punishment.
(Cf. Romans 14:10, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Corinthians 5:10)
White throne judgment
The White Throne judgment is seen as the final judgment described in the Bible. The name White Throne comes from the description given in Rev. 20:11-15. Similarly there is what appears to be a description of final judgment in Matthew 25:31-46. Some premillennialists see these as describing two judgments separated by the 1000 year millennial reign of Christ on earth. Others (amillennialists and postmillennialists) see this as the same judgment as at the White Throne -- the final judgment before the eternal state.Judgments of God
- What are some different judgments that come before the Final Judgment? How do all these judgments relate to one another?
For teachers: You do not need to teach everything in each
chapter. As you prayerfully prepare to teach, seek the Spirit’s guidance to
know which portions of the chapter you should cover.
We are
often told in the scriptures that the day will come when we will stand before
God and be judged. We need to understand how judgment takes place so we can be
better prepared for this important event.
The
scriptures teach that all of us will be judged according to our works: “And I
saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged
out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works”
(Revelation
20:12; see also 1 Nephi
15:32; Abraham
3:25–28). We will also be judged “according to the desire of [our] hearts” see also Alma 41:3).
Here on
earth we are often judged as to our worthiness to receive opportunities within
the kingdom of God. When we are baptized we are judged worthy to receive this
ordinance. When we are called to serve in the Church or interviewed for a
priesthood advancement or a temple recommend, we are judged.
Alma
taught that when we die our spirits are assigned to a state of happiness or of
misery (see Alma
40:11–15). This is a judgment.
Our Words, Works, and Thoughts Are Used to Judge Us
- Imagine being judged for all your thoughts, words, and actions.
The
prophet Alma testified, “Our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will
condemn us; … and our thoughts will also condemn us” (Alma 12:14).
The
Lord said: “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account
thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and
by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew
12:36–37).
Faith
in Jesus Christ helps
us be prepared for the Final Judgment. Through faithful discipleship to Him and
repentance of all our sins, we can be forgiven for our sins and become pure and
holy so that we can dwell in the presence of God. As we repent of our sins,
giving up every impure thought and act, the Holy Ghost will
change our hearts so we no longer have even the desire to sin (see Mosiah 5:2).
Then when we are judged, we will be found ready to enter into God’s presence.
- Think about what you can do to improve your thoughts, words, and actions.
We Will Be Judged by Records
- From what records will we be judged? Who will judge us?
The
Prophet Joseph Smith
said that the dead will be judged out of records kept on earth. We will also be
judged out of the “book of life,” which is kept in heaven (see D&C
128:6–8).
“Every
one of you … must stand before ‘the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel …
and then must … be judged according to the holy judgment of God.’ (II Nephi 9:15.)
And according to the vision of John, ‘The books were opened: and another book
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books, according to their works.’ (Rev. 20:12.)
The ‘books’ spoken of refer to the ‘records [of your works] which are kept on
the earth. … The book of life is the record which is kept in heaven. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee
[2000], 226–27).
There
is another record that will be used to judge us. The Apostle Paul taught that
we ourselves are a record of our life (see Romans 2:15).
Stored in our body and mind is a complete history of everything we have done.
President John Taylor taught this truth: “[The individual] tells the story
himself, and bears witness against himself. … That record that is written by
the man himself in the tablets of his own mind, that record that cannot lie
will in that day be unfolded before God and angels, and those who shall sit as
judges.The Apostle John taught that “the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22).
The Son, in turn, will call upon others to assist in the Judgment. The Twelve
who were with Him in His ministry will judge the twelve tribes of Israel (see Matthew 19:28;
Luke 22:30).
The twelve Nephite disciples will judge the Nephite and Lamanite people (see 1 Nephi
12:9–10; Mormon
3:18–19).
Inheriting a Place in a Kingdom of Glory
- How will our faithfulness during our life on earth influence our life in the eternities?
At the
Final Judgment we will inherit a place in the kingdom for which we are
prepared. The scriptures teach of three kingdoms of glory—the celestial
kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, and the telestial kingdom .
In the Lord described the ways we can choose to
live our mortal lives. He explained that our choices will determine which
kingdom we are prepared for. We learn from this revelation that even members of
the Church will inherit different kingdoms because they will not be equally
faithful and valiant in their obedience to Christ.
The
following are the kinds of lives we can choose to live and the kingdoms our
choices will obtain for us.
Celestial
“They
are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were
baptized, … that by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed
from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit.” These are they who overcome
the world by their faith. They are just and true so that the Holy Ghost can
seal their blessings upon them.Those who inherit the highest degree of the
celestial kingdom, who become gods, must also have been married for eternity in
the temple. All who inherit the celestial kingdom will live with Heavenly
Father and Jesus Christ forever.
Through
the work we do in temples, all people who have lived on the earth can have an
equal opportunity to receive the fulness of the gospel and the ordinances of
salvation so they can inherit a place in the highest degree of celestial glory.
Terrestrial
These
are they who rejected the gospel on earth but afterward received it in the
spirit world. These are the honorable people on the earth who were blinded to
the gospel of Jesus Christ by the craftiness of men. These are also they who
received the gospel and a testimony of Jesus but then were not valiant. They
will be visited by Jesus Christ but not by our Heavenly Father.
Telestial
These people
did not receive the gospel or the testimony of Jesus either on earth or in the
spirit world. They will suffer for their own sins in hell until after the
Millennium, when they will be resurrected. “These are they who are liars, and
sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a
lie.” These people are as numerous as the stars in heaven and the sand on the
seashore. They will be visited by the Holy Ghost but not by the Father or the
Son.
Outer Darkness
These
are they who had testimonies of Jesus through the Holy Ghost and knew the power
of the Lord but allowed Satan to overcome them. They denied the truth and
defied the power of the Lord. There is no forgiveness for
them, for they denied the Holy Spirit after having received it. They will not
have a kingdom of glory. They will live in eternal darkness, torment, and
misery with Satan and his angels forever.
- According to what are the characteristics of a person who overcomes the world by faith and is valiant in the testimony of Jesus?
We Should Prepare Now for Judgment
- What must we do to be ready for the Final Judgment?
In
reality, every day is a day of judgment. We speak, think, and act according to
celestial, terrestrial, or telestial law. Our faith in Jesus Christ, as shown
by our daily actions, determines which kingdom we will inherit.
We
have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness. The gospel is the law
of the celestial kingdom. All the priesthood ordinances necessary for our
progression have been revealed. We have entered the waters of baptism and have made a
covenant to live Christlike lives. If we are faithful and keep the covenants we
have made, the Lord has told us what our judgment will be. He will say unto us,
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
Additional Scriptures
- Romans 2:6–9; Revelation 20:12–13 (the Judgment)
- Alma 11:41, 45; Mormon 7:6; 9:13–14 (we are judged in a resurrected state)
- 2 Nephi 29:11; 3 Nephi 27:23–26 (books used in the Judgment)
- Alma 41:2–7 (our judgment is determined by our works, the desires of our hearts, repentance, enduring to the end)
- Mormon 3:22 (repent and prepare to stand before the judgment seat)
- Luke 12:47–48; (of whom much is given, much is required)
- (we each receive that for which we are worthy)
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